Social Media Marketing is a Waste of Time for Professional Services Firms

 17 Responses »
Oct 052010
 

social media marketingSocial media is an area of business that is wrought with conflicting opinions. Some say that it is an essential marketing strategy for all businesses. Some say it is a total waste of time and not right for their industry. And then there are those who have the right idea – the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

The reality is, like it or not, social media is here and it is here to stay. The challenge for any business in any niche becomes finding the right channels for your particular industry and your particular business-specific situation.

Those who are anti-social media consider it to be a waste of time, not easily measured in terms of ROI, and perhaps see it as just a passing fad. Some of this type of thinking could be because many business people are intimidated by the idea of social media either because they don’t fully understand it or perhaps they are from the old school marketing mentality. Marketing today should consist of a well-integrated mix of many different marketing channels including the Internet. In order to be successful today, business owners must adapt to the changing business world to achieve and maintain a competitive edge.

Social media is a set of tools – it is not a means to an end. It is the tool-set professional services firms (and others) use to:

  • Build awareness
  • Gain exposure
  • Engage in conversations
  • Build relationships
  • Inform, educate and/or influence
  • Establish industry leader status

If looked at in this light, professional service providers will see that the role of social media is indeed important and valuable to getting more clients. Did you know that Corporate Counsels read blogs? Well they do and you can read about some interesting statistics on Corporate Counsel Read Blogs? Who Knew??  The article states:

“Nearly 70 percent of respondents aged 30 to 39 expect their consumption of business and legal industry news through social media platforms to increase within the next six months.”

This article also discusses an increased use of Facebook amongst younger counsel (30-39 year olds) which is interesting in that Facebook tends to merge personal and professional lives together as opposed to a site like Linkedin which is completely professional. It will be interesting to see how the increased use of Facebook works out for professional services groups, as this author, is a little wary of mixing business with personal information.

With the jury still out about social networking on personal sites like Facebook, there is no doubt that blogs and industry forums provide a highly visible online means for professional service companies to:

  • Increase their online presence
  • Establish themselves as an industry expert
  • Build and maintain relationships
  • Increase brand visibility
  • Distinguish themselves from their competition
  • Build their reputation by letting potential clients SEE their expertise rather than simply hearing about it
  • Establish themselves as an industry thought leader

Keep in mind that the more visible your professional services firm is, the more likely you will able to benefit from cross-selling opportunities. If you are a law firm providing entity formation services for a client, it is not unreasonable to assume that this same client might not be aware of other legal services your firm offers.

If you consider social media as channels of communication, you will realize that utilizing these channels to inform, engage, interact and influence your target audience will eventually translate into a higher conversion rate and increased profits. Connect rather than collect. Build relationships and nurture them. People like to do business with people they know and professional services firms are no different. Introduce yourself to your target market via social media channels, engage them in conversations through meaningful interactions, and let them see for themselves what you are all about. Share your knowledge with your potential clients. This knowledge doesn’t necessarily have to be your own original content. Sharing others’ knowledge (with the credit given where it is due) will only help your reputation and others’ perception of you as a provider of knowledge, valuable information, and someone they will want to do business with.

Promote Your Business with Video Email Marketing and Increase Your Sex Drive!

 15 Responses »
Sep 212010
 

If you are a small business owner, you might be totally overwhelmed with running your business, with a major concern being how to best promote your brand. Many factors need to be taken into consideration when deciding on the most effective approach for your industry niche and your company's specific situation.

However, all small business owners have one thing in common and that is the need to determine what makes them different, better, or stand out from the competition. If you have been in business for a while and have a good reputation and good customer service, you will benefit from the perception others have of your company by way of repeat customers and referrals. Even in this high-tech world and increasing use of social media marketing, word-of-mouth advertising is still the most efficient and cost-effective form of advertising.

What are some ways to make your brand stand out? In order for your potential customers/clients to notice you, you will need to have something in your marketing arsenal that makes you "different". 

If pictures speak a thousand words, how many words do you think a video speaks? 

People Remember:

  • 10% of what they Read
  • 20% of what they Hear
  • 30% of what they See

But 50% of Read, Hear, AND See

Introducing Video Emails

  • People no longer just have to read; they can watch and listen too – engaging all the senses at the same time
  • Video emails are great for companies who either don’t have a website or have an out-dated one that is not optimized for search. Include a link to your website in your video email and drive traffic to your site. Sending powerful video emails is a great way to increase your online presence
  • Harness the global reach of the Internet with the power of video
  • Use video email to announce special offers or deals
  • Search engines LOVE video – increase your organic traffic
  • Describe your product or service and the benefits of using it clearly and concisely
  • Increase word-of-mouth advertising by the impression your video emails leave on those on your mailing list
  • Convert your written marketing materials into video for a much more impressive and lasting impression

WAIT! What does this have to do with sex drive?

overwhelmed

 

Small business owner BEFORE using video emails!

 

calm

 

 

 

Small business Owner AFTER using video emails!

 

 

 

 

Small business owner at the end of the work day!

 

 

Try video emails – you might like them!

“It Takes a Lifetime to Build a Reputation and Only 15 Minutes to Destroy it.”- Warren Buffett

 4 Responses »
Feb 182010
 

How important is your reputation to you?

As a small business owner, it should be extremely important. We tend to forget that anything and everything we “say” on the Internet is searchable.

With the advent of all the social media marketing tracking tools and the new social media search engine functionality, your word is  now broadcasted across the world wide web.

Don’t forget that even a comment you might write on someone’s blog post or in a forum, can be found if someone does a search by your name.

As a small business owner, you want to be sure that anything you do on the Internet is how you want to be perceived by your customers and your potential customers.

Sure there will be times when being diplomatic might be difficult – but before you respond, remember your response has a direct influence on your reputation so remember to use tact and be professional, even in light of a negative comment about your brand.

How can the Small Business Owners Compete Against the Giants?

 4 Responses »
Feb 142010
 

The small business owner has to do whatever he/she does better than the competition does. Successful marketing efforts in the current marketing environment need to address the consumer of today who is drastically different than the consumer of yesterday.

Today’s consumers are not interested in being preached at – they want two-way communication channels – hence the rise of the importance of social media.

Today's consumer no longer blindly believes business owners – they want businesses to prove and earn their loyalty. Small business owners have to "play" in the same arena their potential customers are "playing" in. They need to be accountable and have a presence. They need to capitalize on their marketing strength/advantage/edge. They need to engage their target or niche on social media platforms. They need to listen to what the consumer wants and needs and be sure they are addressing those wants and needs.

It is a tough time – but the savvy business owner will realize the importance of relationship building in business and focus his/her attentions on the relationship – both on and off the Internet.

The Internet has become so important and actually makes it easier for the small business owner to find out exactly what and where the competition is – and that is EXACTLY where he/she needs to be too. There are some really neat free social media marketing tools like HowSociable and Socialmention that can help you monitor what your competitors are doing in the social networks as well as your own traction on the social web.

Small companies can create a large presence on the Internet thereby putting them in the same playing field as the larger companies (unless the players are major, well-renowned brands like Coca Cola and Dell) The power of the Internet is boundless.

There are so many free ways to reach ones' target market. For instance, Google and Bing offer free local listings. Merchant Circle is another free site with an option for an upgrade for a fee. Manta is an outstanding marketing resource because it offers a platform for businesses to provide company details such as company name, address, number of employees, estimated annual sales and more. Do yourself a favor and do a Google search on your niche.  You will be surprised at the enormous number of resources that will literally be handed to you on a silver platter.  Seek and ye shall find…

Today’s marketplace is highly competitive and the economic climate is tenuous at best. As such, it is imperative that small business owners have a clear understanding of who their target market is and what their value proposition is.

Before embarking on a new or revised marketing strategy, the small business owner should be able to answer the following 4 basic questions:

1)   Who are your customers?

2)   What do they want or need?

3)   How can you help them?

This last question is important enough to discuss separately.

4)   Who are you? Sounds like a simple question but it can sometimes be a difficult one to answer.

Small businesses who offer solutions-oriented products and services might find it difficult to pinpoint exactly what their brand is.  However, the successful business owner will be the one who has the ability to powerfully and effectively communicate a brand identity that meets the consumers’ needs in a better and distinctive way than competitive companies. Answering these questions is just the beginning of your marketing journey but without the right targeted direction, you might find yourself spinning in the wind. 

 

Don’t spin, instead focus and target.

Marketers Need to Understand the Power of Viral Videos

 No Responses »
Feb 092010
 

Green Buzz Agency is a strategic digital media company specializing in high quality Video Production Services. "Organizations approach us wanting an online video presence, and typically choose the path of Client Testimonials, Product Demos, or something similar. Those are great choices, but the road less taken to brand loyalty is the Viral Video.

WHY VIRAL VIDEOS?

1. Youth is still the magic demographic for marketers, and news flash, this generation of young people watch way less television than generations before. Millenials are too busy watching videos on YouTube. They typically don’t care who made those videos, or if they have an agenda, as long as the video is entertaining. If your company wants to boost its coolness factor while making a great first impression, then it is hard to ignore the viral video format.

2. They are cheap to produce. At least compared to other formats of online video or television. Weigh the cost of making a slick TV commercial with actors, a set, props, a big crew, and the ad time needed to air it versus twenty-five or so viral videos. Out of that large group of videos maybe you decide six will have a holiday shopping season theme, three a St. Patrick’s Day theme, and so on. This means you make a viral video whenever you want, which leads to the next point.

Read Marketers Need to Understand the Power of Viral Videos to find out more reasons why your business should use viral videos as part of your marketing strategy. Thank you to Tod Plotkin for sharing his blog and valuable information.

Deer in the Headlights

 1 Response »
Feb 052010
 

deerAre you a small business owner?

Are you overwhelmed by the vast number of “things” to do on the Internet as part of your marketing efforts? A common reaction to being overwhelmed is to become immobile and do nothing – just like a deer caught in your headlights. This is not a dig at anyone; it is more of an understanding of why some react to the whole idea of Internet marketing by doing nothing.

Many people don’t make decisions out of fear of making the wrong one. Unfortunately, this usually results in the biggest mistake of all – doing nothing! In business, this result can be quite costly. While you are procrastinating and continuing to evaluate all your choices, your competitors are out there making things happen.

Will some of your choices be wrong? Absolutely! But as long as you own up to, recognize and learn from your mistakes, you will still be one step ahead of where you would have been had you done nothing. Keep in mind that nothing you do is etched in stone and can be modified, changed or even deleted (Unless you have spent tons of money putting up a huge billboard. That might be a little more difficult to just “erase”). Take for example, re-designing your website.

If you look at this as more of a process than a task with a definite beginning and a definite ending, you will be more comfortable taking the necessary steps in this process to get to your desired goal – a newly designed, well-optimized website. But even when you think you are done, you are not done. You will more than likely be adding content to your site, you might want to make some design changes, you might want to re-design your logo, your tagline, etc.

Don’t be afraid to make a decision on the design or content because it might be the wrong one. It more than likely will be the wrong one, so expect to make many wrong choices along your way to finding a better one. It is all part of the process.

Get Your Own Internet Toolkit To Reduce Your “Overwhelm”!

 

 

The Importance of Social Media Marketing for Small Business Owners

 No Responses »
Jan 312010
 

The world has changed yet there are still many small business owners who haven't accepted this change. It is time for everyone to jump on the bandwagon so as not to be left out in the cold. Mike Clough from America's Best Business Practices wrote a great article with tons of insight:  How Important is Social Media in a Marketing Plan?

Top Reasons Why A Small Business Owner Should Consider Outsourcing Their Internet Marketing Initiatives

 4 Responses »
Jan 292010
 
  • Are you a small business owner with limited time?
  • Do you wish you had the time to increase your internet presence and overall brand visibility by driving traffic to your website?
  • Are you an industry-expert with information to share? Wouldn’t you like to be able to use that knowledge by participating in your industry-specific forums, discussions groups, and other social networking sites in order to increase your internet presence?
  • Did you know that article marketing is a valuable branding strategy and will increase your website traffic?
  • Have you written articles about your industry niche but don’t know what to do with them or where to submit them for the best SEO?
  • Are you overwhelmed by the vast number of social media networking sites and don’t have the time or knowledge to identify which sites would provide the most valuable visibility?
  • Do you have a new product or service that you would like to announce to potential customers but don’t have the time to write and distribute a press release for the best visibility and the most impact on your SEO?
  • Are you currently blogging but don’t have the time to keep your posts up-to-date?
  • Do you wish you had the time to start blogging because you have heard that blogs increase search engine optimization and brand awareness by increasing your website traffic?
  • Did you know that blogging can help establish you as an industry-expert and is a powerful form of social media marketing?
  • Have you heard that online free directory submissions are a way to increase your internet presence and your search engine optimization?

If your answer to even one of the above questions is "yes", you are not alone. Small business owners have a difficult enough task of trying to find enough hours in the day to take care of the day-to-day running of their businesses. You can’t possibly do “everything” your business requires and do “everything” well. Do an analysis of your current marketing efforts to determine which are working the best. Consider those areas you would like to get involved in but don’t have the time to devote. Create a strategy that will get you the most bang for your buck.

Does outsourcing your Internet marketing needs sound like a viable option?

Article Marketing For Small Business Owners: Promote Your Brand

 No Responses »
Jan 202010
 

Today’s economic climate and competitive market make it more difficult for small business owners to prevail. Marketing efforts need to be finely tuned and precisely targeted for maximum benefit. The Internet allows the “little guys” to play in the same playgrounds as their larger counterparts. These playgrounds are in the form of social networking sites, forums, article sites, and various other business networking platforms. The amount of ground the Internet covers is immense and can be intimidating. But if the small business owner is able to narrow down and fine-tune their target niche, they can focus their time and energies on only the most relevant and valuable sites for their specific target audience.

 

Read full article here.

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