A recent conversation with a business owner yielded a perfect application of video to enhance marketing efforts.
The business owner in question performs very specific home renovation services. This is a field in which word of mouth and referrals are critical. But these are time consuming and can only go so far. However, there is a way for him to demonstrate the quality of his work and his business ethics, and that is photography and videography. A set of brief videos can showcase work the business owner is doing, how he approaches and solves problems, and best of all, his warm personality. Combined with a list of referrals and endorsements, a curious prospect can visit the business owner's web site and see exactly what they can contract for.
Video has wider application as well. It is a fantastic way to provide value-added by sharing pieces of information, answering frequently asked questions, or explaining particular products and services. And for even the most bashful business owner video can warm up their presentation.
One concern: While videos are extremely easy to create today, consider contracting with a professional rather than upload shaky or otherwise inferior videos.
Bottom Line: look at videos to amplify marketing that can do so much on a 24/7 basis and which greatly benefits the customer and prospect.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Gimmicks May Hurt More Than Help
Yesterday I drove past a business that had put up a large inflatable duck in front of the business, along the road. The utter incongruousness of the duck and the business struck me, but I remembered all of the other inflatables, and other gimmicks (e.g. people waving signs while in costume, walking sandwich boards, etc.) I have seen over the years and that's what brought on a frown for the rest of the day.
As with so much in life, there is a point where you can go right over the wall. Let's take these inflatables, as they are relatively popular. On the one hand, I can almost see some value in a person hired to, say, wear a Statue of Liberty costume and wave at people to promote a business called "Liberty Tax Preparation". It's a silly come-on but I did remember the business later and there was some (albeit limited) connection with the brand equity of the business. But let's say you are a realty office and you decide to put out an inflatable dancing person. Is this "look at me!!!!" impact overwhelmed by the brand misfit? or the chance it made the realty company look cheesy and "low rent"? I am a person very sensitive to brand equity and anything that could enhance or damage the same.
Let's put this another way. The business I passed may have spent a great deal of time and money cultivating a brand that conveyed an image of professionalism, knowledge, and class. And then one day they put out an inflatable duck. This guy now suspects the managers of that company of being fools: they certainly thought so little of their target customer that they supposed an inflatable duck would attract new business.
Bottom Line: I urge any small business owner to use gimmicks like this with extreme care. Be wary of what subconscious message is broadcast that could impair your precious brand.
As with so much in life, there is a point where you can go right over the wall. Let's take these inflatables, as they are relatively popular. On the one hand, I can almost see some value in a person hired to, say, wear a Statue of Liberty costume and wave at people to promote a business called "Liberty Tax Preparation". It's a silly come-on but I did remember the business later and there was some (albeit limited) connection with the brand equity of the business. But let's say you are a realty office and you decide to put out an inflatable dancing person. Is this "look at me!!!!" impact overwhelmed by the brand misfit? or the chance it made the realty company look cheesy and "low rent"? I am a person very sensitive to brand equity and anything that could enhance or damage the same.
Let's put this another way. The business I passed may have spent a great deal of time and money cultivating a brand that conveyed an image of professionalism, knowledge, and class. And then one day they put out an inflatable duck. This guy now suspects the managers of that company of being fools: they certainly thought so little of their target customer that they supposed an inflatable duck would attract new business.
Bottom Line: I urge any small business owner to use gimmicks like this with extreme care. Be wary of what subconscious message is broadcast that could impair your precious brand.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
When Traffic is Light
Some of the business owners I know and work with have classic "brick and mortar" situations: i.e. doing business from a single physical location. And some of them have had difficulties creating foot traffic to their location. As is so often the case, affordability and availability dictate unusually difficult circumstances where the business may as well be invisible. That, tied with limited advertising budget, begs the question: how to generate traffic in such cases?
In such cases, I like "guerrilla marketing" strategies. Some of these might include:
(1) Build word of mouth by giving something away. A strategy I like and use is the free seminar. These can often be held for nothing at libraries and allow you to talk about something you do, with ideas for the interested, in the space of an hour or 90 minutes. Leave plenty of take away literature with some special in-store offer for attendees.
(2) Let's face it: social media is a marketing reality. Use boosted ad features to send a message to the communities where you operate. And build engagement with continuing customers and prospects. Use the social media properties to share information and ideas, never to "hard sell", and to announce regular special events at your location.
(3) Groupon (and similar programs) are designed to build awareness. Used judiciously they can bring in more people for just the cost of a discount.
(4) Give existing customers incentive to bring in new guests! Can you devise a special discount or offer for referrals?
There are many ways to overcome a location with a possible handicap that don't cost a fortune to implement. Use some creative strategies or see what some others in the same situation are doing. You can make a change in your traffic!
In such cases, I like "guerrilla marketing" strategies. Some of these might include:
(1) Build word of mouth by giving something away. A strategy I like and use is the free seminar. These can often be held for nothing at libraries and allow you to talk about something you do, with ideas for the interested, in the space of an hour or 90 minutes. Leave plenty of take away literature with some special in-store offer for attendees.
(2) Let's face it: social media is a marketing reality. Use boosted ad features to send a message to the communities where you operate. And build engagement with continuing customers and prospects. Use the social media properties to share information and ideas, never to "hard sell", and to announce regular special events at your location.
(3) Groupon (and similar programs) are designed to build awareness. Used judiciously they can bring in more people for just the cost of a discount.
(4) Give existing customers incentive to bring in new guests! Can you devise a special discount or offer for referrals?
There are many ways to overcome a location with a possible handicap that don't cost a fortune to implement. Use some creative strategies or see what some others in the same situation are doing. You can make a change in your traffic!
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
The All-Important Marketing Plan
Many small businesses conduct their marketing without having a marketing plan. This is a lot like trying to drive to a distant location without a map, GPS, or directions. Odds are that you won't get where you want to go!
A marketing plan does not have to be a major headache. Everything starts with the simple question "what is it that I want to accomplish?" It may be to increase sales by some percentage, or to expand the customer base, or to introduce a new product or service. We now know the destination.
The plan then moves to "how" and that can take two parts. One, like choosing a route to a distant city, involves the vehicle. We know that our ultimate route will vary if we choose, like in our example, car, bus, railroad, or plane. Here will be a question of doing it yourself, or hiring an appropriate professional. The second part is the channel or channels. Do you advertise? try face to face marketing? and so on. Those channels should be chosen for their efficiency in doing the job. Just as you wouldn't drive your car on a river, we wouldn't, say, reach out to, say, health care decision makers by advertising on Nick at Night.
Lastly the plan should include consideration of success. What does "success" mean? what measurements (or metrics) will be used to define whether the plan leads to success or not?
Bottom Line: When you take a journey, you must plan. Define the destination, the means of getting there, and what will determine the journey's success. Good luck! You are one step closer to your objectives!
A marketing plan does not have to be a major headache. Everything starts with the simple question "what is it that I want to accomplish?" It may be to increase sales by some percentage, or to expand the customer base, or to introduce a new product or service. We now know the destination.
The plan then moves to "how" and that can take two parts. One, like choosing a route to a distant city, involves the vehicle. We know that our ultimate route will vary if we choose, like in our example, car, bus, railroad, or plane. Here will be a question of doing it yourself, or hiring an appropriate professional. The second part is the channel or channels. Do you advertise? try face to face marketing? and so on. Those channels should be chosen for their efficiency in doing the job. Just as you wouldn't drive your car on a river, we wouldn't, say, reach out to, say, health care decision makers by advertising on Nick at Night.
Lastly the plan should include consideration of success. What does "success" mean? what measurements (or metrics) will be used to define whether the plan leads to success or not?
Bottom Line: When you take a journey, you must plan. Define the destination, the means of getting there, and what will determine the journey's success. Good luck! You are one step closer to your objectives!
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
30 Second Commercial Needs To Be Fresh
As I network, I listen intently to others' "30 second commercials" and "30 second elevator speeches". As I have noted before these vary in quality. Another matter I notice is repetition. There is sometimes a place for it, but it does pay to freshen the text regularly.
In my thinking, a standard 30-second spot is perfect for known first contact situations, almost certainly in 1:1 environments like "speed dating". Those are absolutely cases where a first impression makes a huge difference. And in such cases the most polished delivery works for you.
Then there are networking groups, leads groups, BNI clubs, and more. Here, repetition of the same thing is deadly. I have reached the point in mine where I can almost reproduce some others' "30 second commercial" word-for-word. These poor folks have become wind-up monkeys and I see others tune out. I really enjoy speakers who always have something new to say, perhaps another way they helped someone, or a new fact that makes their service compelling, or a new way of understanding what they do. For the fresh-deliveries, in no cases is the core message changing. It is reinforced by supporting detail.
A great question for all of us. How fresh is our "30 second commercial"? Are people tuning in or tuned out?
In my thinking, a standard 30-second spot is perfect for known first contact situations, almost certainly in 1:1 environments like "speed dating". Those are absolutely cases where a first impression makes a huge difference. And in such cases the most polished delivery works for you.
Then there are networking groups, leads groups, BNI clubs, and more. Here, repetition of the same thing is deadly. I have reached the point in mine where I can almost reproduce some others' "30 second commercial" word-for-word. These poor folks have become wind-up monkeys and I see others tune out. I really enjoy speakers who always have something new to say, perhaps another way they helped someone, or a new fact that makes their service compelling, or a new way of understanding what they do. For the fresh-deliveries, in no cases is the core message changing. It is reinforced by supporting detail.
A great question for all of us. How fresh is our "30 second commercial"? Are people tuning in or tuned out?
Monday, August 8, 2016
LinkedIn is a Can't Miss Opportunity if Used Well
I periodically hear talk in "solopreneur" circles about LinkedIn as a marketing tool. This particular tool seems to have equal shares of advocates and detractors. The latter crowd often seem to be populated with those who have had exposure to LinkedIn and didn't get the results they wanted.
LinkedIn is a great tool. But it is a specialized tool. Many detractors think it is a venue for sales, and that is exactly what it is not! Nor is it an especially good way to generate B2C activity (i.e. Business-to-Consumers).
What LinkedIn does pretty well is idea-sharing. And that comes from the theory that a good way to feed a network is to share ideas, concerns, and solutions. I have regulars who post multiple items every day. That may be a bit on the high side, but it is not off the mark by much. By posting these easily digestible nuggets a solopreneur, or any other businessperson, can establish expertise, authority and most importantly that reminder that you are there, helping people with their challenges.
My principal concern for those posters I see most often is that they over-do "sharing": If articles or other writings are shared, at least do so with a context. And for heaven's sake, limit those shared Internet memes!
Bottom line: Are you ready to put LinkedIn to work for your business? Build that network, make appropriate connections, and regularly share valuable content. You can plant seeds that grow in wonderful ways!
LinkedIn is a great tool. But it is a specialized tool. Many detractors think it is a venue for sales, and that is exactly what it is not! Nor is it an especially good way to generate B2C activity (i.e. Business-to-Consumers).
What LinkedIn does pretty well is idea-sharing. And that comes from the theory that a good way to feed a network is to share ideas, concerns, and solutions. I have regulars who post multiple items every day. That may be a bit on the high side, but it is not off the mark by much. By posting these easily digestible nuggets a solopreneur, or any other businessperson, can establish expertise, authority and most importantly that reminder that you are there, helping people with their challenges.
My principal concern for those posters I see most often is that they over-do "sharing": If articles or other writings are shared, at least do so with a context. And for heaven's sake, limit those shared Internet memes!
Bottom line: Are you ready to put LinkedIn to work for your business? Build that network, make appropriate connections, and regularly share valuable content. You can plant seeds that grow in wonderful ways!
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Does Email Marketing Have Enough Pep?
I have found there to be considerable disagreement in my circles about the use of email marketing for small business. Is email marketing still a good bet?
On the plus side, email remains highly affordable (even free in most circumstances), easy to use, easy to customize, and easy to respond to. On the minus side, email can be very impersonal and many consumers have abandoned email in favor of texting and other formats.
Email lists are also not hard to build. Adroit use of web site, requests to customers at time of purchase, and social media offers can quickly build substantial lists. These solid, opt in lists make for especially promising ROI.
I am not especially concerned about reports of email's demise. This has been the claim for some years now and email remains a widespread channel, albeit one that is inconsistently read by quite a few consumers. Moreover, in replacing email we would want something with greater or equal reach, and that has not yet happened.
However, email boxes are quite full for the average consumer, so getting inside with the right subject line and offer is critical.
Bottom Line: Email marketing will continue to be a strong choice for small business. This channel has a meaningful return on investment and enormous reach, and can be customized quite well. But it is important to use appropriate and appealing messaging.
On the plus side, email remains highly affordable (even free in most circumstances), easy to use, easy to customize, and easy to respond to. On the minus side, email can be very impersonal and many consumers have abandoned email in favor of texting and other formats.
Email lists are also not hard to build. Adroit use of web site, requests to customers at time of purchase, and social media offers can quickly build substantial lists. These solid, opt in lists make for especially promising ROI.
I am not especially concerned about reports of email's demise. This has been the claim for some years now and email remains a widespread channel, albeit one that is inconsistently read by quite a few consumers. Moreover, in replacing email we would want something with greater or equal reach, and that has not yet happened.
However, email boxes are quite full for the average consumer, so getting inside with the right subject line and offer is critical.
Bottom Line: Email marketing will continue to be a strong choice for small business. This channel has a meaningful return on investment and enormous reach, and can be customized quite well. But it is important to use appropriate and appealing messaging.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)