Archive for March, 2014

Landing Clients Can Take Time! The Value of Ongoing Communication

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

I was recently contacted by a potential client who told me he had been receiving and reading my monthly eletter for a few years. I didn’t know him and neither of us could think of how he might have come to be on the list, but when I took a look at my email list I found that he had joined the  list on July 29, 2009–more than four years ago!

This experience highlights the long-tail sales cycle that consultants–and others–often experience. Landing clients can take time. Consequently, it pays to be patient. It also (more…)

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How Should You Measure Your Social Media Activity?

Tuesday, March 25th, 2014

We work with clients regularly to help them evaluate or establish various channels of online communication with their key audiences. Social media is obviously often part of the process we use in helping them connect with these audiences. Often, but not always. When it is, just as with any other form of communication, one thing we want to establish right up front is a means of measuring the value of this activity.  (more…)

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The Trick to Brand Building? There is no Trick!

Thursday, March 20th, 2014

In marketing, as in other areas of business I suppose, it seems that we are always looking for the “magic bullet” — the quick trick that will lead to exceptional success. But in business, reward rarely comes without risk. One area of risk for any organization is brand building. Many are looking for the magic bullet here, as well–that quick trick that will lead to brand success.

Unfortunately, there is no trick! There are just some basic, tried and true best practices that the big brands follow. Even they, though, are constantly subject to brand erosion if they don’t continue to take steps to monitor, measure and manage their brands effectively. Brand managers in the 21st century are fortunate because, despite the proliferation of online communication from the masses which can significantly impact brands, either positively or negatively, (more…)

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Narrow Your Focus!

Tuesday, March 18th, 2014

Too often businesses – large and small – cast a wide net when it comes to those they believe they can or should serve. Perhaps counter-intuitively, when you attempt to serve everyone, you lose the ability to effectively serve anyone. Just because your product or service literally could be consumed by the masses, doesn’t mean that should be your focus.

The more you are able to effectively segment your broad market into niche-specific “chunks,” and the better you understand those chunks, the more effective you will be at both identifying the appropriate communication channels and developing the right – and most compelling – key messages. Unfortunately, many marketers fail to do this, or fail to do so effectively.

The biggest misstep we see (more…)

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Contributing Content: Big Opportunities in Content Marketing!

Friday, March 14th, 2014

There are big opportunities these days in content marketing. All kinds of organizations, from traditional publishers and media outlets to businesses hoping to gain online traction through organic search are looking for quality content. That means big opportunities for content creators of all kinds. It also means big opportunities for businesses and individuals hoping to get media coverage for themselves and their products and services.

Why?  (more…)

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Posted in Business Development, Content Marketing, Marketing and Branding, Media Relations/PR, Publishing | No Comments »

Why You Should Be on Google+

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014

Google+ is one of those relatively new social media tools that puzzles many, myself included. I’ve checked it out, dabbled with both a personal profile and a business page, deleted both, and started all over again. I have a few people in my circles and some people have me in theirs (many who are absolute strangers to me).

Recently, though, I had one of those “a ha!” moments about Google+ and why, for just about anybody hoping to be “discovered” online, it’s a must-use tool.

Here’s the thing: (more…)

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Celebrity, Silliness and the Masses

Monday, March 3rd, 2014

Did you watch the Oscars? I did. It’s an annual event I look forward to each year for a couple of reasons: (more…)

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