Marketing Eye Blog Articles
8 key things every company should consider before choosing an agency
Aug 23, 2015 Written by Mellissah Smith For the past 3 weeks I have been quite sick and it has been incredibly hard to be able to work at a pace that is acceptable in my business. Fortunately for me, the team has been running seamlessly and have continued to grow and prosper.
Due to our inherent need for a number of new positions to be filled due to our high growth company, we have to be very careful what clients we take on for now and the future.
Due to our inherent need for a number of new positions to be filled due to our high growth company, we have to be very careful what clients we take on for now and the future.
Published in Marketing

I am not stupid. At least I don't think I am.
I try to listen to what others have to say and when someone gives me advice, I usually take it.
I have these two men in my life that are mentors. They are the two men throughout the world that I hold in the highest business esteem. Yes, the world. Not just Australia, but the world.
Their names are Jack Cowin and Peter Ivany. If you don't know who they are, Google them. It will be well worth your while. They are not your average 'smart cookies', they are briliant businessmen - beyond the brilliance of anyone else I have ever met (and I have met people worth hundreds of billions of dollars and spent quality time with them). I think these two guys are better.
I try to listen to what others have to say and when someone gives me advice, I usually take it.
I have these two men in my life that are mentors. They are the two men throughout the world that I hold in the highest business esteem. Yes, the world. Not just Australia, but the world.
Their names are Jack Cowin and Peter Ivany. If you don't know who they are, Google them. It will be well worth your while. They are not your average 'smart cookies', they are briliant businessmen - beyond the brilliance of anyone else I have ever met (and I have met people worth hundreds of billions of dollars and spent quality time with them). I think these two guys are better.
Published in Mellissah Smith

Over the years, there have been a few PR experts that have stood out to myself; namely Shona Boyd. She is an industry veteran in Sydney and has had every big name client under the sun. She is more professional than the rest and without doubt is one of the few people in the industry that guarantee results. She has a no bullshit radar, and refuses to work with people who can't sit straight. I love her. She was one of the first real PR people that I have ever met.
Then there were others that came along, without qualifications but equally capable in getting column centremeters like Roxy Jacenko. They have built their businesses on largely fluffy PR but have done so with gust and have certainly gained my admiration.
I played the PR game earlier on. I realised that it was a quick way to make some serious money. I worked on the more serious part of the equation; public listings, technology PR, business PR and alike. It was fun. All it required was an ability to write a press release and build a relationship with a journalist. By knowing what the journalist was interested in, I was able to tell the client upfront whether or not they had a chance of getting published or not.
For that privilege, I wrote the press release in 20 minutes and charged $2,500 per piece. Easy money and paid the rent. Didn't get much better than that.
Gosh times have changed. Why did I ever stop doing this. Now, we charge a few hundred dollars for writing a press release and send it out to a database. Not the same results might I add, but it seems that that is what most people are doing and getting away with.
Great PR people have the following qualitites:
Then there were others that came along, without qualifications but equally capable in getting column centremeters like Roxy Jacenko. They have built their businesses on largely fluffy PR but have done so with gust and have certainly gained my admiration.
I played the PR game earlier on. I realised that it was a quick way to make some serious money. I worked on the more serious part of the equation; public listings, technology PR, business PR and alike. It was fun. All it required was an ability to write a press release and build a relationship with a journalist. By knowing what the journalist was interested in, I was able to tell the client upfront whether or not they had a chance of getting published or not.
For that privilege, I wrote the press release in 20 minutes and charged $2,500 per piece. Easy money and paid the rent. Didn't get much better than that.
Gosh times have changed. Why did I ever stop doing this. Now, we charge a few hundred dollars for writing a press release and send it out to a database. Not the same results might I add, but it seems that that is what most people are doing and getting away with.
Great PR people have the following qualitites:
Published in Marketing

Most entrepreneurs don't listen to anyone but themselves. They trust their gut instinct and often find that their newest great idea, should take precedence over everything else their business is doing.
While that is good and well, this constant need for gratification and results often leads to entrepreneurs missing the mark - and then wondering why they are forging ahead as first thought.
While that is good and well, this constant need for gratification and results often leads to entrepreneurs missing the mark - and then wondering why they are forging ahead as first thought.
Published in Management

Having siblings often is an essential ingredient in helping a child navigate the world, teaching them how to share, be empathetic, and play well with others. With only children, there is less need to navigate the world as usually parents over compensate for the fact that they are the "one and only" child they have, and help make their lives as smooth and easy as possible. All of their attention goes on the child, and when the child asks for something, its hard to say no - afterall, you only have one child to give your attention to.
As an only child you are more often spoilt then not.
As an only child you are more often spoilt then not.
Published in Management
15 Things every employee should consider when going for a job interview
Aug 10, 2015 Written by Mellissah Smith We have had an abundance of positions available at Marketing Eye lately due to the high growth nature of our business, and our relatively new inside sales model - which is working a treat.
Our team have been interviewing hundreds of candidates and its interesting to see how many of them perform in an interview setting, or as many would say, on the first date.
Here are 15 things to consider when going for an interview:
Our team have been interviewing hundreds of candidates and its interesting to see how many of them perform in an interview setting, or as many would say, on the first date.
Here are 15 things to consider when going for an interview:
Published in Management

I've been away now for one week and am completely relaxed and recharged with a half decent tan courtesy of being in the mediterranean. Travelling has always been something that I have loved to do. I travel constantly for work and also for pleasure, usually mixing the two together. To travel is a luxury and a privilege. For the first time in a long while, I am seeing just how amazing my life has been because I have been able to travel and experience so many different cultures and environments, that broaden my perspective on life.
Published in Mellissah Smith

It's been a mammoth month in so many ways for the business. End of financial year in Australia is always draining. As a marketer, there is no fun in fulfilling your obligations as a business owner for the taxation department.
Published in Marketing
The billable hours challenge for professional services firms
Jul 21, 2015 Written by Mellissah Smith Unlike many other professional services firms, I cared less about how much billable hours my employees were doing until the fatal day that it was brought to my attention by my internal accountant that some were "performing" not as good as others and the gap was quite significant.
It is harder to work in a professional services firm than in corporate. Knowing that you have to do a certain number of billable hours can be a lot of pressure for employees, until they actually stop thinking about it.
It is harder to work in a professional services firm than in corporate. Knowing that you have to do a certain number of billable hours can be a lot of pressure for employees, until they actually stop thinking about it.
Published in Management

There are so many reasons why marketing campaigns fail (even successful ones) , but don't let not following up be one of them.
Published in Marketing

Everyone has been there. You know, when you look in the mirror and wonder to yourself 'why you haven't achieved what you set out to achieve' and then give yourself an 'upper cut'. For those who don't know what that means, it's very Australian!
Everyone controls their own destiny and deep down, every person, even the one's that blame others for their 'lot in life', know that if you are not achieving something, then it's no-one's fault but your own.
They are harsh words. You may say that you wanted to be rich, but were never given the opportunity but we have heard lots of stories of people growing up dirt poor who become squillionaires or elite sportspeople - so that alone is no excuse.
We all want something. Many of use strive to achieve it and put the right actions in place to make it happen. When failure crosses our path, we get back up and dust ourselves off, then try again, perhaps in a different way.
Everyone controls their own destiny and deep down, every person, even the one's that blame others for their 'lot in life', know that if you are not achieving something, then it's no-one's fault but your own.
They are harsh words. You may say that you wanted to be rich, but were never given the opportunity but we have heard lots of stories of people growing up dirt poor who become squillionaires or elite sportspeople - so that alone is no excuse.
We all want something. Many of use strive to achieve it and put the right actions in place to make it happen. When failure crosses our path, we get back up and dust ourselves off, then try again, perhaps in a different way.
Published in Mellissah Smith

Recently in Melbourne I did a speech in front of a group of hugely inspiring business women on how I built Marketing Eye to be in the position we are in today.
In writing that speech, I realized something very important. Our success didn't really have much to do with what we were selling, as ultimately in that market, we have a lot of competitors.
What made the business so successful, and ensured that our phones ring non-stop with inquiries is social media.
In writing that speech, I realized something very important. Our success didn't really have much to do with what we were selling, as ultimately in that market, we have a lot of competitors.
What made the business so successful, and ensured that our phones ring non-stop with inquiries is social media.
Published in Marketing
8 key tips to help you become a more successful marketing manager
Jul 14, 2015 Written by Mellissah Smith As a marketing consultancy firm, we have experienced a variety of different marketing managers throughout our offices globally; the obsessive compulsive, the sales-orientated, the technology geek, the fly by the seat of their pants kind, and the one's that really only know one or two things and have to wing it the rest of the way.
Marketing managers today have no excuse. Everything you need to know is online and available just by surfing the net. If you want to know how to write a strategy, it's there. If you want to know how to write a press release, it's there. If you need to know how to put together a social media calendar, it's there.
Marketing managers today have no excuse. Everything you need to know is online and available just by surfing the net. If you want to know how to write a strategy, it's there. If you want to know how to write a press release, it's there. If you need to know how to put together a social media calendar, it's there.
Published in Marketing

One of the most important people in any office is arguably the sales manager. Often when you are a smaller business, the entrepreneur or CEO doubles as a sales manager, and this can get a company so far, but not all the way.
Published in Marketing

Over the past 16 years, I have worked with more than 300 companies, and over that time there have been a number of things that I have learned simply by listening and observing.
Published in Small Business Marketing