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Does Your Brand Get the Attention It Deserves?

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Top Performers written on a wooden cube in a office deskWhat 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:

  1. 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;
  2. 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;
  3. 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;
  4. 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.

More Lawyers Becoming Adept at the Internet

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bigstock--125544251Would you be surprised to learn that more and more legal professionals are using the Internet to their advantage?

While that statement may surprise some, many others are not in the least bit surprised to hear such a thing.

As businesses continue to see all the Internet can do for their brands, law offices are certainly not standing on the sidelines. In fact, many lawyers are using their websites and social media on a daily basis, hoping to attract more clients in their time of need.

That said how can would-be clients reach out to lawyers, hoping to find those best suited to handle their respective cases?

Web and Social Media Getting Thumbs up Verdict

As more lawyers head over to the web and social networking venues to state their cases as to why individuals (and families for that matter) should choose them in their time of need, the former should keep these items in mind to present their best case:

  • Where to go? – The first question that someone in the legal arena will likely have when venturing over to the Internet is where should they start? While a formidable website is of course important for one’s brand, it is also quite beneficial to have a regular presence on social media. To start with the website, make sure if you’re not capable of putting it together and/or running it, you find someone who is. Even though having a website is great, one that is put together in sloppy fashion, along with not really serving a purpose to the public, is quite frankly a waste of your time and that of the public. You may choose to outsource such I.T. needs and find an individual or company specializing in website construction and website marketing. Just make sure you have a website that is not only productive for the public, but that is also secure. In today’s world of identity theft and other online issues, you need to make sure your site is as secure as it can possibly be;
  • Social networking is a bonus – As important as having a solid website in the legal field is, whether you are Scheiner Law in Houston or one of the many other law firms out there, it is also a good idea to put social media to work for you. Your social media efforts can also be done by outside sources if you neither have the time or expertise for such efforts. Don’ try and be too many things for too many people right off the bat. For example, if you specialize in DWI cases, there is not a specific social site obviously catering to that problem that will bring you instant business. On the other hand, having a Twitter and/or Facebook profile, you can tweet and share posts with hashtags such as #legal, #DWI, #DrinkingandDriving, #findalawyer and more. When you do that, each of your posts where you added those hashtags will end up in the respective category. Lastly, make sure you do not forget how important LinkedIn is to your law firm. The most popular of sites on social media for professionals, LinkedIn, can be great for bringing more awareness to your firm. Be sure you periodically update your LinkedIn profile, giving the public the latest information about your firm, cases you have been involved in, any new hires to the firm etc. As you can see there is a treasure-trove of opportunities waiting for you when you put social media to work for your firm.

While just about every lawyer will tell you that their top priority is making sure their clients get a fair trial (and hopefully the case goes their way), more in the legal field are learning how much of a role the Internet plays in bringing business their way.

When lawyers apply the time and effort to promoting their services with both a sound website and solid social media promotions, the possibilities for landing new business are endless.

If you are a lawyer looking for more of a presence on the Internet, start today to see how adept you can become at working the worldwide web to your advantage.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Go Blogging and See the Results

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New Customers written in search bar on virtual screenDo you sometimes feel like your brand is not getting the attention it deserves and more importantly needs?

For some business owners, their websites can mean the difference between a healthy brand and one that is on life support. Whether your brand is doing well or not so well, are you looking to improve it? If the answer is yes, make sure you review your blogging efforts.

Given the fact that more and more consumers are going online to browse and ultimately buy products and services; having a strong website presence (including a relevant and informative blog) is more critical than ever. So, take some time to see how you can improve your blog or even how to start a blog today.

Blogs Matter More Than Ever

No matter what product or service you sell, blogging about your line of work is a great way to not only attract new customers, but also retain current ones.

With a solid blog on your website, you can:

  • Promote your brand – First and foremost, promoting your brand should always be a priority. A stellar blog on your website allows you to do just that and more. The blog can be an ambassador for your brand, introducing your products and/or services to millions of consumers. Make sure the information contained in your blog is relevant, timely, and provides a call to action without coming across as a sales pitch;
  • Be more socially active – Having a solid blog to work with allows you to be more social, meaning go to social media. Promoting your blog posts opens the door to consumers who may not be familiar with your brand. In turn, you are more likely to get inquiries about your brand when you are publicizing it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and even YouTube. Just like with your blog, you need to be active on social media, meaning share or tweet regularly in order to maximize your opportunities;
  • Engage with industry experts – While some companies decide to do all their blogging in-house, many others welcome guest bloggers. If you decide to work with guest bloggers, make sure they are a good match for your site’s blog. What kind of experience do they have in blogging? Are they an authority on the topics they speak of? Do they have a decent to solid social media following and will they promote their posts and your site? Yes, some guest posters will not be a good fit for your blog, but many others could be just what you are looking for;
  • Use it as a networking tool – In the event your business attends a number of trade shows and conferences during the year, your blog can be a topic of discussion. Along with promoting the respective event on your blog you will be attending, bring a laptop to the event and set the viewing page to your blog. As attendees visit your booth, it can make for a great conversation piece.

If you’re looking to improve your company’s blog or finally getting around to starting one, know that it can help your brand in so many ways.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Are Your SEO Needs Being Met?

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handshake isolated on business backgroundIf running a business has you coming and going, what are you doing to make things a little easier on yourself?

For many business owners, the focus is oftentimes lost on how important content marketing is to their success. While there is no doubt hiring the right talent and providing stellar customer service are both critical, so too is properly promoting your brand.

One of the best ways to get your brand front and center in front of countless eyes is by having a content marketing program that properly promotes your brand, leaving no doubt amongst consumers why they should be doing business with you.

With that said, do you do the content marketing or should you farm it out to the pros?

Research Your Options

For those business owners who decided that handling content marketing may be a little beyond their grasp, there is always the option of turning to an outside agency. That agency should not only be able to write eye-catching copy, but they also need to place it in front of as many eyes as possible.

Through search engine optimization (SEO), business owners can get their brand front and center.

But what about finding the right SEO provider to do just that? Can you really afford to just call-out any SEO company to do the work for you? Or do you need to invest time and effort in finding the best SEO agency?

The answer should be obvious, though some business owners oftentimes will simply hope for the best when hiring.

In order for your brand to get the best attention, remember to follow these tidbits in searching for the best SEO provider:

  • Track record – What kind of history does each SEO provider you are reviewing have? Are they all but free of customer complaints? Are they quick to respond to client inquiries or do they leave people on hold? What kind of social network (Twitter, Facebook etc.) do they have? If they have little or no social following, how can they be expected to use social media to help publicize your brand?
  • Read the fine print – Anytime you have someone do work for you; make sure you read the written deal (typically a contract) from start to finish. Those nasty little “hidden fees” can crop up from time to time, leaving you a little lighter in the wallet or purse and a little bit dissatisfied. Some business owners are too busy to read the fine details, meaning they ultimately pay for it in the end.
  • Too many promises? – Another red flag is if an SEO provider promises you the moon. Remember, just as you only promise your customers what you can ultimately deliver, the same should hold true for those doing work for you. Make sure the expectations are clearly defined for both parties. Solid SEO doesn’t happen overnight or at the flick of a switch, so set a clear understanding between your company and your SEO provider of what is needed and expected.
  • Reviews are needed – Finally, it is important that you and your SEO provider sit down and talk about the progress of your site, especially as it relates to link-building, content marketing and social media. What is working? Are there some strategies that seem to be stuck in neutral or even maybe setting your site back as it pertains to Google rankings? Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion; it is your site and money, so speak up when necessary.

In the end, your goal and that of your SEO provider should be to increase your websites traffic and your company’s sales.

When those two come together, your SEO needs can certainly be met.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Do You Have the Right Brand Promotion Mix?

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marketing-words-blackboard-shows-selling-promotion-and-sales-100211117Are you looking to grow your company, gain exposure to the media and market your business to a specific clientele?

If so, you’re going to need to carefully plan exactly how you should go about marketing your business. There is no “one size fits all” method, but rather a mix of strategies that work together to give your business the type of growth it needs.

Popular ways businesses go about marketing include networking with other businesses and individuals in the area, asking for referrals, using free forms of advertising (such as Craigslist), developing an online social media presence, placing ads in the newspaper or print media, creating a mass email or text message list, offering deals and specials, donating to a local charity and more.

There are hundreds of ways to market your business, but the trick is finding a mix that works best for your specific industry.

Get More Social

Social media is quickly rising to the top when it comes to marketing. Not only is it an effective way to advertise for nearly all businesses, regardless of industry, but it’s also a free way to advertise.

To market via social media, you first start out by setting up your business accounts on various social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn and more.

Then, start networking with other business and individuals, post information on your company including any specials or promotions you have going on, interact with customers and start developing a following.

Finding the Right Combinations

While growing your online presence is one of the best ways to market your business, it shouldn’t be the only way. A business that markets well knows that it’s a combination of marketing strategies that are the most effective.

The article “Integrating social media, text and email” suggests that the best social media marketing strategy incorporates text messages and email marketing into their plan. Instead of having three separate plans, it’s best to have them work together to form one larger marketing campaign.

So how do you get all three to work together?

A few ideas include asking customers via email to “like” your Facebook page, getting customers to “opt in” to your text message service by offering a discount on your product or placing a “subscribe to my email” option on all of your social media accounts.

By offering discounts or free products to the customers and making it easy for them to share and follow you, you’ll have a much better chance at growing a following and gaining customers.

Once you’ve combined your social media marketing strategy with your text and email campaign, you can begin to seek out other ways to advertise.

Its trial-and-error, as some methods will work wonderfully and others will crash and burn. Your strategies will also change over time as new and improved ways of marketing come on to the market.

Be flexible and be willing to try a variety of methods in order to figure out what works best for your business.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Sarah Brooks is a freelance writer living in Charlotte, NC. She writes on a variety of topics including social media, small businesses and personal finance.

Is It Time to Rethink Your Marketing Strategy?

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sales-marketing-shows-selling-e-commerce-and-offer-100291369When it comes to the world of marketing, you have either got it or you don’t.

The “it” factor is do you have a sound marketing strategy in place? If you do, you’re likely reaping the benefits of such. If not, you are probably thinking about how you’re ever going to get your message out to consumers.

When you stop and think about it, today’s consumer gets marketed by a wide variety of brands.

In order for your targeted consumers to come to and stay with you, your marketing strategy must be informational, exciting and something that the competition isn’t doing.

So, is it time to rethink your marketing strategy?

Always Be Thinking Ahead

In order to keep your marketing game on top, remember these tips moving forward:

  • Your audience – Your marketing game can’t and won’t succeed if you do not have a clear understanding of your demographics. It only makes sense that if you are marketing financial retirement products (IRA’s, 401K’s etc.), you should not be solely targeting senior citizens in their 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and above. Sure, you may find some on the lower end of that age spectrum who are interested in some of your products, but your main audience should be those individuals in their 30’s, 40’s and even 50’s. People in their 20’s typically are not yet focused on their retirement years, but it doesn’t hurt to market them some information to at least get them thinking about the day they retire. Those a decade or two older should already be saving money and thinking regularly about being able to retire comfortably one day. Know your audience in order to increase the odds of more sales;
  • Your efforts – Yes, you likely have a busy schedule which precludes you from doing all you want in a workday, but that is no excuse for dropping the ball on your marketing needs. Make sure you set aside the required time and efforts needed to get all your daily tasks done. A typical day should include reaching out to current and potential customers, looking at new campaigns to pitch, networking, and staying on top of your social media game (see more below);
  • Your socializing – While many marketers already have a social media presence, others have been slow to move towards social networking. For those in the latter group, now is the time to get caught up. Whether you use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram or any number of other social sites, you need to be active. When you share and retweet worthwhile links from others, you not only increase the eyes to your marketing profile, but you stand to gain some potential new business. It is also a good idea to follow relevant people in the marketing industry (individuals, associations, trade publications etc.).

While there is much more to the world of marketing, take a few minutes to review your current strategy.

If it is lacking in a defined audience, time commitment and a social component, work on those three areas to get your marketing strategy back on course.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Miguel Salcido has been a professional search marketing consultant for over 11 years. He is the founder and CEO of Organic Media Group, a content driven SEO agency. He also likes to blog at OrganicSEOConsultant.com and share insights into advanced SEO.