MKTG 6101 Week 4 Post 3 Surfing the Tsunami

 

MKTG 6101 Week 4 Post 3 Surfing the Tsunami

By: Freddy Garcia 5/31/2022

    

      

    As I was completing my readings over the holiday weekend, I often intermingle my work readings as well. Full disclosure Tesla and Google are companies we own so I am constantly reading up on Tesla and Google. As I was finishing Chapter 2 of Dr Kelsey’s book Surfing the Tsunami the section on AI being science really stuck with me and made me understand some of the decisions both Google and Tesla are making. Collaboration between scientist and different countries are important for the continued advancement of technology.

          Google has had their struggles with China and has conflicted with the Chinese government putting restrictions on their search capabilities if they want to do business in China. China has made one of the largest commitments to research in artificial intelligence. Since Google realizes, they are committed to the science of AI they must put aside their differences with China and work with the scientist from that country.

          Tesla is in the same situation they are committed to build cars in China. Tesla’s goal is not just to build cars but to gather all the science needed for driverless cars. If Tesla want to advance the science of driverless cars than they need to have the exposure in China. Tesla also has the same dilemma in India. Currently they are not manufacturing cars in India, because the government of India has made it too restrictive. Tesla instead of giving up on the goal to produce cars in India is still trying to work with the government so they can continue to advance the science.

MKTG 6101 Week 4 Post 2 Ascend Your Start-Up

 

MKTG 6101 Week 4 Post 2 Ascend Your Start-Up

By: Freddy Garcia 5/27/2022

          This year has been a very challenging for me. In my twenty-five-year career in financial services I have seen different stock market cycles. The challenge this year is that the fundamentals have been tossed out and we have seen just massive sell offs from companies that are posting very strong earnings. The bottom line is I hate losing money for my clients. The current administration has found a way to stifle the markets and there is more volatility ahead as high inflationary pressures continue along with low consumer confidence. I am not sure if we have bottomed out yet.

          The losses in my client’s accounts are a huge concern of mine and I am not one to just sit back. As I think of this dilemma, we are in I am also doing my reading for class. As I as was reading Chapter 5 of Ascend Your Start-Up, the phrase “how will you help your customers scale and grow” really stuck with me. My clients hire me to manage their money and make them money. As the chapter discusses it is important to deliver on your brand.

          The mission statement for our company is Creating Wealth, Building Wealth, and Preserving Wealth. This is our strategy and brand identity. Earlier in the year we sold out of all previous stocks that had made my clients a lot of money over the years. It was a tough decision, but I reminded if you want to be customer centric then you must stick to your brand, we had created wealth and now we needed to preserve if for them. My clients still want growth, so we had to come up with different investment strategy. As the market earlier in the week continued its volatility, I had to remind myself that my clients still want growth, and it is important to develop and stick to the strategy that has grown my firm and client base.

MKTG 6101 Week 4 Post 1 Guerilla Marketing

 

MKTG 6101 Week 4 Post 1 Guerilla Marketing

By: Freddy Garcia 5/27/2022

          This week’s post on the Google ads training certificate program reminding me very much of one of my readings this past week Chapter Five of Guerilla Marketing. I did not complete the program but did look through it and will go back and complete it once I have finished with this class. Learning the foundations of pay per click ads I think could really help me understand if it is worth it for my business to use this form of advertising. I had spoken with the sales group at Google, and they had pitched this platform before, and I did not use it and instead used a Facebook and YouTube boost campaign. Neither campaign was very effective so I will revisit the pay per click method again.

          The reason I was reminding of the readings when looking into Google ads is that it is super important to have a marketing strategy in place before creating the ad. By creating a plan first, you can then determine what type of creative marketing strategy can work. Chapter Five discusses creating a marketing plan first using seven steps. The first step is to identify the inherent drama with your offering. Next you need to be able to translate the inherent dram into a meaningful benefit. Then you should be able to state your benefits in as believable a way possible. Make sure to create an add that gets people’s attention. The add should then motivate your audience to get involved and take action. It is important to make sure you are communicating clearly with the add. Lastly the final step is measuring your finished advertisement, commercial, letter, Web site and brochure against your creative strategy.

MKTG 6101 Week 3 Post 3 Surfing the Tsunami

 

MKTG 6101 Week 3 Post 3 Surfing the Tsunami

By: Freddy Garcia 5/19/2022

          In chapter two of Surfing the Tsunami, Dr. Kelsey describes hardware and software as chips and dip. The analogy made it very clear to me how to understand the relationship of what happens when artificial intelligence enters the picture. The basic premise is that you can’t have one without the other. I call this out because data is essential to artificial intelligence, and without data, artificial intelligence is not possible. 

          Computers are an amazing ecosystem, and the instructions computers follow are constantly evolving. The chips and circuits do all the heavy lifting, but it is the software that makes them run. This is the beauty of AI when you can get the software to constantly evolve to keep the hardware moving. Personalized programs using artificial intelligence need data to be in place to support these goals.

          Businesses have seen the importance of collecting data and should have a data infrastructure that supports artificial intelligence. The amount of data businesses have collected has been the primary driver in determining its true value. Tech companies like Google, Facebook and Tesla are some of the most valuable companies in the word based upon the amount of data they have collected.

 

MKTG 6101 Week 3 Post 2 Surfing the Tsunami

 

MKTG 6101 Week 3 Post 2 Surfing the Tsunami

By: Freddy Garcia 5/19/2022

          For this week’s post I will reference Dr. Kelsey’s post discussing the importance of AI to the readings this week from his book Surfing the Tsunami. I do recognize and see the possibility and inevitability of artificial intelligence (AI). Tech companies are making huge strides to improve the technology itself. I believe American companies can lead the world in AI therefore, I think we need to move faster and more aggressively than we currently are.

          I agree that everyone needs to act when it comes to AI as Dr Kelsey discusses we should all care. Regardless of which way the pendulum swings on the job market, every person needs to be ready for change. AI may increase and change workloads in ways that are not conceivable today. It may also make some jobs obsolete. In that case, individuals will need to find other job opportunities, which will likely be impacted or influenced by AI.

          I am optimistic about the future of AI and think AI is imperative. While the world is quickly moving towards AI, we’re unsure of how it will affect the job market. However, we all need to be ready for change. I hope American Tech companies can lead the charge and advance AI throughout the world.

MKTG 6101 Week 3 Interview with Ad Agency Executive

 

MKTG 6101 Week 3 Interview with Ad Agency Executive

By: Freddy Garcia 5/18/2022

          I really enjoyed reading the interview Professor Kelsey did with my fellow student Bridget an ad executive at one of the most prestigious ad firms in the world. The interview had many parts, and I will cover the different segments I enjoyed reading. The segments I enjoyed were getting into the advertising business, successful branding strategies, the history of Leo Burnett, perseverance in advertising and finally transformation in the workplace.

          Like many jobs getting in the door is one of the hardest things to do. Many employers would like experience but if your new to the industry how do you get that experience. It sounds like the advertising world is no exception and getting into the business is very tough. Networking is key and knowing someone in the business is one of the best ways to get in with a firm like Leo Burnett. Remember its not just what you know but who you know.

          The segment on branding was very relatable to the current class and the assigned readings. It is important for businesses to show their credibility from what I have learned so far from the readings is that consumers relate credibility to how often a company gets their brand seen. Companies have adjusted to the social media platforms to make sure everyone continues to see their brand. The richest person in the world Elon Musk also happens to be one of the most successful marketers.

          As a history buff and native Chicagoan, I always enjoy learning about the history of a local company. Leo Burnett was a pioneer in the advertising industry and has almost a 100-year history. The discussion of the first campaign to the creation of some the most icon brand characters really showed how important a brand is to a company. The marketing campaigns, logos and mascots still have an important impact today and make a dramatic difference when older companies need to rebrand themselves to stay competitive.

          I can relate to going back and getting my MBA to improve my business acumen especially after working in my field for 25 years. I appreciate how there is always a need to self-improve. In the advertising field potential customers are looking to collaborate with experienced advertisers who also have their MBA. So, the solution is if you want to continue to advance in your field you persevere and get your advanced degree.

          The business workplace has always been male dominated. Having worked in the financial services field for 25 years most of my coworkers were always males. I understand and see the challenges females have had in the workplace. It is great to see a more diverse workforce and more opportunities for women, especially in advertising.

MKTG 6101 Week 3 Guerilla Marketing Post 1

 

MKTG 6101 Week 3 Guerilla Marketing Post 1

          The post this week on the growing trend of Tik Tok users on mobile apps versus the declining usage on the Facebook app for mobile users was very interesting. Facebook is still the leader in market share on social media and still has the most usage, but the new trend is alarming. Facebook has tried several things to control the social media space by purchasing other social media giants like Instagram and WhatsApp.

          As I was reading the post, I thought of my readings this week on Branding. In the book Guerilla Marketing chapter 15 discusses branding. Brand awareness leads to a company’s credibility the more a company can get their brand out the more credible it will seem. With Tik Tok’s growing user trend this can affect Facebooks brand. Facebook has decided to act, and, in the past, they had made purchases of other social media platforms. This time Facebook has decided to change their brand by changing their name to gain a new area of expertise.

       

 

        Guerrilla Marketing discusses the concept of positioning your brand to stand out. Facebook decided to change their name to Meta Platforms. The new name is a branding strategy to show Facebooks expertise in virtual reality. Facebook believes the Meta Verse is the new growth area for the company and by changing their name it gives the brand the appearance of credibility in the new space.

MKTG 6101 Week 2 Ascend Your Start Up Post 3

 

MKTG 6101 Week 2 Ascend Your Start Up Post 3

 

          As I was reading the interview with Courtney Quinn discussing the real-world marketing efforts of her company, I was reminded of this week’s class reading. In the fifth chapter of Ascend Your Start-Up: Conquer the 5 Disconnects to Accelerate Growth, the chapter discussed marketing strategies. Courtney discusses it is first important to identify who the target market is for CompTIA and what the best way to reach them would be. So just like in Chapter 5 of this week’s readings it is important to identify your market segmentation first then look at the distribution channels that are best suited to reach each segment. In the case of CompTIA, it looks like digital marketing is best.

          In my own business I often must go back and ask myself who are the different markets I want to target and what are the most effective ways to reach each one. I also prioritize which markets are the most important to me. For me the high net wroth investor is my target market and currently the only marketing that has worked has been referrals from my existing clients. As I take this class, I am looking to find other more effective methods to market.

MKTG 6101 Week 1 Ascend Your Start Up Post 2

 

MKTG 6101 Week 1 Ascend Your Start Up Post 2

 

          I was reading the first chapter of Ascend Your Start-Up: Conquer the 5 Disconnects to Accelerate Growth. The chapter discussed start-up founders. The original founder of a company must sacrifice many things to have their vision become a reality. The journey for a start is very difficult and like climbing a mountain their can be a lot of missteps along the way. One of the dangers a founder faces is strategy to execution disconnects. The disconnect stands in the way of a business getting to where it needs to be.

          As I read this chapter it reminds me of a very important fundamental I look at when evaluating a business. The stocks I like to purchase the most are companies that have founder led CEO’s. It is many times only the founder that understands the vision of a company and what it takes to get there.

 

MKTG 6101 Week 2 TikTok Dangers Post 2

 

MKTG 6101 Week 2 TikTok Dangers Post 2

 

          I am very concerned about the dangers of Tik Tok. I have never been a person advocating for more government regulation and increasing the role government has on our lives. I do believe however that the role of government is to protect its citizens. During President Trumps’s administration he fought to protect our rights and targeted Tik Tok specifically. President Trump’s first order argues that TikTok poses an economic and national security threat to U.S. interests. U.S. officials have expressed concern that China’s authoritarian government would have access to the data TikTok collects from users, including Americans. TikTok has said it would never hand over such data.

            Other large Chinese companies like Tencent have cooperated with the Chinese government. President Trumps efforts were not strongly supported and when the new administration took over the efforts for the sale of Tik Tok to an American company were abandoned. I was really surprised to see a New York Times article that now sees how correct President Trump was and encourages the current administration to continue the efforts.

            As a parent I had encouraged my kids to remove Tik Tok from their phones. I explained to them how all the private information on their phones could be compromised. I got them to stop using it for a while but unfortunately, they fail to understand the risks and went back to using it all the time.

 

MKTG 6101 Week 2 TikTok on FinTech Post 1

 

MKTG 6101 Week 2 TikTok on FinTech Post 1

           

 

                In the financial realm, TikTok has risen to fame as a platform friendly to cryptocurrency and related investing. Since Facebook and Instagram have so many restrictions on crypto advertising and content, TikTok is where it’s all shifted. And while not all TikTok’s financial content is viable or trustworthy, there are many strong influencers who trade in concise, easy-to-digest investing advice and the world is eating it up.

            Since most of the popular financial content is related to cryptocurrency, it would not make sense for a traditional investing firm like mine to advertise on TikTok. The demographic we are looking for in the high-net-worth space does not see TikTok as reliable source for financial information. Many firms discuss how they want to attract millennials as clients but for a firm like mine we have found that millennials are still in the accumulation phase of their financial planning process.

MKTG 6101 Week 1 Search Engine Marketing Post 3

 

MKTG 6101 Week 1 Search Engine Marketing Post 3

                Search engine marketing is a way of promoting any app or website by increasing its visibility on websites or the search engine and it is one of the most effective ways to promote anything. This type of marketing business usually pays the search engine companies like Google to place their mobile or website on top when the user searches for a particular key word. An example of this is if the user wants to search for a messenger app Google will place the app’s name as the top search that paid the maximum mount of money. Since the app that paid the most for the search will be the first one displayed it will generate traffic towards their mobile app.

 

               

    Google Ads are those that are placed in some website we browse. The advertisement space is sold to marketers and businesses and those Google receives money for them. Google also studies the preference of their users and place the ads accordingly. It’s the knowledge of the of the search engine that makes Google so valuable. Knowing how to reach potential users of a product or service is one of the key successes of search engine marketing and ad words.

MKTG 6101 Week 1 Guerilla Marketing Post

 

MKTG 6101 Week 1 Guerilla Marketing Post

                Guerilla marketing is an unconventional method to draw consumer’s interest through surprise or cues that are advertised through different means. This type of marketing strategy is mostly a surprise to consumers as they don’t expect the promotion of a product or service. Guerilla marketing is different than your traditional means of marketing and many small companies have adopted this strategy as it can be a lot more cost effective.

                Guerilla marketing requires imagination and time more than just a large marketing budget. The smaller budget is what attracts small businesses to use Guerilla tactics versus your traditional marketing methods. The metrics for this marketing strategy are profit only. In traditional marketing the metrics can analyze the traffic of the marketing, number of calls and hits of the promotion.

                In traditional marketing a logo is adequate whereas Guerrilla marketing requires more that just a logo, the goal is to appeal to a consumer’s psyche. The focus of Guerilla marketing is the consumer where in traditional marketing the focus is all about the brand. The message for an effective Guerilla strategy is targeted towards a specific group, unlike traditional marketing which is very broad.

Week 1 Blog Introduction

 Hello everyone, welcome to my blog page. My name is Freddy Garcia I am Registered Investment Advisor and Certified Financial Planner. I currently work at Left Brain Wealth Management a boutique wealth management firm that specializes in working with high net worth investors. I have been in the Financial services field now for over twenty years. I received my Bachelors degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Augustana College. After working in my field for ten years I completed the course work through Kaplan University for the CFP designation and passed the mastery test. I enjoy learning and am always looking to improve my professional skills and business knowledge so that is my reason for pursuing my MBA. Almost all of my classes have been virtual so far but I really would like to connect with my fellow MBA students so please send me a LinkedIn request.

                          https://www.linkedin.com/in/freddy-garcia-cfp%C2%AE-b20578113/

 I currently both live and work in Naperville, IL. My family came from Mexico and we settled on the South Side of Chicago where I was raised. Even though I live in the west suburbs of Chicago I will always be a South Sider and a White Sox fan. I enjoy watching sports and movies and exercising  especially jogging and going for walks. I love learning about history, investments and trivia and enjoy discussions about religion, investments and politics. My favorite thing to do in the world is to spend time with my three kids they are my true passion. I have three kids all teenagers and they are my absolute pride and joy. My daughter will start college this fall at the University of Colorado and I am so proud of her and all the work she put in to get there. My son will be staring his Senior year and then off to college next year and has spent the summers interning in my office and would possibly like to take over the business one day. My youngest is excited to start her high school career and join some of the same activities her sister was in.

I  look forward to learning more about social media marketing and getting to know my fellow classmates.