Don’t Forget to Stop … And Listen to The Music

This is the fourth in a series of VBlog’s produced by Another Cool Design.  Originally shared as a blog post almost a year ago, this is an example of how we miss great opportunities when we aren’t paying attention.

Roundpeg Video Blog #4 – Joshua Bell from Another Cool Design on Vimeo.

Want to see the entire Joshua Bell video?

Fan Pages and Web Pages

These days, everyone form Nike to Nordstrums has a fan page. As I watch this growing trend I wonder, Why?

The answer will millions of users, a facebook fan page puts your brand where your customers are hanging out.  The viarl nature alows you to connect with custopmers and prospects in a more relaxed setting. The technolgy makies it easy for your fasns to introduce your cmpany to others. 

And the process works!  In a recent study,Syncapse  determined the average value of afacebook fan is $139.  Fans shop more often, spend more and refer more. So with all the activity on Facebook, do you still need a web page.

The answer is definately YES!  While facebook is a great way to interact with clients it is not always the best place to sell.  At roundpeg we are working on the balance. While our blog, is a bit more business oriented, with informative posts, and the occasional light hearted feel, our fan page is just for fun.  Here you will find photos of our Adventures in Dining lunches, and the staff clowing on Friday’s as we share favorite songs on Roundpeg Radio. 

We include a few links to blog posts, but keep that to a minimum.  Is it the right strategy? Only time will tell as we add more fans and measure the traffic to our primary site.

Countdown To Launch

Getting ready to launch a new product or business?  This valuable check list comes from Mark Hayward , in a guest post for ProBlogger.  Although he was talking specifically about launching a blog, many of the steps in his check list are equally appropriate for any new businesses.

1. Define your customer – This needs no additional comment.  If you don’t know who you are trying to reach you can’t begin to build a plan to reach them
2. Location – Ok, so he said : “Determine if you’re going to create a blog within your business website or on its own.” But the point is still the same, where you choose to locate your business is important, and it will have an impact on the rest of your business operations.
3. Keyword research for domain name.   – For me the dominant theme here is the research.  Don’t guess or assume you know, let the facts guide your plans
4. Choose a blogging platform and select a design or theme. – For a non web business this translates to finding the right tools, designing a logo and branding
5. Register your social media accounts. – This is true for every business, from Facebook and Twitter to YouTube and Google local search, you have to be finable on the net.
6. Measure ROI - As you make investments in marketing and infrastructure, be sure you know how you will measure the contribution of each investment
7. Draft at least 10 posts in advance – Don’t rush to launch.  Take the extra time on the front end so you are prepare for what you are getting into.
8. Spend time in forums - Spend time networking with peers and competitors to uncover best practices – If you are here in Indy – the new Rainmakers: StartingPoint group may be a great place to start.
9. Reach out to Key Influencers – Find mentors, advisers and coaches.  Just because you own your own business does not mean you need to do it on your own.
10. Draft a web optimized press release - Again, this is something every business should do.  Not sure what the release should look like?  Check out our samples

Is this all you need to do to be ready to launch your new business?  No, but it is a start.   To pull the elements together, you might want to write a business plan

Still a Place for Email

While social media is all the rage, and everyone wants to follow me on twitter, friend me on facebook, and link up on Linkedin, I still believe there is a place for email in your marketing mix.

eMail is an important part of your overall internet marketing campaign.  As a small business owner, it is a simple and affordable way to stay in touch.

Over the last few years I have written quite a lot about email marketing.   Here is a summary of some of my favorite tips:

1. Respect the Can-Spam rules - Be sure to include an unsubscribe link in your email to be CAN-SPAM complaint.  Even if a client opted in at some point, they always have the right to opt-out at a later date.  Be sure to give your readers that option.
2. Earn the right to keep them coming back with Customer Focused Communication –  Focus on information that is interesting or relevant to them! Sometimes the most valuable information you can provide potential customers is general information which demonstrates your overall knowledge or position as a business resource.
3. Special Offers - Include special offers or coupons in your newsletters. Make this a regular sections, so interested consumers know where to look for your latest offer.  Short-term offers or coupons with an expiration date are more likely to make the phone ring, today.
4. Keep it Short  - People are busy, so limit your total content to no more than 350 words.  Remember this is not a one shot program.
5. Track relevant measures such as the open and click through rates. As you experiment over time, you will notice certain headlines and offers perform better.
6. Offer more specialized content – Instead of a one-size fits all approach, consider sub dividing your list into small groups, and sending different information to each group.  The result is typically an increase in overall open rates and click through.

At roundpeg we use two email tools, Constant Contact and AddressTwo, depending on the type of campaign we are sending.  If you need help getting started, we would be happy to talk to you!

Is Facebook All You Need?

I had an interesting discussion with an internet marketer recently.  He was shifting his business exclusively to Facebook marketing  He argued that with the advent of FBML he could create complete web experiences for his clients, and they no longer needed their own website.  While I think Facebook as some extraordinary applications for small business owners, I am not ready to abandon my own website.

In a recent blog post  Michael Grey gave some compelling reasons why business owners should hold on to their own site:

Do you have a social media strategy?

If you are not sure how to balance all the various social media elements in your social media strategy, Check out our newest online course: Social Media 101. This 6-week course will teach you the basics of marketing with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more

Small Business at the Core of UK Economy Too!

Small businesses are the core of UK economy as well as American, In an article on Microsoft small business, I discovered that just like here in the US, the majority of small businesses in the UK do not have business plans.

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) plan to create two million new jobs over the next 12 months
• Research conducted by Barclays indicates that small firms predict an annual growth rate of 8.5 per cent.
• According to the study, SMEs in Southampton are most optimistic about their fortunes for the coming year,
• According to the latest statistics from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, SMEs together account for 99.9 per cent of all enterprises in the UK.

Can You Pivot?

When faced with changing market conditions, aggressive competitors or superior competitors, what do  you do?  Do you continue in the same direction or can you pivot?  Change your strategy, maybe even your core product offering?

In a recent post, Seth Godin makes a compelling argument for why Kindle needs to pivot, changing from a premium product model to a low cost leader in the face of overwhelming competition from iPad.  He says:

The only way to get authors and publishers to embrace this device is to sell 20,000,000 of them. You either become the best and only platform for consuming books worth buying or you fail. And the only way to create that footprint in the face of an iPad is to make it so cheap to buy and use it’s irresistible.

Small business owners often get stuck, married to a concept because it was where they started, but time and time again we see successful businesses pivoting.  For example from a presentation by Kristian Andersen, I learned:

• Flickr started out as a game
• YouTube was a dating site
• Paypal was going to beam money to Palm Pilots

What about you?  Are you stuck?  Has the market moved away from you, like the shift from ice blocks to refrigerators. or is there simply better competition?

At roundpeg, I started out with the idea of training managers to build successful teams to implement effective strategies.  There was no market, so I pivoted, and took my planning tools to small business owners.  If I hadn’t pivoted, I would be stuck at a desk job somewhere.  I am glad I can pivot!

WordPress 3.0 – The Platform for Web Development

About two years ago, Roundpeg made a switch from traditional HTML web design to WordPress for several reasons:

1. It was easier to design in WordPress, so we could turn projects faster, and at a lower price for our small business clients
2. WordPress was easy for the clients to update on their own.  This allowed us to give each small business owner we worked with the skill and tools they needed to control their web presense
3. WordPress is SEO smart – The built-in tools present information to Google and other search engines in a format they can easily translate for their purposes . The result – WordPress websites can be found easily!
4. The ever-growing number of WordPress plugins have allowed us to keep pace with other web development firms

And now there is WordPress 3.0.  The much anticipated launch is scheduled for, today,  June 14.   It is hard to believe, but they have taken a platform I love and made it even better.  The list of new or enhanced features is extensive, but I have taken a stab at reviewing some of them for the Marketing Technology Blog.

If you have questions about upgrading your current WordPress site, or building a new one with the enhanced platform, give us a call!  We would love to help you.

————————————————————————————-

Ordinary People with Extraordinary Passion

Often when we hear about someone who is extraordinary successful, we step back and say, of course, he/she is extraordinary. They have skills and abilities well beyond ordinary people.   They have gifts which make them successful.  But I would argue, that real success comes from extraordinary passion more than anything else.

In this episode of the Roundpeg Vlog, I share the story of  someone who achieved extraordinary success because of his extraordinary passion.

Roundpeg Video Blog – Chris Cambell from Another Cool Design on Vimeo.

What I Learned at StarUp Weekend

I spent an amazing few days with an extraordinarily talented group of individuals.  This was my third StartUp Weekend, and just like previous events I learned so much.  We were really lucky to have both Kristian Andersen and Brad Wisler of Sprout Box share their perspective on emerging businesses.  Just a few of the thoughts they shared:

Brad:

• Forget what makes you happy! Find what causes others pain!
• Go looking for trouble, because people will pay to get rid of trouble
• Your solution is worthless if there is no problem
• There is nothing worse then a solution in search of a problem

Kristian

• Do what you want to be famous for, because you are famous for what you do
• When it comes to your co-founders – Be Picky, Don’t Settle
• When it comes to the product: Speed Kills … the competition
• A prototype is worth 1,000 business plans ( I am not sure I agree with this one, I would like to see a plan with the concept)
• Products with no customers is a hobby

In addition to all I learned, this time, I may even be a part owner of a business in the not to distant future. Check out GoBizSpeak for more information about what we are planning

Next Page »