Blogging Tip: Do you have a monthly or quarterly newsletter?

Blogging Tip: Do you have a monthly or quarterly newsletter? Put it on your blog. It’s easy to maintain, and you’re not trying to come up with more content. Work smarter, not harder.

Blogging Tip: Post at consistent intervals

Blogging Tip: Post at consistent intervals. We used to blog every Monday, now it is usually Tuesday. There is no set rule, determine what frequency & time works best for both you and for your audience, implement a schedule and stick with it.

Top persuasive words in advertising:

Top persuasive words in advertising:
• Suddenly
• New
• Announcing
• Introducing
• Improvement
• Amazing
• Sensational
• Remarkable
• Revolutionary
• Startling
• Miracle
• Magic
• Offer
• Quick
• Challenge
• Wanted
Are you using these terms in marketing strategy?

Can print and social media work together?

The common question: Can print and social media work together? Yes! Print your Facebook, Twitter and Blog on your invoices, business cards, notepads etc… then just watch your following grow.

My opinions of the social media marketing mind-set

I had been adding my own opinions of the mind-set behind what should be implemented in your social media marketing strategy. Here are my points. This is my opinion and the strategy has worked for me for the past 2.5 years of my social media strategy. I hope you find it helpful.

• A key strategy for your social media campaign is to make your prospects and followers feel part of the “group.” This is human nature; nothing feels better than being a member of the “group.” Studies have shown that the key reason people connect on various social media platforms is to have a sense of “belonging.” They want the feeling of being part of an important and valuable group.
Remember when you were in high school and all you wanted to do was belong, be accepted, be acknowledged and appreciated, that is what social media gives many people. When you focus your social media strategy on your target audience, your approach should stay simple. Include your audience in your communications, invite them to be a part of the discussion, ask them to share their knowledge and opinions and respond to their participation. This will make them feel that they are considered important and they will want to not only be a member of the group but they will be excited about being a contributing member of the group. Thanks to social media, businesses can now be that “group” that many want to be a part of.

• Now that we have acknowledged and began to pay attention to our patrons of our social media community we now need APPROVAL. Gaining and giving approval is a vital ingredient when you interact with your current and potential clientele. Many consumers and businesses don’t fully understand what to do on social media or how they should engage one another. If you convey approval of what your customers have to say, they will come to realize that there is value in their participation and you will see that your relationship will begin to flourish!

• We all hate feeling unappreciated. Social Media is an outlet for most to have a chance to be appreciated. Fan pages are well-known for receiving and giving appreciation to those deserving of it. When communicating to your clientele it is a smart move to show appreciation for their patronage and to express appreciation for your potential clients. Remember to pay close attention to what is important to them and try to help them find a solution to their problems or say thank you for their kind words.

• Assurance is another vital key in the psyche of social media engagement. We all know the importance of having assurance during a face to face conversation; it is just as important in the electronic world. It is not a secret that folks want to know they are saying and doing the correct things on social media. We all want to be reassured that our communication efforts are accurate and appropriate. This is critical when implementing your social media marketing strategy. You should be creating an atmosphere that gives people the feeling that when conducting business with you that they are lucky because you will be there for them in any format they need.

• Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame. Now with YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and various other platforms, 15 minutes can turn into an eternity. Who doesn’t want to see their name in lights? Those in protective custody, probably not, but the average person wants to be noticed. It is important to give praise to your potential and current clientele. Through your communications, be sure to highlight your followers in discussions with other people and pass on their words to others as you respond to them. This is just one more way to show that you value your audience. Acknowledging your client is free, the feeling they get that the whole world knows you appreciate them… PRICELESS!

This is just my take on one of the many behind the scenes “tips” that I have found helpful when implementing my social media plan. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m open for a good discussion!

Recession Got You in a Pickle?

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I was driving from Jacksonville, Fla., to Pensacola, Fla., and I noticed there were a ton of empty billboards. I could remember years ago seeing billboard after billboard full of ads, and now they are empty or have vanished. Where did they go?

Once I arrived at my destination, home, I ,of course, logged on to Facebook.  The next thing I thought was there were all my billboards.  Facebook has its own billboards known as Facebook ads. Times have changed and for the better. Marketing now is much more affordable. Instead of waiting for someone to drive by, and hopefully, see your billboard that costs you $15,000 a month, they go to the internet, put in a great keyword, and there it is. Now don’t get me wrong. A few billboards, like the ones in Time Square, are useful to a point, but if you don’t have massive amounts of cash to fork over, than the point is mute. Another point is Time Square is probably one of the places this can possibly happen, even the billboards that are mobile, i.e. buses and vans with constant changing signs, are basically useless and a waste of money.

First of all, these means of advertising could one, not catch folks attention because they are busy driving. Another point is how many folks will pass your billboard before they see it, much less be interested?

Billboards are all over the internet, and they show up based on what you search.  How great is that? Another form of billboards are social networking sites.  This brings me to what I have been seeing in the news.

I was watching Charles Gibson on the nightly news, and there it was again.  One more way social media is a must in today’s economic survival.  Businesses are tweeting about their holiday sales, and hospitals are making videos to create awareness of breast cancer.  Social media has taken over large and far, therefore, it is not business as usual.

If you plan on surviving in today’s world of business, take in account that you must use social media in various lights.  Social media is not only a great marketing tool but a powerful public relations tool.  Best Buy uses Twitter to answer complaints, and now their customer satisfaction has increased significantly.

When looking at this year’s marketing budget and marketing plan, this is an area that needs to be pondered and strategically considered.

To learn more about how Social Media can drive your business to new heights, go to http://budurl.com/smp4you