Successful Blog

Putting the Internet to Work for You

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Error Alert Failure Icon Problem ConceptIn today’s Internet-driven world, it should not come as a major surprise that both businesses and consumers rely on it far more than most people might come to expect.

For instance, businesses use the worldwide web to promote their products and services on a daily basis. While companies still use what might be regarded as “old-fashioned” methods of brand promotions (newspapers, radio and TV ads, business cards etc.), the Internet has become the go-to source for countless businesses.

Flip that over and look at how consumers are using the Internet.

Millions of them turn to the web when they want to do some browsing and shopping, not to mention oftentimes ultimately buying goods and services online.

In the event you need the Internet as a business owner or as a consumer, turn it on and let it go to work for you today.

Consumers Plugged in to Internet

For countless consumers, it is nothing short of a no-brainier that they use the worldwide web to research myriad of items.

Whether that inquiry involves looking for real estate, a new vehicle, a license plate search, healthcare options, home improvements, the list is literally endless.

In doing a search, consumers want to be able to come to company websites that are full of information and low on fluff. Consumers also want websites that are easy to maneuver around, not filled with broken links, pages that load slowly and/or crash regularly, and provide contact information or a FAQ section that is easy to find and understand.

With that information in mind, how can your business best display its website offerings, increasing the odds that consumers will find your brand’s site to be one they trust and come back to time and time again?

Investing in Your Brand

For starters, review your website on a regular basis? Why is that?

First you want to make sure you have all the necessary information required to put your brand in the best possible spot available.

If your site looks like a junkyard, full of broken links and pages that simply have no rhyme or reason to them can you really expect consumers to want to visit them time and time again?

Secondly, what does your brand say about you as a business owner if your website is not up to par with your competition?

For one, it makes many consumers think that you have not invested a lot of time or money for that matter into it. Now, what if they get the same perception (rightly or wrongly) about how you would go about investing time in them too?

Remember that mention a moment ago about making it easy for consumers to contact you?

That should always be a top priority of putting together a first-rate website for your brand.

One of the areas where this can become a major stumbling block is if you also have an online store up and running.

Let’s say a customer is in the process of ordering something, and then the site crashes or freezes at that point. In many cases, customers will not give you a third or fourth try in an attempt to complete a sale. If it doesn’t work the first, perhaps the second time around, most will move on and find the product or service they need through one of your competitors. Now, imagine if you would have just sunk a little more time and effort into your website?

Lastly, do your best to promote your website as often as possible.

One of the ways to go about this is via social media, something far too many businesses simply do not take advantage of.

Be active on a variety of sites, notably those such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, even posting some videos to YouTube.

When all is said and done, your social media activities can go a long way in swaying consumers one way or the other to consider doing business with you now and down the road.

Even though the Internet is not for everyone, it should definitely be a prime focus of your business, something that will ultimately translate into dollar signs.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Make It Your Business to Defend You and Your Brand

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Personal BrandingIf you have worked many years to establish your brand, imagine how quickly all that work can go down the tube if you are alleged to have committed a sex crime. Think it can’t happen to you? If so, change that line of thinking now.

Whether true or not, many individuals (including those running businesses) get caught up in sex crime allegations at some point and time in their lives.

As a result of such allegations, their professional and personal images take a hit, a hit that some will find difficult to ever recover from.

If you are dealing with such allegations, make it your business to defend you and your brand.

Standing up for Your Reputation

The first thing you need to do if alleged to have committed a sex crime is making sure you have legal representation.

You may think that paying for a criminal defense attorney is out of the question, so you will end up representing yourself.

Stop for a moment and think about your legal experience. Safe to say, it is probably slim to none. As a result, you need to find an attorney who will fight tough cases.

Once you have that attorney in your corner, the next important detail is going to work on the prosecution’s case.

Even though you never want to verbally attack the alleged sex crime victim, you have every right (and need for that matter) to look for holes in their story.

The sex crime allegation against you could be any number of charges. Among some of them:

  • An employee at your business accuses you of inappropriate conduct towards them or another worker;
  • A customer to your business accuses you of inappropriate conduct towards them;
  • Someone outside of your business accuses you of inappropriate conduct towards them.

No matter who is coming forward with the allegations, you need an experience legal professional to nip these charges in the bud before they do both professional and personal damage to your image.

For those business owners thinking that such allegations will just go away, it is important to not get into that mindset.

Even if you are totally cleared of any sex crime allegations, the stigma of them can hover over your business for weeks, months, perhaps even years. This is all the more reason to deal with them immediately and thoroughly.

Don’t Lose Focus on Your Business

As you deal currently with a sex crime charge, make sure that your business does not suffer as a result.

If you are going to be tied up with your legal team and/or in court, it is important that your business still keeps up its day-to-day operations.

In the event you run the business by yourself, consider getting some temporary help in to hold down the fort. If you have employees under you, delegate some of your responsibilities to them. The key is making sure that your business is able to meet the needs of your customers whenever and wherever necessary.

Speaking of customers, do you go public with the allegations you are facing?

Many criminal defense attorneys will tell you to stay quiet on such allegations, fearing that you are just opening up a can of worms if you go public, especially on social media.

The decision ultimately has to be yours, though it certainly would behoove you to listen carefully to anything your attorney tells you.

On the one hand, talking about your case in public to customers, on social media sites etc. does of course open up the possibility of something you say being used against you if your case goes to trial.

On the other hand, you do want to get out in front of the matter and make sure your side of the story is heard.

Since there is a good chance some or many of your customers (current and potential) are likely to have heard of your sex crime allegations, use your best judgment as to what you should and should not say.

In the end, your brand could take quite a hit from such allegations.

Along with your personal freedom, your other big focus should be on keeping your brand alive and healthy.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Establishing Your Blog as a Leader

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Computer ViewThere are many ways for your business to stand out from all the rest.

That being the case, what have you been doing to take your brand to the next level? Specifically, how is your blog entering into this conversation?

While some businesses drop the ball when it comes to their blogs, many others take the ball and run with it.

For your brand to be exposed in front of as many eyes as possible, your blog needs to be a top priority in your daily initiatives.

So, are you ready to establish your blog as a leader? If so, how will you go about that process?

Outside Help Can Make the Difference

In order for your business blog to really gain traction on the Internet, you need to remember these tips:

  • Authority – Put the onus on establishing authority when it comes to your blog. In doing so, you lend more credibility to your site, not to mention your brand as a whole. That authority can be improved dramatically when you have an outside guest posting service helping you with not only writing your blog content, but also marketing it. When you turn to those with the experience in guest posting, you take the pressure off you and/or your staff to come up with killer content day after day. That guest service can also handle the marketing and social media needs your blog so dutifully requires, again, removing a burden from your shoulders;
  • Resonate – Today’s consumers have myriad of online sites they can turn to for information, so why should they visit your site? Give them a reason, in fact; give them multiple reasons to pay attention to your site, notably your blog. Your goal should be to serve as the go-to site when consumers need information and/or are considering shopping. For example, if you run a home improvement business, your blog should be chock-full of details regarding the latest trends in home renovations, what the typical costs are for the common home improvement projects, what time of the year might be best to do them (especially when it comes to outside projects), and how to go about hiring the best help if you are unable to do the project on your own. When that kind of information resonates with consumers, you are likely going to be the beneficiary, landing more business as a result;
  • SEO – You can’t get too far these days as a business owner without knowing something about search engine optimization. With SEO in your corner, you can better your chances of improving your search engine rankings, notably on Google. Just as with the writing of your blog, you may be a little green when it comes to knowing all the intricacies of how best to use SEO. If so, that is where a consultant can provide much needed assistance. He or she can help guide you in improving your current search engine ranking. Remember, while you’re not likely to go out of business with a low search engine ranking, the higher it is, the more eyes will find your business when searching for your respective products and/or services. In hiring the right SEO mind, look for not only someone with a mound of experience, but also someone willing to put you first. If they’re just using you to cash your checks, move on. The right SEO consultant will not only be beneficial to your blog, but he or she can assist you with your social media needs and so much more.

Sure, your sales and advertising/marketing initiatives typically get top billing, so your blog may be a bridesmaid so to speak.

What you want to do if you haven’t already, turn that bridesmaid into a bride.

Give your blog the love and care it needs in order for it to reward you.

Those rewards will typically come in the form of more website traffic, oftentimes translated into more revenue when all is said and done.

If you have not established your blog as a leader up to this point, change course and do that sooner rather than later.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas writes about business topics on the web.

Will Your Brand Stand Apart from the Crowd?

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Progress Forward Movement Momentum Measure Advancing Results 3dPromoting your brand is something that sometimes can seem like a 24/7 job.

But what if you failed to properly promote your brand? Could your business stand on its own two feet or would the end be in the near future for your company?

With all the competition that is out there for so many different businesses, it is important to separate oneself from the crowd.

In some cases, you may be able to do that all on your own. In other instances, you need the help of experts, experts knowing how to get the most brand attention possible.

So, will your brand stand apart from the crowd?

Know Where to Deliver Your Message

In running your business, you either hire brand promotion experts in-house or you seek outside help. Either way, do not convince yourself that this is not a priority, it truly is.

If you go in search of a media buying agency, what qualifications should they have?

For starters, any agency you consider doing business with must have the ability (and experience for that matter) to dig deep and truly understand who your audience is.

As an example, if you’re selling real estate, you shouldn’t be necessarily targeting the elderly. Yes, some elderly do change homes and/or apartments from time to time, but most will end up staying in their homes until they choose to move into a retirement center or pass away.

When you deploy a media buying agency to work with you in promoting your brand; they do the research (and analyze it) to truly get a better feeling of your audience.

Remember, consumers in 2016 have many avenues they can turn to in order to buy the products and services they rely on, so don’t make matters more complicated than they need to be.

Having a better feel for your audience includes knowing about their buying habits (where they like to shop, when they like to shop, about how much money they are likely to spend per shopping experience), approximately how much income they bring in on a yearly basis, whether or not they like to travel, if they have any important medical needs etc.

With knowledge of your audience and what types of shopping habits they demonstrate, the next key is seeing how your products and/or services can capture their attention, leading to more sales.

Don’t Ever Assume

For example, if you sell home healthcare products for senior citizens, where will you direct much of your marketing and advertising needs?

Remember, although the elderly typically do not spend as much time on the Internet as their younger counterparts, you would be foolish to avoid all online marketing and advertising initiatives directed at senior citizens. That would also include not having a presence on social media.

It is important to note that many elderly individuals and couples are limited in terms of physical mobility. As a result, they can’t get out to stores, malls etc. as much as younger folks. In turn, this means a fair amount of the elderly use the Internet to browse for and ultimately buy goods and services.

So, imagine if you had zero online advertising and marketing initiatives directed at senior citizens? Do you see now why you would be missing out on a piece of the pie?

Lastly, be sure to socialize your brand’s message.

Whether you are using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, LinkedIn or countless other social mediums, you should be pounding your message home regularly on such sites.

Once again, don’t discount the elderly or any other group for that matter, thinking that social medium is a wasteland for many consumers.

As it turns out, many consumers check their social media sites on a daily basis, oftentimes more than once.

By being there and offering them valuable products and services, you once again increase the odds of seeing your sales numbers going up.

Standing apart from the crowd is not rocket science, but it does take some time and effort on the part of anyone working with your brand, along with you and your team.

If a media buying agency was not on your radar before, paint a new image moving forward.

 Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Will You Print More Growth Moving Forward?

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Build up a brand concept: Smiling businessman building the wordMoving your brand forward can sometimes be a challenging task.

For some companies, growing too quickly can actually lead to an early demise. Then again, when some companies grow too slowly, the same result can be equally devastating.

That said it is important as a business owner to know about how much to grow, when to try and start that growth, and when exactly to slow things down.

So, will your business print more growth moving forward?

Growing at Just the Right Pace is Crucial

So that your brand can grow at just about the right pace, print these tips up:

  • Planning – You can’t do anything in the business world (or for much of that matter in other parts of life) without having a solid plan in pace. With a solid plan in place, your business has the ability to not only grow, but sustain that growth over time. Part of that plan means keeping a close eye not only on your specific industry, but also the overall economy. Red flags such as major layoffs across the board, a slowdown in consumer buying etc. are telltale warnings of rough times. Don’t be oblivious to such warnings, heed them;
  • Services – Knowing when to bring on additional staff, when you might need to put in place a few cutbacks etc. can be challenging. Companies such as City Print Design and others in the business of promoting a company’s message through brochures, flyers, pamphlets, business cards etc. are almost always in demand for their services. The same holds true for necessities such as accounting firms, tax preparation services, healthcare services and others. The message being, some industries are almost all but assured of never ceasing to exist. That said make sure your business always works as if today could be the last day. Never take the foot off the gas in providing unparalleled service to customers the world over;
  • Technology – Another important component in growing at just the right pace is mastering technology. As technology continues to expand and play an even more dominant role in the business world, it is critical that your brand properly use it to the fullest extent. Doing so allows you to stay even with or even surpass the competition. Always look for ways to introduce more technology into your business operation, yet without compromising the core values that have made you a successful brand in the first place. Part of that technology is making sure you have a firm grasp of how the Internet can help not only grow your business now, but down the road;
  • Staff – The mention of technology a moment ago also plays into the importance of making sure your workers not only understand how to use the latest technology, but they also embrace it. While some businesses still exist and actually do okay with an old-fashioned approach to doing business (little or no Internet usage, shying away from social media, zero or little interest in mobile marketing etc.), your brand can capture even more business by encouraging your team to use the available technology out there to the fullest extent possible. In doing so, your brand will oftentimes be seen as a trendsetter, not one that is just trying to keep up with the competition;
  • Future – Lastly, while no business owners has a crystal ball to tell him or herself where their company may be 10 or even five years down the road, there should always be a desire to run one’s business as long as it is financially and feasibly possible. While some unforeseen events can certainly alter those plans at different stages, certain brands as mentioned earlier (accounting, printing, taxes, healthcare etc.) are all but guaranteed to be here many decades from now. As a result, always look at the big picture for your business. If it is a family-run company, will it likely be passed down from generation to generation? When it comes to bigger operations such as healthcare, the question oftentimes is how will technology and finances dictate procedures decades from now? No matter what your line of business, have one eye on today’s responsibilities, along with one eye on what the future holds for your growth potential.

Photo credit: BigStockphoto.com

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

Has Your Brand Tasted Mobile Marketing?

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success ingredients - ideas, passion, time and action - a napkinIf your brand has been slow to gravitate towards mobile marketing, change that moving forward. As for that change, make it sooner rather than later.

As more brands are discovering, mobile marketing has many positives and few if any negatives.

How you deploy mobile marketing can go a long way in determining the level of success you have with it.

So, is your brand ready to taste mobile marketing if it has not up to this point?

Consumers Want More Mobility

Brands galore are moving forward with mobile marketing plans on a number of fronts.

Whether you are just rolling out a product or service or have been around for many years, you can’t sit back and watch the benefits of mobile marketing pass you by.

Successful brands have everything to gain and really nothing to lose with mobile marketing.

With that in mind, how can you best take advantage of mobile marketing without coming across as too sales hungry?

Among the ways to do this:

  • Geo-location for on-the-spot sales – Knowing where current and potential customers are shopping at any given time may seem like over-reaching to some, but it actually makes good business sense. For example, say you’re a food brand and you know by tracking shoppers that some customers (ones you have now or ones you hope to add) are out doing their weekly grocery shopping. By pitching them a coupon or two over mobile devices, the consumer is more apt to by your product. With just one simple text, you’ve likely made a sale you might otherwise not have had. When one of the focuses of your brand is providing more affordable options for consumers, especially in today’s challenging economic climate for so many of them, you can hit the jackpot by targeting shoppers in action. Another such example is sporting events, concerts, movies, and more. Just about no one can go to one of these venues without downing a drink or two and getting some food. If you have the data to suggest some of your regular customers will be at such events, text them a rewards coupon they can redeem. Once again, you build up good PR with consumers when making such efforts;
  • Entertaining Apps for consumers – Another means whereby you can connect with consumers is giving them entertaining short videos to watch. From the vantage point of a beverage company, showing consumers drinking your respective product in a happy and healthy environment is almost always going to go over well. If your product is a drink loaded with healthy ingredients, showcase it. From individuals taking a drink after a workout to mothers seeing the delight on the faces of their children after consuming the drink, you want happy people and positive vibes. Introduce a short 30-second spot that can be easily watched on a mobile device. A consumer who is not a customer presently may see the video and decide they need to try the product. Next thing you know, you’ve registered another sale;
  • Socialize the mobile experience – Finally, if you’re not already using social media as much as possible that needs to change today and not tomorrow. Social media for the most part is free, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of it? By using your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube accounts, you can let consumers know that mobile marketing is a big component of your overall brand marketing. As an example, remember those short 30-second spots discussed a moment ago? Plugging them on your Facebook and Twitter accounts is great public relations for your brand. Once you upload a 30-second spot on YouTube about your latest product or service, link to it on your Facebook page, and then send out a Twitter post with a correlating hashtag. Many companies are getting creative with their social media marketing. For example, Hampton Creek has a YouTube channel where it posts videos of recipes in action. It then shares those pieces of visual content across its social networks. Target is known to announce which brands are becoming exclusive members of its store’s shopping experience. Next, consumers are passing a link around via their mobile devices. Before you know it, you’ve created a buzz, a buzz that very well can translate into more sales.

No matter what your brand or brands may be, they can get so much more traction when they are given some mobile marketing love.

The question is has your brand tasted mobile marketing?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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