Thursday, December 3, 2009
What's New for 2010?
Social networking, that's what's new. Really. I know, I know it's been around for awhile now. Unless you live under a rock you know about Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. However, as a small business owner did you know that soon these tools may soon play into how Google ranks your website?
For all businesses big or small, now is the time to get your online social networking house in order. Growing your followers on Twitter, adding new contacts to a Facebook Fan Page, and creating an uber network on LinkedIn are now more important than ever.
Take the first step. Get your toes wet. Try it on for size. The worst that can happen? Your business just might grow in 2010.
For all businesses big or small, now is the time to get your online social networking house in order. Growing your followers on Twitter, adding new contacts to a Facebook Fan Page, and creating an uber network on LinkedIn are now more important than ever.
Take the first step. Get your toes wet. Try it on for size. The worst that can happen? Your business just might grow in 2010.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Small business owners, it pays to have a plan!
As a business owner have you ever found yourself in a situation with too much work, or the flip side of that, too little?
More often than not at some point in your life as a business owner you have experienced both. Neither scenario helps you sleep peacefully at night.
How can a marketing plan with either dilemma?
That’s easy. It’s the old saying of, “plan your work and work your plan”.
When you have a clear and consistent plan, you tend to have clear and consistent work.
By defining your target markets, setting goals, and creating a budget you deliberately set out to find the customers you most desire. Setting goals helps you make decisions about how to market. Having a budget keeps your accountant happy and your business profitable. By understanding the cycles of your business, you will be able to plan your marketing campaigns accordingly. This helps prevent the “throw money at the problem and hope it helps” syndrome.
The most successful businesses may have started by accident, but they ones who survive the long haul have a plan.
More often than not at some point in your life as a business owner you have experienced both. Neither scenario helps you sleep peacefully at night.
How can a marketing plan with either dilemma?
That’s easy. It’s the old saying of, “plan your work and work your plan”.
When you have a clear and consistent plan, you tend to have clear and consistent work.
By defining your target markets, setting goals, and creating a budget you deliberately set out to find the customers you most desire. Setting goals helps you make decisions about how to market. Having a budget keeps your accountant happy and your business profitable. By understanding the cycles of your business, you will be able to plan your marketing campaigns accordingly. This helps prevent the “throw money at the problem and hope it helps” syndrome.
The most successful businesses may have started by accident, but they ones who survive the long haul have a plan.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Email Campaigns
Email newsletters are one of the most effective and cost efficient ways to stay top-of-mind with your past clients and prospects.
There are however some dos and don'ts when it comes to this type of marketing.
Starting with the dos:
1. Use an email service to deliver and track your messages. The service I use is iContact. Constant Contact is another service that provides template formats and back-end tracking to help you keep track of who's reading and who wants to opt-out.
2. Spend time thinking about your subject line. This short 3-5 word line is probably the most important piece of your entire message.
3. Keep it short. Busy people get lots of email every day. Say what you need to say and then be on your way.
4. Pay attention to when you're sending your email. Friday afternoon in the summer isn't the best time to catch a business person's attention. Mentally, they are already at the lake.
Don'ts
1. Don't send mass emails from your own account. Sending to more than 50 contacts at a given time may cause your ISP to peg you as a spammer. It's difficult to get off that kind of black list.
2. Don't copy word-for-word an article you've recently read in a trade magazine. You must credit sources in email newsletters just like you would credit someone if you were writing for a newspaper.
3. Don't forget to let your subscriber list know they can opt-out at any time.
4. Don't forget to watch your opt-out rate. If people are leaving in droves, you are either emailing too often or your content is not relevant to them.
For assistance in setting up an email newsletter, visit www.thatsmyideamarketing.com
Email newsletters are one of the most effective and cost efficient ways to stay top-of-mind with your past clients and prospects.
There are however some dos and don'ts when it comes to this type of marketing.
Starting with the dos:
1. Use an email service to deliver and track your messages. The service I use is iContact. Constant Contact is another service that provides template formats and back-end tracking to help you keep track of who's reading and who wants to opt-out.
2. Spend time thinking about your subject line. This short 3-5 word line is probably the most important piece of your entire message.
3. Keep it short. Busy people get lots of email every day. Say what you need to say and then be on your way.
4. Pay attention to when you're sending your email. Friday afternoon in the summer isn't the best time to catch a business person's attention. Mentally, they are already at the lake.
Don'ts
1. Don't send mass emails from your own account. Sending to more than 50 contacts at a given time may cause your ISP to peg you as a spammer. It's difficult to get off that kind of black list.
2. Don't copy word-for-word an article you've recently read in a trade magazine. You must credit sources in email newsletters just like you would credit someone if you were writing for a newspaper.
3. Don't forget to let your subscriber list know they can opt-out at any time.
4. Don't forget to watch your opt-out rate. If people are leaving in droves, you are either emailing too often or your content is not relevant to them.
For assistance in setting up an email newsletter, visit www.thatsmyideamarketing.com
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Online Social Networking. What's Worth It?
What's worth your time in Online Social Networking?
Online social networking is the buzz phrase in business for 2009. Marketing budget cutbacks and slow sales have made this form of marketing attractive to all business, but especially small businesses.
So really what social networking opportunities are worth the time and effort?
My favorites are LinkedIn and Merchant Circle. Facebook and Twitter have their merits for some businesses, but for building solid online social capital LinkedIn and Merchant Circle are hard to beat.
Both options provide a free profile. Both options will yield what you are willing to put into it.
Getting started is really very easy. Compile a basic resume of information about you and your business first. Find a jpeg of your logo and a good, professional photo of yourself before starting. It will make the process easier. You will also want to have easy access to email addresses of your current business contacts.
Adding relevant keywords in your profiles will increase your chances of being found in search engines. Be sure to add your website to the profile to drive traffic to the site.
In Merchant Circle especially, be prepared with some type of offer or coupon you are willing to give new clients.
Once you are online expect to receive email invitations frequently. Keeping up on your requests and consistently adding contacts to your network will increase your visibility.
For questions on website optimization and online marketing, feel free to contact Linda at linda@thatsmyideamarketing.com. www.thatsmyideamarketing.com
Online social networking is the buzz phrase in business for 2009. Marketing budget cutbacks and slow sales have made this form of marketing attractive to all business, but especially small businesses.
So really what social networking opportunities are worth the time and effort?
My favorites are LinkedIn and Merchant Circle. Facebook and Twitter have their merits for some businesses, but for building solid online social capital LinkedIn and Merchant Circle are hard to beat.
Both options provide a free profile. Both options will yield what you are willing to put into it.
Getting started is really very easy. Compile a basic resume of information about you and your business first. Find a jpeg of your logo and a good, professional photo of yourself before starting. It will make the process easier. You will also want to have easy access to email addresses of your current business contacts.
Adding relevant keywords in your profiles will increase your chances of being found in search engines. Be sure to add your website to the profile to drive traffic to the site.
In Merchant Circle especially, be prepared with some type of offer or coupon you are willing to give new clients.
Once you are online expect to receive email invitations frequently. Keeping up on your requests and consistently adding contacts to your network will increase your visibility.
For questions on website optimization and online marketing, feel free to contact Linda at linda@thatsmyideamarketing.com. www.thatsmyideamarketing.com
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About Me
- Linda G
- Linda Grubish, is a 1991 graduate of the University of Minnesota. A degree in Journalism and Advertising provides a strong base for creating marketing pieces that get noticed. That's My Idea! Marketing helps business owners primarily in Woodbury, Oakdale, Stillwater, Cottage Grove, Hudson and St. Paul to effectively market their businesses using creative and strategic ideas. That's My Idea! Marketing's niche is the small business owner. Whether the business is a one-person-show or a business with less than 50 employees, we understand small businesses and the challenges they face.