marketing Archives - Page 3 of 12

Picture More Business When You Use Video

April 6, 2016 by Thomas 2 Comments

How often does your brand turn to video in order to spread its message?

If the answer is infrequently or even never, then you definitely might want to reconsider such thoughts.

When it comes right down to it, video can do myriad of positive things for your brand.

So, are you ready to give it a try?

Put Your Brand in a Positive Light

Start by looking at what resources you will need to put together not just one, but a series of videos tied to your brand.

One of the necessary resources will of course be someone to shoot the production. The question then is, do you do it in-house or do you outsource such needs to providers like a video production Orlando and others in the business?

If you opt for the first choice, you can save your business some money. In the event you want to outsource the video needs, while you will be spending additional money, you stand a better chance of getting a higher quality video production. That is unless of course you have hired someone (or even a team) of video production experts.

From there, you need to determine what your video message will say.

You may opt to make it rather simple, touting your product or service as the best one out there for the consumer.

On the other hand, you may choose to profile your company itself, including your team of employees.

Lastly, you might go in the direction of a video that demonstrates current happenings in your respective industry.

Whatever the choice may be; put 100 percent time and effort behind it, knowing that you are giving your brand a chance to shine in front of countless eyes.

Another important piece of the puzzle is how you can set your video/videos apart from the competition.

Differentiate Your Brand from the Competition

With more businesses turning to videos these days, it is important in your particular industry that you differentiate your brand from others.

You can do that by not only featuring your product or service, but also one or more of your employees.

Face it; your business probably doesn’t have the depth or financial pockets to go the direction of some more famous brands such as Progressive, AT&T, KFC and others, all of which generally have one character playing the lead role time and time again. That respective character ultimately comes into so many homes (commercials, magazines etc.) that they become a household fixture (at least their image does).

So, how best to feature one or more of your staff and still drive your brand’s message home?

Make sure you have someone on your team that is not only personable, but comfortable in front of a camera.

You probably know as well as anyone else that not everyone in your office is cool and collected when asked to perform in front of others, be it a talk or even a commercial.

Also make sure you to give any video productions you do plenty of social media love.

Just as you would hopefully promote your blog posts and other written initiatives on social networking sites, it is important to do likewise with videos.

There are myriad of sites that can help you with promotional needs, most notably Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

As it relates to YouTube, many companies have opted for this site, a site that has only grown leaps and bounds in recent years when it comes to videos.

You should keep your brand videos short and sweet, getting your message out without putting the viewer to sleep or wanting to leave, never come back to your brand again.

So, are you ready to picture more business when it comes to using video?

Properly done videos can play a key role in helping you promote and ultimately sell your brand to consumers.

If video has not been part of your marketing strategy up to this point, give it some strong thought moving forward.

There is a good chance that you will see video not only promoting your brand, but helping it ring-in revenue.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Repair Your Marketing Message

March 9, 2016 by Thomas 3 Comments

In the world of marketing, getting your message out to the public can mean the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity.

No matter what brand you are marketing, it is critical that you get your message out there correctly the first time around.

So, do you feel confident that your brand’s message is being heard by the right people at the right time? If not, how can you go about repairing that message so you get it right more times than not?

Get Your Brand the Attention It Needs

To start with, take a good look at your brand and who you are trying to promote it to.

For example, say you want to market a repair manual, be it for electronics, vehicles, household appliances or a host of other items. Such manuals are all but a necessity for millions of people, especially just after they have purchased a new product.

You have several options to market such manuals, among which include:

Your website – First and foremost, your company website is your greatest tool when it comes to marketing your brand. That said too many companies drop the ball as it relates to their sites, having websites (specifically blogs) that are ho-hum at best. From boring copy to broken links, there can be (and oftentimes are) a host of reasons as to why consumers are simply passing your brand by. When that happens, it is oftentimes your competition that swoops in and scores the sales. In order to lessen the odds of that occurring on a regular basis, review your site often. Look for not only stale copy or copy that fails to gain you ground in Google searches, but also links that do not work, a lack of imagery, and failure to leave proper contact details for interested consumers;
Social media – If you’re one of those company heads, who still hasn’t jumped on the social media bandwagon, why is that? SM is a great tool whereby you can give your brand the attention it needs, all the while barely spending a dime in the process. If you’re yearning for inspiration, take a look at some competition’s social networking endeavors, seeing what clearly works for them and what may need to be tabled. One word of caution, do not try and be too many things for too many people. Instead of trying to be on multiple social sites and not having a true handle on things, focus-in on a couple of sites (typically Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. are good starters) and get to work. Your Facebook page is a great place to run surveys of consumers, offer specials and deals (contests are great too), and interact with those interested in your product or service. With Twitter, you can tweet and retweet messages about your brand and the industry you are a part of. Make sure you’re brand is part of any relevant discussions, as you can very well find new customer opportunities with just a few tweets and retweets. Whether you know it or not, Instagram has exploded in just the last year or two, giving businesses a great opportunity to market their products and services. Post images of your brand (including how-to manuals etc.) so consumers have a better idea of what you offer. As the word spreads from shares, your marketing message will better position itself to take off (see more below);
Employees – Stop for a moment and think about whom are some of your greatest marketing ambassadors. If you missed your employees, revisit that topic quickly. As part of your company, your workers should always be assisting you in getting the right marketing message out there. While you likely have a marketing coordinator (and or department) in place, there is no reason everyone in the company can’t do his or her part to help in repairing your marketing message when it is not working. Have company meetings from time to time, with instructions and feedback on how to better market your brand. Also consider letting your employees use social media on occasion to help push your marketing message to the public.

If your marketing message is in need of some repair, open the manual of commonsense and get it working today.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Is Your Data Resonating with Customers?

February 17, 2016 by Thomas Leave a Comment

When you’re running a business in today’s fast-paced world, how you use and store company and customer data goes far in determining just how successful your brand will be.

Not only do you need data that is up to date and valuable to both your company and your customers, but it also needs to be protected from the ever-growing number of hackers. With more of these criminals seemingly on the attack these days, companies can never be too careful and shielding themselves and customers from potential breaches.

With that in mind, look at the data you currently store and determine several factors in order to stand out from the competition.

When you have a business data center that provides you with current customer information in an easy-to-access setting, you are equal to or even one step ahead of the competition.

Data Delivers Details

To begin with, make sure everyone associated with your business truly understands why your customer data is so critical to the company’s success.

Remind employees that customer data gives your business:

A better idea of who the customer is;
What their income level is;
A glimpse into the products or services they may be interested in purchasing from you;
What their shopping history is.

With that information in front of you and your team, your company can then proceed with the necessary marketing campaigns to increase sales.

Start by identifying who the customer truly is.

Are they male or female? Are they in their childhood or teen years, 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s or even older? Are they still living at home or are they out on their own? Are they typically purchasing goods and services just for themselves or others?

Customer Incomes Prove Informative

The next area of interest is their projected income level.

Are your customers poor, middle class or doing very well for themselves? Do they have minimal money to spend or can they shop regularly without too many financial restrictions?

For the former group, use the data you have on them and provide them with savings opportunities. Such possibilities include things like rewards cards, coupons, special deals at different times of the years (holidays etc.). While you may think that selling to such consumers at lower prices is not cost-productive to you, these individuals are more likely to keep coming back to you for business, ultimately leading to more sales.

Whether you offer a single product or service or myriad of options, knowing what many of your customers are oftentimes looking for allows you to keep such items well stocked.

For example, if you run a seasonal business, you have to be sure you make up for the slower times of the year.

Trying to sell pool equipment in the wintertime in Buffalo can be quite the challenge. That said it certainly does not mean you have to shut your business down for months at a time until the weather improves.

Survey your customers on what pool or outdoor related items and services they are most interested in. Outdoor pools in colder regions of the country need to be covered in the wintertime, plus you may also have some customers who are fortunate to have indoor pools. Lastly, some or many of your same pool customers could have Jacuzzi’s, something that can be used year-round.

The best way to get such details is by regularly talking to your customers (in-person, over the phone, emails, surveys) etc. and using such data to increase your selling opportunities.

You can also offer them special wintertime deals for the coming pool season, deals that will get them in a buying mood during the slower months.

Know the History

Finally, knowing and understanding customer histories when it comes to browsing and ultimately purchasing is truly valuable.

Face it; many consumers do in fact change their buying habits over time. As a result, you need to be able to adapt to such changes.

While the data you have on customers from the last year or so is certainly valuable, it can’t with 100 percent accuracy pinpoint when and how much of an item or service customers will demand tomorrow, next month, or even next year.

Use the accumulated data as a window in a customer’s buying habits, but always plan on updating it accordingly.

Given the fact that there appears to be no end in sight to the mounds of data out there on consumer buying habits, the key is to make sure you compile it, use it to your advantage, and ultimately make it resonate with customers looking to your brand as the first choice.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Don’t Be a Stranger in Promoting Your Brand

January 6, 2016 by Thomas 2 Comments

What makes your brand stand out from the competition?

For some business owners, their products and/or services, customer service, pricing structure and more make the difference between a sale and not getting one.

No matter where you stand in securing more business, promoting your brand is crucial, especially in today’s competitive marketplace. Simply put, giving your brand the TLC it needs and deserves is more important than ever.

With that in mind, what are some ways you can make your brand stand out in 2016 and far beyond that?

Marketing Your Brand As Important As Ever

For starters, your brand needs constant and relevant attention, not the occasional marketing effort that unfortunately becomes all too commonplace for many business owners.

Whether it is due to budgetary constraints, limited time and effort available to properly market their brands or a lack of marketing expertise, too many brands do not get the full attention needed to be successful. As a result, the brands suffer from a lack of exposure, something that can be damaging to many businesses.

In order to properly spread the word regarding your brand, make sure you remember that:

Signs do matter – While you may think everyone in town and those who are passing by know about your business, the proper signage proves a great marketing vehicle for your brand. Whether you use mega led sign or another signage option, such information is crucial to directing consumers to your products and services, especially potential customers. With the right mega light emitting diodes (LED), your business can distance itself from competitors. Make sure your sign has custom content, is big and bright enough to grab consumer eyes, and is properly positioned for maximum attention;
Marketing must be continuous – Doing marketing tricks here and there will do little to promote and sustain your brand. Yes, your marketing budget might be tight at times, but don’t hesitate to move some funds around, giving marketing the added resources necessary to be successful. While your traditional marketing means have hopefully made a difference, have you done much in recent years with mobile marketing? If not, consider 2016 the year that you change your approach and become more mobile. As various reports show, mobile marketing is only expected to grow in the years to come, something you should definitely consider being a part of. If you don’t have the time and/resources to mount a serious mobile marketing approach this year and beyond, consider outsourcing those needs;
Happy customers are priceless – Never forget just how important happy customers are to your bottom line. When a customer leaves your store, completes an online purchase with you etc. you want to make sure there is a very good chance they will be coming back to you for more business. In doing so, they are more likely to tell those they know about you, their level of satisfaction with the product or service purchased, and their overall customer service experience. When you hit home runs in all of these areas, these customers will essentially be doing your marketing and advertising needs for free.

While there are other keys to successfully promoting your brand, having proper and effective signage, continual marketing, and happy customers are three great ways to increase the odds your business and your revenue stream continue to grow.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Is Multi-Channel Marketing the Right Call?

December 30, 2015 by Thomas Leave a Comment

Are you using multi-channel marketing to promote your brand?

When it comes to business success, getting the right message in front of the right people is the name of the game. Multi-channel marketing is an effective tool for doing just that.

So just what is multi-channel marketing and why do you need it in your business?

What Is Multi Channel Marketing?

Multi-channel marketing is, quite simply, a marketing effort that encompasses more than one channel.

These channels might include:

Your website;

Social media profiles;

Email campaigns;

An SMS marketing list;

A physical premises;

Printed materials such as flyers and brochures;

A TV or radio campaign.

While you won’t necessarily use every channel all the time (and some channels won’t fit your business or specific campaign), incorporating more than one channel into your marketing efforts is a good idea.

Multi-Channel Marketing Creates Choice

At its heart, multi-channel marketing works because it creates choice for your customers.

Each of your customers has a preferred way, or combination of ways, or connecting with your business.

For example, they might prefer to find all the information they need online, but then hop on a call for further info.

Some will be happy to make enquiries by email, but would like to receive a printed brochure, or talk to someone face to face when they’re ready to purchase. Some will almost exclusively use mobile, and so on.

When you use multi-channel marketing, you give your customers the choice to connect with your business in the way that best suits them. That means more customers will reach out to you and ultimately buy from you.

Multi-Channel Marketing Gives You A Broader Reach

Your customers are in different places at different times. Some are browsing the web, some are specifically using social media to find brands, and some are out and about on their mobiles.

As the article “Spread the Word: Best Practices for an Effective Multichannel Marketing Effort” says, one of the best advantages of multi-channel marketing is that it ensures that your business is in a place where your customers are.

Multi-channel marketing means that wherever your customers go looking for businesses like yours, or looking to connect with your business, there you are.

For example, you might have customers on social media who haven’t found your website. Or your brochure might get picked up by someone who hasn’t found you on social media yet.

This broader reach means your brand and message will be seen by more customers.

Using Channels to Strengthen Each Other

When you use multi-channel marketing, you can use each channel to bolster the others.

Say you’re running a special offer for SMS subscribers. With multi-channel marketing, you can reach out to your followers on social media and promote the offer there, too. When they sign up, your SMS subscriber list will get a valuable boost.

Or perhaps you want to get more social media followers.

You can add QR codes to printed materials, links into SMS messages, or special announcements in email blasts, to show your customers what they’ll gain from liking and following you on social media.

If you want to reach as many customers as possible and empower them to connect with your business in the way that best suits them, multi-channel marketing is the way to go.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Tristan Anwyn writes on a variety of topics including social media, how to build customer relationships, content marketing and how to use multi-channel marketing in your business

Is Your Association Providing the Personal Touch?

December 18, 2015 by Thomas Leave a Comment

Personalization is the key to many marketing campaigns today, especially if you’re newer to the business scene and looking to make inroads.

For organizations that don’t offer a product, they may not see the benefits of personalization. However, associations in all industries can utilize personalization to create a more satisfying experience for their members.

Members join associations for all kinds of reasons.

Some use them to leverage connections or to enhance their own image. They may be looking to network or to gain more industry experience.

Your association can find unique ways of interacting with members based on those reasons and on the unique needs they have.

Go Beyond Basic Personalization

As the article, “Why Personalization is so Vital to Your Association” says, many organizations use a basic form of personalization without tapping into the more advanced options. The article discusses using the individual’s name in correspondence, but you can do so much more.

Associations often attract members from various levels.

For example, in an industry association, members may consist of experienced professionals as well as those just starting out. The information a beginner is looking for is going to be different than what an expert in the field needs.

With modern technology tools, it is possible to show custom content to each user. As a result, you can create content that caters to various types of members.

Filtering for Information

Another method of personalization begins with filtering your members based on specific criteria.

Put them in groups with certain groups receiving information or other tools that benefit them. Create opportunities for networking based on their interests.

You can offer courses or send out special invitations based on the various needs of your members.

Instead of waiting to accumulate data over time, most associations have immediate access to more information than the average business that is trying to sell a product or service.

Just by joining your association, you can ascertain certain facts about your members. You will also most likely have them fill out a form that provides you with even more details.

Benefits of Personalization

Personalization benefits you as much as it does your members.

Instead of offering random or generalized information or opportunities, you create custom options that are geared toward a specific group or person.

This degree of personalization creates a more positive interaction between you and the member. They will be more likely to stay with your association and will be more active.

In addition, you will spend less time and money sending out general content to everyone.

Because you have a target audience and are more specific in your approach, you will see better results.

Personalization is not just for businesses in the retail industry.

Every organization can benefit by personal interaction with their members.

Take your association to the next level and discover that your members are getting what they need when you make your interactions with them more personal and satisfying.

Begin today finding out how you can get personal with your members.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Joyce Morse is an author who writes on a variety of topics, including finance and the business world.