Better Ideas Blog

So how would you like to introduce yourself before you met a potential client? Try recording an elevator speech, you can do it yourself quickly!

DO YOUR HOMEWORK:
Before recording your elevator speech for video…Consider your background, your dress, your logo, and your props.

The 3 items below should take no more than 15 minutes to write & 15 minutes to record.
1. Your catch statement. Who are you, where do you work, what do you do. (In 2 sentences or less)
2. Your specialties and what makes you different from the competition. (In 3 sentences or less)
3. Your jingle, your catch phrase, web site address or your tagline to end the clip. (remember no copyrighted songs)

What do you do with it? You have several options to choose for a very reasonable video production.
1. Post it on You Tube raw.
2. Do it yourself-upload your clips to Microsoft Movie maker or Muvee or other software to add transitions, words to the clip and music.
3. Use an amateur videographer. A student or a budding entrepreneur to make your video more interesting.
4. Hire a pro. When you hire a pro with script in hand, the price automatically goes down since all they need to do is shoot and edit
Or maybe even….
5. Hold a contest with a valid prize and have your choice of commercials submitted from all aspects of video talent

Then…get yourself a You Tube Channel (make sure to try and match your web site domain/company name user name) and upload it!

Make Sure to Promote Your Video. Send an e-mail requesting comments and suggestions on the link and make sure they rate your video too. Post the link on all your organization boards, association sites and social on-line discussion groups. Write about your new commercial/elevator speech to your friends and family and submit it to various web sites and contests. Use the link in your blog, web site and anything else you can think of. Consider joining or creating a video roundtable group dedicated to increasing video rankings and ultimately your business search results.

My Best,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

So you’ve have your big mention in the local paper, magazine or business publication, great job! Editorial press is not easy to get, and when it does happen, it’s exciting! Picture or not, long or short, local weekly paper or national magazine, any media coverage is usually good media coverage.

Ok, it is out there, now what? Did you know that press coverage appearing for the first time is only the tip of the iceberg in how you can reap long-term benefits from just one media placement?

Look at the deeper message in your article. Look for positive key words and phrases the reporter used that you can pull as brief quotes to use in the future.

Post It On Your Website – Having an archive of press on your site featuring media coverage is an important page in your website. Link the the paper article to your site or if that is not available, re-post the article to a service such as www.prlog.com and use that link for your site. Showing off editorial placements gives your company credibility, both with those who did and did not see the original feature. Use your press page announce upcoming placements too – i.e. “Look for “Your Company” in the upcoming issue of ABC magazine!”

Include It In Printed Materials – When designing brochures, flyers, postcards or other printed marketing materials, consider adding images or quotes from the press. It adds tremendous credibility, and this is at least one instance when it is okay to brag!

Have it Mounted & Framed –Seeing framed articles shows consumers you are an expert when they visit your office.

Talk About It, in Person and Online– Make the news part of your elevator speech or introductory talking points at networking and speaking events. Include it in a blog post, tweet and e-newsletter too! People love hearing success stories and sharing your media success is an impressive and interesting way to begin a conversation.

Get the most out of your media fame and promote the news of awards you have won. Whatever you decide to do with your media coverage, don’t keep it a secret! Display it; provide copies of it, create marketing materials featuring it, send it to vendors, distributors and consumers. The key to marketing is to keep “Spreading the Good News About What Your Business Is Doing!”

My Best,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

Why should I blog?
The biggest reason to blog is to re-index your web site and have your site more searchable “friendly”. New text= new indexing. The next is to write, research and share with clients (and others) who will benefit from your marketing advice and may eventually hire you because of something you wrote. There are many other reasons to blog and most experienced bloggers actually make money at it. For small businesses starting out the first two reasons make the most sense.

I don’t like to write what should I do?
There are professional bloggers you can hire. But expect to pay between $50-100 per article of 250 words. You can also look up what other bloggers are saying and get ideas for titles. Just do not copy word for word another’s work, or the search engines will penalize you for it and your rankings will actually go down.

How often should I blog?
I’ve been told once a day. I do it once a week, others do it once a month. It depends on your style, your goals and your time.

How should I go about it?
Well, it’s as easy as adding a new page to your web site i.e.: www.abc.com/blog or you can use a variety of other free blogs out there. The Google blog is the obvious free choice if you do not have a web site to address it to. Then you can choose a blog operating format. I think the Word Press is the easiest and most manageable, but there are many others to choose from depending on what results you would like to see and what functionality you would like your blog to have.

What else do you need to know?
I certainly am not a blog expert, I know enough to post a weekly article, tag it with searchable words and publish it. So you need to know that the tags are very important. What are people typing in to look for your services? The links are important within your blog to drive them to the next step in your relationship. I always put my web site link as a signature to each blog post. I also like to include colleague links to refer others or to point to other interesting potential ideas for readers. If you’d like more information on publishing with Word Press I have found this WOW business to be the industry leader. http://www.worldofwebpublishing.com/ . Blogging is really is all about THEM. What can THEY (your customer) gain from this publication? How will it help THEM? Build it and they will subscribe!

My Best,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

When was the last time you really gave thought to your logo, font and color scheme? Every year I re-visit my branding style and though I have looked at other logo’s, fonts and colors through the years, I have stayed with mine for consistency sake though I know I probably need an upgrade.

While having a smartly designed logo and website is sure to help your business promotion, it’s only a small piece of the puzzle. Does your design look like it belongs to your company? Does it FEEL like your company? A company newsletter shouldn’t just match the corporate identity system, it should feel like the company itself. This feeling or vibe that your business design is sending out creates an impact. Branding is the impression that the audience receives.

What kind of emotion is your graphic imposing on your client? If a customer is put-off or feels uncomfortable with your company’s design materials, they’re likely to find another company to go with.

So how does one go about branding? Where do you start?

What are your company’s core values? How do you want the public to view you? Do you want to be a bold leader or a comfortable service provider? The image you want your business to portray starts with a little research staring with your competition designs.

Have a professional help you to design the logo that reflects the goals of your company. Carry this approach through everything your customer is going to see – business cards, brochures, signage, etc. Be as consistent as possible with your new look.

Research your market. You must know who your audience is and where to find them. Only then can you advertise to the right people.

For example, I once received an opportunity to advertise in a movie theater. Why would I do that? Most movie goers would not be my target market of business owners, nor would they likely call me because they saw my ad before the movie. I would however take an ad out in the local comunity play program because local business owners may see my ad and realize I do support my community.

Start marketing. Now that you know what your company’s image should be and you’ve designed the materials to help you promote that concept, market it. By networking, blogging and advertising, you’ll be placing your brand in front of people over and over. Remember – know your audience. It’s all about making matches – finding the matching audience to your business.

By figuring out “who” your business should be and how it should be viewed aesthetically and emotionally, you’re saving yourself a lot of advertising dollars. Money and time is wasted when trying to market to a crowd that won’t care to notice you. By branding yourself and reinforcing it to the right people,your consistent message will establish itself in your marketplace.

My Best,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

We posed the question to marketing and consultants around the country, here is what a few had to say:

“Personally I have had great success with Twitter promoting and building brand awareness, resulting in a 40% increase in revenue. While twitter itself isn’t very effective unless your messages are interesting, used in conjunction with Twitpic, Twellow and other Twitter based directories, it can be very effective.” Owner, Graphic Design Consulting.

“If you use Twitter for business, you must commit to holding conversations and provide valuable/interesting information for your followers. If you try to sell anything, don’t be too pushy. You should establish yourself as a thought leader for your company. Hubspot is a good place to also do this. “ Social Media director, FizMartin, Inc.

“You need to build conversations and not be a voyeur. By participation you get to see a person, not a company or faceless business. It’s all about marketing to people individually, together.” Social Media @ Sky Bird

“The most important part of Twitter is too LISTEN, but also come to converse and share ideas.”Bookcoaching.com

“I originally was a Twitter hater, but over the last few moths I’ve become a twitter convert. For our members (who own medical spas) it’s been very effective way to communicate specials directly to customers. For me it’s been a great way to see what’s going on NOW.” Social Media Marketing

“Many of my customers just want to jump into the twitter arena and not really participate. Some businesses just naturally do better than others on Twitter. We can do postings for those companies that want a presence with some success, but the real value and benefits are revealed when a company embraces the technology and participates.”

Market Insights, LLC.
My Best,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

If you are a small business owner who is serious about boosting your on line branding, take note, your profile picture matters.

We have all seen those profile pictures including those that are silly, indecent, unprofessional and just plain strange. If you are utilizing free-marketing strategies, you’re going to use social media marketing where they require you to upload a picture.

Remember, this form of marketing is all about visibility, personality and connectiveness. People want to get to know the person “behind the company.” So uploading a logo isn’t always the right choice.

When people come to your profile page on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, what is the very first thing that they look at? Your picture of course! So what all good marketers have in common is that they do put up a professional profile picture to better relate with their audience. For example my Facebook picture is more casual but related to what I do for a living. My Linkedin in picture is more professional and I do use my logo for Twitter. Other experts say you should use the same picture for all profiles for branding consistency, it’s really up to you.

Here are my top picture styles to avoid as a business professional.

1. The “I am Sexy” Profile Picture. Please cover it up! There is nothing less professional than a scantily clothed business-person. (Except, for #6)

2. The “Faraway” Profile Picture. Get close and personal. Please want to see what you look like.

3. “Your Child” As Your Profile Picture. If you use your child as your profile picture, there will be many misconceptions. Believe it or not, people will actually think that your child is YOU and immediately exit your page.

4. “Your Dog” As Your Profile Picture. Put her/him in your photo’s but not as your profile picture.

5. The “Sideways” Profile Picture. If you upload your picture and it ends up sideways, you NEED to fix it. Unless it makes a statement, then it’s OK.

6. The “Chugging A Beer” Profile Picture. Enough said.

7. The “Blurred” or “Too Dark” Profile Picture. If it’s not a clear picture, don’t use it.

8. The “Way Too Serious” Profile Picture. I truly believe that individuals should smile in their profile picture. In addition, there was a research study conducted on Twitter that suggested that people who smile gain 28% more followers.

9. The “Trying To Be Way Out Creative” Profile Picture. Until you have truly created your brand, don’t go for the goofy hats, clothes and antics. It really does send out the wrong message.

10. The “No Picture At All” Profile Picture. This is the worst offense of all. Please put up a profile picture if you are using social media sites. People want to see you. And I have heard time and time again that people oftentimes won’t connect with people without pictures. Social media is “social.” So, let them see who you are.

Like it or not, your profile picture speaks volumes about you. So, think about it and do your best to use a picture that you want the world to see.

My Best,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

1. The economy IS going to improve. Have faith. Look for opportunities and focus on what you do best, make sure some form of marketing/advertising is in place this year!

2. Online social networks will continue to grow in prominence. Don’t need a crystal ball for this one. However, consider this: Digital dialog may continue to grow, but so will the frustration over how to convert that technology into viable business opportunities. This is still an emerging field, and much of it will be established, then changed and continue to change. Make sure you have a plan.

3. Companies, small and large, need to create a social media strategy. What’s your plan? Oh . . . you don’t have one? Big mistake in 2010. You need to start working on one now. If you don’t know where to start, ask friends colleagues or a professional, some of the best advice I have gotten has come out of small study groups.

4. We will begin to see more integration between face-to-face and online networking opportunities. Online networks will do things to promote face-to-face opportunities, and face-to-face networks will begin to integrate online networking.

5. Victims of downsizing will become active in networking groups (both face-to-face and online). Many people have been laid off. Based on trends, it is common that within a few months of an increase in unemployment, there is almost always an influx of new members into networking organizations. This is a great time, because maybe you even have more time, to network and meet new business potentials.

6. Face-to-face networks will continue to grow, if they stay true to a fundamental mission of helping people grow their businesses. Nothing beats networking in person. Go to a meeting, learn something new and bring home a potential client.

7. Don’t have a web site yet? Well one-way web sites are now OLD Fashioned! More and more, companies will create web sites that operate in two directions. They will not only provide information to their customers but will also seek feedback from their customers. Blogs, interactive newsletters, social network sites, consumer feedback groups: All of these will continue to grow in importance for companies.

8. Companies that succeed in 2010 will remain agile and will focus on relationships. Technology is a tool. Relationships are king when it comes to networking. Companies who are creative in using tools to enhance the relationship building process will be the leaders in a company networking program.

My Best,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

Hopefully you answered YES to this question. If not read on…

There’s a paradigm shift under way that you need to be aware of. Measuring your success, and ultimately the success of your emails reaching your customers’ inboxes, is now becoming less determined by your complaint rates, open rates, and non-existent bounces. The new determinate is called Email Engagement.

Weekly new ways of measuring results pop up, this is the newest. These new metrics include variables such as, “Are the recipients deleting your mail without even reading it,” “How long does the piece of email sit in your subscriber’s inbox before it’s read,” “Are recipients saving your mail once it’s read,” and “Do your subscribers re-read your email.” The old metrics are still being used, but the new measurements of Email Engagement are now being factored into filtering models as a better means to separating the good marketers from the bad ones.

Real evidence of these changes was in late November when AOL announced significant changes to its Enhanced Whitelist policies. This indicates that AOL will give a heavier weight to Email Engagement in the future.

So what does this mean to you? You now need to clean up your subscriber lists and focus on what your subscribers really want. First at the top of your to-do list should be that you must obtain explicit consent from your contacts on your email list(s). You must remove your bounces, segment your list(s) to ensure your messages are truly targeted, and obtain a better understanding of your relationship with your subscribers to insure better engagement. If you don’t do these steps it potentially puts your business’s reputation in the crosshairs of the ISPs.

There is a science to this method of marketing. Keep researching, keep on top of it and if you understand and embrace these new changes, you will reap the rewards.

My Best Regards,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

It’s an unfortunate fact of life (and business). Out of the blue you get a nasty email from someone. Sometimes it’s about an article you’ve written. Sometimes it’s accompanied by a refund request. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it’s tied to anything at all.

Or maybe you discover someone writing malicious things about you on a blog or a forum. Or maybe some other negative things suddenly start getting tweeted or posted to Facebook about you, your products or your business.

As a business owner, the more active and successful you become, the more you open yourself up to criticism, negative feedback or just plain being attacked.

As someone who is both a writer AND a business owner, I know all about what happens when you’re dealing with unwelcome criticism. But if this is something new for you, or even if it’s not new but you’re feeling like you’ve just been sucker-punched by something out of the blue, I thought I’d share a few insights to help you shake off the bad karma.

1. Think about your response, long ….and hard. Respond only to the facts not emotions. Throw out a solution, be kind and firm. Businesses who respond responsibly and with solutions to negative posts win every time. Those that don’t bother to reply or do so in a derogatory way will sometimes jeopardize their business even more.

2. Keep active in that community or forum and make sure you continue to post and thank others for their posts. Post success stories, create your own good press.

3. Most people see thru negative posts anyway and when you have built a good reputation with enough friends or fans or followers, you will be amazed at how they automatically come through and protect your good interests….they really do!

My Best Regards,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC

One of the first questions I’m asked by a potential client is always, “What’s the Return on Investment for using social media?” Basically…when will I make money from being on social media sites?

That probably sounds a little harsh, but the fact is many businesses only want to get on social media if they think it’s a sure bet that they will get clients and make money as a result of being on social media sites. The problem with that mentality is that it treats all the people on different social media sites as numbers, which is absolutely the last impression you want to give people if you want them do business with you.

The reality of Return on Investment is that before you can get a return on it, you have to be willing to invest in it. And that means investing resources, but it also means investing in relationships with the people you want to do business with. Businesses that are only concerned with getting a return on investment for using social media fail to understand that social media isn’t where the sales occurs. Social media is where the networking and marketing occur, where the relationship building happens.

Social media is part of the relationship building process you engage in, in order to stay visible to other people, establish your reputation, and share information. And the value people find all of those activities is what ultimately helps them decide if they will do business with you. The recognition they have that you can solve a problem for them is what will motivate them to do business with you. And that realization won’t occur automatically. It will occur because you’ve spent enough time getting to know them that they understand and recognize the value that you offer.

The sales process can only occur once you’ve built enough rapport in your relationship to earn the trust and recognition of the person you would do business with. It takes time to establish value, and with social media it can take even more time because many of your interactions are done in a virtual space. When the sales process does occur it will happen as a result of building your relationship with the person to the point that s/he will be ready to do business with you.

The best strategy for social media is the strategy that recognizes the limitations of the medium that social media occurs in. All of social media occurs in a virtual space, mostly in text. There’s a lot of context that’s missing as a result. I have found that pictures and video are most effective for developing conversation with potential clients. The conversation that’s engaged in needs to be done as transparently as possible, without a hidden agenda. There’s also value in learning the social media behaviors that are successful and help you connect with people. Those behaviors take time to learn, just as it takes time to develop a comprehensive strategy that enables you to maximize how you use social media in your business.

Businesses want return on investment, and want sales as a way of justifying using social media. But they must first realize that in order to get all of that they need to learn what social media can help them do and what it can’t do. It can help them provide better customer service, better marketing visibility, and better networking. What social media can’t do is automatically line people up to do business with you. That only occurs if you are willing to invest time in building relationships with those people, and social media is integral to building those relationships will become more integral as it becomes more integrated into our lives. Business must also realize that integrating social media takes time. You can’t wave a magic wand and have it all put together over night. Developing a strategy and learning the behaviors that are accepted on social media sites takes time, but once the strategy is in place and the business understands the best practices of social media behavior, the return on investment will start to occur. And hopefully in the process, you’ll also build some genuine relationships.

Having a full two years experience in this media, I have found various ways to measure the results. First look at your friends and for your business page, look at your fans. How many have done business with you this past week, month or year. Another way to measure your results is to analyze how your numbers of followers, fans and friends are compared to your competition. Another way to measure your return is to look at your current clients and see how they communicate with you. Are they a fan or a follower? Do they get your monthly e-news? Are they part of any LinkedIn in or other business group with your business? All these little ways you can touch a customer, will over time have an effect of how they consistently do business with you based on your posts and responses to on-line media.

My Best,
Kathy Kane
Market Insights, LLC