Facebook: There is Strength and Risk in Numbers
In the early days of home video, there were two products, Sony Beta, and VHS. There was no comparison, the Sony product was significantly better, so why did it all but disappear? Because the masses couldn’t really tell the difference, and VHS was cheaper.
I was reminded of that case, as I read an article by Louis Gray. One of my favorite sources for new technology and applications, he made a compelling case for Facebook as the Social Media Hub for the average person. While he personally prefers other products, he is finding himself forced to Facebook. He says:
” I may prefer Google Buzz and FriendFeed and Twitter and SmugMug and all these other best-of-breed sites for their specific use cases, but thus far, I haven’t been able to convert the family to converge with me there.
Facebook is rapidly becoming the Web platform with external services feeding in, and it feeding out. It becomes the conduit, but also the destination.
What does this mean for the small business owner? Regardless of which platforms we prefer, we need to go where are customers are. And more and more, they are on Facebook. From fan pages, to event listings, and even targeted Facebook ads, this is quickly becoming a site, no marketer can ignor. But there are risks, as the folks at Fat Atom discovered when Facebook took down a client’s page.
The rules of social media marketing are being rewritten daily. For help making good choices, contact roundpeg today!
Some Things Change, and Some Things Don’t
I am working a presentation for a group of HVAC distributors in New Orleans in April. Having spent 11 years in the industry, I feel comfortable talking about how to apply what I know about marketing to their challenges.
But I have been away for a few years, and thought it would be helpful to see what others have been writing and discussing. What I found is that although it seems things are moving very quickly, much of what I am telling my small business clients today, others have been saving for quite awhile.
For example: In 2003 David Squires wrote n article for the ACH&R News about how to make your websites more efficient. Interestingly seven years later, we still see much of the same issues we saw then. Text heavy and product heavy sites which miss what is really important to the consumer; How well you solve the client’s problem?
Check out David’s list of 12 ways to improve your site and see if you agree with me, that while some things do change, others remain, very much the same!
What do Journalists and Marketers Have in Common?
What do journalists and marketing pros have in common? Questions!! Both groups of professsionals begin their process with some simple questions. Here is a quick list of the seven questions you should ask as you work on your marketing plan!
Who –Who is your ideal client? – Age, income, type of business
What – What is your customer’s problem. What keeps them up at night?
How –How will your products or services solve the problem your client faces?
Where – Where is your ideal client? This also applies to where they look for information and new products and services
When – When do they need your product? When will they seek out information? Will they look far ahead of the need, or only when what they are using breaks.
Why – Why should they chose you?
For answers to these and other important marketing questions, join Matt Nettleton and Me for a look at how to transform Random Strangers into Raving Fans !
March 25, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Sandler Training Trustpointe Offices, 6666 East 75th Street, Indianapolis
Fee: $29.99 Seating is limited, so be sure to register soon. Click here
Episode # 26 Meet Taylor Brough
This week I interviewed our graphic designer Taylor Brough. A graduate of The Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Art at Indiana University, Taylor brings a unique artistic style to our design projects.
In the last 18 months, he has truly masted the art of the WebBanner and the effective 6 x 9 postcard, but his favorite projects are definitely his logo designs:
Click here to listen to the interview
Marketing, Media and Message
In the last year I have written several hundred posts about marketing, with a real emphasis on strategy. Why? Because I believe effective marketing is not just a slick campaign, but a well thought out strategy which brings together the 3M’s
- Market
- Message
- Media
For marketing to be effective these three elements must be in alignment.
Market: No matter how big you are, you can not afford try to sell to everyone. And even if you did have a large enough budget, the reality is some people are more likely then others to buy your product. So begin by focusing on a segment of the market. Select a profitable niche, and exceed their expectations.
Message: Now that you have identified your customer, what do you say to get their attention? Think about what is important to your customer, what keeps them up at night. Craft a message which addresses their concerns, not what you want to sell. I once had a finanial planner tell me what his customer wanted choices. I had a hard time imaging many consumers laying awake at night worrying about not having enough choices. … This was an important element to him, but not his clients. What keeps them awake? Worries about retirement and college tuition! My advice to him, stop talking about choices till you have their attention!
Media: In marketing, it is not just what you say, but where you say it. Ask yourself, where are your customers going for information? Select your media, based on the ability to reach a large concentration of your target. To do this, you have to really understand your target.
So what about your marketing? Do you have your 3M’s in alignment?
Need some help lining up your 3M’s? Join Matt Nettleton of Sandler Training Trustpointe and me for a conversation about how to transform Random Strangers to Raving Fans.
March 25, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Sandler Training Trustpointe Offices, 6666 East 75th Street, Indianapolis
Fee: $29.99 Seating is limited, so be sure to register soon. Click here
What I Learned From Doug Edge – The Three “R”s of Entrepreneurship
Last week I had a chance to see my old friend Doug Edge as he presented to Rainmaker’s Incubators. A serial entrepreneur, Doug is one of the two founders of Rainmakers. (The one most people don’t know about.)
In his remarks, he shared the Three “R’s” of Entrepreneurship.
Research-from market surveys to interviews with other business owners, this is a critical first step for every entrepreneur.
Risk-you have to take chances, recognize you may lose your investment, so be sure you understand the risks up front, and be prepared. If you aren’t willing to take the risk, it is unlikely you will reap the rewards.
Reward-When it comes to being an entrepreneur, sometimes money is not the only, or most important reward. What you learn and who you meet along the way are important benefits you will take with you to your next venture if you are a true entrepreneur.
Advice to Young Professionals
I have had a number of invitations recently, to speak to groups of students and young professionals, at IUPUI, Arsenal Tech High School, the Orr Fellows and the Young Professionals of Central Indiana.
After getting over the fact I am talking to a room of professionals, or near professionals who are younger then my children, I really enjoy the conversations.
This generation seems more focused on where they want to go with their lives then some of their predecessors. They ask tough questions about what it will take to get where they want to be.
So what do I tell them?
Life is full of surprises. It is what happens when you are making plans to do something completely different. Be open to the opportunities that come along. Be willing to change directions and careers often. I am elementary education major, who thought it would be cool to work on Madison Avenue some day. I never imagined a life anywhere buy Manhattan. And now, I can’t imagine doing anything besides what I am doing now.
Love what you do or do something else. Sure, there are times you will have to “pay your dues” and work your way up. But only do it if it will put you on the path to somewhere you want to be.
Ultimately, it is about the people you meet along the way. When I think about the jobs and projects I have enjoyed the most, feel the greatest sense of accomplishment when I think of them, it is always connected to the people with whom I surrounded myself.
Never stop learning – The rules are always changing, and when it comes to your career, take a lesson from the dinosaurs: Evolve or Die.
So those are my words of wisdom… what are yours?
Episode # 23 Permission Based Marketing with Ingrid Cummings
About a year ago, Ingrid Cummings invited me to be a guest on her radio program Rubicon Salon. In the course of the hour, we talked about marketing, social media and staying ahead of your competition in an economic downturn.
While the entire program is too long for More Than a Few Words, I thought it would be fun to share a few excerpts over the next few weeks.
In this segment, we talk about the shift in marketing strategies, from push to permission based and the challenges and the rewards for business owners who adopt this approach.
From the interview: “While the medium has changed, the fundamental methods have not. It is still about identifying your customer and talking to your customers in the places they are most likely to find you!
Click here to listen to the interview.
Roundpeg On-Line Education for Small Business Owners
Most small business owners will admit they have a lot to learn about business planning, marketing, web design, social media, pr and networking. However, with the day in, day out challenges of running a business, there isn’t really time to take off for a seminar. And when you do, there is always so much information to digest and act upon.
I know this is true, because I run a small business.
So I have developed a series of FREE on-line courses on Marketing, Business Planning, Web design, and PR/Social Media Each program includes emails, blog posts, worksheets and the occasional podcast or video.
Episode # 25: Meet Jay Mattingly
In addition to interviewing friends and local business experts, I have had some fun interviewing members of the Roundeg team for my podcast: More Than a Few Words.
In this podcast, you get a chance to meet the newest member of the Roundpeg Team; Jay Mattingly. A recent graduate of IUPUI, Jay brings a great sense of humor and can do attitude to his role as an account executive and web designer.
Although he has only been here a few months, he already has some great projects under his belt including websites for the Lung Care Group and Greenwater Infrastructure.
While you can find him here at Roundpeg, he is also out and about at Rainmaker events, and Paul Poteeet’s Gotta Eat events around town, so if you see him, be sure to say hi!
