Blog posts which are like buses!
Posted by saritacriley at 2:45 pm, April 26th 2009.
Nothing for ages - then two come at once!
One thing I often come across with new clients that DO market, is haphazard marketing. What I mean by this is marketing which is not measured. You know, the kind you do because you always have, or you've got a great relationship with the advertising sales person (no offense to advertising reps), or the type you do because it sounded like a good idea at the time.
Especially guilty is the advertising for brand building. Many small advertisers are under the illusion that they cannot measure this and therefore just allow the budget to slide.
Not if you're a client of mine. We put measurement at the core of any program - because its important you know what is working and what is not. Sometimes, (thankfully not often) I'll recommend something that doesn't yield its target ROI - but my client and I know it and we change the mix, message or offer immediately, continuously improving.
After a busy spring.....
Posted by saritacriley at 2:18 pm, April 26th 2009.
I was reminded I'd not posted a while. So, for those that wondered, indeed I'm still alive - and the team is busy, busy, busy! It's a somber post though, for which I apologize upfront, but it reflects the mood that we have felt out there with new prospective clients we've met who are desperate for help and feeling the bite of the economy. For many businesses, they're marketing for the first time, others are looking to new markets to compensate for slower times in their established channels.
Those that have suffered the most seem to be commercial real estate brokers, architects and commercial & residential construction businesses.These organizations depend heavily on the availabiltiy of credit which has all but dried up. It is certain not all businesses in these industries will survive - but those that do are preparing to face a future with a different business model, new markets and more diversification in their revenue streams. We have a number of new clients we're helping caught up in this in these industries and wish the best to every other small business owner feeling the pinch.
I'd also like to remind all readers and visitors about the value of every dollar you have - and encourage you to buy local and support your locally owned enterprises.
Soapbox is officially put away!
About effective blogging
Posted by saritacriley at 8:37 am, February 27th 2009.
If you have a website (and who doesn't these days) you may also have a blog. The question for small-business owners is how to make blogging & twittering worth your time.
Many big companies blogs - but the most succesful blogs get read. To get read, it must be engaging. Common mistakes are to have content which is full of pseudo advertisements - not too engaging.
Instead of outright promoting your company on your blog, write about interesting subjects (doesn't necessarily have to be about your business - just interesting topics) in your own voice, it will actually get read—and that's what actually is effective in promoting you.
Keep your site up to date...
Posted by saritacriley at 11:30 am, February 24th 2009.
As my clients are almost exclusively small businesses, I am increasingly recommending a strong e marketing strategy. Most of my clients have a website of some type, however rarely are they optimized and sadly, often they are out of date. The days for a static website (one which you set up and leave) are over. Effective sites are refreshed with new content and elements which provide value for readers.
Currency and Relevancy
Posted by saritacriley at 3:57 pm, February 18th 2009.
Many days I run into business owners worrying over how they’re going to get the next job or client. For most of them, the obvious answer seems to be “I need to do more marketing”. This may be true - but it is definately worth making sure all your marketing is in sync before spending dollars on advertising.
An architect was inquiring as to how we can help bring more leads into his business. A few key points I immediately had uncovered were:
-
They currently book 1 job every 3 months. They’d like to increase to 3 jobs.
-
Business has switched from speculative builds to remodels as the economic slow down has hit.
-
Most of their business comes from referrals and the only advertising they have done for the business is a spread in a trade magazine.
I immediately asked to take a look at his marketing collateral. Both his brochure and website were dreadfully out of date. The site had not been updated for 3 years and showed off wonderful speculative build properties the architect has designed - but for which the market has dried up completely.
This businesses needs a brand and message to stand behind whichis relevant to today’s market before they spend any more money driving people to an out of date site.
So the message that will never be out of date is one to keep your proposition up to date! Written in Feb 2009 ;-)
Consistency is King for Brand Impact
Posted by saritacriley at 3:19 pm, February 18th 2009.
Do your letterhead, print collateral, business cards, and website look consistent across the board? Is your tone of voice uniform?
When it comes to getting your name and brand out there, consistency is king. Our Marketing Consultants have proven repeatedly that we are your experts when it comes to branding business online and offline. Our designers have an eye and knack for colors, fonts, graphics, and all of the small details that demand the attention of prospects. When you are considering a brand for yourself, consider the following key areas:
What theme and colors are you aiming for?
Who is your target audience?
What types of graphics are appealing to them?
Once colors, themes, logos, etc are decided on, keep them consistent on all materials.
Colors are more important than meets the eye. They appeal to the senses, not just visually, but also invoke feeling. Branding business online and offline will ensure that where ever anyone sees your name, it will be reinforced when they see it again, and that helps build a feeling of trust.
Determining your target audience is also an important step in branding yourself. Your target audience most likely has many choices and will research your competition before they decide to give you a chance. You only have one chance to give a positive first impression of yourself and through properly branding business online and offline; you can win your first battle.
You'll want to utilize color schemes, graphics, artwork, and fonts that would appeal to your target audience and holds their interest. If you own a fishing supply store, appeal to fishermen. If you own a purse store, appeal to the women who would most likely enjoy your purses.
Consistency branding business online and offline will give your business a professional personality. Business cards, stationary, letterhead, online and offline marketing materials, websites, and every other piece of material needs to have a consistent look and feel to appear professional and will in return offer the potential customer some trust. Visualize all the major corporations you can think of. Branding is something they have all become experts on. How recognizable is the Nike logo? It’s very simple but unmistakably theirs. Their name no longer even needs to be written for anyone to know what is being shown.
Branding is a vital component of your business’ success. Our team is available for brand creation, brand makeover, or just revitalization, along with a full arsenal of progressive marketing techniques. To learn more about building your brand with us, call us at 503 560 3550.
Please subscribe to our feed for more useful tips and visit often to learn more.
Posts
Archives
|
RSS