Marketing

  • Diversify Your Marketing

    Diversify Your MarketingMany business owners will tell you that they experience a lot of fluctuation throughout the year.  Some months will have higher profits than other months, there will be an increase in demand for a particular type of product or service one month, and then the next month a different type of product will be in demand.

    This business phenomenon holds true for a business’ source of customers as well.  Some months, a business may receive a surge in word of mouth advertising, whereas other months it may receive orders from people who came across an ad that the business had placed. 

    Many marketing experts agree that it is important for a business to diversify its marketing methods.  This will ensure that leads are coming in from many different sources and that if one source is having a particularly slow month, the other sources should still be delivering plenty of leads.

    On the other hand, marketing experts caution against having a marketing message sprung out over too many places.  It can be hard to keep track of ads and know which ads are hitting the right target market. 

    Testing ads and keeping track of the results can help a person decide which areas are the best places for them to advertise.  Knowing this information can also help stretch an advertising budget. 

    There are many choices for where to spend advertising dollars.  If a person wants to advertise online they could choose to invest in pay-per-click ads, ad space that they buy directly from another website, as well as free options – including social networking and article marketing.Diversify Your Marketing

    There are many ways to find leads offline, including flyers, lead boxes, and ads placed in local newspapers and magazines, as well as referrals from current customers.  Depending on the type of business, a person may also opt to buy leads from lead companies.

    The marketing mix that works for one person may be to have one or two ads running, both online and offline, while another person may find that participating for a few hours each week in social networking and hanging up flyers around their local area is what works best for them. Just remember to diversify your efforts.

    Also, it may be somewhat tedious, but testing ads and tracking the results is the best way to find the right mix for your business.  Using an ad tracker service such as Google as well as linking ads to different URLs can help determine which ads are outperforming other ads. 

    Happy Marketing!

     

    We specialize in Google Adwords and SEO and we can be a huge asset to your business.
    Let us know if we can be of service to you and your business. 

     

    Read more

  • Researching Your Niche Is Vital

    Researching Your Niche Is VitalNiche marketing is one way to increase your business profits.  If done right, it will open up a new area of products and/or services that will benefit you as well as your customers.  However, before diving right in, don’t forget to do your homework.

     

    Niche marketing seems to be the hottest topic on everyone’s lips right now.  It sounds so exciting to tap into an as yet untapped market and make millions of dollars.  Don’t be fooled.  Someone may hit the mother lode but it is not the norm for every business.  And, they didn’t do it by luck.

     

    Researching your potential niche market gives a global picture of the chances of success for your idea.  Remember that your idea could be the idea of someone halfway around the world as well.  The difference will be how you go about checking out that idea and how you interpret the results.

     

    With so many websites and new online businesses starting every day, it is a wonder that there are any new markets to tap.  But, there are.  Finding them is the key and this takes time and patience.

     

    One way to see if your idea is viable is to use the Internet.  We all use search engines to find what we are looking for.  Search for items that fit the profile of what you want to sell.  It is always practical to check out the competition.

     

    If you get thousands of search results, this is probably too broad an idea to use.  It has already been worked over by others.  The chances of your business idea hitting pay dirt are not very good.  However, the search results can be used to see exactly what angle they are marketing to.

     

    When researching your niche, use as many search engines as you can.  Using just one as your guiding light will give you false results.  Also, you may find websites in other search engine results that you didn’t find in the first one you tried.

     

    Researching Your Niche Is VitalThe idea you have chosen doesn’t have to be chucked away in the trashcan.  Use it and refine it so that it zeros in on a more specific target than before.  This is what research is all about.  Can you imagine if you left out this step and went with your first idea?  The results would probably have been mediocre to disappointing if making lots of profits was the goal.

     

    Without the research component, starting a business in that market is like searching for a needle in a haystack.  For your dollars, you want to be sure that you are hitting the target.  Even if you already have a business idea and are looking for ways to expand, treat niche marketing like starting from scratch — put in the time to find out if your idea is sound.

     

    Are you looking for a business coach or consultant that can help you with your start up business or next great idea? Contact me today for a confidential consultation.

    Read more

  • Has Your Business Hit a Slump?

    One thing that you can count on in business is that there will always be ups and downs.  A business thrives on making the most of its options during both of these times.  When your business is not increasing in profits, here are a few things that you can do to liven things up a bit.
    Has Your Business Hit a Slump?

    First, make sure that you have a sound business plan.  Your business plan details a game plan for the growth of the business.  It is a guideline that you can use to direct future ventures for your business.  The plan is not set in stone.  It is open-ended so that you can add and change portions as your business grows.

    One thing that is worth your time when business is not moving forward is to re-evaluate your business plan.  If it has been some time since you dusted it off and took a look at it, now would be a perfect time.  Did the initial business plan include provisions for times of stalled profits like this one? 

    If not, don’t worry.  We can take care of that right now.  The last thing that you should do is cut advertising out of your budget.  Mistakenly, businesses often think that if cash flow is the problem, advertising or not advertising won’t make a difference.  In fact, it makes a big difference.

    When people are not in a mood to spend money, there are a number of reasons.  For starters, they may be resetting their financial priorities.  With the changes in the economy, people are holding on tightly to their funds.  Purchases and services used need to be worth what is being spent. 

    Has Your Business Hit a Slump?

    Revamp the marketing strategy for your business.  The business could be going nowhere fast because the old campaigns don’t work anymore.  Test each marketing tool to see what is no longer working and look at your business with fresh eyes.  See things the way you did when the business was first getting underway. 

    Have you made any changes to your website lately?  Add some new content.  What about Google Ads?  They’ll help bring new business and income for you.  Since money is a concern, write the content yourself.

    Speaking of content, while you are writing some for your own website via your blog, consider submitting a few posts to complimentary sites as a guest blogger.  What is guest blogging anyway? Basically, it is a partnership that results in an exchange of content between two business sites. Guest blogging can be a great way to build the reputation of your business online. The goal of becoming a guest blogger is usually to:

    • build relationships with other business owners within your niche market
    • increase your online presence and gain traffic
    • build your list
    • establish yourself as an expert in your field
    • acquire backlinks to your website
    • build your brand and reputation
    • gain more opportunities to guest blog or partner with others in your business market

    The key to any business surviving the ups and downs of the economy is change.  Businesses that branch out in many directions are often diversified enough to find success even after a standstill.  If you have the right tools and a bit of creativity, your business will continue to thrive.    

    If your business is experiencing challenges and you need help with your online marketing please be sure to contact us.  We offer a free 30 minute consultation.

    Read more

  • Why Do I Need to Brand My Products?

    Why Do I Need to Brand My ProductsThere are literally millions of products on the market today.  What makes yours stand out from the others?  If the answer is nothing, you need to brand your products.

     

    Branding is a way of getting your product in the minds of customers all over the world.  You could walk up to someone in Europe and they would know what Pepsi was.  Or, better yet, ask someone to name a soft drink and they would think of popular brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola.  That is how much we are into those two sodas.

     

    Whatever you are selling, there is someone else selling a variation of that product as well.  What hope do you have of gaining a share of the market?  Your hope is in branding your product. 

    Brand Your Product

    To brand your product, you will need to ask yourself a few questions.  First, what is the business all about?  There must be a reason that drives you to sell your product.  Is it to provide good quality clothing, books or a beauty product to the consumer, then let that be the key to your brand strategy.

     

    All products need a logo.  Without one, that shirt you are trying to sell is just another shirt.  The logo will remind people of your products and also say something about the company’s mission.  For instance, Hanes has branded itself as tagless.  So you could say their mission is to make you more comfortable because there is no tag on their product. 

    Slogan or Tagline

    Do you have a slogan or tagline?  When people relate to Adidas they think, “Impossible is Nothing.”  For Visa, they hear, “More people go with Visa.”  With M & M’s it’s “Chocolate’s Better with M”. Those slogans say something about the product. 

     

    Determine what sets your product apart for others of its kind and play to that strength.  Being unique is difficult in business, but it can be done with a good branding strategy.  The uniqueness will get your product noticed through a marketing campaign.  It won’t benefit your business if you have a good product and no one knows how good it is or can find it.

    Stand Out Among the CompetitionWhy Do I Need to Brand My Products

    Without branding, your products are just one of a hundred or a thousand others on the market.  If you can back up the claims about the product, creating a brand can help you to get it into households and businesses.

     

    Branding your product will make it stand out among the competition.  Branding is not an exact science but it can boost the sales of other lesser-known products in your inventory when your premier product catches on.  In business we are always looking for a way into the inner sanctum of profit, and branding is the beginning. 

    Do you need help with building your brand? Do you need a logo, website development or company identity? Give us a call. We offer a complimentary 30 minute strategy consultation and we know the struggles entrepreneurs face.

    Read more

  • Ignite Your Business Branding

    Branding is all about the customer’s perception of your business.  Your brand is the promise that you intend to make to the client.  The ultimate goal is to ignite an emotional connection in order to create a positive feeling from the client. 

     Build Your Brand with Strategize Your Success

    Most clients are loyal to products they enjoy.  It is very common for a client to be impressed with a brand and continue to buy a product based on that brand.  You want to create these feelings of loyalty to bring them back for more.  This is the ultimate goal.

     

    Mission and Vision of Your Business

     

    The mission and vision of your business should sustain excellence in providing a quality product to clients that you care about.  These are statements about your business regarding the ultimate goals you wish to achieve with in your endeavors.  Many businesses focus their vision or mission on their employees while others extend their mission outward to their clientele.  There should be a fine mix here with both. 

     

    Many clients do not read into a vision or mission statement too often.  However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take it seriously.  Your vision and mission are both a part of the branding process because they define what your company is all about.  These two statements need to be believed and practiced by employees and all staff of the business.

     

    Benefits and Features of Your Products or Services

     

    A big part of creating a brand for your business is proving to the client why your products and services are the best to buy.  Highlighting your benefits and what sets you apart is important. Determine what the benefits are with the products you offer, the services you offer, or something else that makes your business unique.  How does the client benefit when they shop or buy from you?  You will have a very hard time establishing a brand if you cannot determine the benefits or your products or services.

     

    The features of your products and services are also important and they go hand in hand with the benefits.  The features of a specific product should provide a benefit.  Determine the features and see what stands out from the rest then use the biggest benefit for your marketing campaign.

      Brand Loyalty


    Customers Perceptions

     

    Branding is about a client’s perception.  When you create a brand you want to create a perception to that client that you are the best and that you provide quality services and products.

     

    It is important to have a good idea of what a potential client might currently think of your business when you are building a branding campaign.  Today prospective clients may not know that you exist or they may have a negative feel for your business because you haven’t been practicing proper methods.  Have a clear understanding on exactly what people think of you.

     

    If you are unsure what people think of you then you may need to send out surveys and questionnaires.  These types of things can help you get a good idea where you stand with the perception of potential client. It’s okay if it’s not positive today.  It will give you something to build on with your branding campaign.

     

    Perception of Quality

     

    The next thing you need to do with a branding campaign is to determine the different qualities that are perceived about your products by the public.  Do you have a good reputation with the consumer world for providing total quality in your products or are your products considered to be garbage and not worth the money?

     

    The qualities of your business may be many things.  When you think about how clients consider the qualities of your business, make sure you consider the products you offer, the customer support you provide, your image, or anything else that would make a client think of quality coming from your business.

     

    The vision and mission statement are very important for every business no matter how big or small.  Make sure that your brand works well and matches what you say you want to deliver.  Determine what the benefits and features of your business are and have a clear picture on this.  You will need this information to provide a clear picture when you focus on developing your brand.

     

    Also learn about what the client really thinks of you.  You might think they absolutely love you when they are really bashing you on the quality of your product.  Knowing what the customer thinks is very important.  Creating a brand based on client input can be successful, especially if you change the design of something for them.  This gives them a sense of ownership and it shows them you really do care.

     

    Now that you have the information that you need for branding go out and ignite excitement about your business and create an irresistible business brand.

    Are you looking to learn more about how to promote your Facebook Business Pages and navigate the in’s and out’s of this truly wonderful business tool. Join us for a new (7) part series called “Navigating Facebook Pages”. This series starts August the 20th at 2:00 PM EST and 11:00 AM MST/PST. Sorry this event has past.

    Read more

  • Ambition and Determination Can Help Businesses Succeed

    Ambition and Determination

    Success in business takes determination.  One must be motivated and willing to work hard in order to get a business going strong.  Ambition is one of the key factors in how quickly and how much a business will grow.

    It takes ambition to even consider starting a business.  Those who make their business dreams a reality have already fought and won half of the battle.  So when we have doubts as to whether we have what it takes to make it, we simply need to look inside ourselves.

    Every Business Has Hard Times

    As a coach working with other entrepreneurs I see that all businesses go through growing phases, there will always be times when things look doubtful.  Few businesses are overnight successes.  It takes hard work and lots of marketing to get things started and going strong.

    Growing pains can really take their toll on new business owners or even intermediate ones.  They can make us want to throw in the towel, and some do.  But if we can get back the motivation that made us determined to start our businesses in the first place, we can tough it out and come out on top.

    How Can I Re-kindle My Ambition?

    When we’re caught up in the negative things that are happening, it can be easy to forget why we’re doing what we’re doing.  Stepping back and analyzing our reasons, goals and achievements can help us get in a better state of mind.

    • Think about why you went into business.  We all have different reasons.  Remembering them can give us the incentive we need to make it work.
    • Revisit your goals.  If you’re not achieving them, figure out why.  Did you set them too high, or was there something you could have done differently to meet them?  Once you’ve figured it out, adjust your goals accordingly and move on.
    • Make a list of the positive things you have achieved.  You may not have gotten as far as you would like by now, but if you’re moving forward at all, you’re going in the right direction.
    • Get a Coach or a Mentor to be your personal Cheerleader.
    • Network with other business owners. Maybe form a support network or mastermind group.

    Ambition and Determination

    Don’t Let Adversity Get the Best of You

    When things get in the way of reaching our goals, it can be tempting to give up.  But that’s when we need to reach for our ambition the most.  If we want to badly enough, we can overcome obstacles or find another way to achieve what we want to achieve.

    Once we’ve overcome an obstacle, we can look back on the experience for motivation.  Once you’ve made it through one thing that seemed impossible, you’ll have more confidence to take on the next challenge. Remember the word “IMPOSSIBLE” and think “I’M POSSIBLE”.

    When getting a business off the ground, you may question whether you have the ambition you need to succeed.  Many business owners do.  But if we look inside ourselves, we can find our ambition and do amazing things with it.

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 15 minute Discovery Session.

    Read more

  • The Importance of Following-Up

    Updated 8-19-2018

     

    There is an old saying that says, ‘The fortune is in the follow-up.”

     

    It’s become an old saying for good a reason:  it’s true.  Following up with customers and clients can be one of the most important business actions a business owner can take. I believe it’s an essential key to success that once mastered will bring you awesome results.

     

    There are many ways to follow-up, all of them being important in their own unique ways.  One of these is to follow-up with potential and past customers. This can be done very easily through sending out regular email campaigns.

     

    Following Up
    To send out a customer email campaign, or do any form of email marketing for that matter, it is recommended to have an autoresponder service.  This will make sending updates very easy.  They can even be loaded into the system several months or even years in advance.

     

    It is no secret that people lead busy lives and they cannot always remember to do all the things they want or need to do.  Simply sending out a little email, reminding them that your business is still there maybe all it takes to stimulate a sale.
    Following up with customers can also make them feel special and appreciated.  Offering them a special customer appreciation sale is one way to do this.  This can, again, be done through email marketing.  Another twist is to send your customer an actual card in the mail.

     

    As you can imagine from your own buying habits, when you feel appreciated by a business, you are more likely to buy more product from that business. When you feel ignored or unappreciated, you are more likely to avoid that business.

     

    One reason that some business owners fall behind on following up with their customers is due to a lack of time.  If this sounds familiar, setting up some systems to keep things flowing can make life easier.

     

    Following UpThis could include buying pre-written newsletters and hiring a virtual assistant to personalize them before loading them into an autoresponder, or having a ghostwriter create custom-content.

     

    If you have a service-based business, it is also very important to follow-up with potential clients on quotes and proposals you’ve submitted.  When a person contacts you for potential work, they may be at a starting point where they are just trying to sort out their project.

     

    Following up will let them know you are interested in working with them and remind them that they need to hurry up and hire you before someone else does.

     

    That doesn’t mean you have to be pushy at all.  Just sending a quick note to let them know that you currently have space on your calendar for them, but also reminding them that your spaces fill up fast, is all that is needed.

     

    Once a business owner implements a regular follow-up routine into their business, they will open up the potential for repeat business and more profits. So remember to follow-up because it’s important.

    Need more information to help grow your business through email follow-up? As a Certified Solutions Provider for Constant Contact we have a black belt in email marketing strategies so reach out to us today to see how we can help you.

    Feel you want to DIY your own project visit our resources page . We have tons of tips and information available to you for free!

    Read more

  • Marketing Mojo

    Marketing ChoicesThe term “mojo” can mean different things to different people.  For some, it means being “in the swing of things” or on top of their game.  When a business owner has marketing mojo, they are on top of their marketing efforts and are having fun with them.
    Having this mojo is very desirable.  When a business owner is having fun with their marketing, it won’t seem like a chore at all.
    One of the easiest ways to develop marketing mojo is for a business owner to fully know their product.  What are the product’s best features?  What can the product do that the competition’s product can’t?

     

    Setting mini marketing goals can be a fun way to stay on track.  Constantly setting and meeting new deadlines will help raise confidence and that will definitely get your mojo running.

     

    These mini goals can be based on tasks that need to be done, such as writing your monthly newsletter or spending an hour doing some social networking.  They can also be based on new things you would like to learn.

     

    Learn By Doing

     

    One of the best ways to build your marketing mojo is to just do it.  Instead of spending hours of your time reading up on the latest marketing techniques and then debating over which will benefit your business, try different ideas out as you go.

     

    By testing the waters yourself, you can better judge what is going to be worth your time and what needs to be tweaked to suit your product.

     

    Don’t be afraid to experiment or modify marketing ideas that you have discovered.  Changes to the standards are what give companies an edge in their marketing strategies.

     

    Even if the tactics you test out do not work for you, analyze why they didn’t quite pan out and see where you can build on the strengths and weaknesses.  Those with real marketing mojo learn from their mistakes and downfalls, creating a better plan for the next effort.

     

    Watch Pros In ActionModern business concept

     

    Feed off the marketing mojo of others to help build your own.  Watching the marketing strategies of those who have already found success is a great way to build your business’ arsenal.  What works for them just might work for you as well.

     

    Networking with other business owners both in and out of your own industry can really pay off with new marketing tips and ideas.  Ask for their advice or just keep an eye on what they are doing to present their own product to the world.

     

    Set goals for yourself, try out new ideas, learn from others and above all, have fun with your marketing efforts.  Before you know it, you’ll have your own marketing mojo working and will be reaping the benefits of your success.

    Read more

  • Keeping Customers is Better than Finding New Ones

    Getting New ClientsAsk any experienced business owner how important their customers are, and they will tell you that customers are the lifeblood of their business.  Because of that, many business owners believe that the key to success is to constantly find new customers.

    Smart business owners know that the real key to success is to develop long-standing business relationships with their clients and keep them coming back.

    This has many benefits.  First of all, when a business owner has clients coming back for repeat purchases, the business owner will not need to spend as much time on finding new customers.

    The business’ income will not suffer, as new work will be coming to the business, instead of the business constantly chasing new work down

    Sphere from dollar sign isolated on white.Not only will this save time and resources, it is also a more cost-effective way to do business.  The business owner won’t need to invest as much in their marketing and advertising campaigns. 

    Happy customers are also more likely to send referrals to a business.  If a satisfied customer runs into a friend or colleague needing the type of services you offer, they will give that person your contact information.  This results in even more work coming into the business without the business owner chasing after it.

    If you like the sound of enjoying repeat business with your current customers while spending less time and money attracting new clients, you may be wondering how to put this into action.  Here are some tips on how to keep your customers happy and coming back.

    Business handshakeOffer Quality Products and or Services

    While it is hard to say which of the following tips is the most important, this one is extremely important.  Without a quality product or service, there is not much reason for your customers to come back. 

     

    Practice Effective Communication

    This is important whenever a business owner is dealing with a customer or client, but it really comes into play for service providers.  It can be very difficult for a business owner to turn over a piece of their business to someone else, especially someone who does not live close by.

    But that is exactly what happens whenever a business owner hires a virtual assistant, ghostwriter, web designer, or other service provider. 

    Service providers can keep their clients happy and at ease by providing regular updates on project statuses and asking questions whenever they are in doubt about something.

    Provide Good Customer Service

    In the above tip, we talked about effective communication skills, but that is just one part of a good customer service plan.  You have probably received poor customer service from a business in the past.  How did that make you feel about the business, and did it change your mind about doing business with them again in the future?

    A general rule of thumb is to always treat your customers the way you would like to be treated.  That simple statement will ensure you will have customers coming back time and time again.

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session. 

    Read more

  • Finding Inspiration for Marketing, Products and Services

    Inspiration is very important to entrepreneurs.   It can provide motivation to get them through the tough times.  It can spark ideas for new products, services, or marketing efforts.  Or it can simply make an ordinary day a little brighter.

     

    Although we may not realize it at first glance, inspiration is all around us.  It can take many forms, and it can show itself in things that look like the exact opposite of inspiration.  By keeping our eyes open and looking at things in the most positive light possible, we can find all sorts of inspiration in everyday life.

     Baby Steps

    Kids

     

    Children are a wonderful source of inspiration.  Whether they are our own, a friend’s or a family member’s, kids never cease to amaze.  Small children are especially inspirational, because they have so much to learn and tend to keep at it until they get it right.

     

    For example, think about a child who is learning to walk.  It’s certainly not something that happens overnight.  First he gets up on his knees and crawls, and then when he’s mastered that he pulls himself up and stands.  Eventually he’s holding onto things and taking small steps, and before you know it he’s walking all over the place on his own.

     

    Kids go through many similar learning processes.  When they find something they want to do, they keep at it until they get it right.  If a child can be that motivated, so can an adult, right?

     

    Think about a new business.  Doesn’t it remind you of a young infant or child? It needs to grow and evolve and learn to stand on its own.

    Desert cacti Nature

     

    Nature is a beautiful place to look for inspiration.  There are tons of examples that entrepreneurs could follow from plants and wildlife.

     

    Beavers work together to build and repair dams.  Plants sometimes grow and flourish in places that we would never dream that they could.  I live in the desert and it amazes me how cacti grow in rocky areas.

     

    Birds search high and low until they’ve found everything they need to build nests for their babies.  These are just a few of the things in nature that can inspire us.

    Theater 

    Art and Entertainment

     

    Inspiration can often be found in art.  Just looking at the artistry and craftsmanship of our favorite pieces can be inspiring.  The attention to detail can inspire us to put the same amount of effort into the things we do for our business.

     

    The movies and television shows we watch and the music we listen to can provide inspiration.  Think of some of the media that you may have watched recently that left you moved, encouraged and motivated.

     

    These are just a sample of the things that we can look to when we need inspiration.  If we look at things in the right way, we can find inspiration all around us.  This inspiration can then be channeled into our business endeavors, giving us the fuel we need to succeed.

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.
    https://strategizeyoursuccess.com/staging2

    Read more