Good news for those of you who have struggled with the decision to add social media to your marketing mix. According to the Small Business Success Index small business adopted the use of social media at twice the rate of 2008 in 2009. These businesses are finding that social media offers them access to their market – enabling them to build their brand, engage their current customers, and attract new customers as well.
Here’s a link to useful information summarizing these finding: http://www.bit.ly/ceSbFP
It’s never too late to add social media to your marketing plan. BoyDog Design can assist you in sorting through the various social media sites, blogging options, directories, and more. Is it time to hone the social media persona of your business?
I just came across these links and thought I’d share…
2010 Online Marketing Influencers: Trend Predictions in 140 characters by Trendsspotting http://bit.ly/876UgL
TrendsSpotting’s 2010 Consumer Trends Influencers http://bit.ly/7JPMmg
TrendsSpotting’s 2010 Social Media Influencers – Trend Predictions http://bit.ly/4OWZgV
Part of any marketing agenda is the need to create and measure awareness of your brand. One of the current media outlets that you can employ is a blog. A blog created to promote your product or service can benefit your business in a number of ways.
1. Search Engine Marketing – Your online presence via your blog will increase search engine activity and ultimately should result in higher rankings on search engine return pages.
2. Direct Communications – Your postings allow you to speak directly to your potential market. If you speak honestly, openly, and with authority you will instill the perception that you are an authority within your product or service category.
3. Brand Building – Blogs are another media outlet to promote your brand’s core values and how they will positively impact a potential customer.
4. Competitive Differentiation – How you present your brand in your blog in comparison to your competition will help you promote the ways in which your product or service is different and more relevant to a consumer’s needs.
5. Building a Relationship – By presenting your brand with an honest approach to your target market and promoting trust in the benefits you are offering you can eventually build a long-lasting relationship with your customers.
6. Niche Marketing – Tap into an underdeveloped niche for your brand category by using your blog to reach a niche market you may otherwise be missing.
7. Media & Public Relations – Blogs offer a free opportunity to spread the news about your brand. Regular press releases reinforce your brands accomplishments and place within your category.
8. Position Yourself as an Expert – Your blog will enable you to establish your level of knowledge and expertise pertaining to your brand category. It helps in demonstrating to your market that you are a source of information they can benefit from.
9. Reputation Management – A blog allows you to build on the perceived image of your brand. It also allows you to state your position if your brand is perceived negatively.
10. Low cost – It doesn’t get any better than FREE. Most blogs can be set up using existing online publishing platforms.
I routinely suggest the creation of a blog for a client. More often than not I receive a lukewarm response to my suggestion because there is a false assumption that blogging requires extra special skills. If you know enough about your product or service to offer it to the public you should have the required knowledge to write about it. If you aren’t comfortable with the idea of creating and operating a blog there are professionals to help you. I admit that most likely includes a fee, but the potential benefits should outweigh the initial cost.
Don’t lose out on a wonderful opportunity to promote your brand by eliminating a blog from your marketing mix. With some thoughtful preparation and a little practice anyone can master the art of posting on a blog. If the thought of doing it yourself is still something you prefer not to tackle remember that you can always hire a blogger to promote your brand for you. By educating a blogger about the benefits of your brand and setting boundaries for the blog’s performance you never have to give up control of your brand’s voice. Ultimately, isn’t that what your crave for your brand? At the forefront you want to establish a dialogue with your target market that allows you to build trust and brand loyalty for the present and into the future.
To state the obvious – we are in a recession – it isn’t much fun – many are spending cautiously if at all – jobs are barely hanging in there, going, or gone. I know it, you know it – we all know it. That said, why is there such a predominant tone to advertising these day? First they tell you just how bad it is. Then they tell you they feel your pain. Only to hit you with a sales pitch that is supposed to make the blues go away or give you permission to buy. As far as I can tell, all this does is 1) reinforce in someone’s head the fact that they are hurting, and 2) try to convince them that it’s o.k. to spend money on something they just might not need or want. Don’t get me wrong, I know that’s the job of advertisers. I know the drill.
As a consumer and a business owner I know both sides of the scenario. Right now things are tough. I’d love to have the luxury to spend the way I did when things were hopping and I’d also love to have the flow of projects coming my way that I experienced in the past. But I’m also a realist – it isn’t going to happen, at least not right now.
So what I’m proposing is a bit of a moratorium on the hard sell. I realize you have to keep selling your product or service. Duh… that’s part of business. What I’d like to see is a more heartfelt approach to the consumer. Stop nagging everyone to buy and maybe use this as an opportunity to build your brand and a relationship with your market.
Now is the time to set your brand apart from everyone else. Strive to imprint your product or service in your market’s conscience. How are you better, newer, friendlier, more economic, flexible, etc.? Maybe tell us what your company is doing to help those in need right now. Are you donating to an organization? Are you helping to train people who are currently unemployed? Have you made some adjustment to the way you sell your product or service to make it more accessible to your market right now? If your company is truly involved with your community, let us know.
There’s nothing like good public relations. It can elevate your brand in the minds of your market for many years to come. Instead of pounding home the message that we’re all struggling right now – instead of finding a new way to make people buy right now – you’d be amazed at the impact you can have if you step back from the “selling” message and focus on empowering your customer to see that there is indeed a positive future ahead. I realize your bottomline is your focus right now. You may think this “feel good” approach is of no value to your company. I’m not suggesting you take your focus off being in business. I only wish to emphasize the opportunity you may be wasting. Your market wants to know that you give a dam about them as people. If they’ve found your product or service to their liking, they’d love to support your company with sales. The reality of it all is that maybe they can’t right now. So let them know you understand. You get it – they are tapped out at the moment. You get it – we’ll be there for you when you need us. And by the way, we’re doing this, this, or that to try to help.
I guess what I’m really saying is don’t take your target market for granted. People are used to our tactics. They can tell if you genuinely give a dam. They know if all you’re interested in is making a buck. Now is not the time to tee off on your customer base. How about showing some empathy and a “find a way to win” mentality? Make your brand the first one they think of when times are better. Keep offering the best of what you have to give. Hope your market can continue to support you through sales. But if they just can’t right now, let them know that’s o.k. You get it. Let them know you’re trying to make it work for both of you. Bottomline – let them know you’re human too.
