About.com Marketing

Don't Be the Next Viral Marketing Casualty

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:03:35 +0000

Viral marketing is a fantastic thing when it works and works in your favor. It's free, it's effective and it gets results. There are millions all over the world that share their passion about companies, products and services. They also share their viewpoints and opinions rather openly.

When viral marketing works, it really works. It has the ability to propel a company to the next level and create awareness nearly overnight about a brand. Oh, and wait - all of this -- well, it's free.

Many of us in the marketing field know that when we have others that tell our story it drives action in consumers. One person tells another and then that person tells another, and on and on it goes.

Did you know that viral marketing can also be the death of your business? I'd love to just talk about the fluff of viral marketing, but we must face reality the same viral marketing that has the ability to drive you to success has the same capabilities of driving you to the ground. A prime example of this is reflected when it comes to the marketing of movies in the box offices; Depending on what's said a movie can soar or die on opening day.

Can you hear your consumers talking? They are. They are talking about you. They are talking about your brands. They are talking about your products. �Will you be the next viral marketing casualty or success?

Don't Be the Next Viral Marketing Casualty originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 20:03:35.

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Are You Interacting or Interrupting Potential Customers?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:06:57 +0000

Marketing is changing and if you are stuck in the old patterns of marketing you may be taking your business down a destructive path. Consumers want more engagement and interaction from those that they buy from. Our consumers have faced an overstimulation of marketing messages over the last several years and now in order to get their attention you must do something different.

Consumer are getting smarter and making choices. We are no longer telling them what to buy, they are listening to other consumers and paying attention to word-of-mouth marketing now more than ever.

As consumers we like to buy from people that others recommend. We like to purchase our products and services from people we feel we have a relationship with.

I can see some of you shaking your head and wondering if what I am telling you is true. I understand, but I think you can answer that on your own without any research statistics. All you have to do is think of your own lifestyle and those around you for a moment and your own buying behaviors.

How are you doing when it comes to reaching your potential customers? Are you interacting with them or interrupting them?

Learn why it's now more important than ever to interact with potential customers in order to gain their business.

Are You Interacting or Interrupting Potential Customers? originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 22:06:57.

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Protect Your Brand From Employee Sabotage With A Social Media Policy

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:19:22 +0000

I'm going to ask that you allow me to step up on my soapbox for a minute this week. When I hear of companies that have suffered from brand sabotage at the hand of an employee or employees it infuriates me. I suppose it's because I've been an entreprenuer most of my career and in that career I have worked hard to help companies establish and build their brands. It's a bit hard to swallow when an employee's video posted on YouTube has the ability to shake a 50 year old brand like Dominos.

The great thing about social media is it's transparency and that transparency works well when working to market your brand. Transparency is what consumers crave. They want to like you before buying from you. It's about connection and engagement. The bad thing about social media is that same transparency. Social media transparency has the ability to throw your company in crisis and recovery mode because of an employee's actions.

In today's world of social media It only takes a YouTube video, a Facebook status update, or a misguided Tweet to throw a company into crisis mode. This truth has created fear in the core of companies. They are afraid to delve into social media marketing because what if an employee says the wrong thing or a customer complains? Their biggest fear is that of their own employees. They cringe at the thought of what their employees are posting on facebook or what photos they are posting on Myspace. Why do you think most human resource departments Google candidates before calling them in for an interview or handing them an official job offer?

You can't stop individuals from participating in social media and truth is you don't want to. Social media is a viable marketing tool that is growing daily. The more you participate the more you can be aware of what's being said about your brand. However, with that being said it's also important to create guidelines and a code of ethics for your employees to follow. They are your brand ambassadors everyday 24/7. �Do they understand that? � They need to and hopefully they have just as much passion for your brand as you do. A social media policy will help them understand what's expected of them and what you tolerate or don't tolerate in the social media realm.

A good social media policy will be a win-win for both you and your employees. You will know that you are successful in creating your policy if the final draft allows employees the opportunity to be themselves online, but yet at the same time protects your brand.

Do yourself a favor and don't put off creating a social media policy even though it's daunting, you don't want your brand to be the victim of the next public relations disaster. Social media disasters caused by networking sites and employees of companies is happening too often.Learn how to create a social media policy that will protect your company's brand and offer guidelines to your employees.

Protect Your Brand From Employee Sabotage With A Social Media Policy originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 01:19:22.

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Integration of Social Media and Search Engines = Marketing Powerhouse

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:45:01 +0000

Your use of Twitter and Facebook in marketing just became more important. Deals with major search engines like Google and Bing have just been inked. If there was a ever a time to start paying attention it's now.

What does this mean for you and your business? It means that Twitter and Facebook, as well as other social media networking sites will be be reflected in real-time search.

The good news is that your tweets and status updates will be seen by millions search daily if you are embracing social media. The bad news is if you haven't and your competitors have - well they may just be found before you. I must admit it is exciting to know that now tweets can be tied into trending topics and breaking news. Our use of social media has just exponentially increased our reach to customers.

Real-time search can help us in staying tuned into conversation at any moment and it also allows us to participate and engage in areas of our expertise as events happen using social media through the vehicle of search engines. If you haven't yet started creating your social media strategy because you never saw the potential, perhaps this news will change your thinking in that regard.

Yesterday Bing and Google made announcements that shook the social media marketing realm.

How will it work?

Bing announced that they will integrate Facebook status updates and Twitter tweets into search results. The goal is that this integration will populate the search engine with real-time results to search queries and jumpstart us into the next-level information gathering on the Internet.

All social media networking sites were buzzing with the news and then Google executive Marissa Meyer took the stage at Web 2.0 Summit and announced Google's intentions to blend a user's social networks, and the relevant links from them, into search results via Google Social Search.

These are exciting times and if you have not started to embrace the realm of social media marketing, it's probably a good time to get started. And I'm here to help. Get a jump start in social media marketing by exploring the following:

Integration of Social Media and Search Engines = Marketing Powerhouse originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 16:45:01.

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Understanding the Media Buying Process Step-by-Step

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:04:26 +0000

I love good news and I have a little to share with you today. Advertising Age is reporting a possible blue sky on the economic horizon. This blue sky has been long awaited by many of us in the advertising and marketing world.

I'm not saying we are out of the woods, but optimism is bound to be fueled after the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit the 10,000 mark last week. If you listen carefully, I'm sure in the background you can hear the faint sigh of relief from an industry that I love - marketing.

A new report is out by ZenithOptimedia that states that we should see global ad spending increase by .05% in 2010. While .05% seems like such a dismal number after such a pathetic year in ad spending and cost cutting, it doesn't take much to get us to breathe out a sigh of relief; it's like a drink of water in a drought.

As I proceed with cautious optimism, I felt the need to write on media buying and how to be effective when placing media buys. I know many companies have let go of their marketing teams, even though I advised against it. I also know that there are small businesses that are looking to do more on their own and, while I won't say that this media buying guideline article will replace an experienced media buying professional, it will at least give you the necessary information that you need to know.

Media buying takes knowledge, attention to detail, negotiating power and a calculating mind. It's something that I love to do and I think as you look at the steps involved, you will see why. My goal in creating this step-by-step media buying guide is to equip you with what you need to know and give you the confidence to start buying media to promote your business.

Understanding the Media Buying Process Step-by-Step originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 at 20:04:26.

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Miley Don't Be a Quitter - Five Things You Should Consider When it Comes to Twitter

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:43:56 +0000

It's breaking news this morning and has been on every news show - Miley has quit Twittering. �Her reasoning is she wants some things to remain private - so I just want to point out a few things to you famous celebrity types:

Just because you don't Twitter - doesn't mean others won't Twitter about you - so, either jump in and participate, embrace the negative when necessary or just pretend it doesn't exist.
You decide what to post. We all have the ability to control what we post and what we talk about - at least if we are there and paying attention we can jump in when necessary, even if it's only to correct some misinformation that's being disseminated.
Twitter for your fans, not for the press. Interact and engage - this will create loyal fans that will believe you over the press any day.
Fame has a price - that's nothing new. Along with the good come the annoyances. I hate to say it but it's the profession you chose, just like fireman chose to run into fires everyday - your fire is just that of a different kind. So just like you deal with paparazzi following you wherever you go, understand that social mediums are here to stay - and it's all part of the price of being famous, baby.
Social media is about engaging, embracing the negative when necessary and creating a transparency that other forms of media do not provide. This creates a connection. This is true whether you are famous or not. The connection can be with a brand, with a celebrity or with just another person you interact with daily.

Twitter can be a great marketing and public relations tool, but when it's all said and done it's a social tool that allows us to interact and find those that are interested in what we have to offer - product, service, celebrity or just ourselves.

Miley Don't Be a Quitter - Five Things You Should Consider When it Comes to Twitter originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 11:43:56.

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Niche Marketing Means Succeeding in Small Business Marketing

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:59:09 +0000

The secret to succeeding when it comes to small business marketing is knowing your niche. Carving out what you specialize in and leaving mass marketing to the larger companies with unlimited budgets. I've seen many small businesses make the same mistake; they run out compete with larger companies and end up failing because they become an expert in many things but a master to none. This doesn't work.

Carving out your niche and specialty gives you the upper hand to compete with all of the companies out there that are representing themselves as experts, but yet lack mastering one area or another. I've seen this fact true in my own business, as well as those that I represent.

Need proof? I don't blame you - I'm a skeptic, too.

Consider that you have found out you have an abnormality with your heart. Your general physician has given you the diagnoses, but refers you to a cardiologist for recommendations and treatment. You don't even hesitate to go to the cardiologist; after all, they are an expert in their field. Their expertise has already gained your trust and increased your comfort factor with regard to seeing them.

Do you see how this is true with small businesses as well?

Mastering a niche and allocating your marketing budget within the niche you have identified actually increases your power and gains better results with your marketing.

When you try to be everything to everyone you lose your power in creating a message that is dynamic and effective in converting potential consumers into loyal customers.

Do you need help in identifying your niche market? Are you struggling with who your niche market is? If you answered "yes," there are qualifying questions that will help you in identifying and defining your niche market.

Niche Marketing Means Succeeding in Small Business Marketing originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at 21:59:09.

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Manage and Monitor Your Online Reputation

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:21:10 +0000

Last week I attended a social media panel here in Kansas City. Most of the interest and questions surrounded the topic of brand and how to protect it. How do you protect your brand when it comes to social media? That's a great question and one that Starbucks and Dominos wish they would have asked months ago.

Recently Starbucks and Dominos were both victims of brand sabotage and quickly learned hard lessons about the rate of speed with which a message can spread through social media. Just this last week, Starbucks was notified by a well-known blogger that their Miami location was posting inappropriate photos of their customers on Flickr. Months before that, Dominos had the most popular video on YouTube, but what was in that video was a detriment to a brand they've been creating for the last 50 years. Dominos had the video removed and I'm sure Starbucks is in the process of having the photos removed, but what damage was done in the interim?

If you only get one thing out of this article it should be this - whether you are participating in social media as a part of your marketing strategy or not - you are playing. Your brand in some way or another, is being represented, either by you as a company, by your customers or by your employees. Wouldn't you like to be aware of what's being said? If not, let me caution you - sticking your head in the sand will only hurt you, not help you.

After the panel last week, I put together a list of steps on managing your brand online, as well as tools you can use to monitor what is being said about you, your products or services and your company. Take some time today to learn how to manage and monitor your online reputation. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to social media, just ask Starbucks and Dominos.

Manage and Monitor Your Online Reputation originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 10:21:10.

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Marketing, Advertising, Sales - Who Does What?

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:04:48 +0000

It's so easy for the confusion to begin when you start talking about advertising, marketing and sales. Truth is most individuals don't understand the difference. The good news is there is a difference and each of these components have a part to play in the success of a company. Today, I want to clear up the confusion.

I started to see the misunderstanding of these roles when I was spending time browsing and sorting through job listings. It is not uncommon for sales jobs to be listed in the marketing jobs classifications and the same was true when it came to jobs that pertained to advertising.

I'm going to say it one more time, before getting into the details - they are not the same.

Let's take a look at the defining differences:

Marketing: The systematic planning, implementation and control of a mix of business activities intended to bring together buyers and sellers for the mutually advantageous exchange or transfer of products.

Advertising: The paid, public, non-personal announcement of a persuasive message by an identified sponsor; the non-personal presentation or promotion by a firm of its products to its existing and potential customers.

Sales: The sales process is everything that you do to close the sale and get a signed agreement or contract. The sales process consists of interpersonal interaction. It is often done by a one-on-one meeting, cold calls, and networking. It's anything that engages you with the prospect or customer on a personal level rather than at a distance. Advertising and marketing lay the ground work to warm up the lead and prepare them for the close of the sale.

When you are looking to place job listings, be sure to list them in the right category and you will more than likely detour the chances of getting applicants that don't fit the requirements for the positions you are listing.

When it comes to the world of corporations and business structure look at the different roles and use them to help define how departments can work together with the other departments and the role that each department plays when supporting the others.

All three of these components are necessary when it comes to the success of a business, but having a deeper understanding of their purpose can help in organization and planning for that success.

For a greater understanding of the differences use the following resources:

Marketing vs. Advertising: What's the Difference?

Marketing vs. Sales: What's the Difference?

Marketing, Advertising, Sales - Who Does What? originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Sunday, September 27th, 2009 at 22:04:48.

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Content Marketing - Understand the Why and How

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:37:22 +0000

Are you using content to market your business?

Content is king. I know, you've heard it and if you haven't I'm afraid you've had your head in the sand and it's time to dig it out. It's true content is very important when it comes to marketing and I'm going to show you why.

I know that the majority of people hate to write and I have to be honest when we mention to clients that content is important they often look at us with a look that could kill. I understand, honest. We are all wearing different hats, we are all busy beyond belief and now I just added one more thing to you plate. I love to write, I know that's not everyone's passion - believe me I get it. However, with that being said I think when you understand the value in content you'll want to start writing immediately or at least outsource it so you can begin using content to market your business.

Content has the ability to leave a longer impression than any other type of marketing method. Do you know why?

If the content is relevant and valuable to the reader and it keeps their attention it's non-interrupted marketing. It means you have their attention, and they are listening.

Consider the last article you read that held you captive, more than likely if the content was doing its job you wanted to learn more about the writer. What company did they work for? What was their experience? Where could you find more information?

Can you think of an article that made you feel that way and think that way? If so, you were just sucked into content marketing.

Like all areas of marketing there is a strategy to effective content marketing and if you don't do it right you could fail miserable leaving consumers with a bad taste for you company in their mouth. Take a few moments and learn the�why and how of content marketing, you'll be glad you did.

Content Marketing - Understand the Why and How originally appeared on About.com Marketing on Sunday, September 20th, 2009 at 23:37:22.

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