Tag Archives: Marketing

Business, Marketing

Social Media Matters: Twitter Incorporating an Analytics Page?

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A few days ago, I received an email from Twitter for one of my accounts, giving me information on the amount of views I got on a particular link I posted. It told me what was the most popular tweet I shared during the week, and also how many followers I accumulated. As most of you know or have probably seen, Twitter has made changes to profile pages, making all tweets more vivid and enabling you to put a popular tweet at the top of your Twitter timeline. With these subtle add ons and changes, could we be seeing the future and growing potential Twitter may have for businesses both big and small?

The first thought that came to mind with the analytics email was that this would be an important tool to gauge how effective marketing and advertising on Twitter really is. This also gives the user valuable information as they’ll get a better idea as to what content draws the most views and creates buzz. Right now that is what’s lacking from Twitter, and while your website’s analytics page gives you certain information, it doesn’t exceed the boundaries of the site itself.

If this becomes an added feature to Twitter, this further enhances the effectiveness of social media marketing, and gives the business owner another tool to see what works for the company and what doesn’t. Search engine optimization is slowly being replaced by social media optimization, which unlike Google, Yahoo, and Bing, targets a specific audience and gives the customer or viewer exactly what they want. This also works for the marketer or business owner, as social media is beginning to drive more traffic to sites making keywords obsolete as opposed to hashtags, which are being used across most social media apps.

Also by giving the statistics on what the most popular tweet of the week was, it then lets the account manager know what gets attention and how other users respond to it. Instead of sitting around thinking of what to Tweet next or thinking of a clever statement, companies could use the same blueprint based off the analytics to tailor to a specific audience, something that they don’t have right now, forcing them to use their own judgment. If business owners know what makes their followers tick, they’ll continue posting content that creates interaction and further development of the customer base on social media.

Facebook, Twitter, and all other social media outlets are the future of marketing and advertising, and receiving an email from Twitter that gives me information on my tweets and links, proves that how businesses reach potential customers is changing. It will be interesting to see if Twitter does in fact implement an analytics page on the site itself, or continue sending emails to their users. Either way, this could be vital to a business, especially those who market and advertise on social media.

However, the only question that has to be raised is whether this will be used for businesses only. Analytics to companies and marketers are extremely important, but to a high schooler or college student who has no interest in either career paths wouldn’t find an analytics page useful.

Business, Marketing

Social Media Matters: Startups Need To Obtain A Following Before Thriving

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It sounds quite simple, but so easily forgotten. Startups must acquire a following before posting web content and utilizing SEO. How can this be accomplished? Looking to social media is the best way to grow a following even before your company is ready for business.

As important as SEO is to a business, you need a loyal following to grow the customer base. Continuously posting web content will get you higher on the search engines, but if you’re new to blogging or a startup business, researching SEO shouldn’t be the top priority. You need readers, buyers, and clients, and social media speeds up the process, as you can target the customers you know will be buying your products or calling for the services you offer.

Some business owners and independent bloggers who don’t know SEO, will suffer the consequences as they’ll post content, but no one will be reading. Facebook and Twitter can offer a remedy, and by spending as little as $5 a day, they’ll be sending ads to users who will be interested in the blog, business, or just the Facebook page itself. Once you have a decent following, then start sharing the content, and because they were specifically targeted, they most likely have friends who are interested in the same topic or product. This is a form of buzz marketing, and it works. If SEO isn’t you’re strong suit, look to social media.

Social media is the future; it’s an inexpensive way to market and advertise your business and or blog. What makes Facebook pages and Twitter accounts for a business so great is that you’ve got the skills to maintain your social media outlets because you’ve already spent countless hours on these sites by using your own personal accounts. Some business owners are intimidated by this form of marketing, but it’s one the most rewarding and effective ways to make your company profitable.

As I’ve said in previous articles I have written, social media marketing allows you to talk with customers on a personal level, making the customer/owner relationship worth much more than in previous decades. You can interact with them and gauge what’s working, and what isn’t when it comes to both your communication and even business. As the saying goes, “The customer is always right”. Whether you believe it or not, those are the people who are making your wallet grow as long as you give them what they’re asking for.

Business, Marketing

Social Media Matters: Are Websites Still Necessary For Businesses?

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In a marketing sense, Facebook and Twitter have revolutionized how businesses advertise their products and reach out to their customers. Is it possible that the days of the website directing traffic to the company are over?

When going to a business’s website, whether it’s a store down the street, marketing firm, or contracting company, what do they all have in common? Usually an about page, what they do, who’s the owner, and how the long the company has been in business. There will be a contact information section where customers can see where the store is, what number to call, or who to e-mail. But social media, especially Facebook, can do all these things and more.

One of the biggest issues facing business owners is drawing in viewers and potential customers. SEO, or “search engine optimization”, has been taught to be the most effective way to reach a countless number of people, but business owners and even bloggers, either don’t have the time to learn it, or just don’t want to do it period. This is where the power of Facebook comes in.

“Like” pages can be a simpler solution and much easier to maintain than a website or blog. You can get your point across in a few sentences, post pictures of your product, and connect with your customers on a more personal level that websites can’t offer. Your contact information will be at the top of the page with your company’s phone number, and address if you have a brick and mortar store.

Best of all, you can advertise your Facebook page with ads that specifically target people who will be interested in what you’re selling. For $5 to $20 a day you can get the word about your business out to customers, with a certain amount of “likes” daily varying on how much money you spend on the Facebook ads. So far there have been a few companies who have only marketed and advertised on Facebook through ads on their page, and are reaping the benefits for it.

It’s still taught that social media should reinforce the main website, but after seeing firsthand that companies can thrive on social media alone, the website may not be as necessary as previously thought. If you already have a website, that’s great, but take the next step and get on social media. The future of marketing and advertising is here, and you want to be at the front of the line before your competitors finally see the potential social media has on their businesses.

Business, Marketing

Marketing Matters: Create a Business and Brand That Is One of a Kind

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Barber Shop
Diamondduste / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

I’m sure there have been times when you’ve moved to a new neighborhood, city, or state, and immediately looked for services and businesses that you would be a customer at for years to come. Even if you’ve resided in the same place your entire life, there will be times that going to new businesses to shop is necessary. What is it that draws your attention to one company from the next? Is it the service? The owner and employees? The atmosphere and unique environment that hasn’t been seen from other businesses in it’s sector? Whether these same questions were asked by my barber before he took over the business or not, he created a brand that is unique and one of a kind.

Barbershops in general are old fashioned, with the occasional modern barber that went the contemporary route when starting his business. In the same category as a dentist, doctor, or any other service that requires going back to the same person(s), barbers are held in the same respect. If the barber did a poor job cutting your hair, you’re most likely going to look elsewhere.

Previous to my current barber owning the business, the barbershop was the typical small shop, in-between other stores along a city street that got decent business but was never crowded. Now, this formerly quiet shop is the place to go to get a haircut. It’s always full of customers, and even the long discussions like you’ve seen in movies, or when you were a kid.

How did this guy accomplish this? The first thing he changed was the name. Instead of the title being (Insert name) Barber Shop,  he used the word Classic, already making it apparent that this barbershop was like no other. Classic would be an understatement, as not only does he wear the white coat with a tie, but the interior of the store is old-fashioned, from the colors to the wooden floor. What he created was a brand. His unique brand.

Having an adjective such as Classic in the title of the business already signals a difference from all other barbershops in the area. While most are different, it’s usually not until you go inside and get a haircut that you notice how that particular barber differs from another. The title alone sets a trigger that this place is special and retro.

This doesn’t just apply to barbershops either, as it’s prevalent in restaurants, some of whom have a theme to go along with the food and clothing. Johnny Rockets, an old-fashioned burger joint that brings you back to the 1950’s and 1960’s, plays music from that era, the employees dress in the style of those who would found at a town diner in the 50’s, and the interior is full of billboards and ad posters of businesses such as Coca-Cola and Chevrolet.

It’s rare to see this restaurant empty, especially during noon when the line is sometimes out the door. Businesses such as Johnny Rockets and my barber succeed because they’re unique, create nostalgia, and have a retro appeal that also draws in younger generations. The name of the company alone tells potential customers what to expect, which is why business professionals always say to choose the name of your business wisely.

You, the business owner, sets the tone of your marketing. You’re the main marketer, and small details such as the name of your business and the environment of your store is in essence a part of marketing. My barber also utilized social media to further enhance his marketing strategy and draw in more clients in the process.

Your brand is important, and it goes hand-in-hand with the image of your company, being unique and one of a kind. Market and advertise in a way that your competitors aren’t. Offer the customers something they’ve never seen before, or bring them back to a time that creates nostalgia and brings them into your store. These two businesses are thriving off the old-fashioned and retro look. Find what works best for you and your company and apply it to your marketing strategy.

Marketing

Marketing Matters: What Local Restaurants Aren’t Doing Is Killing Their Business

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Restaurant
Foter / CC BY-SA

 

When we think of marketing it’s usually commercials, online ads, and email newsletters, but only the industries that thrive off exposure fully utilizes what we consider “marketing”. Local and even  bigger conglomerate restaurants rarely use any form of advertising, and some ads can still be found in the yellow pages. Everyone knows that eating is a must, and for restaurants the busiest times are around noon and hours from 5 to midnight, depending on whether it has a bar and how long it stays open. But what about the hours that customers don’t walk through the doors? How can these restaurants make money that rival their competitors during the down time?

Remember those local diners or restaurants that everyone loved? For travelers passing through the town or city, they had no idea what they were missing, or if they walked in, what to expect. Usually these diners would have specials at certain times during the day, or would have an item on the menu during the week or on a particular night that was a must have. These specials, similar to what Golden Corral does, attracts customers because it’s a once a week meal that’s not on the menu any other time during the week.

But in the 21st century and with the internet, those travelers and even residents of that particular town should know the specials and prices the diner or restaurants provides before walking through the door. However, this is still not the case.

Last summer a few friends and I would go to Chili’s. The food was great, but better yet, the movie theater was right across the street, which is why we chose that restaurant. For some of us who had the same dish every time we went, there was no need to read the menu, but for one friend, he always had to try something new. In the few months we went there, the menu would change slightly, with new dishes and offers making choices more difficult. We didn’t check the menu on the website before going because as typical 20 year olds, we didn’t feel the need to research what we were going to have.

This leads to the problem with most restaurants. As customers who went to Chili’s on a weekly basis, we expected the same food every time we went there, only to be surprised when a new dish was featured. Had Chili’s given us cards to fill out asking for our email addresses, they could send us, along with all the other customers they gave the cards to, weekly or monthly email promotional ads featuring their new dishes and entrees. By doing this they would have an email list and another way to market their food. It’s cost efficient and doesn’t require much effort.

For all the small restaurants, an email list is crucial. You don’t have the same marketing and advertising opportunities such as Chili’s, but on a smaller scale you can keep in contact with your customers and inform them on what’s new to the menu.

This,  along with a Twitter and Facebook account, would cover all the bases when reaching out to your customers, and even the frequent travelers who pass through your city or town on their way to and from work. Right now, no not many customers, except for the most loyal, will know what is on your menu, or what is being added to it. An email newsletter is a perfect way to get the word out, and the customer’s decision on what entree he or she wants will already be decided before walking through the door.

Restaurants don’t market on a small and simple scale, but you can be one of the few. Give your customer a card to fill out, ask for their email address, and then inform them on what your restaurant is up to, the specials, and the new entrees. You do this, and I guarantee, your profits will likely increase, especially during the off hours in-between lunch and dinner.

 

Marketing

Marketing Matters: A New Way To Attract Customers For Contractors

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www.aadesignbuild.com, Custom Design and Remodeling Ideas, Finished basement, Home Theater, Wet Bar, Pool Table, Play Room, Lighting, Ceiling Design Ideas, Interior Design Ideas, Bold Colors, Germantown, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Potomac, Bethesda
A&A Design Build Remodeling, Inc. / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

 

As in any industry, putting all your eggs in one basket when it comes to marketing and advertising must be avoided at all costs. Whether it’s social media, a website, blog, or an E-mail newsletter, a sound marketing strategy must incorporate every aspect of advertising to become noticeable. Over the next few weeks I’m going to target specific industries and discuss ways businesses can get more exposure by thinking outside the box, by being creative and using social media technologies that not many companies have implemented into their marketing strategies yet.

First, let’s take a look at how private contractors all across this sector can stand out and attract more clients and customers.

For plumbers, electricians, home remodelers, and other home improvement related businesses, they have a better opportunity than any other industry to market their services through YouTube videos. These aren’t the video’s you see from time-to-time where a contracting company talks about itself, what they do, or where they are; the generic business ad that after a while becomes redundant. There are a few strategies that can be used to show your expertise, who your company is, and really personalize your message that creates confidence in the customer before they pick up the phone and call you.

1) Tutorial/How to videos

Simple five to ten minute videos that go over projects ranging from the easy to fix, to skilled jobs should be posted over time on your YouTube channel. You may ask, “How does this help my business and grow my clientele?” By showing what you or your company can do creates trust in the future potential client, but also, it’s not likely these viewers will do the work themselves, they’ll call professionals. Having videos that link to, or are on your site adds to your credibility, and even though these “how to videos” may seem simple, they can go a long way when it comes to marketing and advertising your business.

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Only a few other businesses have employed this form of marketing known as Youtility, but you’ll be surprised how effective it can be. As contractors, you’re always giving the customer or client the options when it comes to certain projects, such as sinks, tiles, wood floors, etc. However, you lay down their options when you show up on site, wasting valuable time for both you and the client. Instead of answering the questions or persuading the customer when you show up, post videos on YouTube that already answer the questions and give the viewer reassurance that one texture, tile, or floor is better than the other.

This is also a good opportunity to engage with the viewer, as there is a possibility that they’re watching your videos to see what might work for their situation. If they have a question, create a video based on what the commenter is asking,  giving other viewers who will come to your channel that may have the same question the answer. You could also have at the end of every video a two minute section that answers a slew of questions, giving them recommendations and the information that they’re seeking.

When creating these videos, you must present yourself as assuming that these viewers will do the job themselves when in actuality, 95% will call a professional instead. At the end of every video or in the section below, post your contact information and website URL to direct traffic to your site, increasing the chance of viewers picking up their phones and calling you for their next project.

In this day and age with Google, Yahoo! and Bing, you must present the customer or client with information. Many businesses fail in this department as they only talk about their company and what they do, completely missing out on reaching potential customers who are looking for answers. The days of people looking in the Yellow Book and finding a contractor are over. They want to know what you’re going to do for them, how long the job will take, and what options they have when it comes to the project itself.

Information; it creates trust and credibility. When you pull up in front of their house, the trust should already be there and the client should be satisfied before the job is done. Use YouTube in your marketing strategy and see where it will take you. Not many businesses are utilizing all the tools at their disposal, and if you can reach the customers and inform them first, your chances of getting the job will definitely increase.

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Marketing Matters: Is SEO Overrated and Outdated From A Customer’s Point of View?

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Business owners and companies around the globe are constantly looking for ways to attract customers and reach out to people. One of the most popular and well-known forms of marketing and advertising over the internet is by utilizing SEO and Google Adwords.  But are the days of customers or future buyers using Google and being lead to a website that used the correct words to be at the top of search results coming to a close? The answer is yes, but many companies and even marketing consultants still preach SEO as if that’s the only way to draw in views and potential customers.

Having recently bought a car, and currently reading Youtility that was co-written by Jay Baer, I’m beginning to see that there is a flaw in how businesses market and rely upon SEO.  When it comes to the automotive world, think from a customer’s point of view, and apply it to other sectors of the economy.

After a few weeks of research and narrowing down the list of potential vehicles, the first step I had taken was to visit Cars.com because of their reputation and history as being a place to find a wide variety of new and used vehicles. While they advertise on television, the years of it’s existence and it’s simplicity made it the perfect resource to see what my choices were. Next, once the decision came down to three vehicles, I didn’t go on Google searching information on the car so I could read endless pages and reviews, I went to YouTube to visually see, hear, and in some cases watch the reviewer drive the vehicle. Whether these individuals make money off of these 5 minute videos or not, it’s a form of marketing; video advertising.

Once the decision was made and I found the dealership where the car I wanted was, I went to that dealer’s website, or the source that contains the product I want to buy. When I saw that it was available, I made the trip to go see it and later bought that car.

The three steps that were taken to buy the product weren’t the traditional SEO or Google search that has been taught for years as the most affective form of marketing. While this was and sometimes still is the case; visual advertising, reputation, and the source itself didn’t require SEO to get me to view, research, and later buy.

So now let’s tie this into other examples and products or services that can use other forms of marketing that aren’t directly related to SEO. For instance say you’re a plumber, carpenter, electrician, or anyone who works on houses. You have the skills and the demand in the industry, but how do you establish yourself and break away from the rest of the other private contractors out there?

Create YouTube videos, especially those that are simple tutorials that inform and help the viewer install an item or how to use a certain tool to fix a problem. This may seem counterintuitive, but most of the viewers won’t install or fix these things by themselves, they will call a professional and pay someone to do the work. By putting yourself out there, saying a quick blurb about who you are  or what company you work for and your experience in the field, that pays immediate dividends over other forms of marketing because that viewer can personally see you.

One thing to remember is that in this day and age with social media, marketing has to become personal. The customer or client must have a connection with the contractor, business owner, or the company before they buy into a service or product.

The days of SEO are ending. The days of the customer using these Adword searches are ending. Helping these potential buyers visualize, answering their questions and concerns, and giving them the feeling of trust is the best and most affective way of marketing and advertising.

There is a lot more that needs to be covered regarding other avenues that attract clients and customers in all industries. Over the next few weeks and months I will take an in-depth look at new ways companies are trying to reach people. Hopefully I can persuade you to take the next step into a new era of marketing and advertising that hasn’t been explored or used by many businesses and even marketing consultants.