Express Marketing Memo

Business Blogging and Focus: Are You All Over The Map?

Susan Hamilton — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:41:06 +0000

Business blogging will really benefit your company, that is – unless you forget that your blog should be addressing your reader’s needs. If your blog is working for you, you know what those needs are. Going outside those lines can take you out of an inbox very quickly!

Your readers come to expect something from you, but it’s very easy to get off-task and forget what your blog strategy was working towards. It’s not wrong to add some humorous posts or even some cynicism or thoughtful words occasionally, but keep a clear eye on your goals. A business blog isn’t a journal, but it is a casual communication starter that should encourage your readers to excel at something they wanted to know more about regarding your industry or niche.

Picking topics that talk about your product lines or best practices will help you stay on point. Teach your readers how do do something that will benefit them, and make it easy.

You can have a lot of fun sharing your blog with your storefront customers, too. Add your blog URL to your business cards and counter top media like brochures or fliers. If you create an environment through a business blog that speaks to the very reason they walked into your store, you’ve added additional sales avenues requiring very little online effort. Suggest that they leave comments and give them ways to sign up for freebies. Your targeted list of pre-screened purchasers will build up in no time.

What is your business blog about? Do you suggest your blog to clients and customers? We love to hear from you, let us know about it!

A Creative’s Controversy: Talent vs. Commodity

Susan Hamilton — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:37:30 +0000

It’s a heated debate. Are creative services, such as copywriting or graphic art, a talent or a commodity? On the one hand, business writing is a staple and can be purchased, like milk, through various locations. On the other hand, the talent behind a creative’s work must still support an income where time and talent are factors and the more developed the skill, the more valuable the time. You could look at it like a set designer or musician; the skill set is not simply learned academically, but also through mentoring and environment, as well as talent and popularity.

It doesn’t seem to matter what side I take when I post, the comments always indicate support of the other perspective. I write on the importance of a strong brand identity and the role a creative plays in helping a client develop one, and the comments will be along the lines of, “Well, I do that with VistaPrint.”

I do work with a company that has a rockin’ logo and gave $30 bucks for it.

On the other hand, I know I work with the best graphic artist around because I’ve seen him in action while he creates directly from his client’s persona and his personal genius, and he won’t design you a logo for $30 bucks. You won’t find a template of his stuff on VistaPrint, either. What he gives his clients and ours, however, is definitely what cannot be found elsewhere and is gladly paid well for.

If I write on how the importance of great communication with a client adds to a price benefit for both a client and creative because of the decreased level of revision, I get snotty comments about how copywriting is all related to talent.

So is creative work a commodity, or talent? In reality, they are both.

Talent is very important, and if you ask me, I’ll tell you it’s one of the most important factors. I realize you can learn skill in a classroom, but I also know that many who have gone to class to build a career like mine, suck at it. There are marketing departments speckled all over corporate America missing the mark big time with their campaigns, and the degree doesn’t matter – the skill, willingness to learn (flexibility), and talent all play a part in the success or failure of a thing.

But if you’re highly skilled and talented and have no discipline or connections that bring holistic solutions to your clients regarding their needs, talent alone won’t be enough to get your head above water within any industry, let alone the creative.

You may however, with little other necessary creative talent within your niche, be able to put together your own somewhat OK business card.

So where do you stand on it? Tell us about it and share it with our readers below.

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Twitter Helps Your Message Grow Wings

Shari Voigt — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:32:15 +0000

According to a new report by Exact Target, Twitter users are:

5 times more likely to post to blogs at least monthly

3 times more likely to post product reviews and post in an online forum

5 times more likely to share coupons on coupon sites

“They also are more likely to write articles for third-party sites, post videos, contribute to wiki’s and a whopping 70% are commenting on other people’s blogs.”

That would include me. As a Twitter user, I like to find interesting or educational tidbits that I can share with my readers. The statistics above are from Cynthia Boris’ article on Andy Beal’s Marketing Pilgrim, a site I follow in Google Reader. It could have just as easily come from a short post and link on Twitter. Either way, I’ll share it on Twitter and our Zero To Sixty Marketing Facebook page, and a variety of other sites. Other people do the same thing, and that’s how online content gains wings.

What does this have to do with small business marketing success? Give us something to talk about! Post your in-store specials to Twitter, offer recipes, how-to articles, tip sheets, etc. If it relates to your product or service or offers something of value, share it on Twitter, Facebook, and directly on your blog. This multiplies your message and provides more opportunity for your readers to expand your reach. Get it right, and it’s free viral promotion for your business.

Are you on Twitter? Please add your Twitter address to your comments, below, and tell us … what types of tweets are you most likely to share?

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Just Say No to the Wrong Customer!

Gerald Voigt — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:17:26 +0000

The customer is never wrong.

Well that may be true, but it doesn’t necessarily mean each customer is right, for you. Recently I was approached by a prospective client who was asking for assistance with marketing his business. I listened to him explain everything that he felt was wrong with all aspects relating to his business and its operations, mostly external. This lit the master caution light in my mind. Sure, there are those clients who just don’t start out running their businesses very well, and they struggle along the way. Some crash immediately after takeoff, yet some manage to get a little air, but no significant altitude.

We’ve all dealt, in one way or another, with those who have tried to fly their business by the seat of their pants – their only engine on fire, a hole in both wings and no change for the prayer phone. You can hear the crew screaming at each other and watch as passengers bail out once they’ve experienced the first few minutes of the flight. Those who make the whole trip are definitely not happy with the experience.

Do yourself a favor before making a proposal or entering into a business agreement. Do some investigation into the potential client before making a commitment. In this case, I discovered several red warning lights burning brightly. Sure, some were biased, but there were others that came from reliable and trusted sources. A simple check with the BBB might cause you immediate reason to abort before takeoff!

He was also completely out of the loop as far as what his customers were reporting about him and his business. He wasn’t connected, linked or even dialed into the main mode of modern communications…the Internet. It was something he chose to ignore for unknown reasons – reasons that are probably trivial, compared to the information it could have provided him. Those facts clinched the decision not to accept this client as a customer.

There are only so many things you can do for some people. In this case we declined the job, firmly believing that his predisposition left little room for improvement. Failure is not imminent when poor practices are in place as long as there is an understanding that those practices will need repair and a strategy put in place to overcome past issues. Failure is most probable, however, if nothing is intended to change but the outcome. What is the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

What would you have done?

5 Small Business Tips from a Chipmunk

Shari Voigt — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:15:12 +0000

Have you ever pondered the life of a chipmunk? We have an active clan in our backyard and they’re fun to watch, along with the bunnies, birds and other occasional wild critters.

The chipmunk works hard and plays hard from spring through fall. It stuffs its cheeks full at one of our bird feeders, then scampers off, repeating the process again and again – filling a chamber in its underground home to feed its young ones and storing up food for the winter. Then it disappears for the winter and rests from summer’s frenetic activity.

It’s a strange balance, but balance nonetheless.

What does this have to do with small business marketing tips?

The chipmunk doesn’t stop filling its cheeks because it’s hot or it’s raining. If there’s food to be harvested, it works.
Face it, marketing is seldom, if ever, convenient. We need to approach our marketing activities with the same qualities of diligence and perseverance as that chipmunk. Do you know how much you can accomplish if you commit to 30-minutes of focused business building each and every day?
If food’s not readily available, the chipmunk seeks new sources.
When business slows down, or preferably before then, evaluate where you’re promoting your business. If you’re primarily promoting off-line, where can you supplement your efforts online? If you’re not reaching your market online (or even if you are), put some time and effort into also developing an off-line strategy. Don’t replace one promotional avenue with another. Diversify and broaden your reach.
When it’s playtime, the chipmunk holds nothing back.
Has business taken over your life or have you reserved time to play? We’re happier and more productive when we get away from the office regularly … and it usually makes us easier to get along with!
The chipmunk watches for predators and chases away competitors.
Do you know what your competitors are up to? At the very least, set up Google Alerts for your top competitors – and if you haven’t done so already, set one up for your business name and your personal name too. This is part competitive intelligence gathering and part reputation management. You need both.
And in the dead of winter, the chipmunk sleeps – conserving its energy and food supply to survive until the next season.
When business slows down, not only should you be evaluating new sources, but just as important – conserve your resources. It’s easy to whip out a credit card for an expense that normally comes out of the checking account, but it may be far wiser to forgo the expense until you actually have the money in your checking account.

We’ve made the commitment to build our business debt-free. This was a decision not made lightly and it probably isn’t the best decision for everyone – but it took our decision making process for expenditures out of the gray zone. We either have the money saved for major purchases or we don’t – in which case, we wait until we do.

What business principles have you learned or had reinforced from quietly watching or pondering something in nature?

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Stop and Ask Why

Shari Voigt — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:53:00 +0000

“Are you doing work worth doing, or are you just doing your job?” ~ A great question posed by Seth Godin in his blog post “What’s the point?”

Time doesn’t stand still for any of us. Whether you’ve shortened your work day as I have, or are working 40+ hours each week, we all have a limited number of hours to get the job done. Is the time you invest in your business, time well-spent? What about today? Will today’s activities move you toward achieving your small business goals, or are you running a parallel course – as in, you can’t get there from here?

The Pareto principle states that 80% of effects stem from 20% of causes. For most small businesses this means that 20% of our clients provide 80% of our income, 20% of our advertising produces 80% of the results, and say it isn’t so … only 20% of our time is truly well-spent!

Where’s your 20%?

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Boundaries Make You More Productive

Shari Voigt — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:25:01 +0000

Did you know you can get more done in less time? A little over a week ago, I cut my workday in half. I went from working 8 a.m – 8 p.m. with not enough to show for it, to a very reasonable 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., with weekends off. The result: I’m accomplishing twice as much in half the time … and I’m lovin’ it!

Clock by Chris Halderman on flickr

If you set your own hours and especially if you work from home, it’s crucial to set boundaries. When my husband and I tell others that we both work from home, we’re usually met with an incredulous “I don’t have that kind of discipline … how do you do it?” type of response. The truth is that it begins and ends with boundaries.

I can easily stay busy 12-hours each day on the computer – and just as easily accomplish little. There’s always one more email that needs a response, one more blog post begging to be read, one more idea to be learned to help propel one’s business to the “next level.” But at the end of the day, if billable work or priority tasks haven’t been accomplished, all that busyness of a 12-hour workday is a waste of time … time we could and should be spending more productively.

Shorten your workday.

Set time limits for your tasks.

Focus in 55-minute segments with a five-minute break.

Get more done in your morning, evening and weekend – not work related.

Setting reasonable boundaries helps you free your mind to get more work done during working hours.

The timer is your friend.

I have a small kitchen timer on my desk and a time tracking tool installed on my computer. I set the kitchen timer for 55-minutes, and punch into Toggl (my time tracker) with a quick description and project name, then focus on the task at hand. This gives me six focused time periods throughout the day. And guess what, folks: you can do ANYTHING for 55-minutes. No distractions allowed! At the end of the day, I log billable project time, make a list of what’s needed tomorrow, then walk away.

Side benefits:

I’ve reclaimed my mornings, evenings and weekends … those hours between work days that we call “life.” We’re eating better because meals have become more than a happy accident. I’ve found time to exercise and keep the house ready for company. Best of all is a sense of peace because I’m living a more balanced, healthy life.

If you’re working too many hours and not getting enough done, check your boundaries. Could you get more done in less time if less time was all you allowed yourself?

What have you tried that helps you to be more productive?

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Make it Easy for Your Customers to Refer You

Shari Voigt — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:33:24 +0000

If you truly believe that your products and services offer world-class solutions, then you are doing your customers a disservice by not making it very easy for them to introduce these benefits to their friends.” ~ John Jantsch, from The Referral Engine

I’m on my second reading of The Referral Engine by John Jantsch. Yes, it is THAT good – and I highly recommend you order your copy today.

The first reading was a bit hurried, as I had promised a review by a certain date. Now I’m taking my time and taking lots of notes. It’s not that what he’s written about is new or cutting edge, but rather that he breaks it down and makes it real. Expect plenty of head-smacking and wondering, “Why am I not doing that?”

I’m one of those people who have always had a hard time asking for referrals. It has always felt awkward. But that frame of mind can be easily dismissed by thinking in terms of serving your customer. Making it easy for a customer to refer you might even be seen as a function of customer service. It’s certainly not restricted to marketing!

Imagine that! To give the best possible customer service, you must make it easy for your customer to refer you.

Scott Alberts of Alberts Illustration & Design (who also happens to be our lead graphic designer on the Zero To Sixty Marketing team) does an excellent job of this. He sends out a regular email newsletter featuring all of his latest work to all of his past and current clients. What a sweet way to get back in front of people you’ve already done business with! And it’s easily and readily shared.

What are you doing to make it easy for your customers to refer you?

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Why Can’t I Find You Online?

Shari Voigt — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:15:39 +0000

I found your ad in the coupon mailer. How come I can’t find you online?

If you’re spending money on advertising, but don’t have a working website, you’re putting the cart before the horse.

You probably wouldn’t invite 100 of your closest friends to a party at your house before you built the house, right? How about those you would consider to be prime prospects for your services – would you invite them to an open house before you had a location for them to visit?

Yet that’s exactly what your doing if you’re advertising before building your home base – your website. You’re spending money on the party supplies. You’re inviting the guests. Except these guests don’t really know you … they’re wary of accepting the invitation. They Google you to learn more about you – and you’re nowhere to be found.

44% of online adults search online for information about someone whose services or advice they seek in a professional capacity, like a doctor, lawyer, or plumber. (Source: Pew Research Project)

What will they find when they search for you? Yes, if you’re in business you really DO need a website. It’s time to start building your house.

Will they find your unclaimed Google places listing? It’s free to claim, you know. If you take the time to fill it out properly, it can provide a description of your service offering, your hours of operation, display photos or even video. Not to mention, a properly optimized Google places listing has a greater chance of appearing near or at the top of the local listings at the top of the search results page. Here’s another statistic for you:

One in every 13 search results displayed by Google in 2009 included a map.

When they find you next to the map, don’t you want to put your best face forward?

Google’s not the only game in town. You also need to be found on Yahoo and Bing, Yelp and Facebook. Fill out your business profiles completely. Include a link back to your website. Add photos where possible. Give people who find you on these sites an easy way to contact you.

Now, with this taken care of – the foundation laid – the house built, go invite some guests to the party. Make sure to add your website link to your print ads, your letterhead, business cards, and email signature. Your website and social media presence will grow to become a profitable online extension of your business.

If you need help building your professional business website or improving your overall visibility online or off, drop me a note using our contact form.

So what are you waiting for? How come I can’t find you online?

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Blogging, Creativity and Burnout

Shari Voigt — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:00:32 +0000

You know, I’ve read again and again that unless you’re blogging for money, blogging isn’t your business. It’s easy to believe that. Blogging is a lot of work. Coming up with new ideas day after day, taking the time to write something intelligent, then promoting what you’ve written is time-consuming, sometimes downright impossible. Stepping back in after taking a break from blogging is even harder. Why is that?

Yet, I can show you peaks and valleys, not only in our website statistics, but also in new business arriving based on the activity of this blog. The type of new business doesn’t necessarily correlate with anything recently written, so it’s not a formula of write about x and receive y.

It may be that the commitment to writing something worthwhile is what makes the difference. Maybe it changes the way I interact with clients and prospects? Blogging does force me to be in continual learning mode and to seek new ways to share time-tested information If it’s interesting enough to write about, it’s usually useful to talk about.

Anyway, after months of feeling creatively burned out, waiting for it to pass, I’m back on task. Permission to pass on posting weekly has been rescinded. It’s not just about the website stats and the business end of things, but also personal. There’s something missing when I don’t make the time to do the activities collectively referred to as blogging.

It’s also part of what John Jantsch calls “the way we do things here,” a philosophy of how we do business. Education is key. I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t have all the answers, but I believe in writing to learn. Let’s continue to learn together, shall we?