The Starting Point for Small Business Marketing

When you decide to start a business, one thing is immediately obvious: you are your own boss. This is usually symbolic of the unshackling from the demands of workplace discourse, but every new business owner quickly falls off of their high horse into a pit of demands to which they are solely accountable for.  All of a sudden you are in charge of the product, promotions, advertising, payroll, and most importantly, marketing. Fortunately, marketing has transformed how business is done thanks to social media. In fact, even the most successful businesses are becoming increasingly reliable on the marketing power of resources such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to name a few.  Small business owners and first-time entrepreneurs must become familiar with this newly popular outlet if they want to get in the game, stay in the game, and be competitive. So what’s the big deal with this seemingly impersonal marketing tool? Here’s our big three!

Traffic! Traffic! Traffic!

Traffic is to business what location is to real estate. It is imperative that your business drives traffic. If you are not interacting with your potential customers, clients, and consumers regularly you are doing a disservice to your business. Social media provides the perfect platform to engage. Whether you are posting once a day or multiple times a day, posting is what will spark interest. The more interesting content you post, the more likely you are to drive people to your website and find out more about your business and what services you have to offer. 

Hashtags are particularly important to expanding your reach beyond the set number of people who are following you. Don’t know what a hashtag is? Hashtags are keywords relevant to the corresponding image, text, or information that you post on a social media outlet. It is always preceded by the “pound” or “number” sign. For example, if you are starting a real estate business and you posted a home for sale on Instagram, you can hashtag words like #realestate #buying #selling to allow your image to populate on those pages. The idea is, if someone is looking for home, they can search the hashtag and browse your social media page. This method is quick, easy, free, and effective. Hashtags aren’t the only way to drive traffic to your page and subsequently your website. You can team up with other business owners and agree to promote each other. These tactics are likely to increase traffic to your business pages and website and are quite interactive.

Engagement

Equally important to any business is feedback. If you want to know if your business model is working, you ask. Social media puts you in direct contact with the people you intend to serve. Post questionnaires and ask for product feedback to find out how your product is doing or why the service your offering is helpful to some people and not others. Having an interactive platform is beneficial to molding your business for success. It is one thing to have input from shareholders and investors, but when consumers are telling you what they like or don’t like, there is a lot more weight in their words.

Engagement does not only help you to evaluate and shape your business, it also helps to gain it. This can be accomplished by interacting with your followers. People want to know they are being heard. If someone comments, make an effort to respond. If you are consistent you will gain customers and clients. The key to mastering engagement on social media is creativity and consistency, so be sure to run trials. Be observant to what posts garner the most “likes” and what posts are less popular. Use these statistics to guide your posts.

Branding

One of the primary goals of marketing is to be recognizable and  stand out among your competitors. Social media facilitates branding goals such as recognition and loyalty. Any opportunity you have to post your logo or assert your brand, you should use it. In doing so, you will increase your visibility and enforce familiarity with your audience. Using social media to promote your brand will also keep existing customers engaged. As previously mentioned, the more you engage with your audience, the more likely they are to remain customers and fans.

Social media marketing may not be the hot topic forever, but it is the hot topic now. Don’t let your business fall through the cracks. It may take some time to get acquainted with social media discourse, but once you master it your business will flourish. 

Marketing to Customers’ Emotions

Consider television advertisements that you’ve seen for fragrance products, such as Axe deodorants and body sprays, Calvin Klein colognes, or Chanel perfumes. Some of these commercials entice would-be buyers with the promise of an exciting and glamorous lifestyle, others portray an image of coolness, stylishness, manliness, gracefulness, attractiveness. Almost universally, they seek to appeal to the emotional desires and ambitions of the target audience.

Of course, the power of emotion extends far beyond the world of fragrances; branding experts regularly employ emotional techniques to plug items ranging from soft drinks, to jeans, to automobiles. By connecting your brand identity to the emotional aspirations of consumers, you too can convey a potent message. But you’ll need to begin with a solid understanding of your customers’ emotional drivers.

What motivates your customers?

Every one of your customers is a unique individual, and each may have h/er own reasons for seeking out what you offer. Nonetheless, you’ll often be able to identify emotional drivers that many share.

As part of their research into customer emotional connectedness, published this month in Harvard Business Review, analysts Scott Magids, Alan Zorfas, and Daniel Leemon compiled a list of High-Impact Motivators that includes the following:

•  A desire to stand out from the crowd, which businesses can leverage by emphasizing the uniqueness of their brand.

•  Confidence in the future, and a feeling that the best in life is yet to come.

•  Well-being, including relief from stress.

•  Freedom and independence, and sovereignty over one’s own decisions.

•  Success, defined by the sense that one’s life and endeavours have meaning.

•  Belonging, as in being part of the “in” crowd, and/or perceiving oneself to belong to something greater.

•  Thrill/excitement, and the associated pleasure or buzz.

•  Environmental protection: the belief that one’s purchasing decisions are either helping to prevent (or at least, not further exacerbating) the degradation of the ecosystem.

            Other common emotional drivers are the desire for love, financial security, the admiration of one’s peers, and the wellbeing of one’s family.

Identify emotional connections.

Existing customer and market data, surveys, and social media can all offer valuable insights here.

If your customers have liked or favourited your business or its products on social media, there is a good chance that these individuals would welcome updates, including information on special deals and limited-time offers. Surveys provide a means for you to learn about the emotions associated with particular customers and their shopping behaviour. (Questions like “Do you place greater value on individuality, or social acceptance?” or “Do you consider (X) a good brand?” can yield enlightening insights.) By aggregating basic customer data points—such as age, profession, gender, and transactional records—you can develop a profile of the kinds of customers who most value what you have to offer.

Emotionally connected customers tend to be lucrative ones.

Typically, your data will reveal that a minority of your clientele consists of regulars and comparatively big spenders. The research of Magids, Zorfas, and Leemon suggests that there is substantial overlap between your most frequent or lucrative customers, and those who feel emotionally connected to your business.

By reaching out to your most emotionally connected customers first, and striving to forge stronger connections with your borderline-emotionally connected customers, you can give your business greater staying power and a competitive edge over those that overlook this factor.

Marketing to Customers’ Emotions

Consider television advertisements that you’ve seen for fragrance products, such as Axe deodorants and body sprays, Calvin Klein colognes, or Chanel perfumes. Some of these commercials entice would-be buyers with the promise of an exciting and glamorous lifestyle, others portray an image of coolness, stylishness, manliness, gracefulness, attractiveness. Almost universally, they seek to appeal to the emotional desires and ambitions of the target audience.

Of course, the power of emotion extends far beyond the world of fragrances; branding experts regularly employ emotional techniques to plug items ranging from soft drinks, to jeans, to automobiles. By connecting your brand identity to the emotional aspirations of consumers, you too can convey a potent message. But you’ll need to begin with a solid understanding of your customers’ emotional drivers.

What motivates your customers?

Of course, every one of your customers is a unique individual, and each may have h/er own reasons for seeking out what you offer. Nonetheless, you’ll often be able to identify emotional drivers that many share.

As part of their research into customer emotional connectedness, published this month in Harvard Business Review, analysts Scott Magids, Alan Zorfas, and Daniel Leemon compiled a list of High-Impact Motivators that includes the following:

•  A desire to stand out from the crowd, which businesses can leverage by emphasizing the uniqueness of their brand.

•  Confidence in the future, and a feeling that the best in life is yet to come.

•  Well-being, including relief from stress.

•  Freedom and independence, and sovereignty over one’s own decisions.

•  Success, defined by the sense that one’s life and endeavours have meaning.

•  Belonging, as in being part of the “in” crowd, and/or perceiving oneself to belong to something greater.

•  Thrill/excitement, and the associated pleasure or buzz.

•  Environmental protection: the belief that one’s purchasing decisions are either helping to prevent (or at least, not further exacerbating) the degradation of the ecosystem.

Other common emotional drivers are the desire for love, financial security, the admiration of one’s peers, and the wellbeing of one’s family.

Identify emotional connections.

Existing customer and market data, surveys, and social media can all offer valuable insights here.

If your customers have liked or favourited your business or its products on social media, there is a

good chance that these individuals would welcome updates, including information on special deals and limited-time offers. Surveys provide a means for you to learn about the emotions associated with particular customers and their shopping behaviour. (Questions like “Do you place greater value on individuality, or social acceptance?” or “Do you consider (X) a good brand?” can yield enlightening insights.) By aggregating basic customer data points—such as age, profession, gender, and transactional records—you can develop a profile of the kinds of customers who most value what you have to offer.

Emotionally connected customers tend to be lucrative ones.

Typically, your data will reveal that a minority of your clientele consists of regulars and comparatively big spenders. The research of Magids, Zorfas, and Leemon suggests that there is substantial overlap between your most frequent or lucrative customers, and those who feel emotionally connected to your business.

By reaching out to your most emotionally connected customers first, and striving to forge stronger connections with your borderline-emotionally connected customers, you can give your business greater staying power and a competitive edge over those that overlook this factor.

Reflections on Celebrity Endorsements

Many people automatically associate celebrity endorsements with large, established firms, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Evan Morgenstein, president and CEO of CelebExperts—a U.S. outfit that matches businesses with celebrities keen to offer endorsements—says that more than half of the client enterprises his company serves are small- or medium-sized firms and non-industry leaders.

“The misconception by most is that only the P&Gs, Johnson & Johnsons and Gatorades of the world can afford a celebrity spokesperson, but that isn’t supported by our experience,” Morgenstein told Forbes contributor Susan Gunelius in 2013. Furthermore, just as businesses vary widely in scale and market capitalization, the category of “celebrity” is also broad, encompassing not only A-list actors, musicians, and professional athletes, but also television chefs, local news anchors, authors, and game-show contestants—to list just a few sub-sets.

If you plan to retain the services of a celebrity endorser, the process is not unlike that of hiring a new employee. You need to find the right person for the job—someone who is not only recognizable amongst your target demographic, but whose reputation is also consistent with the brand image you hope to cultivate. Finally, rather than seeking out the most famous individual who will agree to work with you, your overarching priority should be value for money.

Look for genuine enthusiasm (especially if your celebrity is not a professional actor).

It is always better to seek the endorsement of a celebrity who genuinely appreciates what your business has to offer, rather than one who is primarily motivated by the money or a desire for self-promotion. This is important for many reasons, but in particular, celebrities often have large numbers of followers on social media and make frequent public appearances. If your endorser ends up fielding an offhand question about your company, a positive, enthusiastic response would sure beat an indecisive one.

If you’re torn between hiring a highly renowned celebrity who knows little about your business, versus a less distinguished celebrity who loves and is conversant with your company, favour the latter.

Your endorser will be associated with your brand for years to come.

Celebrity endorsement is always a risk-reward proposition. In many well-known cases, celebrity endorsers have become the de facto “face” of particular companies and brands—for instance, consider actress Catherine Zeta-Jones’s relationship with telecom provider T-Mobile, or NASCAR driver Danica Patrick’s association with web domain name purveyor GoDaddy.com.

But business deals of this sort have also gone awry due to celebrity endorsers’ personal or professional struggles. Anheuser Busch (the parent corporation of Michelob Ultra) probably never anticipated that Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France titles would be rescinded because of the cyclist’s doping. Likewise, Nike invested much reputational capital in one of the world’s most gifted athletes, Tiger Woods, producing a memorable and emotionally evocative series of print and television advertisements. Little did Nike’s executives suspect at the time that Woods’s objectionable activities off the golf course had the potential to tarnish their brand image.

Of course, you can’t know everything about the celebrity you hope will endorse your business, but as always, due diligence is important. Has your prospective celebrity endorser ever been credibly accused of wrongdoing? If so, you’ll need to consider how this reflects on your brand before deciding whether to proceed.

Look for potential freebies and “barter” exchanges.

A productive celebrity endorsement can be a huge marketing boon for a business with modest cash flow and little public exposure. But this begs the question of how such a company can possibly afford to remunerate a prospective celebrity endorser.

There are a couple of ways around that obstacle. In some instances, you may have the opportunity to strike a barter deal, like a celebrity endorsement in exchange for a discount or free merchandise. Otherwise, if a celebrity happens to pay you a visit, you can follow up and encourage h/er to share positive testimonials about your business with friends and associates.

To return to the theme with which this post began: Don’t make the mistake of assuming, just because you run a small firm with an unextravagant marketing budget, that the prospect of a celebrity endorsement is entirely out of reach.

Averting Disaster – Do Your Research (Part 2)

When close to 1000 hours of work have gone into designing and marketing a product and suddenly, because of legal complications, the product has to be completely rebranded – where does one begin?

The following story is true. Certain names and details have been altered to protect the privacy and integrity of those involved.  Read Part 1 of the article.

Step 1 – Scramble

Upon receiving the news that The Tea Council had to be retooled, three things happened almost immediately. The first was our project manager had a brief meeting with each individual involved in the project and asked us what was necessary and what was possible based on what needed to be rebranded. He asked specifically if it could be done in a week. The second thing that happened almost instantly was a decision was made on what to now call the conference. It was changed to “The Tea Lovers Summit”. Finally, an email blast (about 40,000 emails) was sent to everyone who had already signed up for, or purchased, the summit explaining that it was being pushed back by one week.

Step 2 – Rethink Possible

My initial reaction was that it couldn’t be done. For my part, I would have been responsible for removing any mention of the term “the tea council” from both audio and video of all content materials. When I considered that I had already put in 100 hours of work and had to contemplate the host of the conference potentially redoing or scrapping several interviews, I thought there was no way it could be done along the desired timeline. Upon deeper reflection, I thought about removing most of the work from my own time and allowing most of the work to fall on my computer’s shoulders.

It takes far longer to grow a hedge than it does to trim it. Removing any specific mention of “the Tea Council” didn’t mean listening through and completely reediting the interviews or completely building a new video – the processes that are the most time consuming – it meant just chopping off a few bits and making a new file. Luckily the lawyers did a lot of the work for me. Transcripts of every presentation, which had already been done by our team, were handed over to the summit presenter’s lawyers and were then transferred over the Council on Teas legal team for review so as to determine what kind of verbiage would need to be omitted from the presentations. We discovered that the Tea Council was only ever specifically mentioned during the introduction and outro of every presentation. I had the presenter record a standard introduction that used the new moniker for the conference, which I then replaced with all the previous introductions, and simply cut any mention of the conference should it have happened an the end of the presentation. This meant that almost 99% of the presentation stayed in tact. From there it was a simple replacement of the audio from the videos with the new presentation audio, instead of building a brand new video from scratch.

Step 3 – Prepare For a Few Sleepless Nights

Besides all the work on my end, there was the website which thankfully didn’t have to be rebuilt, only migrated. All the copy had to be changed, and with all the banners and logos the style was fine and only the wording had to be tinkered with slightly. Getting all the content back out took a mere 3 days, and most of that work was my computer rendering new files - I simply had to be around to set it up and execute it.

The Fallout

At the end of the day we had all our materials approved and ready for the new launch a solid 48 hours before the conference was finally released to the public. Dealing exclusively digitally meant that no manufactured products had to go to waste. Ultimately, what it amounted to was nothing more than 24 hours of unwarranted panic because of course it was possible to rebrand the entire conference. All it takes to do anything is a competent team, assured in their own strengths, with the commitment to get the job done. Admittedly, the conference did not achieve the lofty expectations we had initially set out with, but we learned what our team was capable of when put under duress – and the response was nothing short of splendid. Furthermore, we learned a very valuable lesson – before you do anything, do your research.

Averting Disaster – Do Your Research (Part 1)

I was recently privy to one of the worst branding disasters I’ve ever encountered. The effect on the team launching the product was near catastrophic and hindsight proved just how avoidable it all was. There are a few simple rules to a product launch and I’m hoping that my recent experience can shed a light on how to avoid this problem in the future.

The following story is true. Certain names and details have been altered to protect the privacy and integrity of those involved.

The Product

I work as a digital media consultant responsible for developing content for various companies that choose to market their business on the internet. A well-intentioned individual who runs a website and blog devoted to tea was looking to expand their audience by hosting an online tea conference bringing experts from all over the world to discuss everything concerning tea, called “The Tea Council”. The online conference would be composed of 30 presentations and interviews on various subjects as they relate to tea marketed for free over a one-week period, and available for sale thereafter through the blog and various affiliates for $29.99.

The Team

A tremendous amount of work is involved to put together one of these online conferences for which there are numerous benefits to the consumer. First, during the week of the conference the information is available for free. Second, there is no need to buy a ticket, purchase a flight, or book a hotel room in another city - the entire conference can be enjoyed from one’s bedroom. And finally, the information is available to the consumer in perpetuity. In order to create this product, a whole content team and marketing team need to be assembled to create the product and to put it out to the world. Web space for the “theteacouncil” was purchased and all content and marketing for the conference would be channeled through that space. A single online conference takes a solid 2 to 3 months to put together employing about a dozen individuals all trained in their specific discipline as well as coordinating with a large group of experts who all have a stake in how great the reach is for this conference.

My Role

As the one responsible for designing the content, it was my job to consult with our client on how to make the best use of digital media to communicate the information of an expert with an audience of lay people. An interview is conducted between the conference host and the expert that is recorded and edited, and then turned into a final podcast-type deliverable for the consumer. Those interviews are then transcribed, from which a power point presentation is created. This power point is then turned into a video and is matched with the audio presentation which itself is delivered to the consumer. All in all, for thirty presentations, on my end alone, it was about 100 hours of work.

How It All Broke Down in the Blink of an Eye

We were less than a week away to launch. All the content was in place, all the affiliates were on board, and initial pre-registrations had already taken place. Heavy traffic was already heading to the website and sales were already being made. The client received a cease and desist letter from the owner of a website called “councilonteas.com”. After an initial review from a lawyer, although being reassured that the Council on Teas didn’t have much of a case, legal fees alone would cut significantly into the budget of the conference. The owner of the Council on Teas was also adamant that a deal could not be struck and that the Tea Council was in breach of a trademarked product and would be legally blocked from launching their product, and would face legal repercussions and be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, should they continue with their launch as planned.

 Lesson Learned

A simple Google search would have shown the existence of the Council on Teas company and their website, and the initial decision to launch the conference as “The Tea Council” had to be considered a terrible oversight. Even if the desired web space was available, it would have been preferable to do some initial market research and explore any websites and names that might have even been remotely similar to anything they wanted to launch.

Read on to Part 2 to find out what it took to finally get a completed product completely rebranded and launched.

The Nuance of NUANS

Your name can mean everything. It is what people associate with your brand and it is what will inevitably define your business in the minds of others. Therefore, it is imperative that you choose a name for your business that is original and that will stick in the minds of your target clientele. It is also important that once you have the perfect name for your business, that you protect it so that people don’t confuse your business with someone else’s. Below are some of the finer points of what one can expect when using NUANS (Newly Upgraded Automated Name Search) for registering or incorporating their business.

Not all provinces are created equal

No matter which province you live in, you will need to file a name search report. But, depending on where you live, you may have to file a name search report within your own province’s database. What NUANS actually refers to is a database for the following jurisdictions: P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Alberta, as well as the database of Canadian Federal Corporations. If you are registering your business in Quebec, for example, you don’t need to conduct a NUANS report, but you can if you wish. Doing so will give you an insight into whether or not someone has registered a business with the same, or similar, name as yours in another province, specifically those included in the NUANS database.

Don’t forget that no matter what insight you glean from any name search report that you are ultimately responsible for ensuring that your company name does not infringe on any third party rights.

The varied depths of NUANS search

Filing a NUANS report carries with it a fee to conduct the report. As a cost saving mechanism, it is possible to conduct a preliminary report at the fraction of the cost of a full report – a preliminary search costs about $0.23. However, the preliminary report only eliminates proposed names with exact matches to the names of other companies. A full NUANS report provides an even greater depth of insight by reporting company names that may be close, or could even illicit confusion, but costs significantly more and is required to register your business within the given jurisdiction. The reason a preliminary report can be beneficial is by allowing you to quickly ascertain whether or not a certain company name is available or not without the commitment of a full NUANS report. If you are satisfied with your company name, and its availability, you can then file for a full report and register your business.

Ordering a NUANS search report

Although there does exist a NUANS self-serve website, it is preferable in most cases to obtain your NUANS search report with the assistance of a NUANS registered member. The reason for this is that the self-serve website is limited to conducting NUANS reports for federal corporations. On the other hand, there are a variety of NUANS registered members available to you that are capable of not only filing the search report, but also of guiding you through the process of registering your company. 

Please visit CorporationCentre.ca for more information and to order your NUANS Report!

How to Land a Celebrity Client

We live in the age of the celebrity. Although it can be dicey to align your company with a star only to have them implode, for the most part a celebrity endorsement can provide a solid boost for your bottom line.

If you provide your product or service to a celebrity and they later tweet about it or promote it on a talk show you've hit the jackpot. Think of this as an "bonus promotion." 

How can you land a celebrity client? 

Consider these insider tips: 

Work the referral.

Success in business requires hard work but it could also help if you know the right people. That is especially true when it comes to gaining access to a celebrity. If you take aim directly at the star you won't get very far. However, if you can find out who represents them or manages their business affairs you could find an in that way. You'll be on much stronger ground if you can work a referral as opposed to cold calling a star.

Be prepared to do the end run.

Depending on the celebrity, they could have several layers of "protection" in the form of an entourage. This could mean a whole gaggle of assistants, drivers and even bodyguards which will keep you from direct access. There are always ways around these walls. For one, you can try to befriend some of the support staff. If you're trying to connect with an agent or manager, try calling at off hours when you can go shoot through an inner office phone directory. You might get lucky if that person answers their own phone!

Make your own brand a happening brand.

Don't stake your entire business on a free celebrity endorsement. As mentioned, that is bonus but you can get there by making your product a "must have." This could mean providing items for award show gift bags. It's an investment but it can get your product directly into the hands of the celebrity.

Always be kind.

Once you've gained access you'll want to thank the people who got your there. Make yourself available to the staff for further special orders. Don't hesitate to send them a gift as a way of saying "thank you."

Create a great website and online profile.

Suppose you're selling a cool new boot and you want to attract a celebrity. Think about what appeals to them. They might end up doing a little research on your company before accepting a product. That's why your website should be current.  Make sure that your website tells your brand story well. Use videos, blogs and social media to communicate your message.    

Avoiding Legal Issues When Selecting a Company Name

What's in a name?

For a company it could be everything. The name is the first introduction you have to your future customers. It's a way of building a brand and can matter a lot when it comes to establishing a foothold in the marketplace.

Think of it as planting your flag in the corporate world. The hitch is, if somebody got there before you, you'll be sent back to the drawing board.

The Legalities

The first legal issue is to make sure your proposed company name isn't already being used by another company. When you file articles of incorporation you are looking to qualify to do business and that begins with your company name. In other words, you can't open up a retail store and call it Target.

For instance, your Widget Inc. could survive as Widget Enterprises Inc. You should be cautioned not to pick a name that is too closely associated with a thriving business. That will get you into trademark trouble.

This is why many corporations often use a family name as the "umbrella" under which many other businesses can be created. You are able to perform a search for your business name beforehand to ensure that it is available. You might find that adding descriptive qualifiers can help if the name you want is similar to another.

The Trademark Issue

Right now, somewhere in the world, there is a trademark infringement lawyer preparing a lawsuit. Businesses who have spent millions on developing a brand and setting up a loyal customer base don't want that all their efforts ruined by some cheeky competitor.

Consider this the rule of the "Mc."

McDonald's has done a great marketing job of associating its products with the "Mc" surname. McNuggets, McWraps, McBites, McChicken, McFlurry... you name it and they put a "Mc" in front of it.

You could come along and have a carpet cleaning business that you want to call McCleaner and McDonalds would be well within their rights to haul you into court with a "cease and desist" order mentioning that your "Mc" is diluting their "Mc" brand. And because their "Mc" is first, you will lose.

Don't think that you can get away with a name that might be close to a company with a low profile. All they would need to do is serve you with a lawsuit and your entire business can come to a screeching halt.

Changing the Online Advertising Business Model

The recent flameout of Facebook's introduction to the stock market should be a cautionary tale to any online

business. One the main reasons that the Facebook stock tanked was that days before they went public, GM pulled its advertising because they weren't getting a return on their investment.

This sent a shock wave throughout all corners of e-commerce cyberspace. How can you not benefit from having access to over a billion Facebook users?

The answer is simple: The online advertising business model doesn't always work... and it shouldn't be the main business model for your startup.

The Big Fail

On many levels, the fail of online advertising is paralleling the fail of traditional television advertising. Thanks to DVRs, viewers are able to zap through commercials with ease. There are even devices being specifically marketed that will "hop" over commercials.

Naturally, this has the broadcast networks in an uproar. How can they justify ad rates if no one is watching the ads?

The same thing is happening online.

When a user logs on they're on a mission. They have a specific activity they are engaging in whether that's sending an email, playing a game or checking their friend’s newsfeed. More than anything, the internet is becoming a social networking site that is equal parts global and local community based.

Anyone who is spending their free time on the internet doesn't want to be advertised to.

A New Way to Brand

Foisting a message onto an internet user who hasn't asked for that message is destined to fail.

Why?

Because we don't need a message we can find for ourselves. A company brand can no longer be built by specific messaging alone.

It will be built by the number of "likes" on a Facebook page or amount of Twitter followers. Now that everyone gets to share their opinions on places like Yelp, a good review is often more important than a traditional ad.

We share what we like and that's how the popularity of a product, a movie, a book or a restaurant grows.

Finding Information in the Cyber Age

The greatest tool on the internet is also the great undoing of the advertising model. That would be the search engine. Whether you are a fan of Google, Bing, Chrome or any other search engine, we know how to get information.

If you want to shop for a new car, a pair of shoes, an appliance or just about anything else, the first stop will always be a search engine. The next stop could be one of the many review sites such as Yelp or Consumer Reports.

Nowhere in that search is advertising needed or wanted. We're becoming a society of information gatherers. That's good for the consumer but not so good for the business, unless they find a way to improve their search engine rankings.

We're also becoming very sophisticated when it comes to blocking or ignoring ads. Don't want a re-targeting pop-up ad? No problem... just delete your cookie history.

The more advertisers try to insert their messages the more the Internet user will find a way to block the ads.

Build Out the Social Network

So, what is a hapless company supposed to do to find new customers? Don't fight the internet but put it to work for your brand. If this is a social medium then find a way to engage your customer base by starting a conversation.

Suppose you're selling a cleaning product. Perhaps you can start a conversation by asking folks "What's the worst mess you've ever had to clean up?" That's not selling your product directly but allowing folks to join in on a conversation.

Once they are engaged they can be invited to try the product. In other words, think less about reaching the masses with a single message and instead redirecting that message as part of a two-way conversation. That's the power of social media networking. 

How Mobile is Driving e-Commerce in the Future

Back in the sixties, the popular sci-fi series "Star Trek" showed us the way with its handheld communicator. This device allowed crew members to talk with their shipmates at very long distances.

They were also able to use that same device to tap into the vast resources of their super computer. Flash ahead to today and that bit of fantasy has become a reality.

We all have the ability to carry a super computer in the palm of our hands. We can look up information, check out the weather, get directions, stay in touch with friends and go shopping. In fact, mobile technology is going to be a leading factor that will drive e-commerce to further successful heights in the coming year.

Here's why the mobile device is having an impact on e-commerce:

1      Multiple devices and platforms increase brand visibility

Each year cyber shopping is carving out a larger portion of the retail pie with no signs of it letting up. It's not just the cell phone that is driving e-commerce but also the pad or tablet device. With iPad leading the charge shoppers are happy to download apps from their favorite stores and sign up for Twitter promotions and special offers. For the online brand, this means developing a web portal that can cross over on many platforms. You shouldn't limit yourself to just one device and stay competitive.

 

       Easy access for the consumer at all times

A major benefit that mobile users enjoy is the instant access to ordering a product online. Mobile apps have improved so much that they are considered the best friends of today’s users. The apps that are preferred are those that make it easier to find products and services on your cellphone and purchase the products. Consumers can download apps which let them scan bar codes to find the best bargain. If it happens that your website is selling that item at a better price then a few clicks later could have you closing a sale.

      Rising mobile demand

As smartphones are becoming cheaper and more powerful, their adoption is rising. In the US alone, web-enabled smartphone purchases have 46% of the cellphone market. Thus, the market for e-commerce consumers via mobile platforms is ever expanding. With the expansion, there is a logical increase in the use of cellphones for e-commerce.  

Improvements in technology are helping businesses and customers shop and it's only going to get better. Case in point: The Shazam app. Once downloaded, you can activate Shazam to "tag" any song playing on the radio or TV. That song becomes part of a virtual shopping list that is tied directly to iTunes. Hear it, tag it, buy it.

The mobile shopping experience doesn't get any better than that! 

Does Facebook Advertising Work?

One billion plus.

That's how many current Facebook users there are. More than likely, by the time you read this article there will be millions who have signed up for this social network.

Even if you were to get a response rate of a fraction of a single percent point, your advertising would still be reaching a lot of potential customers.

There are other reasons why Facebook advertising is a good investment. Consider these advantages:

·         Targeted Demographics

Effective advertising comes down to targeting your demographics. Facebook advertising allows you to get very specific in terms of your potential customer base. Not only can you focus on gender and age groups but also on the many "likes" that a Facebook user can tap into. If you're selling hockey jerseys then you'll want to get your ad in front of any fan of the game. Facebook can help position you to those demographics. 

·         Going Local

Not only can Facebook help you focus on demographic groups but also on geographic locations. Everyone who signs onto Facebook has the ability to "mark their spot." This affords local businesses the chance to reach out to those customers who are spending directly in their community.

·         Effective Marketing Spending

As you prepare your Facebook advertising campaign you'll be able to project just how many users will see the ad. This is important for the kind of pay per click ads that Facebook excels at. You'll be able to scale your budget to fit the potential reach of your ad. That will make your marketing dollars have a stronger ROI.

·         The Viral Effect

Whenever a Facebook user "likes" your company page, that "like" will show up on their news feed which in turn is posted on the news feed of all their friends. This can have a snowball effect of spreading your message even further as hundreds of more users are exposed to your ad.

·         Custom Branding Choices

The Facebook ad allows you to use powerful images that can draw attention to your post. Because of the ease of accessibility, you can change up those images and find which ones work best for your campaign.

The bottom line is that a billion potential viewers are logging onto Facebook on a fairly consistent basis. In terms of online marketing, this is really the greatest reach of any site out there.

As with any type of advertising campaign there is no guarantee of success.

However, with Facebook advertising you can start small with a targeted campaign, test its effectiveness and roll out a wider reaching strategy.

Definitely worth exploring.

The Benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a dominant factor in the way companies operate. The question facing the number crunchers at a company is whether or not CSR has a tangible benefit for a business or is it just a PR exercise. The answer is probably a combination of both.

The moment a corporation steps outside of its sales mode to support a charitable organization or promote community friendly policies they are, in effect, strengthening their brand. There might not be the kind of immediate payback in sales that would occur after a TV ad or coupon drive, but these kinds of measures go a long way towards fostering that positive image that is so essential for a successful business. There are other factors to consider when developing a Corporate Social Responsibility strategy as it applies to a return on investment.

        Improves efficiency

When a company goes “green” they are essentially adopting eco-friendly policies with regard to things like recycling and energy use. On the CSR front, that company can promote the use of those policies. What they’ll discover is that these environmental changes can have a direct impact on a company’s operating expenses. If they can lower energy costs then the bottom line is improved.

Strengthens brand awareness

Even a national company generating millions in sales can have a positive impact through their CSR campaigns on where it matters most: directly in the communities. This type of giving back can benefit a wide range of local organizations and clubs. It’s also an opportunity to cross promote that charity and a company’s products. For instance, a laundry detergent maker can sponsor a cleanup of a local beach or vacant lot. Along with providing supplies, the company could also hand out commemorative T-shirts and samples of their detergent. That would help a neighborhood and increase awareness of the product.

Boosts staff morale

If a company throws its corporate muscle into a good cause they have the ability to enlist their employees in that cause as well. This often translates into supplying volunteers for a particular event. During these events those same employees will benefit from bonding over the experience. This in turn can help with productivity. In other words, if an employee feels like they are working for a socially responsible company, they will go the extra mile to insure that company’s continued success. Recently it was reported that Microsoft employees have contributed over a billion dollars to the company’s charities. That’s certainly going to make those workers feel great!

Your Personal Brand - Managing Your Online Reputation

A strong and well defined online presence can certainly move the “needle” when it comes to determining the success of a company. In many ways, your company brand is an extension of your own personal reputation – especially if you own a consultancy. For all the good resources and opportunities that the internet provides it can also be a place where negative reviews can have a lasting impact. Can you control what is said about your brand online? Here are some helpful hints about managing your online reputation.

Google Yourself

The only way to know what is being said about your company is to dive into a Google search. However, the occasional search won’t be enough to fortify your interests. Set up a Google Alert which can send you daily updates about any topic you create. This is a perfect way of staying on topic of mentions in blogs, articles or websites. Take advantage of Google Alerts, a free notification service by Google that tracks any keyword online and notifies you anytime there is an article related to that keyword.

Optimize Your Brand

Just because someone types your brand name into a search engine doesn’t automatically guarantee a positive result. What might appear at the top of a search engine ranking could be a negative reviewed from a disgruntled customer. When you consider that a recent study found that 89% of click throughs occur from the first page of a Google search, then you can see the importance of optimizing those results towards more positive trending. Search Engine Optimization or SEO is an area you should focus on for your online marketing campaign. The key is tracing back the links to your business from negative sources and improving the positive responses. There are many resources that can help you improve your rankings. It’s another proactive approach that should be at the top of your to-do list.

Make Social Media Your Friend

Anyone with a passing glance at the internet will no doubt come across some of the dozens of prominent social media networks. These areas are quickly becoming the “hot spots” where internet users spend most of their time online. You need to develop a strong presence for your brand on these sites as well. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest are all viable places where you can develop positive brand reputation.

Offer Quality Content

No matter what type of product or service you are selling online there is an opportunity to build out your brand by providing quality content for online users. An informative article or blog posts that relates to your brand which has been properly optimized can be picked up by search engines and draw traffic back to your site. That can only happen if you make an effort to create engaging content. If you feel that your writing skills are lacking, there are plenty of talented writers who can help deliver the kind of fresh content your website needs for strong SEO.

Finally, try to maintain a positive impact offline as well. A negative news story about your company can push all the hard work right off the first page rankings. By staying active in your local community, you can create positive buzz in on the local news front.

Drive Traffic To Your Site with Give Aways

Let’s face it; we all love to get free stuff. Whether it’s a T-shirt, a delicious dessert or advice - as long as it’s free, we’re going to be smiling. Now flip that around to the business who is handing out that free stuff and think about what they are getting in return. They are generating a lot of “smiles.” That’s a proactive stance towards building a more robust business and branding. Keep in mind that adopting this approach doesn’t mean you have to give away the store. Instead, you’re looking for ways to drive traffic to your site through enticements which can ultimately lead to other business.

By providing your customer with free advice, product or service, you’re ultimately building customer loyalty. You can create a blog which provides great advice on solving your customers’ pains. This makes you a resource, giving your prospects plenty of reasons to return to your site. This in turn could make them more inclined to follow your advertisers to their websites or purchase what you’re selling. Think of the “freebie” as the bait to hook a new customer.

Here are some more reasons why providing free stuff helps your business:

1)      Providing free stuff is good PR: News travels fast. By offering free stuff, your prospects will start talking about it amongst their friends and colleagues, helping you spread the message organically. People love to receive free stuff, and they’re more willing to take action if their friend recommends it to them.   

2)      You minimize risk for your prospects: When you offer a free trial period, a free e-book filled with great information, or even a free item, you are reducing the perceived risk in purchasing your product or service. By taking away the risk, you are providing your prospects with the opportunity to have a positive experience with your brand and make it easier to purchase later. 

3)      Build customer loyalty: Everyone loves to get something for free, especially when there are no strings attached.  Customers remember how they got something special and will associate it with your brand. This builds loyalty and positions your brand as someone that is always looking out for the customer. 

Free stuff doesn’t just have to be products or services. There are examples of donations, contests, free food and even a dream job!  Giving away free items or trial offers is a win-win strategy for both you and your customers. If done right, offering a free incentive will pay your company back in spades.