This Week in Marketing – May 11, 2012

There were some interesting articles this week:

• Do you use public relations to help you market your small business? This post highlights why you should and provides tips on how to be effective at it.
• A Brazilian women’s fashion retailer is really thinking outside the box with their marketing.  The took ‘liking’ a product to a new level by embedding numeric counters on the hangers of their clothing that show how many people like that particular item.
• Are you using SlideShare as a marketing tool?  Here are 8 ways to use this site to increase traffic to your site, grab leads and showcase your brand.
• Do you follow everyone who follows you on Twitter?  This article lays out the pros and cons of Twitter followers.

What marketing nuggets did you come across this week?

This week in marketing (May 4, 2012)

This was a fairly quiet week in the world of marketing – for companies big or small.  However, I did come across a couple of interesting tidbits.

• Design as a factor in content marketing – The last couple of years has seen a surge in discussions about content marketing.  But don’t spew content in just any form.  This post explains why you also have to take into consideration the design that wraps around the content.
• What makes for high levels of engagement for brands on Facebook?  This article from The Next Web says it is NOT a high number of users.
• Yahoo! introduced a new Small Business Marketing Dashboard.  If you already use Yahoo! small business solutions, this could help you stay on track with your marketing efforts.  Even if you don’t already use Yahoo!, this tool is free and offers several features such as reputation tracking, campaign management and service provider recommendations.

What did you find interesting in marketing this week?

This week in marketing (April 27, 2012)

 

I have decided to start a weekly summary of what has been going on in marketing.  It is intended to be a mix of education, fun, case studies and more.  ENJOY!

 

• Take a hint from these damaged brands and don’t make the same mistakes.  Protect your brand by avoiding their pitfalls.
• Things can get very tricky when it comes to managing your online social media.  This is particularly true when you mix personal and professional social media.  This post from Mashable explores the advantages and disadvantages of combining these two parts of your life online.
• Are you thinking about purchasing an existing domain name?  Here is a good case study about a company that did and what the consequences were.
• Are you looking for online storage options?  There are so many choices out there right now.  This comparison chart can help you decide which one is best for you.

Please let me know if you enjoy this weekly wrap-up and what you would like to see each week.

Social media sites help small shops spur sales

If you had any question about whether or not you should be using social media and mobile-friendly websites, this article spells out the benefits.

Social media sites help small shops spur sales – USATODAY.com

What do you provide your customers?

I am not talking about widgets or whatzits.  I am talking about the peace of mind they have when your widget is useful enough to take something stressful and make it easy.

Finding out the answer to this question is the first step in developing your marketing plan.

If you sell a product, you are selling what that product provides.  If you sell a service, you are selling what that service provides.  Many people with large lawns can cut their own grass, but hire someone to do it.  That company is providing their customer with the hours that it would have taken them to mow their own lawn.  For some people, that time can now be spent with their family or on other endeavors that they enjoy.  In other instances, hiring a service provider will give someone the peace of mind that a job will be done right because the provider has expertise that the individual does not.

When it comes to products, it is not the product itself that the customer is purchasing, it is what that product can provide.  Even if you sell pizza or froyo, you are providing something beyond the food to your customers.  Whether it is a sit-down meal or snack with their family, an individual treat after a hard day or the time they would have spent cooking, it is not just about the food.

Figuring out what you are providing BEYOND your product or service will help you focus your marketing efforts.

So, what do you provide your customers?

Tools to Manage Your Social Media Marketing

There are a lot of different tools online that can help you manage your social media marketing campaigns, but which should you use?  Many of them do the same or similar tasks and there is no need to use ALL of them.  What you use depends on several factors, including what types of social media you plan to take advantage of, how much you would like to spend and your personal taste.   Here are some of major players:

TweetDeck – this is one of my favorite tools for posting to multiple accounts. You can link to multiple Twitter accounts, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Buzz and more.  They do not yet have Google+ integration yet, but it should be coming soon.  You can also create multiple columns on the dashboard for various hashtags or user profiles.

HootSuite – similar to TweetDeck, HootSuite allows you to post to multiple social media accounts from a single dashboard.   One of the biggest differences between HootSuite and TweetDeck is that HootSuite allows you the ability to schedule posts, which can come in handy if you post a lot.  HootSuite also provides statistics that TweetDeck does not.

Crowdbooster – this tool is fairly new to the scene.  You can use this tool to schedule your tweets and it will give you recommendations based on your followers, tweets, mentions and retweets.  It will also give you some analytics on the reach and follower growth.  You can also manage several accounts with the free version of this.  More accounts can be added with the paid version.

Google Analytics – the Mother of all free measurement tools, Google Analytics measures everything from page clicks to traffic patterns and voice of the customer.  This highly customizable product also has a wide range of reporting options.  This can easily be added to any website to help you measure the effectiveness of your online marketing efforts.

Those are just a few of them – there are many more out there.  Which you chose will depend on you.  You don’t need to have every tool available, just those that provide what you need.  If you don’t know what you need, hiring a social media consultant will be worth your time and money.

Which of your favorites did I not profile here?  Why do you love them?

How to Leverage Marketing During the Holidays

It is hard to believe that the end of the year is approaching so fast.  Now that we have overindulged on our Thanksgiving feast and survived Black Friday, it is time to turn our attention to our own businesses.  There is so much going on this time of year, that it is easy to lose focus.   With the short amount of time  you have, how do take advantage of the spirit and excitement of the holidays?

• Show your spirit.  If you have a brick-and-mortar store, decorate!  People are in the holiday mood and are more likely to shop somewhere that reflects their mood.   If you sell a service and have a website, add images to your site that echo the spirit of the holidays.
• Take time to thank your customers.  If you have an email database (which you should), send an email to wish your clients a happy holiday and thank them for their patronage through the year.  They are more likely to return after the rush of the new year if you are top-of-mind.
• Entice people to shop.   Black Friday weekend saw people spending an average of $398.62 per person.  This was a 7% increase over this same time in 2010.  This gives retailers reason to smile.  Encourage people to spend their holiday dollars with you through a promotion.  This could be a physical coupon or a social media ‘hook’.   There are myriad ways that you can bring people through your doors, whether you are promoting a service or selling a widget.
• Utilize social media.  Now more than ever social media is a ‘must have’ for any business – especially small businesses.  People are using their smartphones to find deals wherever they go; Facebook encourages people to engage their Friends in promotions; and most social media platforms offer easy (and inexpensive) ways for businesses to engage with their customers.
• ‘Tis the season for giving.  As with all marketing, giving is the first step to getting (customers, that is).  When you give a potential customer something they will value, they will give in return.  It does not have to be something big or valuable to you, but it does to the customer.

How will your business take advantage of the holidays?

7 Things You Should Know About QR Codes

You have all seen those little, pixelated squares popping up all over the place.  I even saw one on a bus the other day.   But what the heck are those things?

I am glad you asked.

Those are QR Codes (short for Quick Response).  Think of them like barcodes that can take you anywhere.  That QR Code to the right ——> takes you to my Facebook page.

Here are some things you may not know about QR codes:

1. QR Codes are extremely versatile.   You can use one of these little squares to link to a website or they can hold information such as a vCard, SMS message or up to 7,000 numbers.  You can use them to show a video or image, download a white paper, ‘Like’ your Facebook page and more.
2. Know where you can, and where you shouldn’t, use them.  One of my biggest pet peeves with QR codes is when people use them on a website (other than for demonstration purposes, as I am here).  There is no need to have a code on a website when you can just have a link.  QR codes should be used in places where your customers will be on the go and have their mobile phone handy to scan.  The possibilities are really endless when you think about it.  They could go on a product, signage, printed collateral and more.
3. You can get creative!  If you are up for it, you can get really creative with your QR codes.  You can do something simple, like make it a different color.  Or you can edit the code to brand it.   QR codes can have an Error Correction Level of up to 30%.  This means that up to 30% of the image can be ‘damaged’ (or in this case altered) and the code will still work.   If you are interested in seeing some creative uses of codes, check out this BitRebels post.
4. There are many ways you can use QR codes to market your business.   If you sell wine, you can put a code on the label and link to more information about where the grapes are grown, tips on how to keep the wine tasting great or a video of the actual vineyard.  Talk about engaging the customer!
5. You need to know your end goal.  What do you want to accomplish with your code?  If your goal is to get people to sign up for your email, you will want to take them to a mobile-friendly registration form.   If you want to show customers how to use your latest product, you will want to link your QR code to a video demonstration.  Whatever you choose to point your QR code to, make sure that it looks correct on the various mobile platforms.  This is a necessity.  Taking your customers to a clunky site that they have to squint to see is worse then not have anything at all.  QR codes need to fit into your overall marketing plan.  Don’t just use them because you can.
6. You can track QR code scans.   One of the benefits of using QR codes is that you can track them, just like you would a URL.  There are many sites that offer this service, including FrogMobile, QReateBUZZ or Tappinn.
7. Creating a QR code is easier than you think!   There are many sites out there that making a standard QR code as easy as 1-2-3.  Check out QR Stuff, Kaywa, QR Blaster or Delivr.

So, the only question is, what are you waiting for?

Good concept….bad execution

I recently started hearing radio commercials for Pulte Home’s new room concept.  The ad boasts that this ‘planning center’ can be a place where you can organize your life.  Where your kids can do their homework (instead of the kitchen table).  Who doesn’t want that??

Unfortunately, when I went to their website, I could not find any more information about this room anywhere!

Search for ‘pulte planning center’ on Google, and their website comes up, but no where can you find information on this new feature.

This is a good example of why you need an integrated marketing plan.  An integrated plan brings all of your marketing and communications channels together with the same messaging and images.

Bad press is worse than no press

Note to Ina Gartner, and anyone else who has the opportunity to do something great, something that tugs at your heartstrings, something that makes you feel warm and fuzzy – JUST DO IT ALREADY!!!

Gartner, aka the Barefoot Contessa, recently received some bad press for declining a request from a Make-a-Wish child who wanted to cook with the famous chef.

A little background…6 year old Enzo, who is suffering from leukemia, requested through the Make-a-Wish organization to cook a meal with Gartner.  Gartner, claiming scheduling conflicts, denied the child’s request.  A number of other cooks stepped up to the plate and offered to cook with Enzo.

News organizations from CBS to TMZ and every one in between have run articles about this issue.

Ina needs new “people.”