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I have enough friends… go make me money!

September 13, 2011

Tags: facebook, Social Media, Strategy, Twitter
Categories: Social Media, Social Networking, Strategy

Hands of businessmen holding money So you have followers and friends. Congratulations. But that’s only half the battle.

Now you have to engage your followers to take action and turn those 1,500 fans into 1,500 repeat customers.

Everyone says “engage,” but what does that actually mean? It means give someone a reason to act on your Facebook post.

Give them a reason to respond — usually it’s because they will get your feedback or feedback from fellow Facebook users.

Incentive goes a long way online.

Engage also means give people a reason to come back and don’t give them a reason to not come back.

Ever had a non-responsive run-of-the-mill waiter at a restaurant or bad food at a so-called great restaurant? How many times did you go back? The same is true for social media. If you give someone a great experience or at least are trying to give them an experience — heck if you even show them you’re paying attention, you’re ahead of most.

And remember, like you do with your current customers, treat your online friends or fans like actual people and not just their representation in zeros and ones — aka digital code.

While traditional coupons work, think of social media as a way to get to the forefront of your customer’s their mind and stay there.

Fast food chains don’t have to advertise to let you know they’re out there, part of why they advertise is to keep their brand and associated products, words, etc. in your head so when you get hungry you associate that feeling with their food.

Social media can work like that as well.

Just make sure you’re being yourself so your Facebook posts don’t come across as fake and contrived.

Want to Know More about Albany Marketing firm Burst Marketing?
Visit us at www.burstmarketing.net

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My phone runs my life. Get used to it.

July 5, 2011

Tags: marketing, mobile web, smartphones, Strategy
Categories: Strategy

hand-smartphone Mobile marketing trends for small businesses

If you think there are too many people surfing the web on their phones at restaurants or checking their e-mail in movie theaters now — just wait. By 2015, nearly 45 percent (yes, almost half) of all Americans will own a smartphone.

That’s an almost 50 percent jump from where we are now, according to the technology research company Gartner, making Smartphones the highest selling consumer electronic device category.

So don’t worry if you haven’t yet jumped on the bandwagon — there are many new trends businesses large and small can leverage to stand out in the mobile marketplace.

What’s old is still old. Banner advertisements have been translated from traditional websites to mobile, but the same problem exists: no one pays attention to them.

These days, web surfers are using search engines to find exactly what they are looking for and smartphone users top the list.

Instead of waiting for an ad to attract their attention, they’ll use location-based services to find local businesses and restaurants right around the corner.

If your company doesn’t appear on search engines, review websites or maps — you don’t exist!

And just as easy as it is to find a company, it is getting even easier to find reviews and offer incentives.

Yelp.com users can search and leave reviews for their favorite (and not so favorite) businesses.

Applications like Facebook Places and foursquare allow users to “check in” when they visit a business so all their friends can see where they are/were. Businesses connected to foursquare can offer coupons and other incentives to frequent visitors.

So why do you need to move on mobile? Think of life before the Internet. This is Internet at your fingertips.

Still not convinced that mobile marketing is the way of the future?

This video by Google sums it up perfectly. The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Consumers.

Want to Know More about Albany Marketing firm Burst Marketing?
Visit us at www.burstmarketing.net

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Ignore the Bad Advice

January 5, 2011

Tags: advice, marketing, Strategy
Categories: Marketing Message

Nowadays, it seems everyone is an expert in something. We all read blogs, follow those we like on Twitter, and skim Facebook for tidbits of knowledge we can take away and use to improve our lives and businesses. But when everyone is an “expert,” how do you know if you are receiving sage advice or snake oil? Here’s our take on the worst advice on the web.

The worst advice we see is thinking only of your long-term strategy (your 5 year plan, if you will). There is a fundamental flaw in this approach, and your business is bound to lose money if you follow that advice. We believe in short-term (6-18 month) strategies that create measurable results and are the basis to your long-term goals. So, what are the flaws in thinking only in the long-term?

Not testing your product. Testing is the only way to know if your product or service can live in the “real world.” Take a cue from big companies like Apple and GE – don’t skimp on R&D. Long-term strategists neglect to mention this core element of success.

Not testing your marketing plan and tactics. If you don’t test your plan and tactics, how will you know what works? If you approach your plan in the short-term mindset, you can adjust your tactics to fill needs and review the best practices for success. Long-term tactics are hard to measure and test.

Use gimmicks. Gimmicks rarely work, and most consumers are savvy enough to see through this. Many view a gimmick as a cover-up for a flaw in your product or service. Avoid gimmicks whenever possible. Long-term tactics don’t account for testing (see above), and suggest using gimmicks to fall back on to boost sales.

Be appealing to lots of people. WRONG! You might as well just dump cash in your in-sink-erator. Create a target audience with very specific demographics and psychographics, and create a “marketing GPS” to find it. This will allow you to test your message and hone in on the group most likely to benefit from your product.

We always craft our marketing campaigns to drive short-term results first. When we know what works in the 6-18 month time frame, we can create long-term strategies based on those results. Keep these tips in mind to avoid the “bad advice” pitfalls.

Want to Know More about Albany Marketing firm Burst Marketing?
Visit us at www.burstmarketing.net

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Can You Handle the Truth?

July 26, 2009

Tags: Albany marketing, decision marking, Economy, Management, Strategy
Categories: Courage, Decision Making, Management, Marketing Blueprint, Strategy

You can say what you want about this economy, but the one thing it does is reveal the truth.

The truth about where you stand.

When I conduct strategy sessions with business owners and managers – The first thing I do is guide them towards a clear, unbiased view of where they stand at the current time.

Sometimes a company comes in on a winning streak. Sometimes it’s trending down.

Regardless, it’s imperative to distinguish the difference between the fundamental strengths and weaknesses of a business – and not let them become masked by outside factors. Like the economy.

Good times can mask weaknesses and strengths. But bad times show the blemishes your business has like a fluorescent light in the bathroom at 6am. It can be a little unnerving.

But it has to be done.

Like it or not, your core weaknesses and strengths have been exposed. Ask yourself some questions. Then ask yourself why?

- Have you lost key accounts?
- Are key employees leaving or showing up at your door?
- Are you unexpectedly winning clients you never could?
- Are you losing business that used to be a slam dunk?
- Have you been able to hold the line on pricing?

Believe me, you can’t blame it all on the economy.

Figure out what’s actually in your control?

The truth is, there will be fewer competitors in just about every industry when the dust settles. In fact, I believe that firms will be bought, sold, or fold in even greater numbers when things pick up a bit.

And the nation’s long-term problems will surely dampen any recovery once one does begin.

But that doesn’t mean there ain’t money to be made.

So there you are…basking in the bright light of truth.

Can you look at it long enough to do what needs to be done?

Posted by: Steve Banis

Want to Know More about Albany Marketing firm Burst Marketing?
Visit us at www.burstmarketing.net

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My phone runs my life. Get used to it.

Ignore the Bad Advice

Can You Handle the Truth?

But it has to be done.