ROI On Social Media

Some people say ROI on social media can not be determined, but it's simply not true. Check out this slide put out by HubSpot in an online webinar (10/23/12) on determining ROI on Social Media. I would like to say I've used this formula, and had many customers bow down to it, but the answer is no, I just heard of this formula, and I'm putting it out for you, "Joe Small Business Owner", to see what you think.

Frankly, at Shoestring Mktg, we normally track sales, fans, followers and clicks etc, but this formula actually has an "Average Fan Value", which would be extremely valuable. For all you do-it-yourselfer marketers, we would like to know what you think of this formula. Though it seems to be a fairly good formula, one deficiency I see is that it doesn't account for a client who doesn't click-through to your website, and simply hires you off of social media, just like I talked about Susan Grace Napier, Author of Intimate Terrorist, in an earlier post. The reason she wouldn't compute in this formula, is because she never clicked through to my site. Susan corresponded with me solely through LinkiedIn, where we set up our meeting and then she hired me at the meeting. According to this conversion chart, Susan wouldn't compute even though I have made money off her, however I must say, the geniuses at HubSpot do an amazing job at helping people how to make marketing easy. 

Let us know what you think about this formula. Also, do you have a good way of measuring ROI on social media? If so, drop us a comment or email. We would love to have a dialogue with you!   .

Getting New Customers From LinkedIn

Getting new customers from LinkedIn is possible, as well as other forms of social media, as long as you work them effectively. We recently picked up a new client from LinkedIn, the author of Intimate Terrorist, Susan Grace Napier. We are both companies in Kansas City, and in trying to promote her cause, domestic violence prevention, she added me as a personal connection, and then found Shoestring Mktg through my LinkedIn page. One day out of the blue, I get an email that basically says, 'I need help with marketing, can we set up a meeting to talk?'

Well, after meeting with her, we decided we could make a good team, because our personal and business philosphies are aligned, and not only do we enjoy being around each other, we also have professional goals and philosophies in common. So anyone who says social media won't make you money, just doesn't know what they're talking about. Maybe THEY can't make money on social media, but you can!

First, you have to build a presence on LinkedIn. Set up a personal profile, and fill out your profile as much as you can. Second, start a business page, and encourage people to follow your page.  Thirdly, get involved in some groups, and participate in the discussions. Talk on other people's profiles and statuses, and literally start trying to build a relationship with people through LinkedIn. Answer your emails, start conversations and in general, reach out to other people who could be potential customers for you. Just remember, be a positive business with good intentions and you too can find another avenue to meet new potential customers with LinkedIn.

Positive vs. Negative Marketing

Positive vs. negative marketing is widely disputed, and with the upcoming elections, I'd like to weigh in on positive vs. negative marketing, but only as far as digital marketing is concerned.  I continually watch and learn from industry leaders, and there have been studies done which test positive vs. negative sentiments in marketing, and though a very negative stance can sometimes garner support, the positive messages win in the long run.

Positive messages routinely get more "click-throughs" and "likes". It's not until you take a hard negative stance can you garner much support, and it's still not even as much support as the positive rankings. So generally, you should always err on the side of caution, and not put out negative marketing messages. This frame was taken from a webinar I took recently that depicted the "click through rate" by the subject line of an email. As you can see, the positive subject lines of emails get a much higher click through rate than negative sentiments. (Slide is from a HubSpot Webinar 10/23/12 #LeadSci)

Now I mentioned political ads, and I want you to think about how you feel....how does a negative ad about a candidate you are supporting politically make you feel about the candidate putting out the ad? Probably not great, because the negative ads are attacking someone you like. Is that how you want your brand depicted, as a hateful, nasty, mud-slinging type company? Remember this the next time you are tempted to write something nasty about your competition or point out a negative aspect in an online marketing campaign.

As always, if you have questions or need help with marketing, Shoestring Mktg is happy to talk with you. Contact us by leaving a comment, or by visiting our website at http://bit.ly/SSMcontact and we can answer any questions or try to solve any marketing problems you have.

Social Media For Your Olathe Business

I charge 5 cents a reader, but for you this blog is free.

Social media for your Olathe business does not mean starting an account, filling it out, and then letting it sit dormant after inviting everyone you know to "like" it or "follow" you. Social media is just that...social. Don't bother to create and fill out profiles if you aren't going to actively use them. And by using them, I don't mean cram a sales pitch down your followers throats. Social media is truly a social vehicle that allows people to find you online, interact with you on an opt-in basis, talk about things related to your industry and/or products, while providing a link to your website where customers can hopefully find out all the information they need about your company and your products.

Some businesses really miss the "social" aspect of this type of marketing. They think because it is "marketing" that this means get on social media and slap a coupon, sales pitch, or offers on as many news feeds as they can. Now let me tell you, you can get new customers off social media, but you have to do it right. Learn more about the strategy of it before even attempting to do it yourself, because since it's free, it can be a valuable marketing tool for your Olathe business.

Marketing Plan For Your Overland Park Business

You need a good marketing plan for your Overland Park business so first you have to make one! Be sure to write it out, and don't just write ideas...be specific!

A Good Marketing Plan For Your Overland Park Business Will:

• Detail out how you are going to grow your business
• Compare reality vs. plan on a regular basis (plan vs. analytics)
•  Help you be an expert in your industry for competitors and customers alike
• Measure how your efforts are working (analytics reports)

 

You Need To:

• Renew annually (make changes to reflect new directions etc)
•  Allow changes to be made regularly to maximize your efforts

 

A good marketing plan will point out opportunities for you to grow, and after looking at your plans vs. analytics, it will help you determine which way your marketing dollars should be spent.

 

Do you have a marekting plan? Do you need help building one? As always, you can contact Shoestring Mktg for more information about how to grow your small Kansas City business that is on a budget! 

Kansas City Business - Collateral Marketing

Kansas City Business - Collateral Marketing is as important as a website. Do you know what collateral marketing is? Collateral Marketing lets those you come into contact with know who you are by acting as secondary credentials. For ex. business cards, name tags etc. As with the rest of your marketing, try to make sure all pieces carry through your message and branding consistantly. Also, whenever possible, try to put your website on your collateral marketing piece.  

 

What are some important marketing factors when looking at revising your business card? Make sure your website is on it! Consider putting a picture on it, for the "know, like and trust" factor. Put credibility icons on there, like Facebook, LinkedIn, or the Better Business Bureau (if you are a member in good standing). DON'T put your business card on shiny paper that people can't write on, because there's nothing more annoying than not being able to write a note on someone's business card because they were trying to be "too fancy". Use a professional printer, and not "free" cards from VistaPrint, unless going cheap is part of your branding. You will probably want your potential clients to see your business as reputable, and able to afford business cards. 

 

For these and other marketing tips, subscribe to this blog, and get on the Shoestring Mktg mailing list .

Marketing On A Shoestring Budget

Kansas City business owners marketing on a shoestring budget are at an advantage compared to our forefathers. My father was a life-long entrepreneur in the tile business, but his idea of operating on a shoestring budget was NOT printing a catalog, but instead making samples on cheap hard cardboard type boards with holes in them for a peg board rack. He understood his customer, because they would go into a floor covering shop in a small town looking for products to put on their floor, and a catalog wasn't as nice as looking at a piece of tile itself.

Today, we are afforded online marketing via the internet which somewhat levels the playing field with the big companies while being virtually free! You should know that your customer probably goes to the internet to look for products, and you should be marketing to them in this way. There are many ways to take advantage of free marketing online, but a few examples would be Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Foursquare and many others. Marketing is about communicating your message to potential clients, and what better way to communicate to some one for free than Facebook? My point is, where there's a cash-strapped will there's a free way!

As always, if you need help with your marketing and are in the Kansas City metro area, contact me at Shoestring Mktg.

Increase Your Reach In Online Marketing

Increase Your Reach In Online Marketing by adding your company profile to websites and mobile apps that aid your customer in finding you. According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, 2011 we know 2 things:

1. 92% of all online adults use search engines
2. 55% get location-based directions or recommendations on their cell phones

This is good news for the small business owner that is working on effective and inexpensive marketing strategies because increasing your presence online is easy to implement and free in most cases, however, it does take time. You will have to spend time finding different directories and apps to start a profile in, learning what information the profile can contain and filling it out fully to maximize your efforts. Some sites will allow sharing of photos and advertising special offers for you, while other site's profiles only allow for basic information that will rarely change. Just remember, for all your profiles, use a well thought out and consistant

Now look back at the 2 facts above, and notice that 55% of people get location based directions from their cell phone, so make sure you get registered in the map sites and geo-location based applications, like MapQuest. If they are trying to find your location from their mobile phone, make it easy for them. If you want to get an idea of your coverage online, Google your company name and see what comes up. Even if you have adequate coverage, spend time increasing your coverage by adding more profiles continually. Again, this just takes time, so make time every week and by the end of a year, you should see a difference in the results of your reach in online marketing.

To watch a video about increasing your reach through online marketing click here.

Social Media Gauge - Empire Avenue & Klout

Are you wondering how effective you are at social media? Try some of the social media out there that helps you measure by connecting your accounts and letting the site's algorithm give you a score that at least will put you apples to apples with other people, even if you don't agree with the algorithm itself.

Two fun sites that I've found are Klout and Empire Avenue. Empire Avenue is a little more fun and actually has some strategy to it, while Klout simply grades you on  your effectiveness to engage. Empire Avenue allows you to invest in others by buying stock in them. You make dividends on people and accumulate money and success. It is more social too, because you can engage with users better than on Klout, which merely is a measurement of sorts. Klout has changed their algorithm recently which messed with scores, and I have actually found it a little more confusing since they did this. Because there is so little knowledge about Klout, even in speaking with other Klout users, no one really knows much about it, even though they "use" it. This to me is a negative aspect.

Anyway, if you want to gauge your interactions on social media, try either Klout or Empire Avenue and be sure to +K me or buy stock in me and I will return the favor! Happy assessing!

Kansas City Monday Morning Marketing Blog

So, I'm your Kansas City Monday morning marketing blog that you are reading just after getting into the office ready for a long week of closing deals and keeping jobs in your pipeline, right? Aha! I'm magic! How did I know you are reading this on a Monday morning?  Because I'm a professional marketing expert for small businesses, and I know that the research shows the number of people reading blogs peak on Monday mornings, so I'm not as much magic, but rather a gambler using statistics to my advantage.

If you are a small business owner looking to increase your presence online, try blogging. You don't have to write out a 3 page paper everyday, but rather sit down and hammer out 2-3 paragraphs every day on subjects you know a lot about and that your potential customer cares about. When your potential customer types word phrases into a search engine, your blog has the potential of being seen by them if the engine picks it up in the rankings. Now though about half of people searching don't care if you have first page organic rankings, on the flip-side, the other half do care. Blogging can sometimes get you first page results, which is as huge to a small business marketing strategy as it is on your potential customer's opinion of your site in relation to the page your on.

If you see the power of blogging, but don't have time and need help contact us at 913.735-6584 or stop by our website at: http://bit.ly/SSMsite.

Olathe Christian Marketing Guru Doesn't Work On Sundays

This Olathe Christian marketing guru doesn't work on Sundays. Are you wondering why you're reading this after noticing that it was posted on a Sunday? That's the nice thing about using blogging as a form of online marketing, because you can write the blog in advance and publish it when you want it to air. This convenient form of online marketing allows a small business owner the capability to stay on top of his marketing or branding even if he leaves the country or simply goes off the grid for a long weekend.

Most people go online to research everything in this day and age, and a blog allows you to be an expert in your field, and talk about subjects you know. If you talk in your blog about a subject a potential customer currently needs, is looking to hire a contractor for, or musing about, then they can possibly find you when scouring the search engines. There is some art to blogging, but as long as you get the basics, you can learn the rest from there. Help get your small Kansas City business noticed online by blogging everyday, even if you're a Christian like me who doesn't work on Sundays.

If you don't have time to write your own blog, and you want help, call Shoestring Mktg at 913.735.6584 or visit our website at: http://on.fb.me/FB_SSM

Customer Focus - Lenexa Software Developer

Customer Focus - Lenexa Software Developer
 
Every so often I try to blog about a local Kansas City customer to highlight their business. This week I'm highlight Bunch Consulting, Inc. Located in Lenexa, KS, though serving all of Kansas City and beyond, Bunch Consulting, Inc. is a national custom software company. They offer project based pricing so the customer knows exactly what their project will cost. Founded in July 2003, they are very experienced and can help you determine your needs vs. cost.

Bunch Consulting, Inc. can develop custom software solutions for any company and take their needs, wants and ideas and bring them to fruition. Because good software can replace an employee, having a custom software program developed could save money for a business. If you have a process or processes that could be automated, like inventory management or order tracking, then check out Bunch Consulting, Inc. to see if they can write you a custom program to hep you run more efficient and be more profitable.

Click here for Bunch Consulting, Inc. Website

Click here to follow them on Facebook

Social Media Is A Powerful Marketing Weapon

Social Media is a powerful marketing weapon, and if you don't believe that just look at any big social media brouhaha that is kicked up by users and picked up by the media as a good example. The latest is actress Stacey Dash who tweeted a simple tweet telling users to vote for #Mitt. The backlash that ensued was downright un-American, but a good indication of the viral power of mass communication like Twitter. So remember this the next time you want to post a comment about any hot-button issue, because just like you wouldn't tell your customers who to vote for, so you shouldn't tell your followers either.

How do you harness a positive firestorm of media? Well this is not an easily answered question because of the fickle nature of users and the fluid medium of social media. We recommend instead of trying to go viral, that you simply make it a goal to put out good user-generated content. Instead of trying to get millions of followers or views, instead try to get quality views. Talk to that potential customer you would like to have right in front of you and you will get better marketing results. Have any social media questions?

Branding Your Overland Park Small Business

Branding your Overland Park small business may seem like a daunting task, but it is one of the unneccessary evils in putting forth a solid marketing message. It's extremely important that you take the time to ask yourself several questions to develop a consistent message across multiple formats. Some of the questions you need to ask yourself are:

• What is the feel or message that you want your brand to put out?
• What 3 words would you want a client to say about your business?
• What emotions are behind customers purchasing your products or services?
• What demographic do you want to appeal to?

If while examining your brand, you don't know what your brand puts out, then it's time to take serious consideration to improving your marketing efforts. You should be putting out a consistant message from the font of your first flier to the intricate campaign of an upcoming event. If you don't know the first step in branding your small business, and you are in Overland Park, or any suburb of Kansas City, then contact me immediately, and I can help you. Branding does matter, and you're putting off an image whether you are in tune with it or not.

Marketing Strategies For Olathe Business Owners

Marketing Strategies for Olathe Business Owners (and Overland Park etc.) are important, but what is the single most important thing you need to know when blogging as a form of marketing? Content is king! Google's motto is "Don't be evil". Google does not want you to try to manipulate the rankings, but rather to provide good content for users. This translates into a good blog by knowing your customers, and writing good content for them to find when they are researching online.

If it sounds like a simple marketing strategy, it's because it is. You can tell the difference between a blog written for it's users and a blog written for the Google crawlers. Just remember though that ultimately you are trying to communicate your message to your clients and potential clients, so don't mess up that opportunity of when a real potential comes to your site by boring them with repetitive language that you use in order to fool a Google crawler. Don't be evil...be good. Write good content with your customers point of view in mind.

Marketing Tip For Lenexa Small Business Owners

The best marketing tip for Lenexa small business owners that I have today is to continually educate yourself on the changing trends of digital and social media. Do you read proven marketier's blogs? Find an expert and follow their blog, subscribe to their SSM updates or set a day and time every week when you will read the important updates by the marketing guru of your choice. Even though taking a class seems like a great way to learn a whole bunch of marketing tricks or the ins and outs of social media, it can sometimes be information overload. When you learn a little every day though after 6 months, you can look back and realize you have a nice solid foundation of retained information.

I continually am learning about marketing to stay on top of things for my clients, but I like Seth Godin's blog as one for you to check out...but of course, I want you to subscribe to mine too. Plan on spending at least 1 hour a week reading and learning new marketing tips and tricks and them trying them out in future campaigns, statuses and ideas. As always, don't forget to sign up for my mailing list for more tips and tricks in your inbox.

Smart Phones Can Affect Modern Day Marketing

I saw a statistic today that said 88% of American adults have a cell phone and 55% of adults get location-based directions or recommendations on their cell phones. What does that have to do with marketing? Well, if they are looking for your storefront and you're not listed on mapquest...do you think they will find you? 2012 marketing is so different than marketing even in 1999. The leaps and bounds that have been surpassed even in just the last 10 years, is almost beyond comprehension.

Your marketing should be cutting edge. Even though old school can be an advantage in many cases, it's not so much in marketing. Old school marketing includes investing tens of thousands of dollars in yellow page ads. If anyone reads this, and uses a yellow page book more than 5 times a year, then please leave a comment. I would bet there are no comments on this blog in favor of this kind of marketing.  You may not be sold on social media marketing, or pay-per-click ads, but I would bet quite a bit of money that most people reading this would agree that the internet and digital marketing should be an adequate part of your modern day marketing plan.

Just remember, though with all the online marketing, people need to be able to find you on their cell phones, and be able to navigate your site or apps with smaller screens. So next time you have half an hour to kill, try googling your business with keywords from mobile sites like Mapquest, Foursquare, and Google and see if your business shows up. If not you need a presence on these sites. Look into ccreating profiles and getting listed. If you have any questions, as always you can drop me a comment.

Insights on Call To Action Phrases

A call to action is a request or direction for the consumer to ‘do something’—often the next step that they could take toward the purchase of a product or service. Having an effective call to action can be the difference between making the sale and losing it.Here are some effective call to action phrases that you can use in your marketing.

• Try it free
• Immediate download
• Start now
• Talk to an expert
• Start your free trial now

Check out Wikipedia's definition of call to action by clicking here. Just remember, a call to action is very important to keep good prospects in your pipeline. If you are marketing or advertising without employing an effective call to action, then you are not using your efforts to your advantage. Any questions?

Develop an Effective 30 Second Commercial

Can you describe effectively what you do for a living in 30 seconds or less that would also make them intereseted in hearing more? If not you need to sit down right now and write a 30-second commercial, and memorize it! You will use this 30 second commercial more often than you think. You don't want to squander the opportunity given to you when a potential client says, "What do you do?" This could happen at a networking event, at the grocery store or even at a highschool reunion. If you need help writing one, see the info below:

My name is _____________________________________.

I'm with _________(company name)__________________.

We help ________(the target market you serve)________with___________(briefly describe 1 product or service)__________(and point out the benefit to them)_________ .

If you know any _________(repeat target market)_______ that need help with ______(solution your product or service provides)______________I would love to talk with them.

Again my name is  ________________________  with  _____ (company name)_________.


You will want to keep this at about 30 seconds, because if you drone on they will tune out. If they are interested, they will ask more questions. We have all been stick in that conversation with that person who won't shut up about their uninteresting job, and you probably don't think very highly of them. Keep it short, and if they want to know more, they will ask.