brand Archives - Page 4 of 10

Keep Your Eyes Focused on Global Expansion

December 2, 2016 by Thomas

With the recent American presidential election in the books (or seemingly so despite some recount efforts), many U.S. business owners will have a keen eye on where President-Elect Donald Trump takes things in 2017 and beyond.

Will there be opportunities for some U.S. companies to eye new business around the world under Trump’s leadership? Will some foreign companies be looking to partner with American companies on global projects? Lastly, will the dollar find strength worldwide with a new leader in the White House?

What seems like so many questions and so few answers right now is exactly the case.

If your American business is thinking about global expansion, would the next year or two be the time to go for it?

Knowing When to Pull the Trigger

So that you are better suited to know when to consider expanding worldwide, keep your eyes on the following items:

Conditions on the ground – First and foremost, know the conditions in any country you consider doing business in. What are the economics in that area? Are there any political issues now or down the road that could impact businesses there? Have companies been leaving in droves or coming in droves? Knowing the metrics involved in any area you may want to expand to is crucial, especially for your financial well-being;
Are you ready to expand? Along with the conditions on the ground globally, you need to know if you and your brand are ready at this time to expand. Although that may seem like a difficult proposition to gauge at times, it is nonetheless an important one. If you are leaning towards global expansion to Dubai, Shanghai, Brazil, Russia, China etc. it is important to be ready when you actually pull the trigger on such moves. This means not only having the financial ability for such a move, but also being able to market and sell your brand overseas. If you are a little behind the eight ball when it comes to marketing, advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) etc. be sure to get those matters worked out before any possible expansion. The SEO matter is especially important due to the fact millions and millions of consumers turn to company websites and social media pages for information. If you are not meeting consumer needs in such areas, your brand and ultimately your wallet or purse will suffer for it. Reaching out to a SEO company in Dubai or similar business can put you on the right track for both website and overall business growth;
Necessary manpower – Finally, if expansion possibilities are on the horizon for you, do you have the manpower to push forward with them? Even though many companies in recent years have gone to more automation in handling daily business tasks, you can never truly replace the needed human element. As a result, making sure you have enough hands available to meet the needs of consumers is critical. If you’re an American business opening new offices overseas, you may very well end up hiring all locals to staff the places. Among the advantages in doing so is locals know the culture and speak the language of that given country and/or region.

Only Expand When Absolutely Sure the Time Has Come

As you ponder the possibilities of global expansion in 2017, make sure to give yourself as much information as possible.

In terms of getting that data and properly analyzing it, you should be sure of the following:

Having updated metrics with which to work with – How a country or countries did financially and politically even six months ago could have changed rather quickly up to now. If you have contacts on the ground, even better;
Having a website that continues to draw traffic – If your website is continuing to grow in terms of traffic (especially overseas traffic), study that data. It can tell you a number of things about potential for overseas growth. Use your website analytics to help forecast if moving to one or a number of places makes sense financially;
Having your brand front and center – Lastly, even though you want as much information about possible overseas expansion, you also want to give consumers (current and potential customers) reason to want to do business with you if you expand. By using blog content, press releases, videos, social media and more, you can do just that. Spreading the message when you are ready to expand is critical to successfully achieving such growth.

As an American business owner, when will you decide it is time to expand your boundaries?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing topics on the web.

Get More Social in 2017

November 30, 2016 by Thomas

What would you say about your company’s social media efforts up to now?

If they have been helping you land new business, by all means keep up the efforts.

On the flip side, if your social media efforts have been less than stellar, do you plan to change course in the New Year?

Being a social media dynamo in today’s business world is nothing short of a necessity.

If your business is pushing itself on social media, it stands a good chance of getting noticed. If it is doing little or no social media promotions, the overall results for your brand can be damaging.

With that being the case, do you plan to get more social in 2017?

Social Plans for the New Year

Given there are many benefits and advantages of using social media, are you taking advantage of any and/or all of them?

For starters, social media gives you an opportunity to engage with consumers, something all businesses should jump on.

In today’s business world, more and more companies are dealing remotely with customers.

As more walk-in types of businesses become harder to find, consumers are oftentimes having to deal with automation, computers, and of course ordering goods and services online. With less of a one-on-one touch, businesses and consumers can meet in the world of social media.

By engaging with current and prospective customers on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (there are more out there to look at), you can get the pulse of what people are saying about your brand. You can also help those in need of information and/or solving issues when it comes to your brand or industry.

With that in mind, is it time you put more effort into social media heading into 2017?

If the answer to that question is yes, here are a few pointers to help you:

Mission – For starters, clearly define what your mission is with social media. Is it to engage with consumers? Are you only interested in having a social presence because the competition does? Does social media seem like a necessity to keep in touch with the consumer world, seeing what it is saying about your brand? Clearly defining your reasoning for being social in the first place is where you need to begin;
Efforts – If you’re a small business, you may feel you don’t have the time and/or resources to devote to social media. That line of thinking can prove very detrimental, so try and avoid it at all costs. Even if you have to outsource your social media efforts to make them work, do it. Having social experts manning your social networking needs is perfectly fine; though make sure you hire someone (or a company) with social media experience. There is much more than just posting a few messages each day or week. You should track and analyze (see more below) where you’re doing well and not so well on various social sites. Also look to see what times prove most opportune to engage in social media.

Always Stay Positive

Engagement – Although it can prove tempting to respond in a negative manner to consumer comments on your social pages, don’t do it. Given your online reputation goes a long way in determining how much business you ultimately get, coming across as juvenile and/or nasty in social interactions is bad. For starters, it makes consumers wonder if you truly care about them. Secondly, it gives your competition an opportunity to seize upon, painting you and your brand in a bad light. Find a way to make a negative social interaction turn positive for your business;
Results – Last but not least, be sure to gather and understand the results you are getting with social media. To simply post blindly and not know if you’re making inroads or not is not productive. Also use your social sites to survey consumers on different aspects of your business. What do they like? What don’t they like? Are there practices you need to do more of (or for the first time) that you are not presently doing? Lastly, should you be focusing on one or more social sites to get the best results? Knowing where to zero-in on instead of spinning your wheels will benefit you and consumers at the end of the day.

If social media has been a bit of a foreign concept to you up to this point, will that change in 2017?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

4 Tips for Better Marketing Results

November 16, 2016 by Thomas

As a business owner and/or marketer, how would you rate your marketing game?

If it is coming up short of the desired results, do you have a plan in place to change the direction it is headed? In the event you do not, will you sit idly by and watch competitors reap the rewards of your inept marketing abilities?

Unfortunately, some businesses do just that.

They try to market their products and/or services, but ultimately come to the conclusion that they can’t for this or that reason. As a result, the competition gets rich off of them.

So that you do not end up kicking yourself for what effectively are bad marketing practices, stop and listen for a moment.

You can in fact turn things around if you’re so determined.

Don’t Settle for Second-Rate Marketing Initiatives

If the time has come to turn your marketing initiatives around so you can win a little bit more, remember the following four tips:

Goals – First and foremost, what are your goals with your marketing program? Having clearly defined goals is crucial in order for you to succeed. If you’re a small business, you probably have some roadblocks in your way at times, notably your marketing budget. That said it does not mean you can’t accomplish satisfactory results. With this year almost in the books, now would be a good time to review what you set forth as far as marketing goals for 2017;
Listening – You may think you are a marketing whiz (perhaps you are to one degree or another), but it never hurts to listen to others in the profession. If you have a marketing team in your office, have regular meetings to iron out where the marketing initiatives are headed. You might also find this great marketing podcast of great benefit to your endeavors. Such podcasts can provide a plethora of good marketing information like trends in the industry, where consumers have their heads at these days, why social media can never be taken for granted etc. There are more and more marketing podcasts, videos etc. on the market today than ever before. As such, you can learn lots of good information, information that you can then take and apply to your marketing strategies. While it is perfectly fine to think you know just about all there is to know regarding marketing, keeping your ears and eyes open never hurts.

Networking with Other Marketing Pros

Networking – It is one of the proven ways of getting new business leads, yet so many businesses (and marketers for that matter) drop the ball all too often when it comes to networking. As a result, they miss out on some golden opportunities to secure new business. While your marketing budget may be tight, you should do all you can to attend valuable marketing conferences etc. Even if you have to meticulously pick and choose which ones to attend, do it. The door is open to potential new business at each and every conference, trade show, chamber of commerce event etc. Make those doors open even wider by attending and solidifying new business leads;
Hiring – Last but certainly not least, are you hiring the right marketing talent at your business? In some cases, the answer to that question may be no. If you are not, that needs to change sooner rather than later. Take a look at what some of your competitors are doing when it comes to those they hire. Where are they getting these hires from? What kind of opportunities are they giving them to succeed in their careers? Knowing what winning marketing pros want from a business etc. is something you can never take for granted.

With 2017 just around the bend, take the time now to make sure your marketing goals for next year are ready to rock.

If they’re not, you could find yourself on the outside looking in when it comes to adding more business.

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing topics on the web.

Are You Searching for Better Sales Numbers?

November 9, 2016 by Thomas

As you sit back and look at where your business is heading into 2017, are you happy?

For starters, are your sales numbers where you really want them to be? Do you feel like you’re getting everything possible out of your sales team? Finally, what visions do you have going forward for improving sales in 2017 and beyond?

Whether you are entirely happy with your sales numbers or feel there is work to be done, reviewing where you are at makes sense.

To start with, you should always hold a firm grasp as to where your company was, where it is now, and of course where it may be headed.

By being attentive to where your business may need help, you won’t be caught with your pants down so to speak.

So, will you be looking for better sales numbers in 2017?

Giving Customers What They Want

One of the keys to better sales numbers is making sure your marketing efforts are spot-on.

So, how do you know if your marketing is truly reaching the people you need it to?

To begin with, having a well-rounded marketing strategy is related to knowing what and how to use search engine optimization (SEO) to your advantage.

For those business owners a little green with SEO, turning to professionals to run your search engine optimization efforts and overall marketing initiatives makes sense. Whether you opt for search engine services for your West Palm Beach business or others closer to you, don’t turn down professional help.

With professional SEO help at your service, you can do things you probably never even thought of, especially in improving sales. Before you enlist the help of an SEO provider, be sure to do some research to see which one best suits your needs (see more below).

How Do I Select the Best?

In order to find the best SEO provider out there, make sure the following areas are covered:

Experience – For starters, do not overlook the experience of any SEO provider you consider doing business with. While there are some terrific new SEO providers out there, experience is always a plus. Be sure to ask any SEO company you might do business with to provide you with a portfolio of successful projects they have done. By seeing how they’ve helped other brands, you may see why they’re the one (possibly not) for you;
Initiative – How excited are SEO providers you talk with when it comes to possibly helping you out? Are they ones with a passion for SEO, a passion that could translate to better overall brand marketing and promotion for your business? If so, then they are definitely ones to consider;
Promotions – As any good SEO pro can tell you, a well-round search engine optimization program is what it takes to get your brand noticed. This includes not only the right SEO keywords for any content you author, but great content itself. Your goal each and every time you author content is to make it both authoritative and informative to consumers. In the event you don’t provide those two major ingredients, what purpose is it really serving them? You also need a great effort when it comes to social media. That social networking can increase your sales numbers as more consumers talk about your brand to their family and friends.

Moving Forward with Promotions

As 2017 approaches, take the time to see if your sales numbers are headed in the right direction.

If SEO has not been a part of your brand promotions up to this point, you very well may want to change that approach moving forward.

With so much on the line in terms of sales and increasing your revenue on a regular basis; stop to see how SEO fits into those plans.

When all is said and done, you might be happily surprised with what you find.

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topic on the web.

Share Your Brand’s Message

October 26, 2016 by Thomas

When it comes to your brand, would you say successful promotions are the norm?

Unfortunately, many business owners have trouble getting their brand’s message heard. As a result, they do not rise to the top of the charts. In the process, competitors end up passing them by, something that can lead to dire consequences.

So that your brand’s message is heard loud and clear, it is important that you do everything in your power to promote your business.

This means everything from referral marketing to social media and everything in between.

With that being the case, are you properly sharing your brand’s message?

Don’t Be Afraid to Promote

For your brand to get as much attention as possible, start by making sure you have all your bases covered.

The starting point is having a marketing plan in place. Why is a plan so important? Have you ever tried to do anything in general on the fly? As you probably know, it can prove to be a hap-hazard experience at best. When you have a plan in place, your chances for success are much greater.

Some keys to your brand promotions would include referral marketing, social media, videos and podcasts, a killer blog etc. As you can see, there is much to do, but a well-rounded marketing plan typically leads to success.

That said never be afraid to promote your brand. Even if some ideas are outside-the-box, it is better to try and fail. If you do not throw stuff out there to see what sticks, how will you ever know what does and doesn’t work?

Spreading the Word Isn’t Difficult

So that your brand gets as much exposure as possible, remember these tactics:

Referral marketing – More and more companies are seeing how this form of marketing can benefit their revenue streams. Referral marketing for your brand is a matter of getting as many consumers as possible to spread the word about your products and/or services. Give current customers incentives to want to tell their family and friends about your business. From discounts and loyalty programs to excellent customer service, the sky is the limit in what you can do;
Website blog – Your company’s blog is one of your greatest assets, so don’t let it go to waste. You should be putting informative and authoritative copy on the blog regularly, copy that will encourage consumers to do business with you. Your blog copy also needs to be promoted on a regular basis via social media (see more below) and other outlets;
Social media – As mentioned a moment ago, social networking is nothing short of critical in today’s brand promotions. Even if you are only on one social platform for the most part, that is much better than ignoring social media altogether. You are best off by having a presence on multiple social sites, with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat etc. being your best bets these days;
Videos and podcasts – Finally, have you been hesitant to see how videos and podcasts can help promote your brand? If so, you’ve been missing out on some golden opportunities. With videos, you can put visuals behind your written words. Even a short 60-second explainer video will give consumers great knowledge about your brand. Make the videos not only informative, but entertaining to watch. As for podcasts, these have been growing leaps and bounds over the last few years. Best of all, consumers can listen to them whenever and wherever they want.

Where and When Will You Begin?

In order for your brand to catch fire, you need to be multi-dimensional when it comes to promotional efforts.

With 2016 winding down, now would be a great time to start reviewing your marketing initiatives for the New Year.

See what your marketing budget looks like, where you can make inroads with consumers, and where you may have been lacking this year.

In the end, sharing your brand’s message with the world isn’t as hard as you might think.

As a business owner, how are you using referral marketing, your blog, social media and more to be heard?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing topics on the web.

Does Your Brand Get the Attention It Deserves?

October 7, 2016 by Thomas

What exactly are you doing on a regular basis to give your brand the attention it needs to thrive?

Unfortunately, some business owners are doing next to nothing, leaving their brands dangling in the wind. In doing so, they are missing out on golden opportunities to get their brands noticed, notice that can mean the difference between a good financial month and a mediocre one at best.

That said it is important that you review any and all promotions you are doing, see what is working and what is gaining little or zero traction.

At the end of the day, brand promotion is essential to a healthy business.

Use Myriad of Brand Promotions Regularly

When attempting to promote your brand, you should remember the following tips:

Targeted audience – Where exactly are you looking to have your brand heard? Depending on the size of your business, you may be limited in the scope of how much brand promoting you are able to do. If this describes your business, be sure to maximize your brand promotion efforts and dollars. This means doing the needed research to you see just exactly those making up your audience. Are they young or old? Do they have notable or modest incomes? Will they typically shop in-person or online? These are just some of the questions you should be able to answer (at least to some degree) about your customers. If you can’t, start taking time to delve into their interests, with surveys/online questionnaires etc. a good way to start;
Targeted marketing – Knowing the audience you have makes it easier to market, though you can still market outside your targeted audience, knowing that you may land some new customers along the way. As part of your marketing efforts, make sure you focus on items like your blog, social media, videos and podcasts etc. When using one and all of those items in promoting your brand, make sure you essentially put on a happy face. This means any and all imagery you use is positive, shying away from any negative vibes. Many consumers lead busy lives, some of which can be downright tiring and even negative. As a result, putting a positive spin on your brand gives you a better chance of making a sale when all is said and done;
Targeted social media – If you haven’t been taking advantage of social media up to now, why is that? Social networking can do wonders for your brand, all the while really costing you nothing other than time and effort. With that in mind, make a concentrated effort to use social media on a daily basis. Among the advantages of social media would be promoting your blog articles on a variety of social sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter etc.), getting valuable consumer feedback when they turn to social networking to discuss any concerns etc. with products and/or services, and the opportunity to see what the competition is doing among other things;
Targeted growth – Finally, you need to determine how quickly or slowly you want your brand to grow. In some cases, you can indeed grow too quickly, putting you under the gun in terms of resources and finances. On the other hand, not recognizing the opportune time to grow your business can lead to setbacks too. With that being said, it is important that you recognize not only the trends going on in your particular industry, but also look to see what the competition is doing on a regular basis. This will allow you to have a better handle on when growth is necessary and when you need to apply the brakes to such ideas.

For your brand to succeed, you need myriad of things in play, so don’t turn a blind eye to all of them.

In today’s digital age, so much more of what one does to successfully run a business is determined by what they do online.

For better or worse, things are not going to change; in fact, the online demands are only likely to accelerate in the years to come.

That said will your brand get the attention it deserves?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.