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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 Optimize Your Blog for Lead Generation

January 14th, 2013 ::

Blog lead generation means more salesIf you’ve been blogging for a while and you are not seeing much in the way of leads coming from your blog, it is time to optimize your blog specifically for lead generation, rather than just search engines. Here’s how:

Add calls-to-action (CTAs)

I subscribe to a lot of blogs, but rarely do I see calls-to-action that are put front-and-center on the blog.  Besides adding calls-to-action in the body of the blog post or at the very end, you can add banners to the top or side (you could do the bottom, too, but they might be less noticeable there). Work with your website’s developer or a design agency to put eye-catching banners together.

In your CTA, be direct. Tell your website visitor what to do (“Get access to a free 30 day trial”), how to do it (“Download your trial subscription here!”), and the benefit of doing it (“Start improving your blog’s reach, just as thousands of other small business owners like you have done!”).

Test to see what works

Some calls-to-action will be more popular than others, so experiment with wording, graphics, colors, placement, offers, etc. You can keep one call-to-action up for a week, then swap it out for another. Keep experimenting until you find one that gets a lot of clicks.

Update your CTA regularly

Don’t leave the same banner CTA up for months on end. After a while, repeat  visitors will started ignoring that space, making it harder to convert them. You’ll know you have had the CTA up too long when click-throughs drop off.

Customize for different audiences

Since it is likely you have more than one target market, make sure you create a CTA that grabs each target’s attention. List out their different pain points and decide what would be most useful to them – a free demo, a free product trial, a free consultation, an introductory ebook, etc.

Blog more

According to Hubspot, companies that increase blogging from 3-5x/month to 6-8x/month almost double their leads. That’s because the more fresh content you publish, the higher you will rank in search engines, making it easier for people to find you.

Does your blog generate leads? What CTA works best for you?

Image courtesy of web2.salesforcesearch.com

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Posted in Marketing | 1 Comment »

7 Top Blogging Tips From the Pros

December 26th, 2012 ::

SevenSocial Media Examiner published a list of 21 blogging tips from the pros – a list that I whittled down to my favorite 7, all of which are easy for anyone to implement:

1. Validate your ideas

To make sure people want to read about the topics you want to write about, validate your ideas. Ask your followers on Twitter if they want to read more about certain topics, survey your customers about topics, and ask yourself if anyone would pay to read what you write.

2. Use your own images and videos

When you create your own images and videos for your blog posts, you will boost your search engine optimization by adding keyword-rich captions, descriptions, and titles.

3. Give away your expertise

This is great advice: Share the expertise that people pay you for. By freely sharing your advice, you will position yourself as a thought leader and foremost expert on your topic – and you could find your phone ringing off the hook.

4. Conduct interviews

You don’t have to interview only industry experts – anyone knowledgeable who can tell good stories and share valuable information is great. You’ll get engaging content for your blog post, and, when your blog post publishes, your interviewees will share it with their community.

5. Look for guest bloggers – and guest blog yourself

Inviting guest bloggers (employees, partners, customers) to write for you will provide fresh insight and ideas for your readers. Look for your own guest blogging opportunities to not only get your name out there, but draw new readers to your own blog.

6. Think like a journalist

I love this tip: Treat your subject as if you were a reporter. Listen to what other people are saying about your industry, and create content around it. This type of content is more likely to be repurposed and reused across media.

7. Be yourself

One of my friends writes emails exactly like she talks – full of energy and humor, even when she’s complaining. If you asked me to identify her email from a lineup, I could do it blindfolded. Well, not blindfolded, but you know what I mean. When you write, let your personality shine through. Your readers will feel more connected to you as they get to know you, and people like to do business with people they like.

What have you done to improve your blog content and grow your readership? Share your tips below!

Image courtesy of messagenote.com

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5 Easy Ways to Shower Your Blog Readers With Attention – and Grow Your Audience

November 29th, 2012 ::

Growing plantsIf there’s one thing people have in common, it’s that we like attention. If you want to grow your blog, shower your readers with attention, just like bigger companies do via fabulous customer service (Zappos!). Here are 5 super easy tactics to try:

1. Email each subscriber

While your blog is small and growing, take the time to email each new subscriber personally. Each connection you make is small in and of itself, but it will create a strong and robust community. Plus, the word-of-mouth potential of your blog will increase because you actually take the time to reach out to – and thank – strangers.

2. Write for your readers

I don’t mean that in a broad sense. Write blog posts specifically for each reader if your blog audience is small enough.  If you have a larger audience, write blog posts specifically for those who take the time to leave a comment. Doing so will ensure your blog posts are shared– a great way to grow your own audience!

3. Publish the occasional video or podcast

As you build a community of readers, let them hear and/or see the person behind the blog. People are visual, after all, and it’s always nice to put a voice and face with the name.  I think this is one reason Gary Vaynerchuk’s original wine blog was so successful – it was always a video (and entertaining to boot).

4. Get together with your readers

When you travel, announce it on your blog and ask to meet up with your subscriber (or subscribers) in that area. Buy them coffee or lunch. Not only will they continue to talk about it years later, but you’ll very likely grow your own personal network of friends.

5. Ask your readers to guest blog

If any of your readers have their own blog – or leave particularly thoughtful comments – ask them to guest blog for you on a specific topic they have experience in and that is related to what you write about. Win-win for both of you – fresh content for you, new audience for them!

What other personalized tactics have you used to grow your own blog?

Image courtesy of photo-dictionary.com

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Posted in Marketing | 1 Comment »

8 Blogging Tools the Pros Love

October 18th, 2012 ::

HeartIf you’d like to take your blog to the next level, here are 8 tools the pros love – including some of my favorites!

WordPress

This is the blogging platform of choice – it’s certainly my favorite! WordPress templates are free and fully customizable.  The content management system is very easy to use, and there are numerous plug-ins available (to improve SEO, add social media buttons, etc.)

Content Idea Generator

Created by SEO Gadget, this tool is actually a Google Doc.  Simply enter keywords into one column, and it will automatically find news and related stories from online sources as varied as Google News and Facebook.

Diigo

I could definitely use this, as it lets you store interesting articles – and add notes – for reference later when you’re ready to write your blog posts.

Optin Skin

This plug-in lets you add an opt-in for your email list or special offer to the bottom of your blog posts.  It provides analytics so you can see which blog posts are generating most opt-ins.

Google Images

This is the tool I use for finding images for my blog posts, though some people use Flickr and Instagram.  Remember to always attribute your image or photo to the source!

PopSurvey

If you want to better understand your audience and what kind of content they are looking for, PopSurvey lets you embed a survey right into your blog post.  Much more engaging than a link!

Storify

This is one of the coolest tools out there, in my humble opinion.  Storify lets you curate articles and opinions on any topic across social media, thus allowing you to add an extra dimension to your blog post in the form of a tweet or YouTube.

Trello

I love Basecamp.  I think it’s the best project collaboration tool out there, but if you want a free alternative to manage your blog team (employees, colleagues, guest bloggers), Trello is easy to use.  Of course, this is applicable to any small business that collaborates with others remotely, whether you’re blogging or not.

What other blogging tools do you use – and love?

Image courtesy of keepingyouwell.com

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Posted in Marketing, Small Business, small business, Social Media, social media | No Comments »

6 Tips for Creating a Successful Blog

October 10th, 2012 ::

BloggingSo, you’ve decided to finally start a blog – awesome! And congratulations! Blogging is fun, but it’s also a lot of work.  To make sure your hard work actually pays off, follow these 6 tips to ensure your blog is set up properly and ready to hit the big time:

1. Choose a niche subject

Do your research first to choose a subject that you are not only comfortable writing about on a regular basis, but that also has little or no competition online from other blogs.  A Google search will help with this. I recently did it for one of my own clients (a CPA), and confirmed that no one else is writing about her area of expertise.

2. Use a Web designer and developer

Unless you are one of the above or highly technical by nature, don’t try to put together your own blog or it could look unprofessional – or not function properly.  The investment in a professional will be worthwhile.  I have learned this the hard way.

3. Optimize your site

Turn to an SEO expert to ensure your site is thoroughly optimized for search.  In the meantime, do keyword research on Google to find the keywords and phrases most often searched for – and use them in the title and body of your posts.

4. Write engaging posts

Easier said than done, yes, but in general, an engaging post is:

  • short – 300 words
  • visual – include an image or video to emphasize your point
  • easy to read – write the way you talk
  • actionable – give your readers a specific tip on how to do something better
  • humorous – people like to be entertained

5. Publish several posts before launching

Once you launch and publicize your blog, people will skim your posts and scroll through several of them to get a good idea of what you write about.  Be sure you publish at least five, preferably more, posts to give potential readers a really good idea of what they can expect from your blog.

6. Categorize and tag your posts

You want your readers to easily find previous posts, and the best way to do so is to categorize them based on topic and tag them based on subjects covered.  So a post on the topic of “Facebook “could include the tags of “photos, videos, engagement, contests,” etc.  You get the idea!

Good luck!

Any other tips you’d like to share around setting up a blog?

Image courtesy of blog.hubspot.com

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Posted in Marketing | 2 Comments »

How to Move From Blogger to Book Author

August 20th, 2012 ::

Books

If you blog regularly on one or two topics, chances are you have created enough material for a book – I sure have!  Organizing all of those blog posts into a book or three is a great way to easily move from online author to book author.  Here’s how to make that transition go even more smoothly:

Research topic marketability

If you already have a popular blog, then you know that the topics you write about have an audience, and, therefore, that a book on those topics will also have an audience.

If, however, your blog is still growing its audience, research the popularity of your topics based on the viability of other blogs and books.  Find a niche with little or no competition, and fill it.

Organize posts by subject

This is a bottom-up approach, in which you organize your already-published blog posts into a book.

Instead of writing your blog posts directly into WordPress, Blogger or Typepad, write them first in a Word document and save them in files organized by subject.  You can even break your files down into smaller files that are more focused.  For example, in your Social Media folder, you can have sub-folders on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn.  You can then create chapters or separate books from each sub-folder.

Write posts chapter by chapter

This is a top-down approach, in which you outline a book and then write blog posts to fill that book.  Break each chapter down into several 300-500 word blog posts, compiling each post into a Word document as you go.

As you write, be sure to use keywords or phrases that are searchable in both the header and body of the blog post, and publicize your blog posts via social media and even in your email signature.  You can also turn chapters into series to attract and keep readers – for example, start with a series of 5 posts on Facebook, then move to a series of 4 posts on Twitter, and so on.

Add new content

Once you have your book’s first draft compiled, add new content to spur sales and attract readers.  You’ll also want to add content that bridge gaps and provides a smooth transition between the points you are making within a chapter and from one chapter to the next.  This will ensure your book flows and reads well.

Now that you have a book ready to go, you can either self-publish it (I like lulu.com) or look for a publishing house.  If your blog is popular, with lots of unique visitors and page views, an established publisher might already know about you.  If not, go ahead and self-publish and join the ranks of published authors.

Image courtesy of janemount.com

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How to Increase Sales With Your Blog

August 7th, 2012 ::

money

While blogs are often used to share industry or company information, build credibility, and create a community, they aren’t often thought of as a sales tool, when, in fact, they are a great way to generate leads and increase sales. Marcus Sheridan recently shared 4 clever ideas for using your blog as a sales tool in a fantastic article on Social Media Examiner.  Here are the takeaways from that article:

Success Stories

When you blog about your successful projects with clients or within your own business, don’t just toot your own horn. Share the important lessons you learned or tips on products, services, or trade secrets you used to achieve success.  By doing so, you will demonstrate your expertise in two ways – and inspire others to work with you.

Video

Yes, a video is a great way to engage your audience and share information – and you know why?  Because people like to interact with other people, and video is the best way to do that virtually.  A short video in your blog is an effective way for your potential customers to get to know you and for you to build trust with them.

Call to Action

If a major change occurs within your industry – for example, a new law or regulation or revolutionary product – don’t just blog about it; offer to help your customers learn more about that impending change and successfully integrate it into their business operations.  You could offer a free consultation, webinar, or new service or product with a temporary discount.

Comparisons

People love to comparison shop, whether it’s for a car, an airline ticket or a plumber.  Take advantage of that natural tendency by writing blog posts that compare your product or service to others’.  When someone types in a search term comparing the two, your blog post should pop up in the search results.

Have you successfully used your blog to sell your product or service?  What works best for you?  Share your story below!

Image courtesy of ScientificAmerican.com

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5 Ways to Build Thought Leadership With Your Blog

July 16th, 2012 ::

Thinking

Would you rather learn how to play soccer from David Beckham, or your 5-year-old’s soccer coach (who is actually an attorney)?

Would you rather learn how to cook from Jacques Pepin, or your 19-year-old cousin who just got a job at the local burger joint?

I could go on, but you get my point.

When you think of an expert, you think of someone who is ridiculously knowledgeable on a certain subject, someone whose depth of expertise is nearly unparalleled.  Building expertise on a subject via your blog takes time, but it is worth the effort.  Here’s how to get started:

1. Pull in experts

Instead of asking well-known bloggers or experts in your field to write a guest post (which probably won’t work unless you already have a relationship with them), look them up on Twitter and ask them for top tips or advice around a specific subject via a tweet.  Compile their answers into a blog post, complete with links back to their blogs or websites.  Chances are, they’ll share your blog post, which will boost your blog readership and your audience on social media.  Win-win!

2. Share insider information

The most valuable pieces of information you can share are the little tricks of the trade you have picked up during your career.  It could be an industry-wide best practice, little-known secret, or something you’ve developed yourself.  The more generous you are with your knowledge, the more knowledgeable you will appear.

3. Give detailed instructions

While it may be easier and faster to just give a high-level overview of how to do something, resist the temptation and dig deep.  Give super-detailed, step-by-step instructions – include screen shots, photos, or links to other sites – that will walk your readers through the process.

4. Publish case studies

Showing is always better than telling.  Turn your insider information into a case study by explaining how you have successfully used those tricks of the trade for your company and clients.  Be sure to include concrete results (for example, “sales increased by 25 percent”).

5. Be active in your industry

This actually goes beyond your blog, but by actively participating in your industry, you will gain visibility. There are several ways to do this:

  • Comment on other bloggers’ posts in your industry
  • Follow other bloggers and companies on social media – and interact with them
  • Guest blog for other bloggers
  • Curate social media content in blog posts
  • Conduct surveys and research and publish the results

***

What have you done to build thought leadership on your blog?  Share your ideas in the comments below!

Image courtesy of amnh.org

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