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| Eric Doubt - marketing specialist |
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Eric Doubt and Communication Associates have been active in Halton Hills business community since 1994. The Associates consist of a team of professionals experienced in marketing strategies, corporate identity, web design and Internet marketing, copy writing, print and production, trade show displays and more. Andrea Dubravsky: Eric you and Communication Associates are very well known in Halton Hills business community, what services does CA offer for businesses? Eric Doubt: We’ve done a lot of work locally. I started Communication Associates in 1994 with a group of experienced specialists with the vision of integrating ideas and technologies for business. Under that banner we offer the full range of marketing communications services from marketing planning and execution to corporate identity and branding, with full creative and graphic design and production on board. Whether they need an affordable, expandable, user-worthy web site, a logo, signage and stationery, an ad campaign or emarketing messaging – we can deliver measurable results. Andrea Dubravsky: What businesses can benefit from your services? Eric Doubt: We specialize in the business-to-business sectors (healthcare, transportation, electronics, IT, etc.) and the non-profit sector because we do a lot of volunteering and pro-bono work. So, we have had experience with such global companies as: Siemens Electric Limited and Hoffmann-La Roche; North American companies like Amvic Building System and Fraser Direct Distribution Services (of Georgetown), and regional businesses like Mantis Racing (Oakville), Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce and the William Osler health Centre. Our biggest non-profit client is Healing Hands for Haiti International. Andrea Dubravsky: You have been in the marketing business for a long time. What are the new trends you are seeing and what marketing strategies should businesses pay attention to? Eric Doubt: Too long! I’ve seen many trends in marketing – the ones that survive will always be there - like targeting your prospects, focusing on customer orientation and simplicity in design and messages. Of course web, internet and social media dominate what’s new and they are evolving all the time. We keep up. How you strategize and choose your tactics depends on your market analysis, business plan and budget. Too many businesses just reach for what they know (newspaper ads) or a gimmick they’ve been pitched recently (event sponsorship) without looking at the audience or cost effectiveness. So, I recommend paying attention to the customer and prospect first – who are they, where are they, how can they be reached, what do they need to know, can you encourage responses from the marketplace. The answers to those issues will help determine a rational marketing communications plan. Andrea Dubravsky: Do you find that company presentation – their logo, marketing materials, web presentation – can influence the way company is perceived by clients and business partners? Eric Doubt: Every business has a look and feel whether the owners or their customers like it or not. This is the playing field of corporate identity and branding. Bad is when the logo or stationery or signage looks out of date, unattractive, or worse – doesn’t make sense by not imparting the right information. Good, or effective, is when the customer gets what the company is about quickly and feels positive about it – think about your favourite brand of fast food or mobile phone. Getting the look and feel right is both an art and a science: part research, part intuition, creative skills and, importantly - experience. Don’t waste energy and money on band-aid or cheap solutions if you care about your business and your customers. If you don’t, why should they? Take our new web site for example www.commassoc.ca - I know it shows us as professional, experienced, interesting and dynamic, because we care to take the time to get that across. Andrea Dubravsky: And I understand that CA will be able to take care of all design and production needs… Eric Doubt: As I described, we have the team of seasoned experts to take a project from concept to launch. That includes developing and testing concepts, producing and perfecting graphic designs, writing the right message, shooting compelling images for trade shows, supervising printing right at the presses – everything that goes into traditional media. And the same capabilities apply to new media – planning a web strategy in affordable stages, making sure the copy is optimized for search engines, making the home page imagery impactful, choosing appropriate social media tools. And everything we do is quoted for approval in advance. No surprises. Andrea Dubravsky: In the past two years you worked as an Executive Marketing Director for Healing Hands for Haiti – an international non-profit organization that helps Haitians with disabilities. How has this experience helped you? Eric Doubt: I’ve worked in many capacities over 6 years for this humanitarian organization in Haiti – as a volunteer, board member, marketing consultant and executive director. The experience has taught me a lot about myself, about the plight of some of the most disadvantaged people on earth, about the challenges for non-profit organizations in the developing world and about doing business in very different environments. We have worked with a variety of non-profits - the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce, our local food bank, hospital foundations and humanitarian groups. So, from both personal and business experience I feel we understand their special needs – budgets are tighter, accountability is essential and their publics are bombarded with competing messages. The rest is basically the same – integrating great ideas with the right communication technologies to make a difference.
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