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BY ADAM TESTA, The Southern
 
Sunday, July 13, 2008 10:39 PM CDT
 
MURPHYSBORO - Superintendent Chris Grode remains modest about his accomplishments during his first year on the job, but those around him recognize the commitment he's made to the school district and the city.

Since taking the helm as the leader of Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 last July, Grode has turned many visions into realities and left many people impressed.

"We have been very fortunate over the years to have some wonderful administrators," said Mike Austin, president of the district school board. "Chris fits right into the mold. He's been phenomenal for this district."

When he arrived in Murphysboro last year, Grode immediately recognized the sense of community pride in the town and had a vision of opening a school store, which would be managed and run by students, as well as selling Murphysboro Red Devil and Blue Devil merchandise.

With a lease signed on space in the Splattered Ink Professional Building on Walnut Street, the store will officially open during the Apple Festival this September.

Grode has also played an instrumental role in organizing a district foundation and revitalizing a district Hall of Fame, which Austin said has been "long overdue."

"We have really fallen behind in getting recognition to some of the individuals who come through our district," Austin said. "If we don't start to recognize some of those people soon, it may be too late."

Grode's accomplishments and involvement, however, were not confined to the school district.

He has also become involved in other aspects of the city, such as working with the Murphysboro Economic Development Organization and the Chamber of Commerce.

"When he came to Murphysboro, he said that he was making a commitment to Murphysboro," said Mayor Ron Williams. "He wanted to be active in the community, both as a representative of the school district and as a member of the community. He's certainly done that."

While others praise the initiative he's taken, Grode doesn't take credit for it.

"I don't think there's anything I've really brought to the district," he said, adding that his involvement in the city is what he sees as the norm for a school superintendent.

But he doesn't hesitate to express the satisfaction he has found living in Southern Illinois. Both he and his wife are from the Chicago suburbs, and they wanted to raise their sons away from the city. Murphysboro has become a great place to do that, he said.

"This isn't a job I'm going to walk away from. My wife and I would have no problem staying here until 2031," he said, referencing the year he will be eligible for retirement.

adam.testa@thesouthern.com

351-5031
In the News!
Friday, 30 July 2010

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Marketing Moment: Get in the Mix

by Karli Feldhake

So what’s your marketing mix? Not sure? Generally accepted as the basic, tactical components of a marketing plan, the marketing mix refers to four basic components – product, price, place and promotion.

Think of it like a cake recipe – almost all use the basic ingredients of eggs, milk, flour and sugar. When you alter the amounts of these basic ingredients you come out with completely different types of cakes. Similarly, by combining these four marketing “recipe” ingredients you can create a marketing plan that satisfies both your customers and company objectives.

The marketing mix is portrayed in the following diagram:

Product refers to the combination of goods and/or services offered to customers by your business. This can mean tangible items, a cup of coffee, or intangible items like computer repair. Be sure to think about features such as brand name, packaging and warranties that make your product more attractive to prospective customers.

Simply put, Price is the monetary amount a customers pays for your product or service. Knowing how your price fits into the market is important as being too high or too low can have an adverse affect on sales. Price is determined by a number of factors including market share, competition, material costs, product identity and the customer's perceived value of the product.

Place is often referred to as the distribution channel as it represents where your product or service can be purchased. Do you have an actual physical location where customers can come to you? Is business conducted via a website? Take aspects such as market coverage and warehousing into consideration when making decisions about place (distribution).

Finally, Promotion represents all of the forms of communication between a business and its customers. The four basic elements included in promotion are advertising, public relations, word of mouth and point of sale. For the best success, blend all four promotional aspects together and work within a pre-determined budget. You don’t need to break the bank on promotion but don’t under utilize this very important piece of the marketing mix.

Even if you are already open for business or are just getting started, it’s wise to give thought to your marketing mix. Maybe you’ve completely missed one of the components or are putting too much emphasis on another. From my baking experience, add the wrong amount of a key ingredient and you might get something that looks like a cake, but isn’t quite what you expect when you take a bite. It’s the same thing with marketing. If you want the end result to be delicious, use the right marketing mix!

If you need help analyzing your entire marketing mix or maybe just with one of the components, Splattered Ink is here to assist you and your business.

Karli Feldhake is the Sales and Marketing Director for Splattered Ink.
 

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