Advertiser Editorial: Be responsible citizen; vote today

By now, you're probably sick of politics, or at the very least you're sick of the attack ads on television and the taped telephone messages designed to make some candidates look bad.
But we urge you to try to put your disgust with the dirty politics aside and go to the polls today to vote.

We also urge you to try to look past the attack ads -- most of which have little to do with reality -- by studying the actual records and positions on issues of the various candidates. One place to do that is on the Montgomery Advertiser election website at www.montgomeryadvertiser.com; click on the elections logo.

A list of our editorial recommendations are reprinted below, and the full endorsements can be found at our website. We hope you will not blindly follow our endorsements -- or anyone else's, for that matter -- but just use the endorsements as one of many factor in reaching informed decisions.

The Alabama League of Women Voters has another good website, especially for statewide judicial elections and other election information. It can be found at www.lwval.org.

If you're not already a registered voter, it is too late to vote in today's primary election. But you still can register to vote in possible runoff elections or in the general election in November.

So if you are a registered voter, find the time today to vote. If you're not registered, please register soon.
Our Endorsements
* If you choose to vote in the Democratic primary:
Governor: Artur Davis
Attorney general: Michel Nicrosi
State treasurer: Charley Grimsley
Montgomery County Board of Education, District 7: Jane Ferguson
Montgomery County District Attorney: Ellen Brooks
* If you choose to vote in the Republican primary:
Governor: Bradley Byrne
Lieutenant governor: Kay Ivey
Attorney general: Luther Strange
Agriculture commissioner: John McMillan
State treasurer: Young Boozer
Public Service Commission, Place 1: Twinkle Cavanaugh
Supreme Court, Place 2: Mike Bolin
Supreme Court, Place 3: James Houts
U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd District: Martha Roby
Montgomery County Board of Education, District 7: Lori White
Autauga County sheriff: Herbie Johnson


Source : http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20100601/OPINION01/6010301/Advertiser-Editorial-Be-responsible-citizen-vote-today

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Advertising - Relationships vs Business Decisions

Successful businesses know the importance of building and maintaining good working relationships, whether it is with partners, employees, business or trade organizations, the government, media representatives, vendors, consumers, or the community at large. A business must carefully balance the benefits of these interpersonal relationships and should never allow these relationships to blind their judgment especially when it relates to what is in the best interest of the business's continued success and growth

Buying advertising media based on interpersonal relationships is a common mistake made by many small businesses. This strategy throws the business's strategic marketing plan into the winds of chance in exchange for the warm and fuzzy feelings that come with doing business among friends. However, when the smoke clears the business has made costly advertising expenditures with little or no results and the long term negative effects may not readily be seen. Simply, the marketing / advertising expenditures have been made, the budget may or may not be busted, and the results may be none to little measurable penetration into the business's target demographic market segment.

Is buying media from a friend in the business always bad? No, however in order to choose the most effective media channels a business must first consider the audience or customer it is trying to reach. Developing a strong sense of the target demographics' buying and shopping patterns, interests and hobbies, entertainment and media choices for example will lend itself a tremendous benefit to making informed media buying choices. Once the advertising business has developed a strong sense of what media channels may prove to be the most effective it should try each a little at a time carefully tracking the results of each. Once this is complete the business will be able to make an educated decision on where to invest its marketing dollars, prioritizing expenditures into the mediums that have proven results for the business.

It is true that strong interpersonal relationships skills and the ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with a variety of people, businesses, and other organizations are imperative in today's business environments. However, the importance of a well designed and implemented strategic marketing plan can not be understated and is paramount to the business's development and longevity never taking second seat to friendship.

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