Entrepreneurs – Small Business

Annual Mid-Michigan Marketing summit – MI MOB Summit

On February 14, 2022   /   Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business, Press Releases   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , ,

2022 Mid-Michigan Marketing summit Speaker Connie Sweet Connection Group

Registration is no longer available for the 2022 Mid-Michigan Marketing Summit.

 

Connection Group has been invited to present at the 1st annual Mid-Michigan Marketing Summit on May 7, 2022.  Amy Zander of Zeedia Media marketing agency is the brainchild behind the 1st Annual Mid-Michigan Marketing Summit – affectionately known as the MI MOB Summit. The MI MOB Marketing Summit is a one-day event where Lansing area marketing experts will conduct presentations and workshops on a variety of marketing topics. The event is being held on Friday, May 6, 2022, from 8 am to 4 pm at Royal Scot Banquet Facility located at 4722 W Grand River Ave, Lansing, MI 48906. Connection Group, founder and President, Connie Sweet, is grateful for the opportunity to speak on Logo Design as it relates to brand marketing. Connie will be offering the presentation “Branded in Memory.”

Branded In Memory covers the importance of logos and the role they play in the identification and recognition of your brand.  Although a logo isn’t your entire brand, logos play a leading role in brand recognition. Branded in Memory will cover some of the most frequently asked questions we receive when we are working with our branding customers

Logo FAQs We Will Cover Include:

  • What makes a memorable logo? 
  • Where should a logo be used? 
  • What are the best colors to use for a logo? 
  • When should a logo be revised?
  • Which logos need trademarks?

Connection Group Joins Other Marketing Experts  at the Mid-Michigan Marketing Summit

Along with Connection Group, many other Lansing local marketing experts will be presenting. The target audiences for this event are regional small businesses and non-profit marketers looking to improve their marketing. Plus, other marketing agencies and professionals looking to up their game and network.

The keynote address will be delivered by Amy Zander, owner of Zeedia Media, on the topic of branding. Amy has a unique approach to developing brands. Her brand archetype model helps companies define the specific psychology their business is best suited to. Some of the archetypes include the Mother and the Neighbor. Each is outlined by specific characteristics that businesses can then leverage for their branding messaging, brand marketing, and brand visuals. It’s a pretty cool approach and can really help businesses hone in on their messaging.

Some of the other presentations will be on website SEO, Google Ads, Instagram Reels, Video production, and more. In true mobster fashion, our friend, Paul Schmidt at UnoDeuce Media will be presenting “Picture It!… Sicily 1938.” One of our very favorite printers who Connection Group has worked with for over 20 years will also be in the spotlight. Missey Trudell, Co-Owner of Paper Image Printing Centers will guide everyone with her presentation “How to Make a Brochure That Doesn’t Suck.” You know we love that topic!

Tickets are on sale for $75/person which includes lunch and a full-day access pass to the area’s best and brightest marketing professionals. Purchase your tickets now, they are limited.

The Mid-Michigan Marketing Summit will include prizes ranging from $200 – $5000 in value, including a full rebrand package by Zeedia Media. Connection Group will be giving away a full year of website hosting (value of $240). Several sponsorship levels are available for businesses who wish to maximize their exposure to a room full of up to 250 local businesses professionals as well as exposure on social media, podcasts, and other forms of marketing.

Current sponsors and speakers include Jesse Flores, Missey Trudell, Julie Holton, Paul Schmidt, Brian Town, and more. For additional information about the event, sponsorships, and tickets check out the website.

About the 2022 MIMOB Marketing Summit creator, Amy Zander of Zeedia Media:

Zeedia Media is located in Grand Ledge, Michigan, and is a full-service digital marketing agency. Services include social media marketing, website, and logo design, graphic design, content creation, branding, and podcast production.

Connection Group has worked with Zeedia Media with their Brand Archetype Platform and we have also sought Amy Zander’s wordsmithing expertise for our customers. We highly recommend Amy’s writing expertise, please let us know if you would like a personal introduction. I hope you can join us on May 6, 2022. There may be an option for virtual attendance as the creators look into making a hybrid format available. Be sure to follow the link for tickets for updates if this is a format you prefer. If you’re like us and love the experience of being surrounded by the creative energy of an in-person summit, get your tickets now! They will sell out fast.

Stay connected, we’re here to help.

Back to Top

5 Ways to Connect Your Brand to a Cause and Make a Difference

On February 7, 2022   /   Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business, Inspiring Stories, Wisdom and Opportunities   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , ,

5 Ways to Connect your brand to a cause

“It’s clear that brands now are being asked to do much more than just brand their products. Customers are taking the extra step to ask, ‘Hey, what is this company all about?’.” – Antoine Andrews

When you connect your brand to a cause you make a promise to your customers, staff, and stakeholders. As we build quarterly promotional calendars for our customers our most exciting content comes when we can connect your brand to a cause and create supportive messaging around that cause. Whether it be childhood nutrition, mental health, sustainability, diversity, equality, etc. when a brand can use its position to make a difference, studies show customers have more loyalty to the brand.

5 Ways to Connect Your Brand to a Cause

  1. Offer financial support. For example a percentage of profits from a specific product’s sales, annual corporate profits, or profits from an event, etc.
  2.  Increase awareness of a cause and offer educational resources for their followers
  3.  Offer ways customers can participate in contributing to the cause through their efforts
  4.  Evoke change through working with, hiring, sourcing products and services that support their beliefs and chosen causes
  5.  Create an event to increase awareness with a course, a presentation, etc. Or raise financial support through a fundraiser or auction, etc.

Keep Authenticity when You Choose a Cause

I am writing this in February and am happy to report on the many large brands sharing black stories and standing for equality and change. Just this morning I received an email from Disney+ with their campaign Black stories. Black joy. Black History. Moments later an email from Hulu.

Hulu’s Black Stories Always promotion recognizes that the interest in Black History isn’t just in February. A variety of Dramas, comedies, documentaries, etc. are available 24/7, 365 days a year. Subscribers can search within the app for Black Stories. They can also follow the link from social media promotions or email campaigns. Hulu has developed evergreen digital content for the campaign. Each February during Black history month it is locked into the promotional calendar.

Thoughtful, inclusive, creative, on-brand.

What a consummate way for a media company to raise their platform and lift Black History and culture. Hulu understood the need for black stories to be shared, they considered how to fill the need, and recognized they had a platform to make a difference. Creating the catalog that continually expands offers value to subscribers and builds loyal audiences. This compilation not only exposes larger audiences to black history, it advances black voices, demand for black actors, and more. All the while educating and entertaining bingers.

Personally, I started with Mudbound and then got hooked on the series Snowfall. Waiting for this dramatic series to drop more episodes I’m inspired to watch more of the Black Stories catalog. The Hulu brand has demonstrated how to use its role to shine a light on society’s problems, introduce history and new ideas, be inclusive, and entertain audiences with diverse catalogs and messages. Now, when I am looking for a story with depth, I look to Hulu first.

Even if your brand does not touch the number of people that Hulu or Disney+ does, your brand has the power to make a difference. In addition, the morale of the entire corporation is lifted when you are working together to create change. So what is important to you? What is important to your team? How do the products or services you offer affect a population, a community, a culture, the future, etc?

When you choose to connect your brand with a cause, follow through on your promises through perpetuity. In 1990, Starfish tuna claimed they would change the way they were sourcing tuna. Dolphin numbers were being diminished in part because they were being netted by large tuna harvesters. By making a commitment to change the way they captured tuna they eased consumers’ minds that no harm would come to dolphins. Unfortunately, many reports claimed there was no such action taken by Starfish. Not only did they not create positive change and save dolphins, but customers also sued them in 2019 for not following through on their claim.

How Your Brand Can Make a Difference

It’s great when you tie your cause to your brand or connect your brand to a cause. In the case of Starfish, it was evident. In other companies and industries, there may not be an obvious path. I encourage you to give it some thought. What do your customers feel strongly about? What causes are in mainstream media that align with your business or personal beliefs? With a few exploratory conversations with your customers, ideas develop from local issues, personal experiences, family, company history, etc.

Be selective here. If brands connect to each and every cause, studies show they are less effective. Don’t be viewed as wishy-washy. Be choosy, show support in what you believe in, but build focused efforts to connect your brand to a cause that resonates with you, your team, and your customers.  Don’t try to be all things to everyone.

For instance, the Connection Group team loves nature and the outdoors and feels strongly about protecting our environment. The print industry uses virgin wood and damages the environment. In response, we adopted sustainability practices over twenty years ago.
• commit to the reduction of virgin material use in our office
• established a recycling program
• source the highest recycled content in print stock for client print projects as possible
• partner with vendors who share our beliefs and follow sustainability practices

What cause can your brand embrace?

Also, we are a certified woman-owned business and as such are advocates for diversity, inclusion, and equality. We demonstrate our support by providing high-value services to diverse businesses, primarily women-owned businesses. By delivering valuable brand services, reliable support, and fair pricing, our efforts help lift women-owned businesses. We also seek partnerships with other women-owned businesses for our needs, personally, and professionally. We know that the more women-owned businesses we help succeed the more equitable the marketplace can be. Living our cause and connecting it to our brand extends our impact.

Support a cause and demonstrate that your brand is committed to changing the world. Or keep it closer to home and lift your local community. Our customer Augusta Mills is a woman-owned flour mill in Michigan. Their motto is family, community, love. One of the causes we help them to promote each year is families baking together. Teaching children to bake, inviting them into the kitchen to make their own food is empowering. It helps strengthen families and teaches a skill to fulfill our basic need for food.

What cause can your brand embrace? How can you create change with your promotions, advertising, actions, or profits? If you are curious how you can share a cause effectively with your audience, connect with us. We are happy to help with a consultation. Or, we can assist with building a promotional plan and editorial calendar that can help you beginto share your story. Connect with your customers on a level that makes a difference to you, to them, to your team, and to the cause you believe in.

Stay connected, we’re here to help!

Back to Top

Holiday Promotion Ideas for Professional Services and SAAS Businesses

On November 2, 2021   /   Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business, Graphic Design and Web design   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , ,

Holiday Promotion Ideas for Professional Services girl shopping online

 

Black Friday has been a mainstay promotional event for e-commerce and brick-and-mortar shops for decades. Many a shop owner prepares months in advance for that magical 6 am door opening. While throngs of caffeine-crazed shoppers stand prepared ready to snag the best deals of the year.

Our focus for this particular blog is to share holiday promotion ideas for professional services and SAAS businesses. If you offer a mix of retail, subscription, and member-based offers, read on—much of this may apply to you too. Businesses also seek deals this time of year and not only for traditional products. These holiday promotion ideas for professional services and SAAS businesses can add a revenue boost to B2B companies in a historically slow quarter. However, to take advantage of it this year it’s important to start planning now.

Many marketing experts recommend preparing for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday at least four weeks in advance. We are posting tips every week leading up to Black Friday on our Facebook and Instagram channels to help tackle everything from page load to email testing. With the challenges many of us are encountering with supply chain issues, product deliveries, etc. it’s important to plan as far in advance as possible for all holiday promotions. Retail and e-commerce product sites are especially vulnerable. Brick and mortar retailers and e-commerce shops will want to check availability well in advance to make sure what they are promoting will be in stock. Fortunately, Professional Service companies and SAAS companies are not as affected by the supply chain. However, planning is still critical.

Following are some Holiday Promotion Ideas for Professional Services and SAAS Businesses

Although Cyber Monday began as the online version of the retail industry’s Black Friday (thank you Amazon) it has evolved to include service and digital product promotions. Personally, Cyber Monday/Cyber Week is when I finally purchase the personal apps and training courses I haven’t been able to justify purchasing. From meditations, to music, to digital training courses, Cyber Monday gives non-traditional tech and digital sales a boost. I havee have also taken advantage of stock art subscriptions, annual software purchases, or BOGOs for professional services for business during the big holiday sale days. More and more professional service and SaaS companies are jumping in the holiday promotion wagon and everyone benefits.

Here are a few holiday promotion ideas for professional services to get you started:

1. Offer a percentage off of the entire purchase

We’ve come to expect discounts from retail shops and service companies and SAAS firms can benefit from this promotion too. The biggest consideration is determining the percentage you want to offer. Getting 30% off a pair of $90 shoes is a good deal, offering 30% off an entire construction project could bankrupt a builder. Paying attention to margins here is key. 

  • Offering customers a percentage off of services can be the trigger to get in the door for the bid or the customer to choose you instead of another contractor.
  • Create an on-demand offer or annual retainer model and offer a percentage off the annual fee
  • Monthly website hosting or IT services, $5 off monthly fee when you pay the year in advance, etc.
Industries who can benefit from this promotion: 
  • SAAS Companies – percentage off of a download or annual commitment
  • Construction service firms: plumbers, remodelers, cleaning services, roofers, etc. 
  • Professional service firms: Attorneys, IT service companies, event management firms, Accountants, Bookkeeping, Marketing, Design Firms, etc.

 

2. Offer One Free of a Multiple Purchase (one session, one month, one download, one window, etc.)

Get creative and think beyond the promise of a free consultation or free estimate. In construction, law, and other industries a free initial consultation or estimate is expected and won’t be perceived as a true ‘freebie’.

  • For products or services, you can offer one free window install with the purchase of a full house of windows. Or for professional firms offer a small add-on service for free. Cover a filing or registration fee or offer free set-up or installation, etc.   
  • Think of offering a set of services, 11 massages for the price of 10, 10 coaching sessions and one free e-book, one free month with annual membership purchase.
  • For digital companies, this could be one or more downloads for free. Think e-cards, meditations, courses, the first chapter, or the introduction of a book. Another idea could be the first download in a series customers usually have to pay for. Give a free introductory training download.  This helps introduce your products and services to customers and can keep them coming back for more or investing in a higher level or longer-term commitment. The customer will save money and when they find value in what they received, you become their go-to company because you helped them get started.
Industries who can benefit from this promotion:
  • SAAS (One free month with annual commitment, or one add-on or in-app purchase)
  • Coaches (Life Coaches, Business Coaches, Family Coaches, Sales coaches)
  • Counselors, Massage Therapist, Hairstylists, Nail Salons
  • IT Services, Website hosting service, Marketing maintenance service, 
  • Bookkeepers, Accountants, Association Management, Client Management
  • Teachers, Trainers, Speakers, Authors,
  • Artists (Digital Downloads)
  • Construction: builders, skilled trades, plumbers, remodelers, cleaning services, roofers, etc.
  • Professional Services: Attorneys, IT service companies, event management firms, Accountants, Bookkeeping, Marketing, Design Firms, etc.

 

3. Offer Free Shipping/Delivery or a Fixed Amount Discount  

Keep it easy for everyone. Taking $20 off every $100 spent is much easier to understand than 30% off of a $100 purchase. Customers don’t want to do the math. Keep it simple for them Keep it simple for you.

  • SaaS companies could do $20 off purchase or $5 off in-app purchase. Coaches, Therapists, Hairdressers, and Nail Techs could do $10, $20 off a session, etc.
  • If you have higher ticket items you can offer a scale. $15 off $100, $40 off $200, etc. The more they buy the more they save and the more you sell. Just be sure to keep your margins in mind when you are selecting the discount. Win/Win
  • If you have a hard copy study, journal, workbook, calendar or other books for sale consider offering free shipping. Nobody likes add-on fees especially delivery costs. Choose a dollar amount the shopper needs to spend that will earn them free shipping. Set up your e-commerce platform to tally their totals as they add items to their cart. Honestly, who here hasn’t added another $7.00 item so they could get free shipping?
  • Always create promotions that are clear. Don’t make shoppers have to think – Black Friday or any day.
Industries who can benefit from this promotion:
  • SAAS
  • Coaches – Life Coaches, Business Coaches, etc
  • Counselors, Massage Therapist, Hairstylists, Nail Salons
  • IT Services, Website hosting service, Marketing maintenance service,
  • Bookkeepers, Accountants, Association Management, Client Management
  • Teachers, Trainers, Speakers, Authors
  • Artists (Digital Downloads)
  • Construction, skilled trades, builders
  • Professional Services

 

4. Give a Gift, Send a Card

The holidays are about giving. If you don’t have an add-on, training, or a download to share you can look for other ideas. You can still give a gift that brings you top of mind to your customers and prospects during the holidays. Do your best to find an item that connects with your business in some way.

  • For companies that have time-sensitive services, calendars with your branding may be seen every day, all year long.
  • Work with a promotional product company to discover a gift that is appropriate, on budget, and useful. 
  • For small businesses with a local focus personal deliveries of food or homemade goodies are always great ways to get in the door.  
  • If you have a large customer and prospect list and gifts are not in the budget this year send a card. In lieu of customer favors some companies donate to a cause. Acknowledging this in a holiday greeting sheds a positive light on your brand. Cards are always appreciated and once again get your business name out there. I recommend resisting sending postcards. Cards are often displayed on customers’ desks, file cabinets, in their homes, etc. Postcards do not fit with standard display options and in many cases won’t be seen by others. The last tip to stand out a little more is to consider sending cards for Thanksgiving or New Year instead of Christmas.  
Industries who can benefit from this promotion:
  • Everyone!

 

If you decide to run a campaign this year be sure to follow us on social media. We have broken down tasks for each week leading up to the major holiday sales days. Catch tips on how to optimize your website for holiday promotions. We will also share what to review to be certain your campaign goes without a hitch, and more. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for 4 weeks worth of step by step tips.

 

Good luck with your holiday promotions!

If all of this is just too much, or if there are pieces that make more sense for us to do instead of trying to plow through them alone, connect with us. We’re happy to help with setting up your website for e-commerce, creating auto-generated emails, or digital graphics and pop-ups to promote your sale. Give us a call or shoot us an email today. We’ll do a quick phone review to get us all up to speed and plan the next steps.

Stay connected!

Back to Top

Ideas for Residual Income for Your Professional Service Company and SaaS Firm

On October 20, 2021   /   Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , ,

Personal totaling Residual Income for their Professional Service Company

Looking for ways to add residual income for your professional service or SaaS firm? Are you an expert in your field? Do you have a flair for breaking complex ideas down into simpler contexts? Do you have a unique business model or process others can benefit from? Or do you have a talent, hobby, or practice that can help others feel better personally or professionally?

Service Companies and SaaS Companies can expand their offerings and enhance revenue by developing some of the following digital assets. These can complement in-person consultations and offerings or be introductions to more in-depth digital services.

Online learning is not just for k-12 students and gone is the day where everything is free to download. We pay for apps, we pay for online news articles, we pay for local tv! If you have a following or if you have expertise in an area or topic that others want or need, you can create an entire business or add an additional revenue stream for your existing company.  You determine if the assets you choose to create will require regular attention. Determine which fits best for you and your customers or think of some other opportunities not covered below. Some of these ideas can attract passive income for your business for years to come. Most digital items will require a few updates or refreshes on occasion.

Start with determining the best option for you, plan it out on paper or a Google doc. Next, build it out or hire a website design firm to help design all the elements and create the e-commerce component. Next, all your need to do is decide what you’re going to do with the passive income and how frequently you want to update or add to it.

Ideas for Increased Revenue for Professional Services and SaaS Companies:

1. Digital Courses

  • introductory training – start with a pdf workbook where you share your knowledge and tips about your service or a topic of interest to your prospects and customers. These can be pre-recorded webinars or live streams.
  • formal courses using UDemy, LearnDash  – Go beyond the pdf workbook and offer full-blown courses. Depending on your expertise and industry you could get approval to offer continuing education credits for your courses.
  • reward – Students may receive industry-approved CE credits, a unique certification, or may attend for personal interest and education with no need for credentials at the end.

Some courses can be nested right on your website with a plug-in or on popular course apps like UDemy, etc. These can be individual or multiple class courses. Allot time for course creation. If you will be charging for your course you want to make sure you are offering enough content to match the value received.

Some industries utilizing digital courses include:

Attorneys, Accountants, Coaches, Human Resources, Graphic Design, Marketing, Arts & Crafts, Construction, Skilled Trades Authors, Professional Speakers, Physical Fitness,   etc.

2. Digital Programs

  • webinars – this can be an individual sharing information, a group of experts, or someone in your business walking guests through an instructional presentation via Zoom or other virtual meeting platform
  • digital meetings – similar to above however you can also have audience participation if desired
  • paid access to live streaming events, etc. – These programs can be one pre-recorded webinars, a single course, or a series of classes or live and attendees can join in. These can be hosted on a members only channel on YouTube or another platform. Plan to record the presentations and you can offer attendees access to the recordings afterward. You can sell  prerecorded trainings to those who were not able to join in.
Some industries utilizing digital programs include:

Pretty much all professional services; Attorneys, Accountants, Coaches, Human Resources, Consultants, educators, Graphic Design, Marketing, Arts & Crafts, Authors, DIYers, as well as Construction, Skilled Trades, Physical Fitness, Physical Therapy, and so many more.

3. Paid Digital Memberships

  • niche memberships that offer exclusive support and content for specific groups – Exclusive content may include live webinars by the host or guests, pre-recorded webinars, downloads such as ebooks, graphics, photos, etc.
  • consulting / therapy and coaching memberships – Exclusive access to information, membership may include allocated time throughout the month for one-on-one calls, chats, etc.
  • group forums – This platform includes member-based forums for member discussions, members can upload photos, videos, etc. Content may be structured the same as the others and include webinars, group coaching calls, or digital meetings for group training or discussions, etc.
Some industries using paid digital memberships include:

Coaches, Counselors, Niche skill-based education and training, Marketing, Book Clubs, Industry Associations

Ready to Build Residual Income for Your Professional Service Company or SaaS Firm? Reach out if we can help!

Do one or two of those ideas fit with your business model and sales goals? Do you already have some content or some prerecorded training or webinars that can be uploaded? If so maybe you can fit in a holiday promotion this year. and get some orders started. Make sure everything looks professional and when the customer receives access they know what the next steps are.

If You Already Have an Idea and Content:

  • Is your course, or download already created?
  • Do you have all of the content complete and need a professional graphic designer to make it legible and attractive?
  • Do you have e-commerce capabilities set up on your website?
  • Have you made it easy for customers to check out?
  • Have you tested your product or course?
  • Have you thought about how you will market it? Who you will market it to?

If you’re not as far along as you would like, or if this is the first time you have thought of these options for your business, don’t rush in. Taking time to plan at this stage will help everything go more smoothly. If you truly think one of these ideas is an opportunity for business growth, take some time with it. Build time into your schedule to write an outline of your course, membership vision, or download. Although these ideas can be implemented eaily if you have the cotnetn, there are a lot of aspects to consider to make this a successful venture.

Questions to Ask If You’re Considering Offering Digital Products:

  • What is your expertise?
  • Who is your customer?
  • What format is best? (Workbook, Love webinar, pre-recorded, a full course with grading, etc.)
  • Is your training applicable for continuing education credits in your industry?
  • Do you have knowledge of workbook, e-book design, and creation?
  • Do you have copywriting skills?
  • How should the materials look? Lively, traditional, artistic, etc.
  • Do you have knowledge of web page formatting?
  • How much will you charge?
  • How will customers pay and how will they get all the content?
  • How will you reach your customer?
  • Can you enlist a few people to test it?
  • Where and how will you market?

There are many pieces to consider to have a successful launch. If you don’t have content at this stage I recommend building this into your planning calendar for next year. Maybe you can pull it together and begin bringing in residual income for your professional service firm in the first quarter. If you need help with any of the stages call us or email today. We have developed 1000s of digital downloads, e-books, workbooks, etc. We also have experience building courses with LearnDash and have worked with UDemy courses as well.

Start with one additional revenue stream and you may be surprised by the new ones that come to you! We would love it if you shared other ideas with our readers. Please post below if you offer any of the options above. Or if you have another passive income stream idea, please share it below.

Why not share your knowledge and add residual income for your professional service business along the way?

Stay connected!

 

Back to Top

Format and Design of a Webinar or Digital Meeting

On August 4, 2020   /   Design Tips, Entrepreneurs - Small Business, General, Graphic Design and Web design   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , ,

Most of us never thought we would be responsible for the format and design of a webinar. Nor did we expect we would be spending entire mornings in digital meetings with colleagues we use to share a cubicle with.

Historically, webinars have been embraced as lead generation tools. As a result of the pandemic, webinars and Zoom meetings have become the solutions for all forms of business communication. Today many customers have gone beyond merely attending Zoom and GoToMeeting events to now creating their own webinars. To help in this effort we have put together an outline of things to consider as you create webinars and online meetings.

We will touch on:

  1. Determining the objective for the webinar
  2. Create a webinar format and plan
  3. Establish deadlines
  4. Developing webinar content
  5. Pre-Webinar marketing and advertising to gain attendees
  6. Post-webinar follow up
  7. What to do on the day of the webinar
  8. Creating a webinar registration page on your website or email
  9. Following an outline for webinar creation.

Your first step is setting clear webinar objectives. How will you know if the webinar was successful if you have not defined the objectives beforehand?

#1. Determining the objective for the webinar

  • Are you introducing a new product?
  • Do you want attendees to purchase a product or service at the end?
  • Are you seeking input on new features or training attendees on the use of a product?
  • Do you hope attendees will view you as an expert in your industry by attending your webinar?

Determining the objective for the webinar will help define what content to include, what format the content should take, how you market to prospective attendees, and the results you hope to receive.

#2. Format and Design of a Webinar with a plan and deadlines

Determining the format and design of a webinar comes next. Will the webinar consist of one person going through Powerpoint or pdf slides? Will you have a panel of experts in various departments or companies sharing insights or extolling the benefits of working with you? Will people need to access it live for the best results? Will recordings be available?

Once the format and design of a webinar is determined it’s time to recruit speakers. If you are the presenter or will serve as the facilitator, you can begin to organize content or questions for panelists.

#3. Establish Deadlines for each Phase of Webinar Development

Once guest speakers are secured determine a date and time for optimal attendance. Make sure you avoid holidays, popular industry events, etc. Then work backward from the presentation date to set deadlines for marketing your webinar and completing content.

Consider the following when establishing deadlines:

  • Consider time zones for your prospects
  • If you are delivering a series of webinars can you set them to be consistent with the time of day and day of the week?
  • If guests will have slides, set a date to receive them in advance to avoid any concerns on the day of the webinar
  • Choose dates when announcements will be ready to send out for registration
  • When will registration and website support pages be ready to launch?
  • Determine the last date to enroll

#4. Finally, we get into the Webinar Content

Whether you’re developing webinar content for a software product, professional service, publishing, manufacturing or packaged goods your actual content will vary. Do some research on the content that is getting the best results in your industry.

  • Can you offer a full demonstration of your product?
  • Are there popular highlights of your product or services that all attendees will benefit from learning?
  • Will you let your attendees guide which aspects you will cover through their questions?
  • Should your content be adjusted depending on the audience/demographic, etc?
  •  Do you have a clear niche or unique offering to share that will set you apart from the completion?
  • Will you be explaining your pricing model?
  •  How do you want attendees to interact with you? Can you create leading questions to increase involvement through chat?

5. Creating a webinar registration page on your website

Before you begin marketing your webinar create the supporting pages and links. Create a landing page on your website that all webinar promotions will lead the prospects to. Consider the format and design of the webinar when you create the supporting promotions.  You also do not want to put a webinar/meeting login information on this page. That will be shared in a follow-up email once the attendee registers.

This page should include:

  •  title of the webinar,
  •  brief description of the webinar content
  •  benefits of attending (special offers/discounts to attendees?)
  •  date and time
  •  speaker information
  • simple registration form (Least requirement is name and email. You may want to include company name, role in the company, and other fields depending on your objective.)

Be sure to copy this page URL to include in pre-webinar marketing and advertising.

6. Pre-Webinar marketing and advertising campaigns to attract attendees

To increase webinar registrations you can use a drip campaign to lead visitors to your website through a funnel.

  • Email announcement to current contacts about the upcoming webinar
  • Social media posts with messaging about the webinar and a link to the registration page
  •  Website messaging including banners, pop-ups, buttons, graphics and website sections that link to the registration

Be consistent with your messaging and be clear on what attendees will receive when they register. Consider offering a value-added incentive to attend or to register by a specific date. A discount on a purchase or the opportunity to have questions answered personally, a giveaway to the first 20 enrolled, etc.

If you are just beginning to build your contact list or if you are seeking a large number of attendees right away, consider paying to advertise your webinar. If you choose to purchase pay per click (PPC) advertising on social media, search engines, or targeted websites double-check that links are included for registration. If you are implementing traditional media including tv, print publication, direct mail, etc. double-check that the steps to register are accurate and functioning prior to running any ads. Always ensure your messaging is consistent.

7. What to do the day of your webinar

You can choose to send login information when people first register or you can hold off until a few days before the webinar. It is also advised to send a reminder email on the day of the webinar. Include a contact phone number and or email for troubleshooting issues.

  • Check your system to make sure everything is functioning as expected.
  • Check-in with speakers, you have lined up to remind them of timing and log in contact.
  • Do a test-run with all presenters. Have them share their screen and their presentation.
  • You may also want to share an agenda with everyone in advance so that they know what to expect.

We recommend to skip updates of webinar or meeting software within 24 hours of your scheduled webinars. Functions and features can change and software incompatibilities can arise. Rather than becoming flustered and appearing unprofessional hold off on any updates if you can.

8. Post-webinar follow up

One of the greatest benefits of webinars is the ability to capture the contact information of each attendee. Be sure to request attendees to opt-into future correspondence. This will allow you to reach out to them in response to this webinar and long into the future for other opportunities.

Determine what information or call to action you would like from attendees when you set up your follow up plan.

  • Do you want to survey attendees about specific elements of the webinar?
  • Will you have a drip campaign created that is in line with the webinar topic to continue to keep attendees engaged and interested?
  • Will you offer a limited-time or exclusive discount for purchase or enrollment for attendees?
  • Can you provide a value-added download or membership that is aligned with the webinar topic?

If the survey is most important send that follow up first. Then remember to pace your correspondence. If attendees become overwhelmed with communications from you they may choose to opt-out and you will lose the lead entirely.

We hope this content is helpful to you. Please let us know if we can help you create registration landing pages or format and design of a webinar presentation and slides.  Webinars and online meetings have been forced upon all us in response to the pandemic stay-at-home-orders. Although it may not be the preferred format there is value in adopting digital communication. Companies and organizations, large and small, are seeing cost savings with reduced meeting travel and in-person training begin with addressing the format and design of a webinar. Getting comfortable with the ‘new normal’ of digital meetings will help you stay connected now and in the future.

Back to Top

Hope for Small Businesses During Crisis – Hope in Uncertain Times

On March 31, 2020   /   Entrepreneurs - Small Business   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , ,

How are you feeling? Hopeful? Hopeless? Overwhelmed? Grateful? Rested? Frustrated?

 
hope - thich nhat hanhMore opportunities of hope for small businesses during this crisis launch every day. As our new COVID-19 normal continues I have found solace in finding ways to be hopeful.  If you had momentum on stock investments or 2020 small business goals this quarter,  you may be experiencing frustration or fear right now. If you’re an essential service you may be feeling overwhelmed and need a rest. If you’re at home alone or with kids, every hour can bring a new emotion.
 
For the month of April, I am filling my social feeds with hope. I’m grabbing my favorite hope quotes and going through my oh so many iPhone photos and I’m creating a daily hope post. I am hopeful one or more will speak to you and help just a little bit. Please share, like, and comment. I would love to get a conversation going on how hope is helping you through.
For all United States and Michigan based small businesses out there in unknown territory, there is hope for small businesses during a crisis. The United States government is making grants, and low-interest loans available. Practice some meditation, listen to some inspiring podcasts, get out and walk or run, and explore all opportunities that fit.
Many people I talk to are viewing this time as a positive reset. A time to repair from burn out, a time to adjust course. The only way through it is with hope. Hope for the best outcome, hope for new insights, hope for the future.  Hope and believe you will move away from feeling overwhelmed to feeling your personal strength, the strength of the world and hope for the future. It may look different than you imagined coming into 2020. Release the controls, hope and believe in the best outcome.
I am not blind to the fact that lives will be lost, families and businesses will suffer. My hope is there will be fewer fatalities than the estimates and our first responders and health care workers will feel all of the gratitude we share for their countless hours. and dedication to our loved ones and us.  As we continue to take precautions and practice good citizenship by staying home and taking care of those we can, we can all join in the hope for healing.
Please visit our social media platforms and join in our daily conversations of hope. Find us on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
 in all industries please stay safe AND be vigilant. These moments are allowing some to regroup from burnout, set up plans with their teams (at home and at work), learn Zoom, research new products or services to offer. Making the most of the changed landscape and hoping to come out stronger.
For those on the front line, thank you for continuing to provide care and product availability so the world can continue to turn.
Small Businesses who see layoffs or reduced revenue smacking their bottom line look at the CARES Act and the SBA Loans. Stay attentive to new opportunities that can help keep your staff working, or bring them back quickly. This article on Medium outlines some of the grants, loans, and programs available right now.
Here’s hoping you keep your lights burning and you are prepared for the deluge of activity when we are all released from our sequester
For deeper inspiration and life-long techniques for developing hope in every day, meditate with Oprah and Deepak Chopra’s Hope in Uncertain Times free meditation.
Please stay well and hopeful.
Back to Top

Essential Businesses and Michigan’s Stay-at-Home Executive Order

On March 27, 2020   /   Entrepreneurs - Small Business, General   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , ,

 

If your company or organization has  Essential business designation in Michigan’s stay-at-home order, remember to communicate as outlined under Executive Order 2020-21 (COVID-19).

Connection Group is not considered an essential business under the order however we are open and working remotely. We are busy posting website alerts and creating email announcements, for some of Michigan’s essential business in an effort to meet the March 31, 2020 deadline.

As stated in Michigan’s Stay-at-Home Executive Order:

Businesses and operations must determine which of their workers are necessary to conduct minimum basic operations and inform critical infrastructure workers under that designation. Businesses and operations must make such designations in writing, whether by electronic message, public website, or other appropriate means. Such designations, however, may be made orally until March 31, 2020 at 11:59 pm.

On March 26, 2020 clickondetroit asked Governor Whitmer about the businesses who are opened and the considerable traffic on the roads, Governor Whitmer stated:

“If you are not a life-sustaining business, you’re in violation of the law and you’re unnecessarily exposing your employees to COVID-19 and you’re needlessly endangering our communities by putting more pressure on a healthcare system that is very close to the max already,” Whitmer said.

Michigan’s Stay-at-Home Executive Order is Not Just a Suggestion

Let’s do well with this mandatory time-out so we can get it over with quicker. Thank you to the first responders, health care workers, hospital staff, and all of the essential companies and workers. Essential businesses that need help getting their COVID 19 announcements in place for customers and staff, contact us if we can help.

Be well everyone, reach out to your loved ones and stay connected with your people.

Back to Top
Back to Top

Digital Marketing for Business: Start With A Content Calendar

On January 2, 2020   /   Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , ,
One Thing for You to do for your 2020 Digital Marketing for Business is: A Content Calendar

Annual Marketing To Support Your Business Goals

What are the products and services your customers need the most? How will they know your organization is the best resource for them? Beginning the year clarifying digital marketing for business is one of the biggest time-saving tools a small business can adopt. Identify the main topic for each month that is aligned with the services or products your business provides and the ones you want to increase. Think of your digital marketing calendar as a road map to keep you on track throughout the year. In each of the 12 months identify special promotions and events.
Too busy running your business to tackle marketing too? Connect with us for a quick conversation to see if we can outline a plan and strategy for DIY digital marketing. Or, if you prefer, we’ll provide options and budgeting to take marketing off your to-do list completely. Developing copy, digital graphics, website content, and consistent social media posts to reach your audience is what we do. Meanwhile, your time can be spent meeting your business goals.

Benefits of an Annual Digital Marketing Calendar for Business

Starting with a full year content calendar makes digital marketing for businesses less stressful by eliminating last-minute projects and promoting events or campaigns well in advance. It puts annual business goals at the forefront of marketing planning.
Annual content marketing calendars also allow you to work ahead during slow times. Sharing save the date announcements for events months in advance never hurts! Plus, every industry has evergreen content that can be created in advance of posting.
Remember, the calendar offers flexibility to make changes as needed. If campaign results are not as expected or if changes occur midway throughout the year, you can make edits.

digital content calendar 2020Content Tactics for Digital Marketing for Business Include:

  • Social media posts
  • Blog post
  • Pages on your website
  • E-mail campaigns
  • Webinars
  • Digital advertising campaigns
  • Website graphics

A Content Calendar Should Not Start With a Blank Sheet

Start with a calendar that includes the main holidays for the year. This is useful if you create holiday promotions. Or avoid holidays if people will be otherwise engaged and not available to participate in your promotion. Get creative and consider how sentimental holidays could humanize your brand story to your audience. Share helpful advice or memories with your customers. Tie advice to your business such as an insurance company reminding people to check their holiday lights.

Do You Need More Digital Marketing Content Ideas?

Reference a calendar that contains additional observances. For instance, January is National Hobby Month in the U.S. It is also International Creativity Month. A flour mill could create posts that encourage people to take up baking as a hobby. Similarly, a wine and canvas studio could offer painting class packages.
These monthly observances offer unlimited ideas for digital marketing for business. You will discover month-long, week-long and special day observances each month throughout the year. Some are serious and some are purely silly and if you can connect them to your industry and make someone laugh or increase awareness your efforts will be memorable.

No Need to Pay for a Monthly Service

Content calendars can be created digitally or as hard copy. Use Google, iCal, Excel, online scheduling platform or print out a full calendar and handwrite the information.  I often start with a handwritten calendar for the outline and then convert to digital and add in details. A digital content calendar allows me to add content in any month easily as it comes up.
If you are a lean team and you don’t have the manpower to get all or any of these solutions in place, connect with us today. The time commitment is not lost on us because we do it for ourselves and our customers. We can work with your content calendar and develop all the elements and get them scheduled to post on time each month. Creating a calendar and turning it over for your content development and management for your monthly management is another option.

Download our annual content marketing calendar template here.

Best Approach for Digital Marketing Content Strategy

Aligning your digital marketing and content strategy with your annual business goals will increase success. For instance, if the top goal is to increase product demonstration views consider everything that can be put in place to drive those numbers. Do you have a digital product demo on your website already? If not, how will it get developed? Who will develop it and by when? Where will it be posted once complete? If you have a digital demo on your website already, how can you drive people to view it? Does the product demo need to be presented in person or in an on-screen presentation with a company representative?

Digital tactics we would recommend driving this goal include:

  • Blog entry/distribution channels
  • Email Campaigns
  • Social Media posts
  • Website SEO
  • Seeking Guest Blog Posts
  • Digital Advertising

On your January calendar add product demonstrations as the main topic/goal. Next, begin identifying the individual digital marketing tactics and assign dates to them. Include as many details as you can. Before assigning dates consider how each can be achieved. (In consideration of time you may only include “Blog on Product Demo” on the content calendar in January. Add as many details as time allows. Remember, the goal is to get the full year of content outlined.
Once the entire 12 month content marketing calendar is complete, circle back to add more details in each month.  Be sure you are always working a month in advance, at the very least.

content calendar strategy some people start with a board of sticky notesUsing a blog as an example, ask and answer:

  • When can the blog post be written?
  • What should the blog include?
  • Who will write it?
  • Do you have a proofreader for grammar and spelling?
  • Who will create the blog graphic?
  • Can the creator post the blog?
  • How will it be distributed?

What will be included in the blog post about the demo? Information to include:

  • Product values
  • How it addresses customers pain
  • Customer testimonials
  • Awards/recognition received
  • Unique features
  • Call to action – link

Next, do the same for the remaining digital marketing tactics you have identified. Are there product benefit snippets that can be used in social media posts? Can you pull snippets from the blog? All the while considering how the call to action (CTA) will be included in each tactic. (View the product demo here… or …complete this form to schedule a product demo.)

Set realistic goals:

  • Decide which platforms to post on
  • How often will you post?
  • What content appeals to your follower base?
  • Customize, and personalize content

Creating a road map for annual digital marketing for business aligned with annual goals takes away the guesswork and keeps you in front of your customers consistently. Assisting companies with their annual content marketing is one of our favorite services. Whether you share your company goals and we create an outline or detailed annual content calendar or we do create and post all the content – we always recommend starting with a plan. Contact us if we can help you meet (or exceed) your annual business marketing goals.

Back to Top

The Golden Rule of Content Marketing

On November 8, 2019   /   Branding - Marketing, Entrepreneurs - Small Business, Social Media Tips   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , ,

Content marketing free content calendar

Are you keeping up with the latest trends in content marketing? Are you feeding those social media pages like a champ? Keeping the website updated regularly to help bring you up in search results? Optimizing your blog posts with SEO? So much to do and there’s not enough time in the month!

That’s where planning, organizing, choosing, and acting, come together. Create your own editorial calendar, or get our free content calendar to help keep you on track.

Developing an Editorial and Content Marketing Calendar

1. Plan  – Every Year /Month / Week

Discuss and plan how you will stay connected with your customers and communicate beneficial services and products throughout the year.

  • What are your goals in January? How about
  • What services can you post about in March that customers order in April?
  • Identify your monthly focus for the whole year. Next determine who, where, what content to provide each week to communicate the monthly focus. If your goals and planning dictate further detail, clarify days and hours content will be posted.

2. Form – Organize / Schedule

Whether you prefer an excel spreadsheet, daily pop-up reminders, or handwritten to-do list, create a reference that is easy to follow.

  • For a marketing team of one, create a calendar in a format you will use.
  • Larger teams choose a format everyone can access and update. I like to use this content calendar template for my customers.
  • The fields included are campaign notes, monthly theme,  week, day plus each platform we will be using.

3. Choose – Social Media Networks with the Highest Return

Once your main campaigns or themes are chosen, determine which networks you will be using. Which profiles or social media networks you choose will depend on your industry, your sales, your budget, and most importantly your company marketing and sales goals. Chosen networks range from  Facebook company pages, Instagram, Twitter, etc.  to blogs, websites, print materials, tv, radio, billboards, etc. If you are a one or two owner shop, or a marketing department in a large organization practice the keep it simple, realistic, and affordable rule.

4.  Act – What content will you post and where?

  • All businesses have evergreen content – content that never goes out of style. Mix in branding images, photos, tips, instructions.
  • Share other member posts that are relevant to you and your followers.
  • Implement content marketing practices such as using hashtags on specific days; #mindfulmondays, #tbthursday or #tacotuesday, etc.
  • Interact and comment on other profile posts.
  • Mix in funny posts, tips for your industry / clients, completed projects, customer reviews, a percentage of sales copy and calls to actions that suit your goals.
  • Follow leaders in the industry on Linkedin, share popular articles inline with your company and of value to your customers and targets.

5. Strategize – Identify how often you will post content

  • Reference your editorial calendar that breaks down content monthly, weekly, daily, depending on your goals and budget. It is better to note your monthly and weekly content strategy for the full year and then circle back to add it in per day and hour. Forecasting posts too far out by the hour may not be addressing current events or trends. However, custom hourly content is appropriate during specific sales, events, or advertising and email campaigns.

By incorporating an editorial calendar and our free content calendar you can keep sharing content marketing to your target audience and still have time to do your own job! If you find all of this is overly time-consuming please connect with us today. We are happy to assist customers in all of the above. We can also schedule a consult to help identify where to start.
Stay connected!

Back to Top