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7 Marketing Trends That Benefit Small Businesses

February 19th, 2013 ::

trendsNow that we’ve gotten comfortable writing 2013 rather than 2012, I revisited all the “top trends for 2013” blog posts and articles I saved over the past two months to see what stood out the most and could potentially have the biggest impact on small businesses. Here’s what I found:

1 – Loyalty

Loyalty programs are shifting. Traditionally, you reward your customers for spending, but now consumers expect rewards for taking certain actions and sharing their activities with others. Additionally, consumers are responding to more variety in redemption options, so think about the “near-cash” rewards you can offer.

2 – SEO

SEO, social media, and content used to be completely separate areas in marketing. Now, they’re overlapping thanks to changes in search engines, which reward social sharing and linking, and content-focused marketing strategies (an active blog and fresh content). Continue to focus on engaging your customers through social media and valuable content to see benefits around SEO.

3 – Local

Local will continue to grow, especially since local businesses know their local customers and are as good at – or better than – engaging with them online as big companies. If you don’t already, use location in your online advertising, and continue to focus on customer service.

4 – Partnerships

Big companies (airlines and hotels, for example) continue to create partnerships to reach more customers. I have seen a lot of small businesses partnering together, based on neighborhood or industry, to increase their reach as well. Who can you partner with?

5 – Ecommerce

Online consumer spending is soaring. According to comScore $304 billion was spent via ecommerce in the U.S. during 2012. It almost goes without saying, but if you sell products, now is the time to consider putting together an ecommerce site.

6 – Mobile Devices

Smartphones and tablet usage soared in 2012 – more than 120 million people in the U.S. own a smartphone and more than 48 million people own a tablet (again, those stats are courtesy of comScore). Aside from having mobile-friendly sites, take advantage of geo-targeted marketing by “pushing” relevant information to your audience if they are in your area.

7 – Real-Time Analytics

By using a social media dashboard (like Hootsuite) and Google Analytics for your website, it is dead-simple to get real-time insights on what is going on online – from conversations about your brand to a blog post that is getting shared like crazy. With this information readily available, you can make quick changes to improve your marketing and customer service.

What trend do you think will impact you the most? Why?

Image courtesy of allspammedup.com

Editor’s Note: Network Solutions offers an easy way to build a website for mobile devices in mere minutes: goMobi™, powered by dotMobi.

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6 Ways to Improve Your Website and Deliver the Information Your Customers Need

February 14th, 2013 ::

Sherlock HolmesAs a consumer, I find it incredibly frustrating to visit a website and not find the information I am looking for – I am sure you can relate. Sometimes it has to do with the content, which can range from dense, complicated, and completely unclear to so broad and general it is meaningless. Oftentimes, though, the information is simply missing.

Whatever the case, if your website visitor can’t find what they need, they will go elsewhere – and probably not come back. As a copywriter who works on a lot of website content, here are 6 simple ways to improve your website so your customers can easily find what they are looking for:

1. About Us

Your goal: Provide enough information so that a website visitor knows if you are a good fit for them and can meet their needs.

This might seem obvious, but make sure you clearly state – in plain English – what  you do, especially if your business is more technical, as well as the benefit of working with you. Also include your target market(s); for example, if you only work with commercial clients, then a residential customer will know to go elsewhere.

2. Contact Information

Your goal: Make it easy for customers to get in touch with you.

When a company practically hides their contact information, I wonder if they even want my business – or if they are headquartered on Mars. Display your phone number, email address, social media buttons, and physical address where it makes sense – not just on the Contact Us page.

3. Explainer Videos

Your goal: Quickly illustrate how something works.

If your product or service is more technical, complicated, or a new concept, a video will quickly illustrate how it works – like Dropbox does in this video on their home page.

4. FAQ

Your goal: Answer questions before they are asked.

“What are the hardware requirements? How long does it take? When will I start seeing results?” If you get the same questions over and over again, be sure to add an FAQ page to your website.

5. Downloadable Instructions

Your goal: Cut down on emails and phone calls.

It’s a basic fact that people lose paperwork, and with products being sold second-hand on Craigslist and elsewhere, you want to make sure your product is used properly. Add downloadable instructions to your website – it’ll reduce emails and phone calls.

6. Policies

Your goal: Keep your customers informed to avoid surprises or angry phone calls.

A lot of companies have privacy policies, but if you have others that will affect your customers, put them on your website, like Zappos did with their fur policy. You could have a smoking, pet, child, inclement weather, or return policy, but whatever it is, just put it up on your website – and make it easy to find.

What other information do you feel like you have to hunt for on websites?

Image courtesy of clipartist.info

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Posted in Marketing, Web Design | 2 Comments »

7 Tips for Creating Your First Marketing Ebook

February 12th, 2013 ::

BooksIf you are about to write your first marketing ebook for your business, congratulations – it’s one of the best ways to share your expertise and build thought leadership. If done right, your ebook will educate and entertain – thus becoming highly shareable.

Here are 7 things to keep in mind as you write your first ebook:

1. Write in a conversational tone

Your ebook is the complete opposite of a doctoral dissertation, so keep the tone light, friendly, and conversational – talk to your readers, not at them.

2. Use stories

Open your ebook with a story to hook your reader, and illustrate your points with stories whenever possible. This will make your content more fun, interesting, and relatable – you want your reader to say, “Oh yeah, I have that problem too!”  – and then turn to you for the solution.

3. Teach your readers

Add tips, tricks, helpful hints, or other actionable information that your readers can easily do themselves. Highlight this information in the sidebar or at the bottom of the page.

4. Focus each page

Stick to one point per page – this will help ensure your layout is clean. If you have a lot of information about one particular topic, break the information out with subheads, and use one subhead per page.

5. Integrate visual elements

People respond to strong visuals, so include relevant images that emphasize your point and graphics that illustrate survey results or statistics. Use subheaders that stand out and a bold, easy-to-read font.

6. Add interactive elements

Since ebooks are digital, you can embed videos, surveys, or games – just make sure they are relevant and don’t overshadow your other content.

7. Write one strong call-to-action

Resist adding a call-to-action (CTA) to each page; your company name and website address are sufficient. Instead, write one strong CTA for the last page of your ebook.  Tie the CTA back to the subject of your ebook and explain the benefit of working with you or buying from you. Finally, make it easy for them to contact you – include your website address, an email address, phone number, and social media buttons.

Do you have any favorite ebooks that other companies have published? What makes them stand out?

Image courtesy of amoderngal.com

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Posted in Marketing | 7 Comments »

5 Ways Facebook’s Graph Search Could Help Your Social Media Marketing

February 11th, 2013 ::

Facebook Graph SearchBy now you’ve heard about Facebook’s new Graph Search feature, which is still in beta (you can add your name to their wait list if you want to give it a try before it goes public).

Graph Search basically puts your social graph – your connections – to use by making it easy to find people, photos, places, and interests that are relevant to you. Your search results will be unique to you, as everyone’s social graph is different.

Since Facebook tends to get the beatdown pretty often about privacy, it’s worth noting that your results will only include what you could already view elsewhere on Facebook.

Let’s take a look at how Facebook Graph Search could help your social media marketing (I say “could” because we don’t know yet how people will use it):

1. Learn More About Your Fans

This, for me, is the most obvious benefit. Facebook brand’s Facebook fans which will then help them create more relevant content. This will benefit Facebook users by giving them content they want to see, which will then in turn benefit brands by boosting the levels of Facebook engagement.

2. Find New Customers

Because of its detailed search capabilities, you could use Graph Search to find potential new customers. Just use the same demographic and interest criteria you would use for an ad, and ask for introductions from your shared connections. (Yes, this is a lot like LinkedIn.)

3. Likes = Visibility

Likes will become even more important for your page – the more likes you have, the more visibility you will get. Let’s say you are a photographer. When the friend of one of your fans conducts a search for “wedding photographers,” you will pop up.

4. Ad Opportunities

Since Facebook depends on ads for revenue, it only makes sense that they would extend advertising opportunities to Graph Search.  Your targeted ads would reach people looking for your product or service – a really great lead generation opportunity.

5. Location Will Matter

Besides encouraging likes, local businesses should encourage check-ins. If Graph Search uses EdgeRank, the more activity you have on your page, the more you could potentially show up in search results.

One small caveat: If Graph Search is to work for your business, you will have to actively use Facebook, share engaging and relevant content, and encourage likes and shares.

How else do you think this new search capability will affect your social media marketing?

Image courtesy of techcrunch.com

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Posted in Marketing, Social Media | No Comments »

5 Keys to Creating Valuable Content

February 7th, 2013 ::

KeysBy now you’ve heard that content is king, and indeed, for many reasons it is: search engines reward fresh content on your website, valuable blog posts will generate traffic and interaction on your site – which search engines also like – and, most importantly, content will position you as a thought leader in your industry, which has numerous benefits.

So the question is, What makes content valuable?

Here are the 5 keys to creating valuable content:

1. Valuable content answers questions

What questions do your customers ask of you most often? How do you solve their problems and meet their needs? Answer these questions in-depth with how-to advice so your audience can do it themselves – just like this blog post!

As you answer questions, keep in mind the level of knowledge your audience has on the topic. Tailor your content to those who are beginners, well-versed, or experts, rather than trying to meet everyone’s needs at once.

2. Valuable content is written in plain English

If you want to engage your audience, write all of your content in plain English. It’s also a good idea to write in the first person and address your audience as “you,” so it sound like you are talking to your readers, not at them.

3. Valuable content is written clearly

Just because you are writing something in plain English doesn’t mean you will get your point across quickly and clearly. At the very beginning of your blog post, ebook, or email, explain the point of your message – and then back it up with further information. Finish with a conclusion that ties the information you just shared back to your original point.

4. Valuable content is backed up with data and examples

Add credibility to your statements and information by backing it up with data or examples. You can use data from your own analytics or major research companies like Forrester, or examples from your own experience or the experience of your customers.

5. Valuable content is actionable

While your insights and predictions around a certain topic or trend is useful information, I find that my blog posts that do the best and the ones that I enjoy reading are actionable, that is, they teach me how to do something new or better. How can you help people improve their skills and get better results, or just learn how to do something on their own rather than always relying on a professional?

What other elements make content worthwhile for you to spend time reading?

Image courtesy of Tumblr.com

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Posted in Marketing | 9 Comments »

7 More New Ideas for Valuable B2B Blog Posts

February 5th, 2013 ::
This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series 7 New Ideas for BtoB Blog Posts

typing on laptopBored with your blog? Uh-oh. Instead of ignoring or abandoning it, here is the second of 2 posts on some fun new ideas that will reinvigorate your blog and jumpstart your creativity.

1. Follow popular trends

Look at Twitter or Google Trends to see what topics people are talking about and looking for. If you find something related to your industry, share your perspective on the trend. If not, think of a way to relate what you do to that trend, like “What Gardeners Can Learn From Lady Gaga.” (For the record, I have no idea!)

2. Recycle old blog posts into a new one

Pull your top advice from several older blog posts on one subject and combine them into a new post. You could find that you have so much information on the subject that actually have an ebook in the making.

3. Review a movie or TV show

When “The Social Network” came out, I think everyone I knew in the social media space wrote a review of the movie. If a movie or TV show is set in your industry, review it and point out what they get right and what they get wrong.

4. Review new or old books

Books are also great to review, as there are so many of them published every year. It is highly unlikely your blog audience keeps tabs on what is new and noteworthy, so do the legwork for them. You can also review older books that have been invaluable for your job, career, or business.

5. Review and compare products or services from one category

Take a look at all the products or services that you use and look up the other top sellers. Try out the competition and write a blog post that compares them on features, ease of use, price, and results.

6. Publish industry trends

You know what’s going on in your industry, so share your insights on growing trends, whether they’re here to stay or just a passing fad, and how it will affect the industry and your customers.

7. Tell your own stories

Some of my favorite blog posts and articles have been based on personal stories. Whether it’s a challenge you overcame to close a big sale, secure funding, land a star employee, or reach an audacious goal, share your experience and what you learned along the way.

Now that you’ve got 14 new ideas for blog posts (check out the first 7 here), which ones are you eager to try?

Image courtesy of wisegeek.org

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7 New Ideas for Valuable B2B Blog Posts

February 4th, 2013 ::
This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series 7 New Ideas for BtoB Blog Posts

typing on laptopIf you’ve been blogging for a while, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut and develop writer’s block. Coming up with new topics all the time – that is hard! To jump-start your creative juices, I’ve put on my thinking cap and done some research to present you with new ideas.

Here is the first of two blog posts that will help reinvigorate your blog:

1. Designate days or weeks for certain topics

Depending on how often you blog, you could choose a specific subject for each day of the week, or, if you blog once a week, each week of the month.  By giving yourself more structure around topics, it might be easier to come up with blog post ideas.

2. Let Google Analytics be your guide

Look at the traffic on your website to see what pages Web visitors are not only visiting, but spending the most time on, and write blog posts based on your findings.

3. Write a beginner’s guide

Jot down all the basics anyone just starting out in your field needs, whether it’s online tools, legal paperwork, or steps that should be followed in a certain order. In other words, help people avoid the mistakes you made when you were just starting out!

4. Interview experts

You’d be surprised at how eager experts are to share their knowledge with others. While this might not work for some industries – good luck getting Steven Spielberg or Ralph Lauren on the phone – this might very well work for yours.

You can use expert interviews in one of two ways: a full-length interview of one expert (consisting of several questions) or the same one or two questions asked of several experts compiled into one or two blog posts.

5. Interview employees

If your employees are highly specialized in a specific niche, interview them. You could ask how they got started in their field, what they wished they’d known back then, what they’ve learned, and where they think the industry is headed.

6. Write about how to improve something

If there’s something you just can’t stand that is industry-specific – an online tool, “best practice,” widely used methodology, or “definitive” book – write a blog post about why it’s  overrated and how you would improve it or do it differently.

7. Republish popular posts

If you’ve been blogging for a while, you have a treasure trove of material that you can reuse. Pick posts that were super popular when they originally appeared and are still relevant, and republish them for new readers.

What are your favorite types of blog posts to write – and read? Tune in tomorrow for 7 more ideas.

Image courtesy of wisegeek.org

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How to Get Started With a Global Marketing Strategy

January 31st, 2013 ::

EarthIf you want to expand sales to other countries, you start by conducting market research so you can understand what your potential customers care about, want, need, and how to reach them.

To help you put together a global marketing strategy, here are some tips based on global marketing statistics that HubSpot published:

1 – Have a really good mobile strategy

Mobile, mobile, mobile – it’s all you ever hear, right? Well, it’s not just people in the US using our mobile devices for everything – people around the world use their smart phones a lot too.

  • 26% of Australians consume media on their smartphones
  • 31% of the French spend their smart phone screen time on social networks
  • 35% of the Irish access social media mostly on their smartphones
  • 33% of Italians with mobile phones use their devices to access the Internet
  • 46% of Canadians with mobile phones have smart phones

Tips for success:

  • Have a user-friendly mobile site ready to go that is easy to navigate and makes it easy to contact you or buy from you
  • Optimize your site
  • Integrate social media sharing buttons on the site (see below)

2 – Understand who is using what social network

Even though Twitter and Facebook might be the best way to reach your American customers, make sure you adjust your global social media strategy to include the outlets they use, not the ones you think they use.

Tips for success:

  • In Norway, have an active presensce on Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest to reach people under 30. Use LinkedIn to reach those with higher education and income levels.
  • In Russia, you’ll reach people who are young, global-minded, and have money with Facebook, while those 25-35 use Odnoklassniki.
  • In Spain, college students and recent grads use Tuenti.
  • In the UK, those with higher incomes are on Facebook.

3 – Target customers depending on their favorite online activities

Want to engage your customers? Create marketing programs that take into account your audience’s online activities.

Tips for success:

  • In India, capture the attention of Facebook users with games, apps, and photos.
  • In Russia, create and share movies on V Kontakte.
  • In Sweden, engage guys with games and women with an entertaining blog.
  • In Brazil, create a video campaign

4 – Boost sales with promotions

Based on the growth of LivingSocial and Groupon, it’s easy to see that people like a discount in the US. Around the world, it’s pretty similar, so if you want to engage your audience, boost brand awareness, and increase sales, offer promotions online.

Tips for success:

  • In Brazil, offer special discounts on social media.
  • In Ireland, offer promotions to encourage word-of-mouth marketing, as 74% of people talk about a brand thanks to a promotion.
  • In Australia, special discounts or coupons will help spur purchasing decisions.

***

Is your company global? How do your overseas customers differ from those at home?

Image courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

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How to Use Psychology to Boost Sales, Part 2

January 30th, 2013 ::
This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Using Psychology to Boost Sales

psychologyIf, like me, you didn’t major in psychology, then we’re in the same boat: running a small business and doing our best to understand our customers and prospects.

I always thought I should have taken at least one psych course, so I got super excited when I saw an infographic on the SocialFresh blog called “10 Ways to Convert More Customers Using Psychology.” No need to take a course, just read an infographic!

In the first blog post in this two-part series, I detailed the first 5 ways to turn a no (the problem) into a yes (the solution). Here are 5 more ways to do so:

Problem: Customers hate waiting

Solution: Provide instant gratification by pointing out how your product or service will solve their problems quickly

Example: Fast shipping, quick turnaround times, very short learning curve

Problem: Distinguishing yourself from competitors

Solution: Instead of slamming the competition, label your customers (see my previous blog post)

Example: Because you’re a Mac person, you’ll love my product; If you want to travel the world, my photography class is perfect for you

Problem: Unclear company values

Solution: People love brands who share the same values as them, so clearly state your values and weave it into your messaging.

Example: Donating a portion of every sale to a specific charity; only selling products made from sustainable or recycled materials

Problem: Customer is not completely confident in decision

Solution: Play the devil’s advocate and lay their concerns to rest with stats, information, examples, and case studies.

Example: “93% of our business is due to referrals from happy customers.”

Problem: Customers get bored

Solution: Surprise your customers when they least expect it.

Example: Handwritten thank-you note, box of samples, free product or service.

What have you learned about customer behavior over the years?

Image courtesy of psy.ed.ac.uk

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How to Use Psychology to Boost Sales, Part 1

January 28th, 2013 ::
This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Using Psychology to Boost Sales

psychologyI majored in business administration, and looking back, it amazes me that at least one psychology class wasn’t a required course for business majors – especially those of us focusing on marketing. So much of marketing and sales is based on what people respond to – which of course has its roots in psychology.

So I was delighted to stumble across a great infographic on the SocialFresh blog called “10 Ways to Convert More Customers Using Psychology.” If you have a chance to check it out, do, but if you don’t, you can rest easy knowing I did the work for you.

Here are the first 5 ways to turn a no (the problem) into a yes (the solution):

Problem: Action paralysis, in which we avoid making a decision for no good reason

Solution: Set minimums that are easy to attain.

Example: Purchase 2, get 1 free; First month free

Problem: Not feeling special; just feeling like a number

Solution: Label your customers so they feel like part of a special group.

Example: VIP; platinum, gold, silver levels

Problem: Convincing tightwads to open their wallets

Solution: Since tightwads (yes, that is an actual psychology-based term) make up 24% of buyers, you need to appeal to them by reframing the value of your product or service.

Example: Bundle products for a better price, reframe value ($2 per week instead of $110/year), roll fees into the price

Problem: Not admitting to fault

Solution: Because buyers trust companies who admit a problem is their fault, take the blame, even if it’s not your fault (really!).

Example: If a product is not available temporarily because shipment from a vendor is delayed due to a manufacturing problem, apologize and explain what you’re doing to fix the situation.

Problem: Incomplete calls-to-action (CTA)

Solution: Sales messages that convey urgency and scarcity work, but only if buyers are told how to make the purchase.

Example: Add a phone number, email address, or link to a landing page in your CTAs.

Look for my next blog post, in which I share the final 5 ways to turn no’s into yes’s.

What are your favorite tricks and tips to boost sales?

Image courtesy of psy.ed.ac.uk

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Posted in Marketing | 1 Comment »

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