vineri, 10 octombrie 2008

Mesh

I've been struggling lately with one old problem. How to put a large mesh up when I am not allowed to drill the support of the mesh?!
Step 1: ask your friends for advise: thy will say.... "hmm.... nooo, you can't do it. You can't fix it. It's too heavy and if there cames a strong wind it will rip it off from there."
Step 2: you go straight to the most popular outdoor producers and ask for their help: "The thing can be done, but it's too risky. We won't do it. We won't take that risk" After about 4 similar answers given by different people, I'm just about to say: "We'll support all the damages if there will be any. You will be dissolved by any responsibility. Forget about the wall that might bend, forget about the mesh that may rip at the slightest gasp of wind! JUST DO IT ONCE FOR ALL AND LET'S END THIS CRAP!"
After a while I bump over this guy who says: "Of course we can do it! We've done this before."
.....I'm just raveling.
BUT this will cost me trice more!! TRICE MORE THAN HALF OF THE PRINTING PRICE???????? THIS IS DOWNRIGHT STEALING!
Unfortunately, I say, the ad can be made and can be fixed. But the system only accepts sticking. And the stick's glue must be wiped off every time the mesh changes. It's more work for cleaning than for putting it up. I'll pay more for the mess than for the work!

Just for you to understand: I'm talking here about an ad that should be printed on mesh or something more compact than mesh but less heavy than banner.
The print will be fixed (by sticking it all around, according to the latest decision) on the facade of a hotel. The wall of the facade is made of concrete covered with an aluminum and plastic panel called alucobond. As the alucobond is only for decoration purpose we aren't allowed to drill it. But we can use double stick tape to glue the material. It's just that cleaning it off, as I said, is true sadism.

marți, 7 octombrie 2008

New Project

I've been thinking a lot on what marketing campaign I should do for Christmas. I see myself putting on Radio trivial messages like OUR COMPANY IS GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FIDELITY OVER THE PAST YEAR. WE THANK YOU FOR THE ACQUISITIONS MADE FROM OUR COMPANY. WE'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU TO BUY FROM US NEXT YEAR AS WELL.

Or I might organize a clumsy raffle in the supermarket: THE GREAT CHRISTMAS RAFFLE! YOU CAN WIN ONE OF THE MARVELOUS 50 PRISES OFFERED BY SANTAMARK'T! DON'T LOSE THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY. PAY 500X AND YOU WILL GET THE CHANCE TO WIN!

So, after that much brainstorm I decided to keep feet on the ground and got to the conclusion I should combine this Christmas prize wining tradition with the annual house cleaning habit. So, I might spread the word in town that IF YOU'VE GOT YOUR HOME READY FOR THE CHRISTMAS GUESTS, MARK'T WILL REWARD YOU WITH A WONDERFUL PRESENT. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOUSES WILL BE REWARDED FOR 'TASTE OF DECORATION', 'PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENT', 'RENEWAL OF THE OLD', 'AESTHETIC MATCH OF COLORS', 'INGENIOSITY OF THE ARRANGEMENT' AND 'PERSONALITY OF THE HOUSE'.
A bit of advertising (through all possible channels: radio, outdoor, OOH & posters or stickers) before the event will be enough as to make the people anxious to have us knock at their doors. The SMS campaign for enrollment into the contest will cover the advertising expenses, and the discount vouchers with preset limit of the compulsory acquisition sum will bring enough customers in the store along the following months. Besides, the validation term should only cover the dead months in the store (january-february).

Theoretically, this project should be good enough to:
- raise the customer's awareness of our company's purposes;
- increase sympathy and fidelity;
- and raise sales.

And as for the budget, the suppliers should contribute with sample products which we shall give as prises and with sponsorships for the advertising materials. We might need:
radio: 600 euro x 1 radio
internet: 700 euro
outdoor: 4000 euro x 7 billboards
OOH: 700 euro x 6 A2 posters in malls

TOTAL= 6000 euro (suppose there were 5 sponsors, it would mean at least 800 euros each...... hm. I need more sponsors, or less media.......)

Well, I'll keep you updated.

luni, 29 septembrie 2008

Electrolux Internship

I've finally received an answer from the recruitment crew in Electrolux Vienna, and I've been announced to not have been passed on to the next step of the selection for Demand Flow Analyst Position, due to my academical background. Now, I am aware that not having studied any Economical faculty may be a loss for my background, but I still feel disappointed. It's just that I wanted that internship a lot. And I really liked the idea of working in research.

Damn it. :(

New Project

I've received the approval to send vouchers of 5% discount to the customers we are sending brochures to. I'm writing the letter, now, and I'm also thinking to promote this initiative together with the Radio contest on the internet, or in some press releases.

duminică, 28 septembrie 2008

Sunday evening/End of the week

Me: I've been complaining lately of lack of socialization, of self-constraint and of a deep nostalgia for the good times when I had an active social life. I suddenly realized I was missing my old friends, my former habits of going out in gangs, of chatting with all those interesting people till midnight or of being in the middle of them. And out of a sudden need of being that ME again, I began with some phone-calls to my old friends and some going-outs. I've been unconscious. And there have hardly been 3 hours since I've had my stroll with my guests (my ant and my uncle), and since I've been at the Chocolate Bar with Gabi, and I already feel different. I need my friends. I desperately need them.

I feel hungry

Sunday. Sunday is a word that suggests a lot in a journal. Saturday is not the day when you'd expect me to write about work.
Today I'm sitting at my computer and surfing. Simply surfing. Apparently I have the purpose of finding a new topic to analyze, but, in practice I discover a deep hunger for surfing pointlessly, and let myself stolen by the new.

Ideas: I've found a strange document on my computer two days ago. A document about some sort of new literary composition called MiniSagas. It seemed to me a sort of a haiku epic composition.
... quite interesting, anyway. :)

vineri, 26 septembrie 2008

DESIRE

I keep on thinking of that internship at Electrolux, Vienna. God help me!

Day FREEDOM.

Work: I've been working at the same distribution lists.
I have discovered yesterday a great site of an interactive map. The map allows you to search for a certain street or address and it highlights it on the page. This will help me a lot more in organising the distribution of the brochures. So, now, I shall really settle the path for distribution street by street.
Boss' obsession with sending the brochures to specific addreses in vot in the least unreasonable. Those are addresses of people who really plan a construction. Now, my purpuse is to make the most of this strategy. And, simply leaving the brochures in their mail box just seems a scarce movement. I am feeling I need to slide in a marketing message. Yes, I remember I've tried this before, and I gave up because of the costs. But let's say it will take me a day to make the distribution plan and to settle the path, and, envelopes - I already have, and, as for the printed message/letter to the customer, I can simply use the company's printing machine. It should help me with at least 150 pages. .... oh! I hardly think it will. I must spare a lot of color. Then I can print them on colored paper.
As for the message, I might send an information with the contact names and mobile numbers of the marketing agents, and an invitation to check our full offer.
It would be just great if I offered them a small discount on a voucher attached to the letter. I guess I must discuss this with the boss. If he won't accept a, let's say, 6% discount for acquisitions under 150R, 4% for acquisitions of 150-500R, and 2% for acquisitions over 500R, then I'll just stick to the letter.


ME (the inside): I felt active all day, today. Indeed, I slept about 12 hours last night, but I really felt awake. Besides, I've been smiling and cheerful today. Cipy made me laugh again, and Marius made a jesting introduce of me to a colleague as me being his friend... "his dream ever since he knew me". HA HA! He made me laugh, too. And I felt good. But I still wonder how far would he have went with the joke: a friend indeed?! or a girlfriend?!??!?! He's funny though.

ME (inside): second episode: Mom has got back home and she's stressing me out. I feel less cheerful. :(


BUBU: I feel lasy to call him. I'd ratrher say nothing to him, but let him listen. If he were here......