Many people are perplexed when they think of starting a public relations (PR) campaign. So here are some tips to get the ball rolling. 1. Start with your PR Strategy First. What are your company's sales or customer acquisition goals? What is your unique differentiator (see my article on building your USP for more info)? What are the trends in your industry? What are your competitors doing to … [Read more...]
Top Search Engine Optimization Mistakes
Are you making any of these Common SEO Mistakes? Here are what I consider the top mistakes companies make when trying to optimize their websites for search engine visibility: 1. Not doing the right research before you optimize your website. Many people believe they know the keywords and phrases people are using to find their products or services online, but often they are wrong. Without the … [Read more...]
Why Consistent Marketing Can be a Key to your Success
Have you ever gone to the gym on a Monday and quit going on Friday because you hadn't seen the results on the scale? You need to give it more time, right? It's the same with our marketing activities. PR: If you get one media placement, you might get more. Or, if you haven't yet landed that front page story, keep on pitching, and someday you will. Email: People save/read my email newsletters for … [Read more...]
Spring Cleaning for your Marketing
Revisit your Marketing Plan for Better Results So we're into the fourth month of the year. You had good intentions for your marketing plan and budget this year but somehow your efforts have slipped. Or are some of you thinking -- what marketing plan? Never fear. Spring is the time for rebirth and renewal. It's also the time to revisit your marketing efforts, whether you've tackled them yet or are … [Read more...]
Marketing Planning for the Year Ahead: Will you have a successful year?
For most businesses, the end of the year is the time to begin the planning process for the following year. And for many sales and marketing professionals, you have the luxury of starting fresh with a brand new (and hopefully larger) marketing budget. Take the time to analyze the past year's marketing performance. Was it all that you hoped it would be or do you drastically need to do better? How … [Read more...]
Seven Marketing Ideas You can Use Now
For those business owners or managers who are strapped for time, and looking for ways to market your business with little cost or effort, look no further than these 7 great marketing ideas to get you started: 1. Capture customer testimonials. Call your clients on the phone and "interview" them for five minutes, and see if they'd be willing to be "featured" on your website, or in marketing … [Read more...]
Building a Better Website: Is your Website Truly Working for You? (A Quiz)
Is your website working for you or are you in need of a web redesign? Read the following questions and add one point for each "yes" response. People are unable to find my company by doing a web search on my industry keyword phrases or terms. My website copy is.(one point for each "yes" item) Too technical Outdated or inaccurate Too "company" focused (why I'm great) Full of more "we's" … [Read more...]
Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Marketing is too often considered a luxury, and the first line item cut from the budget when the going gets tough. However, marketing is so crucial to your success! Sometimes you just have to be more creative with your resources. Here are some tips to do just that: Have a powerful name, brand and slogan or tagline that describes the benefit of your product or service (for example: my tagline, … [Read more...]
Are You a Victim of Shotgun Marketing?
As the year begins, many of you may not have put together a marketing plan to guide your efforts. Although it’s okay not to have a formal plan in place, it is not okay to make decisions without some kind of strategy. Shotgun marketing: Acting on impulse instead of making smart decisions. (Example: Did you really need that candy bar or pack of gum that you picked up in the supermarket checkout … [Read more...]