Marketing Strategies for New Entrepreneurs

Notable entrepreneur Marcus Asay has been instrumental in numerous management and development projects in the sports entertainment, telecommunications, and nonprofit sectors. The founder of World Workforce International, Marcus Asay is a high-profile proponent of economic development through entrepreneurship.

For new entrepreneurs, developing and executing successful marketing strategies can have a steep learning curve. The following guidelines can serve small business owners, who need to be especially careful about how they allocate their marketing budgets.

1. Build a brand persona. Countless online and offline opportunities exist for entrepreneurs to present themselves and their companies as experts in their specific sector. Business owners should attend high-profile industry events and local causes to raise awareness of their services or products. Likewise, entrepreneurs should establish a cohesive presence on social media by launching a professional website and creating useful and relevant content. 

2. Leverage innovative media. Social media platforms make it easy to create highly engaging marketing videos. From interactive presentations to video content, digital media is ripe with marketing opportunities. 

3. Use customer reviews. Word of mouth is one of the most effective promotion tactics. New entrepreneurs can utilize positive customer testimony by publishing it on their website or promoting reviews in social media.

The SHRM Competency Model Framework for Professional Development

Accomplished executive Marcus Asay founded the international labor federation World Workforce International more than a decade ago and serves as the organization’s chair. In addition to managing his blog UnionsAdvocate.com, Marcus Asay is an active member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).

With over 300,000 members worldwide, SHRM is the largest professional organization catering to the Human Resources industry. Among its many development initiatives, the society created its Competency Model in a three-phase process with the input of over 1,200 professionals from more than 30 countries. 

The model outlines core competencies in nine areas, including ethics, communication, HR expertise, and leadership. Each competency is further divided into standards based on career experience, ranging from entry to executive-level positions. This model serves as a framework for self-evaluations, performance assessments, and setting development goals. 

HR professionals can access self-assessments, growth strategies, and certifications for each competency on the SHRM website. The site also contains diagnostic tools that compare self-analysis results against ratings from supervisors and direct subordinates.

Wholesome Entertainment and Masterclasses from Moviebaby

The founder of World Workforce International who thinks of himself as a “champion of the underdogs,” Marcus Asay also serves as board member of the IE/Cal Design & Development Center and the Farmworker Enterprise Foundation. Recently, Marcus Asay became involved in Moviebaby, including offering a masterclass titled "Building Your Business" through the company. 

Created to provide inspiring stories, Moviebaby offers monthly subscriptions for those who want to enjoy a diverse range of entertaining films and television series that are suitable for all ages. The company features classic westerns, comedy shows, such as I Love Lucy, a wide selection of cartoons, musicals, action and adventure films, as well as Christmas-themed works. 

Moviebaby has also created its own original series of masterclasses. Some of the classes available to watch on the site include a class on network marketing taught by John Singh, a class on mindfulness by Annie Parker, and Dallas “Flashman” Wade's class titled “Get on Track”. Other masterclass topics range from acting and directing to Laotian cuisine and vegan cooking. 

For more information about Moviebaby's offerings or to become part of its mission to provide wholesome entertainment, visit www.moviebaby.com.

Angel Babies Supports Bereaved Parents

With an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Marcus Asay went on to several leadership positions and founded the union organization World Workforce International. In addition to his work, Marcus Asay believes in giving back and has supported several charities, including Hinds Hospice.

Hinds Hospice provides support for people at the end of their lives and their loved ones. Serving the Fresno, Madera, and Merced regions in California, Hinds Hospice provides care and counseling for people who have lost a loved one through their Center for Grief and Healing.

A special program within the grief counseling center is the Angel Babies/Bebitos Angelitos program, which serves people who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or the birth of a baby with a terminal illness. Support is provided to local hospitals when a pregnancy ends with the child’s death, and hospice care is provided for babies who survive for a time after their birth with a terminal diagnosis. These situations can be devastating, and families often benefit from the support of trained counselors who can help them understand what’s happening, create meaningful, loving memories, and say goodbye to their children.

When a baby dies or a pregnancy is ended, parents need support and comfort but may not feel comfortable talking about the situation with friends and family, who in turn may not know what to say. Grief counselors, chaplains, social workers, volunteers, or bereavement support groups work to offer an understanding community that can help people integrate their loss and manage the grief that they feel.

Assessment of an Organization’s Structure Leads to Tailored Designs

Marcus Asay uses his experience in finance, marketing, management, and development to work in a wide range of business sectors. In his position as a principal at IE/Cal Design & Development, Marcus Asay serves with a team of experts in designing and developing projects that meet the unique goals of clients. 

When analyzing a client’s needs, architects and designers should consider the client’s organizational behavior structure in order to provide an environment that is conducive to productivity. By assessing the way people interact and the way they conduct their business activities, designers can incorporate spaces in ideal locations throughout the office. 

To successfully develop an office space that will support its organizational structure, designers should include visual cues that suggest movement, noise levels, and tasks. For example, collaborative spaces with group seating will suggest work that is completed as a team.

Designers should also add spaces that allow employees to complete tasks in private with minimal noise. After successfully analyzing organizational structures, designers can create unique floor plans tailored to a company’s work.

The 2018 SHRM Leadership Development Forum

An advocate for entrepreneurs in marketing and finance, Marcus Asay continues more than three decades of executive experience as the head of the American Labor Alliance and the IE/Cal Design and Development Center. Marcus Asay maintains membership in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

With more than 285,000 members in over 165 nations, SHRM has become the largest professional human resources organization in the world. Every year SHRM hosts events to support its members, including the Leadership Development Forum.

The 2018 SHRM Leadership Development Forum will take place October 2-3 in Boston at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. The event serves as an opportunity for SHRM members to further career development, gain important skills, and network with top industry figures. 

The forum also includes extensive opportunities for SHRM members who need to obtain professional development credits. For more details on the event or to learn about other upcoming offerings from SHRM, visit www.shrm.org