Branding – Marketing

How much do you love those pop-up forms when you land on a Website?

On October 24, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business, General / Leave a comment

Tags: business to business (B2B) companies, business to consumer (B2C) companie, In-bound marketing, inbound marketing tactics, integrated marketing firm, internet marketing, virtual visitor, website tracking software

They’re everywhere.

How about pop up video advertisements you’re forced to watch before getting to the website content you really wanted to view?

At first pop-ups were an occasional annoyance along a few stops on the internet. Then national brands and publishers began forcing pop up advertisements to play before they let you see the web content. Don’t they know we don’t like it? Haven’t the in-bound marketing experts joined friends for coffee or a beer and heard the moans and groans about the ‘stupid pop ups’?

They’re almost as annoying as the pre-recorded sales call that have become the norm for cold calling on business land lines. With robo-calls you can hang up right away (it’s not rude if it’s not a live person, right?). With the pop-up internet ad you have to sit through to see desired content- well, unless you are as impatient – I mean busy – as I am and you click over to check email while the ad is playing. (Don’t judge, you’ve done it.). Cursed pop-ups.

But if people are irritated by the pop-up alerts and pop-up email subscription forms why does it seem like every website is doing it?

It’s called inbound Marketing and it’s the hottest thing online.

To explain it simply, inbound marketing attempts to capture visitors, customers and prospects who have inquired about a product or service online. Pop-up forms grab the data and a list is born.

When visitors come to your company website:

Do you know them by name?
Do you know why they chose your site?
Did they contact you or buy from you?
Will they ever come back again?

When you study the Google analytics or other website tracking software for your small business you see all these website hits but you have no idea who they are. The ISP tracking isn’t associated with real people. (we do have a tool to track companies who come to your site, call or email about B2B website visitor tracking) You may be able to track pages that individuals visited on your site and the site or URL that referred them, but that’s it. True ships that pass in the night. Every sales representative and small business owner and manager wants to find out who their website visitors are, talk to them, thank them for stopping, and sell to them. But how?…

You guessed it, inbound marketing forms.

Of course we all know why nearly every website out there is demanding our email. We know it’s because they want to stay connected to us. But how can it be working when so many of us feel violated each time that pop-up flies on the screen?

In-bound marketing banks on those times you visit a website and love the product or service so much you want to stay connected with them. Subscribing to the RSS feed of a blog, subscribing to an e-mail list, or completing a contact form for the company to reach out to you via phone, snail mail or email allows this. Your information feeds their database and you get to hear from them on a regular basis. Your inquiry came into their site and they have put systems in place so they may communicate with you in the form(s) you have selected, email, phone, etc.

Now you’re probably thinking, wait a minute, Connection Group is an integrated marketing firm, that uses inbound marketing tactics, and responsive website design solutions. Haven’t you jumped on the in-bound marketing wagon and start pushing pop-ups?

not all in-bound marketing tactics are for everyone or every business
we don’t push trends just because it’s the hot new strategy
we don’t like the pop-up tactic interrupting our web experience

There are ways to integrate inbound marketing tactics into internet marketing efforts without being intrusive to the viewer.

Some ways pop-up could be used more effectively:

when a visitor has been on a page a while. – They must be interested because they’re still on the site, maybe they like you and want to stay connected?
when someone is leaving the site – Thank them for visiting and suggest related pages based on what they have viewed.
on exit – The exit pop-up can remind them to stay connected and leave their email, phone number, etc. to receive updates, coupons, warranty information, etc.
custom to audience – design inbound marketing tactics and pop-ups as an integral non-intrusive website element.
When inbound marketing works

There are times when a pop-up comes up on a website with great content and I sign up willingly. I am grateful they have a newsletter or a list I can join. I can continue to receive their content will little to no effort – love that. I may get reeled in by a free download of an e-book, or e-news sign up. They give me something of value and exchange my contact information. A relationship is born.

Why do many pop-ups rattle our cage?
- on websites that are serving as distractions for the moment
- on websites with products and services that we don’t use often
- on websites (brands} that haven’t earned our trust yet
Build a relationship first. Jumping in and pushing for personal information when the visitor first arrives is like proposing marriage on the first date. Slow down there bucko.

There are many facets to inbound marketing, pop up forms are just one small feature. Integrating inbound marketing as an online marketing strategy for business to business (B2B) companies and especially business to consumer (B2C) companies can be highly effective. It can also be be very costly depending on the company you choose to work with. Companies such as HubSpot, Marketo, and Pardot (used within Salesforce the popular CRM software) have software and contracts available. These companies provide the software but you still have to do the work – and there is a steep learning curve. The time and cost investment can be higher than many small business owners and managers can add on.

Share comments, is inbound marketing a good solution for your business or customers? Or shoot a call or email with questions. We promise not to throw a pop-up in your face.

Of course, if you already know you want to continue our relationship subscribe to our email for small business tips plus marketing and design tips you can use.

Stay connected!

Experience The Power of Transformation

On September 15, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, General / Leave a comment

Tags: brand marketing, business marketing goals, business social media profiles, digital marketing, Grand Rapdis Michigan, internet advertising, Lansing Michigan, lower Michigan, marketing consultant, Michigan online marketing consultations, swot analysis, website

Be Your Own Marketing Consultant

Start with a quick SWOT Analysis

You know the definition of insanity, repeating the same action and expecting a different result? Taking a few steps back from your day to day tasks to meet with a brand marketing consultant and look at your business with different eyes can provide clarity. A professional brand marketing consultation will take a comprehensive overview of your company and brand marketing efforts.

A professional brand marketing consultation will consider:

your products or services
your brand message
corporate philosophy
corporate climate
client demographics
marketing goals
future plans
business goals
media preferences
and so much more…

A brand marketing consultation often starts with a quick SWOT Analysis.

SWOT stands for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. You may be surprised how much insight you will gain by investing a bit of time answering the following questions about your business. Get a quick glimpse of your business as it stands today, Doing this homework before your brand marketing consultation can help you hone in on the area you would like to address first and keep your time targeted to get the best results.

What are your products/or service?
Who is your customer (demographics – gender/age/location…)
What are your company strengths?
What are your company weaknesses?
What are your company opportunities?
What are your company threats?
Who is your company competition?

Upon review of all the questions what are the considerations / recommendations?

Now how will you tie all this into your annual business marketing goals?

You now have a current snapshot of your business. It’s time to take the next steps. Select the most critical items or the items that are the most likely to have the biggest impact on your goals.

Answer the following questions:

How can you use your strengths to take advantage of your biggest opportunities?
How can you use your strengths to overcome your biggest threats?
What can you do to reduce or eliminate your weaknesses to make the most of the opportunities available?
How can you minimize your weaknesses, so that you are better positioned to overcome your threats?

Many of the answers to these questions will seem obvious to you – even basic. Once your SWOT analysis is complete and you schedule your brand marketing consultation you will see the power of how putting it all on paper and setting planned goals and actions can truly change your business.

Online Brand Marketing Consultations

Connection Group provides in person brand marketing consultations to local Lansing, Michigan, Grand Rapids, Michigan clients and all areas in between.
For businesses outside of lower Michigan, online brand marketing consultations are available. We will review your website, business social media profiles, all internet advertising and digital marketing. When applicable, we also request all print materials and promotions be mailing or emailed to us for previewing prior to meeting with a brand marketing consultant. Getting a comprehensive view of all company branding and marketing, both in print and web, will help us offer the best brand marketing guidance for your company goals.

The Importance of Visual Content

On September 2, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, Graphic Design and Web design / Leave a comment

Tags: blog posts, brand imagery, custom brand marketing, custom image, design work, digital files, graphic designers, over photo, poster, social media graphics, social media memes, stock photos and graphics, trade show display, visual media, web graphics

Top 5 ways to present your brand professionally

Yes the cover does sell the book and yes a picture says a 1000 words – boom. The importance of visual content on your website, social media graphics, print and brand marketing can’t be measured completely. I looked – I found stats on conversion rates but that is a whole other blog post. This blog offers tips on creating or discovering where you can find quality visual content for your custom brand marketing.

1. Build a Professional Website

So your cousin/niece/son just took a web design class at Lansing Community College? A professional does not one website design class make. Did they add any images that truly don’t represent your brand or aren’t in the brand style? Hand drawn illustrations can work with brands with a young audience but may look juvenile with a corporate communication.

The next questions is do you own it? Google images, graphics, photos or images taken from the internet hold copyrights and sometimes trademarks. Legal action can be taken if they are used without the owners permission.

One of our customers was forced to pay a stock photo company $1200 for use of two photos on their blog. An intern grabbed the photos from Google Images and uploaded them. The large stock photography company found that the small healthcare business in Lansing, Michigan had not purchased the images. The stock photo site insisted on payment from our client or they risked being taken to court. Removing the photos from the blog, claiming ignorance, blaming an intern is not a valid defense. Where did the photos on your website or your social media graphics at photos or graphics do you need to remove or replace?

2. Stock Photos and Graphics

Small businesses seldom have the budget to develop original photography or graphics for each project. What items are your working on? Are there images that can be found for purchase online? Stock image websites abound on the net, just look into the user agreement and understand the terms of use for photos or graphics you purchase and download. Options usually include low, medium and high quality resolution depending on your use (low is typically for website/blog use only, the others can be used in print; medium images can be used for many print design projects. Large stock images will reproduce in print larger and are often chosen when a quality cover photo, poster, trade show display or exhibit booth is needed.

Remember, you do not own stock photos and graphics, you only have permission to use them. The terms of use outline the marketing and advertising media they can be legally be used in.

Stock sites can find their images on your website – if you have not purchased them, they can legally charge you. (see #1 above)

Often times trained graphic designers can customize stock photos and graphics to a point where most people would never know they started as a stock image. This additional design work may add more time and cost to your project but the customized look achieved can be used time and time again. (This doesn’t eliminate the need to pay for use.) It does provide a custom image nobody else can lay claim to. Where can you find images for legal use online? (some stock photo and stock images websites are listed in the Resources section).

3. Web Graphics – The Importance of Visual Content

Use your brand visual elements to create graphics for your website, social media profile pictures, avatars, visual media for blog posts, etc. If a graphic design firm has created your logo, be sure to get digital files in a variety of formats. Creating original social media graphics and web graphics using your brand imagery can help boost your brand exposure and connect with you audience. How can you add more brand images to your website or social media posts?

4. Design Social Media Graphics

Statistics show graphics or memes are shared and shown in the Facebook news feed algorithm more than text only page posts. People come to the web to be entertained — not to read. Whether graphics or videos have industry tips, trending topics, popular quotes, etc. people respond to them and share them. What web graphics can you share or create of interest to your audience?

5. Original Digital Graphic Files

When you purchase or hire a graphic designer to create a project, determine where you will be using it; online, print, tv, etc. All of these media require different formats. It’s best to let your graphic designer know the media channels your art will be used in ahead of time. Creating art for print and web is different. Save time and money by considering all uses ahead of time.

A custom web graphic created for your home page will require the graphic designer to rebuild it, and will cost additional fees if you decide you also want to use it for your corporate brochure or other print promotions.

We recognize the importance of visual content, we love graphic design and our most fun is creating social media graphics usually with inspiring quotes. leadership quotes for business, holiday greeting social media graphics and more. We post new ones to our social media outposts -so be sure and follow us to get the next trending design. You can also visit our downloads page for free social media graphics and share them to your hearts content!

The Importance of Design in Marketing

On August 20, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, Graphic Design and Web design / Leave a comment

Tags: clip art, contemporary graphics, digital graphics, graphic styles, grunge graphics, hipster graphics, media outposts, retro graphics, social media graphics, Social Media Graphics / Memes, stock photos and graphics, templates, visuals that pop, web design themes, web fonts, web graphics

Creating Brand Visuals that Communicate

Everything is so much prettier these days. Design is in mainstream consciousness and visual standards are steep. Apple and Target have demonstrated that even utilitarian items can become art when both aesthetics and function are balanced. The importance of design in marketing has a higher level than a mere five years ago. Graphic design marries visuals with a message to facilitate marketing goals. How does your brand or company stand out from the torrents of information and stylish brands out there?

1. Templates – Themes

Pre-made theme designs for websites, stationary, brochure and business card templates, and even pre-made logos are prevalent on the internet. The challenge is that other small businesses- maybe even your competition – may be using the same template as you!

When you understand the importance of design in marketing and decide customized graphics and design is the way to go you encounter another challenge. Making custom changes to existing graphic design templates may be difficult. How can you make it your own style without having design software?

Do small business marketing research before purchasing or ordering graphic design or brand design visuals for your company. Make a list of elements to include in your project and choose your theme with those in mind. For instance determine what the main areas of your website will be, this helps determine your navigation. Research design themes or templates and make sure you can customize those cookie cutter templates to amplify your brand.

2. Color

Is your company high tech, energetic or tranquil? The colors you use will communicate, often sub-consciously, how the viewer is suppose to feel. What colors are associated with the feeling you would like to depict in your brand? Visit our color personality list in our design tips section for ideas.

3. Fonts

Like color, font selection can quickly depict the mood of a brand. When choosing a font for your brand remember not all fonts display on the web. Web fonts are increasing but if you use a font in your logo that is not supported it will need to be converted to a graphic. Try a few combinations and limit your selection to only one or two fonts that flow well together.

4. Consistency

The only way to build lasting brand recognition is to be consistent with all of the above elements in all media channels. Your logo and other brand visuals need to be formatted to work for both print and web use. Consider all the media outposts your visual designs and digital images will be used/ (online, print, tv, video, etc.)

5. Quality

Are you using cheesy clip art, blurry or low resolution photo or graphics? Once again we address the importance of design in marketing. When prospects see poor quality or disjointed marketing pieces in the market place it raises questions. Are they disorganized, don’t care about details?

Can you improve your dated logo, images or get new photos taken? Can graphics be redrawn or recreated for digital use? Can you purchase professional stock designs?

6. Graphic Style

Photos and graphics are also strong messages. What graphic style fits best with your brand message? Black and white photography, hand drawn illustrations, etc. Graphic styles may be photos or graphics in styles such as grunge, hipster, retro, elegant, contemporary, realistic, classic, natural, cartoonish. What visual design style suits your business marketing?

Thanks for reading the importance of design in marketing. The following post will follow along this topic and focus on the importance of visual content.

What's The Best Way to Get into Your Customers' House?

On August 1, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, Graphic Design and Web design / 1 Comment

Tags: brochures, combined marketing campaign, consultation, custom graphic design services, direct mail campaign, graphic design services, marketing items, postcards, print campaign

Direct mail campaign pieces are the key to get into your prospects home AND hang out a while!

A recent Royal Mail Market Research “The Private Life of Mail” study researched how mail is filtered, handled, discussed, shared and filed at home. By following how mail interacts in the home revealed beneficial insights for brands. For instance the study discovered an average piece from advertising mail or a direct mail campaign stays in the home 17 days! I dare you to get a Facebook ad to be so consistent!

The custom infographic on the right highlights other results of the study including:

23% of mail is passed around
People place 24% more value on something they can touch.
57% say it makes them feel more valued.

Nearly 40% of homes display mail.

Of course people display the mail they receive that is attractive, informative and if it stands out from the pack. Studies show if the design and message of a direct mail campaign lands flat the chances of winning shelf space are pretty low.
Direct mail campaigns are perfect opportunities to increase brand awareness and keep you at the top of your customers mind. Wouldn’t it be great to know your recent postcard mailing was deemed refrigerator worthy? Be sure to show your brand in it’s brightest light. When planning your next mailing be sure to budget time and costs for custom graphic design and professional print. Yes desktop publishing apps allow you to create your own postcards or print brochures and you can even print them on the inkjet printer you have next to your desk. Be honest with yourself.. If the piece your just created came across your desk, what would you think of the company that sent it to you? Does professional or cheap come to mind?

Stay Connected with Professional Print Communications

Direct mail campaigns are typically made up of postcards, brochures, catalogs, etc. However, direct mail is not the only entry into your customers homes. Think about other print pieces customers or prospects may hold onto. These ideas could range from one affordable postcard with an appointment reminder, an attractive brochure with a unique fold or special paper stock.
Think about what you might hold on to. How about thank you cards, greeting cards, coupons? The longer the piece stays in the home. the more often your name is in front of people who enter the household depending on where the mail is displayed.
E-mail marketing, social media. and mobile advertising can drive powerful results. However, as this study shows people still appreciate the tactile and personalized nature of mail. The next time you are planning to reach out to your customer, remember a combined marketing campaign always offers the best results – and mail is a highly cost effective component to include in any combined marketing campaign.
Now what are you waiting for? Call us today for a consultation. Take advantage of our August special for 25% off graphic design services. Through August 31 graphic design services also include logo designs, infographic creation, brochures, digital graphics and more. These custom graphic design marketing items can be reused time and time again.

The 5 Dharma Types of Brochures

On July 20, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, General, Graphic Design and Web design / Leave a comment

Tags: brochure, corporate borchure, design and printing, direct mail brochure, direct mail brochures, event brochures, introductory brochure, introductory corporate brochure, leave behind print item, point of purchase borchure, postcards, product borchure, product brochure, sales brochure, sales support borchure

Print has been resurrected.

Do you have an upcoming event, new product or service? Are you or your staff attending trade shows, marketing events or sales meetings? There are many types of brochures to select from to communicate your message.
A custom designed and printed brochure can offer flexibility and credibility for; face to face meetings, follow ups from phone inquiries, and website visits. Print items serve as reminders to prospects and customers and work to build brand awareness. Print communicates clearly by including brand visuals, contact information, specifications of products or services, diagrams, photos, dates, maps, and forms to be returned, and more.
For a brochure to be effective it needs to be designed well and incorporate consistent use of your brand elements. Eye catching graphics, clever messaging and subjects of interest to the audience, will entice prospects to pick it up. When designing a brochure it is important to align it with your brand promise and in a form and style that relates to your target audience.

Types of Brochures

1. Leave Behind / Informational Company Brochure

This brochure type serves as an initial introduction to prospects.
What information can paint a clear picture and allow people to contact you easily?

2. Sales Support / Product Brochure

Contains information company representatives can use as a sales tool. Don’t assume sales staff memorizes all the key messages for each product or service they pitch during a presentation. Include important information in a sales support brochure to make sure everything is covered accurately. The brochure or sales tool will be left behind for prospects to review after the account representative is long gone.
What product information is most important to prospects?

3. Event Brochure

Create a brochure to promote your event and another brochure to distribute during the event for attendees to reference, (consider accommodations, maps, schedules, etc.). Remember to include dates, times, locations, contact information. Ever seen a brochure or event advertisement that didn’t include the location? Or the start time? Unfortunately it happens too often. (You may want reference a print checklist when creating your print material.) With all types of brochures there are elements that should always be included. It is easy to forget even obvious content when you are too close to the project.
What information do you need to include in each brochure?

4. Direct Mail Brochure

Of the many types of brochures direct mail brochures are the most popular request by our customers. According to Direct Marketing Association direct mail boasts a 4.4 response rate. Does 4.4% seem low to you? Compare it to the average 0.12% for email campaigns and you may change your mind! These statistics on average direct mail response rates is from 2012 when print was at an all time low. Yet it was still beating digital response rates. Now that print is gaining in popularity again the number may be higher.
Who do you want to reach? What product or service or special offer will you feature? What database/mailing list will you use? Do you need to purchase a list? What size will it be? Self-mailer or envelopes? Have you considered postage and handling fees into your budget?

5. Point of Sale

Prospects pick up these brochures to read later. Companies place them at check outs, in point of purchase displays, statement stuffers, as product inserts, they may include product instructions, warranties, etc.
Can you promote additional products/services as part of a sale? Can you introduce a new product or service to a clientele who are already engaged with your product or service? Could you increase the value of your product by suggesting multiple uses of products or services? Share new policies, promotions, etc.
Whichever types of brochures you decide your company needs, get clear and concise. Don’t skimp on the attraction quotient! Communicate your message, market your brand, and make a good impression by paying attention to the details. If you need help determining the best print solutions for your budget give us a call or complete the inquiry form here.
If you think print marketing is a good option for your company don’t hesitate to connect with us! For the remainder of this month postcard design and printing is 25% off. Respond by July 30, 2015 and save.

Authentic Website Content and Blogs – The Tao of Enlightened Story Telling

On June 16, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business, General / 1 Comment

Tags: blog content, content, google keyword tool, key phrases, keywords, MI, mobile-friendly website design Lansing MI, relevant website content, responsive website design lansing, Website Content

Content, content, content. What Google wants, Google gets. The best part of feeding Google accurate, credible, relevant and authentic website content is that search engine inquiries return fairly accurate results. Local companies can compete with national chains, customers can find you quicker and they keep coming back because your information is current and is trustworthy.

Blogs

One of the most powerful ways to drive traffic to your website are blogs. Rich with keywords, when updated regularly search bots love to crawl and index blogs. What topics are of interest to your customers that also highlight company products and services? Make sure your blog is part of your website and is not a separate blog with a completely different domain name. Share industry information and make sure you have the same voice each post. Add some personal anecdotes in there – personal to you or situations your company has encountered. People want to read stories, not just statistics. Truthful, authentic website content will resonate with your audience.

List a few blog topics of interest to your customers. Can you cover multiple categories (products, local news, upcoming releases, etc.)?

Page Content

Let your website work for you. Websites should also serve to help your visitor make a decision. Be proactive and consider what questions your customers typically ask and answer them on your site!
Do some research. What do people call and ask you most often? Can you include these answers on your website? Do you offer a unique service or go the extra mile with customer service or off referral discounts. Share this information on the pages of your company website – blogs are not the only parts of your website that get crawled by search engines. Having clear, authentic website content that answers your website visitors questions will get you further ahead.

What website information can you expand on?

Keywords

Still powerful generators for standing out in search engines, keywords perform best in search results when they are included in paragraphs such as articles, bios, descriptions, etc. What are known as key phrases are the best for search results these days.
For instance instead of saying we provide content writing and use content writing as the keyword the suggested approach is we write a longer phrase. For example: we develop authentic website content for Lansing area businesses. Note website content for Lansing area businesses is more targeted than just blog writing. By adding a targeted phrase to our local market we reduce the amount of websites we are competing against when people search for content writing for Lansing area businesses.
Consider how you would search in Google for your product or service. Choose words and phrases that are relevant to your product or service for a higher return. For example since we design responsive websites for small businesses, we could use mobile friendly website designs for Lansing area small businesses as a relevant keyphrase. Writing about my vacation in St. Petersburg Florida or penning a how-to on business networking is not relevant to our responsive website design service. Google will not return our website in results when people search responsive website design for small business in Lansing, MI if we only write about the fabulous sunsets in St. Pete . Remember to feed the keyword and keyphrases in your blog and the pages of your website. You can also use Google’s Keyword Tool to get some ideas on search volumes for particular words and phrases.

What are some keywords and key phrases to start with?

Photos / Graphics

Looking for attention? Want to stand out from the millions of website content shared each day? Post a photo or create a graphic. Product photos, image and text slides in a moving slideshow can help with promotions, or services. Sharing statistics in visual formats keep visitors on your website twice as long. Can you add professional custom photos of your building, staff, products or even stock art that represents your product or service? Can you create a graphic with an inspiring quote to post to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and include your company logo on it? How about adding interaction with an automated slide show? Authentic website content is not just copy, website content includes images, moving or static, photographic or illustrative.

Make a list of photos you have to use on the website and a wish list of photos that would add relevancy and visual interest.

Now search your harddrive, get out your smart phone or search Google for a local photographer in your area.

Videos / Animations

Google owns YouTube. Need we say more? Post videos on your YouTube, channel and link them to your website. Share them on other social media sites and increase your search result returns. Videos increase your search ranking and get higher page feeds in Facebook’s current algorithm. Create instructional videos, product videos, video tips, video testimonials, compile photos for products or your your office and stream them together in a video app.. There are so many options these days, you don’t have to be a professional videographer – although a professional quality video with good sound and story boarding is always best!

Which type of video will benefit your customers and your business?

Custom Infographic Creation:

Everyone loves a well designed infographic! Why? Because they are visual and pack a ton of information in a clear, concise manner. Design some infographics just for fun and see how far they travel in social media when people share them. What industry or local statistics of interest to your customers could be converted to
an infographic? Make sure if you are sharing stats that they are accurate and cite your sources!

Do you have stats for your company or industry stats that are impactful? What types of stats are of interest to your customer?

Now you have a lot of ideas for website content to drive searches and answer client questions. No time to develop all of this important content? Connect with us today. We will meet with you to discuss best options for your company website content and develop copy and visuals to increase your credibility and drive targeted web traffic.
God luck and stay connected!

Connect with Your Inner Marketer – Learn to Pitch to Media

On May 21, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business, General / Leave a comment

Tags: integrative marketing, local media, local radio, marketing campaigns, marketing channels, Michigan media, pitch to media, shawne duperon, shawnetv, Small Business Marketing, targeted email, web landing page

Action Beats Intention

Ready for growth? Slow down for a moment and think about what your company does best:

What are customers asking for?
What do they appreciate most?
Who are they?
Where do they hang out?
What’s hot right now in your industry?
Can you pitch to media?

Once you have the answers determine which channels will be best to broadcast your message and reach your target audience. Online, print, conferences, tv, radio, social media, blogs, e-newsletters? Do you have media contacts? Is your service or product available in a small geographical area, do you sell throughout your state or internationally?
As much as we’d like to offer a step by step marketing formula for you to follow, all business marketing solutions are different. From retail stores, e-commerce shops, member based nonprofits, trade associations, healthcare, higher education, or service companies, each has a unique selling proposition. A thorough understanding of your business and your market is critical to discern the best approach and components for a successful PR, advertising or marketing campaign to bring positive results. If you can take the time to connect with your inner marketer you will have the answers you need to put a plan in place customized for you.r business.
What is your company doing currently and what has worked in the past? Although internet marketing. social media, email marketing, and cable tv has changed the marketing and PR landscape, traditional media such as tv and radio can still be effective for many industries. Combining traditional and non-traditional marketing channels with advertising and PR, can help you reach multiple markets all the while keeping your brand messaging consistent.
Regardless of your budget and your goals adopting integrative marketing practices is the best approach for small business marketing campaigns. By coordinating different promotional methods that reinforce each other, your marketing objectives can be achieved. For instance, create a targeted email to your contacts and design a website landing page with a strong call to action. Or volunteer to speak at a local event and reach out to media for local radio or tv interviews to increase exposure for the event and your brand.

How do you choose the media channels for your campaign?

One of the best ways to begin, besides working with a marketing firm, is to know where your customers get their information. Another way is to take stock of what your competition is doing. Where are they advertising? Do they have an outside sales force? Are they selling to customers in a unique way? For instance are they offering package purchases or free items, extending credit, etc.? Are they getting interviews in media? Are they filling the radio airways with radio spots? Even if they have a higher budget for marketing and advertising you can adopt some of the marketing methods they utilize to reach your customer just on a lower scale.
Are you a member of a trade association or do you subscribe to industry publications? These are also great resources for learning what similar companies are doing successfully. Keeping current with your industry news can also offer newsworthy tips to pitch to media for free PR.
Another helpful way to choose your approach is to answer the question: Do you have more time or more money in this stage of your business? If you have more time than money PR may be your best option. If you have a good story to pitch to media and it gets picked up the return can be tremendous.
Not sure how to pitch media? Or are you nervous about being in front of the camera? Check out our favorite media coach, Michigan’s own media goddess Shawne Duperon at ShawneTV.com. Shawne speaks to groups and offers media mastery bootcamps where you can learn what to do and what not to do when pitching to media. She has cds and programs with Michigan media contacts, on camera tips, and even tips for make up application for tv spots. Follow Shawne on Twitter or sign up for her email announcements that contain seasonal pitch ideas for a variety of industries.

What is the message you want to pitch?

Determine your marketing goals and determine the next steps to reach them:

If you want to increase sales, do you need to increase your customer pool?
Have you added new products or services that could benefit your current customers?
If you want to increase brand awareness, what topics are hot right now that relate to your industry? Can you pitch to media?
Are there trade shows, expos or networking events your company can attend or sponsor?
What other marketing channels/methods can you integrate for a greater return?
Historically what sales and marketing efforts have worked best? (advertising, brochures, etc.)
What is your competition doing?

Marketing and media options:

Advertising:

TV, Radio, Magazines, Internet Advertising (Google Adwords, Yahoo, Facebook, Niche Websites/forums, etc.) Billboards, Newspaper and Directory advertising, etc.

Marketing:

Internet marketing, Social Media Marketing, Print Marketing, Direct Mail, Network Marketing, Marketing Research, Market Analysis, Specialty Promotions, etc.

Public Relations (PR):

Press Releases, Writing & Media Distribution, Interview Opportunities, Publicity Campaigns, Consulting and Strategic Planning, Product/Service Launches, Press Kit Creation, Event Publicity and Promotion, Event and Trade show Management, etc
Sometimes you have to dive deep for the answers to all of the questions above but they are always there. If you are having a hard time tapping your inner marketer, take a good customer to lunch and ask them the questions you need to know. Contact us it you need help creating your marketing plans or cleaning up your corporate brand visuals.
Stay connected and pitch to media!

Is there value in getting listed in local web directories?

On April 16, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, General / Leave a comment

Tags: Bing local, Connection Graphics. internet marketing, internet marketing companies, local web direcotires, local web directories, SEO protocal, web directories, website consultation, website marketing solutions, website SEO, Yahoo local

I know you’re getting the calls too. Internet marketing companies calling offering you website marketing solutions, asking if you know the value of getting listed in local web directories. We get them too.

What’s the big deal about getting listed in local web directories?

Although SEO protocol has changed and it is said there is not as much SEO value in being listed with directories there is still value in directories, especially niche directories and local directories. High traffic directories such as Yahoo Local, Bing local, etc. increase your website exposure to visitors searching those sites. Also the more links you have directing back to your site the higher your website rank.

Can the guy on the phone help increase my website exposure?

After receiving call after call and claims Connection Group could be listed on all the top directories for $100 I decided to give one of the a shot. The package also included website SEO consultation and benchmark progress reporting for the lsitings. Since I had purchased other products from this particular company in the past they offered me a 50% discount – score! What American can resist a sale?

When the contract started they did a report to show where connectiongraphics.com stood at present with our listing and referral links. We received a grade of 87%. They confessed that was a pretty high percentage. Then my competitive nature kicked in. I thought if we had gotten this far on our own, maybe this top 100 corporation had some magic sauce that could get us to the coveted 100%! (Now is when you remind me how many times I have shared with you that there is no such thing as miracle marketing sauce – I hang my head in shame.)

In 30 days I received a report that our numbers had actually slipped one point even though they reported to have listed us a in a couple new directories. They explained that it was too early to see results but within 3 − 6 months we would see improved numbers. Paying $100 each month for 3 − 6 months. This is just to get 13% higher – remember we started at 87%.

At this point I am skeptical but you know I am going to get my $50 worth so I give them a call for the website SEO consultation that was included in the contrast. I was happy to know we were already implementing the suggestions they offered for website SEO. Sadly, the SEO questions I had for them were not answered. I continually heard “Well, that’s a good question! I don’t know if that works or not.”

Hmmm, no offer to look into my inquiry and get back with me, just, ‘I don’t know, good question’. I chose not to continue the contract after the first 30 days.

How hard is it to get listings in local website directories?

There is value in getting listed in local directories and optimizing your website to come up higher in search results and it does honestly take time to implement. Getting listed in the top local directories doesn’t require a recurring $100 monthly fee through perpetuity. In many cases submitting your company to directories can be handled by an in house staff person. Here is a list of the directories we recommend getting starting with.

The basic free listings on these websites will work for most business needs. There may also be paid directories that are of value to your business. We recommend getting the free listings set up first and if a particular directory is driving traffic a premium listng may be of value.

If you find you don’t have the time to get this going we can dedicate the time to get you posted to all the directories on the attached list for $300.00. If you would like to continue and have us get you listed in custom directories for your industry or your locale we may need to add some more time and increase the investment – but I promise you you won’t be paying $100 a month indefinitely to get listed in only 5 new digital directories a month.

7 Components of Internet Marketing for Small Business

On April 7, 2015 / Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business / Leave a comment

Tags: blogs, calls to action, capture email, company blog, components of internet marekting, e-mail marketing, email marketing, Inbound and Internet Marketing, inbound marekting, inbound marketing campaign, keywords, landing pages, live chat option, online forms. online forms, quote forms, relevant content, search engines, website address, website url, websites

7 Conscious Steps to Connect with Website Visitors

Internet marketing for small business, also known as web marketing, online marketing, digital marketing and online small business marketing is comprised of many components. Internet marketing encompasses several disciplines, involving everything from websites, email, search engine optimization (SEO),social media and more. There is no one-size-fits-all for internet marketing campaigns. Depending on your business and your target market, finding the right balance between the many options available may take some trial and error but this effort will often lead to great results in internet marketing.
Inbound marketing components are used in concert with your website to convert visitors to customers. When visitors come to your website inbound marketing works to turn those in-coming prospects to customers. Inbound marketing works under the premise that your social media fans and website visitors are expressing an interest in your product or service purely by coming to your website or social media pages. The same can be said for phone calls coming in from direct mail campaigns and other marketing efforts. Inbound marketing puts practices in place to respond to these hot leads through office procedures, marketing automation software, online contact forms, visitor tracking and through email marketing.

Components of Internet Marketing for Small Business

1. Websites

Some small businesses still don’t have websites – yes, really! Many small business owners do not pause to consider that people search the web for everything. Even if a business is not selling online and the majority of customers or members don’t come from internet marketing campaigns people search for phone numbers, hours, etc. Having information online and available also establishes credibility.
Do you need to make updates? Businesses lose credibility points from visitors if they see a dated website design or information that isn’t current. Outdated information can be frustrating to the visitor and make it seem as if keeping your information (and your customers and prospects) in the loop is not important to you.
What steps can you take to get your website current?

2. Getting Customers to Your Website

Is your website address on everything? You have your website address on your business cards of course, but do you also have your domain name on your company vehicle, in tv ads, radio spots you are running and on all of your social media profiles? Are their places your customers frequent where you can post your website address? Do you include them in ads, social media pages plus blog, and email signature?
Where can you add your website address ?

3. Relevant Content / Keywords

Do you have information on all your products and services posted on your website? We’re you hoping to get back to that someday? Search engines rely on keywords people use when making a web search query. Adding the words and terms to clearly describe your products and services helps answer customer questions and it helps your website be discovered on search engines.
What products or services need more details on your website?:

4. Calls to Action

In every marketing effort a clear call to action helps to increase responses. Some websites require an email to access content, others offer a live chat option to answer customers in real time. Most website calls to action are requests to fill out online forms, including quote forms, make an online purchase, email, or pick up the phone. Online forms help to capture emails, phone numbers and other contact information of prospects. A clear call to action leads the customer smoothly onto the next step to connect with you.
Web savvy visitors have become hesitant to offer up emails or other contact information readily. Offering an item of value for free in exchange for emails or phone numbers is a great way to be able to follow up with interested customers. Some of the free value added items to offer your customers are e-books, free consultations, free trials and discounts . The key is to create a truly valuable item that your customer benefits from. Offering a download of a one page Top 10 list from your industry and calling it an e-book is not an authentic way to begin a trusting, long lasting business relationship— make sure you are giving value. Be careful not to ask for too much information from them. If you plan to send emails capture their name and email, don’t try and get their snail mail address just in case you need it in the future. The less information a visitor has to fill in the better.
What calls to action can you add to your website?
What can you say or offer to entice visitors to leave an email, call, or fill out a form?

5. Blogging

Company blogs serve as an outlet to post new information about products and services. They also help to educate prospects and customers about how your product or service can help them and they can recognize the value your company offers to them. Blogs can give updates to warranty information, announce new products, company press releases, samples of completed work, customer case studies and industry news. Adding a blog to your company website demonstrates your leadership in the industry and assists with search engine optimization. Consistent blog posts show search bots that your website has current information that should be indexed. Every time you update your site or blog you increase visibility to search engines.
What can you write about that will include your keywords within the context of your blog?:

6. Landing Pages

To highlight a special promotion, product, or service, create a landing page with a strong call to action. Landing pages are stripped down versions of your website that focus on the service or product you are promoting and that promotion only. The page should offer quick bullet information about the item being promoted. Include your logo, a form to complete the purchase of the promotion or a form that gathers information and has a follow up to the customer such as a free download. Landing pages have unique URLSs and are usually associated with a specific email, advertising, or internet marketing campaign. Landing pages can be tied directly to each media used in a campaign. This helps to provide data on what marketing methods received the most activity. You can then use this data for choosing the same or similar marketing methods for future campaigns. The unique URL’s make it easy to check analytics nd gather all kinds of information.
What information is of interest to your website visitors?
What can you offer in exchange for their contact information?

7. E-Mail Marketing

By now you have probably figured out what you will be doing with all of the emails you are capturing. That’s right, email marketing campaigns! There are a variety of ways to stay connected with your customers when you have their email. You can send individual personal emails, weekly or monthly e-blasts or e-newsletters that offer discounts, product updates, etc. You can also create automated emails when visitors perform a specific action on your site. Emails can also be formulated to send at specific times along the sales chain. Creating a process that responds intuitively to customer inquiries serves the customer quickly and makes efficient use of everyone’s time.
How will you use the email addresses you capture? (e-newsletters, send coupons/discount, etc.)
Another large component of internet marketing for small business is social media marketing for small business. When fed well and frequently, social media marketing campaigns can drive visitors to your website. Set your intentions and be conscious of how your internet marketing will boost you company brand and sales. If you have question or need help getting an inbound marketing campaign going, please give us a call. If you are interested in getting more of these detailed small business marketing tips be sure to check our workbook format e-book Mastering the Art of Marketing for Small Business for 2015.