Social media marketing is a competitive domain. The rules are always changing, and expectedly so, as the platforms need adapt to the rapid changes in technology and user behavior. For example, ideas for more modern mobile devices, software and applications are being developed, and people are finding new ways to go about the task of information-seeking by the hour.
To rule this new marketing landscape, companies need to follow the following guidelines.
Be responsive to all parties. Social media, for the most part, is a public platform. It is a wise social media manager who treats everyone with respect, not just because engagements are visible to all, but because every party can be a customer, a client, a partner, or a supporter, with varying ways to contribute to the company’s goals.
The manager responds promptly to all forms of engagement, whether it is a simple “like” of a post, or a long blog entry about the customer’s experience with the brand. More importantly, the manager knows how to address criticism, and reinforce the company’s commitment to good service.
Be mindful of the company’s corporate identity at all times. A good social media manager understands that social media is just one of the many platforms available for promoting the company and its offerings. This means that accounts on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest, among others, should convey the same brand messaging each time, albeit perhaps using a different medium.
The company’s corporate communications guidelines should be a handy reference for the choice of colors, of buzzwords, typefaces, symbols, and tone to use when composing social media content. This way, the platform will simply complement, and not compete with the business’ other marketing venues.
Create interesting content. This is the key to developing a strong presence and following in this landscape. People generally turn to social media for meaningful and relatable content, so companies need to invest time and resources to know what qualifies as such. Perhaps it’s a 30-second amateur video featuring a hot celebrity, or a colorful infographic that sums up an otherwise informative but long article. Or perhaps it’s just a one-phrase, but a truly witty and funny one. What is important is that the content is grounded on the experiences of the people belonging to the target, and it evokes emotions so strong and pleasant that they’d want to share it with others.
To learn how to conduct successful social media marketing campaigns, get in touch with a marketing solutions provider today – especially one that specializes in digital communications.
Showing posts with label Online Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Online Business. Show all posts
Monday, June 1, 2015
Monday, September 29, 2014
Online Business 101: How to Use Your Web Site to Make Money
If you consider your web site a money pit, you are not alone. Quite a few business owners have told me that they have web sites because "everyone else has a web site", but they haven't gotten any business from their web site. None. Zero. Nada. Zip. Many of them have paid thousands of dollars to web designers to create the web sites for them, and than the web sites just sit there, gathering the proverbial Internet dust, and getting enormous traffic consisting of three to five unique visitors a month.
Your web site should not be languishing in one of the rarely visited corners of the Net. Instead, it should be working 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year getting leads and clients for your business. It should serve as marketing brochure and as your best salesperson (who incidentally never sleeps, and doesn't require either salary or commissions).
So how do you turn your dust collector into a lean, mean sales machine? First, you need to lay down the infrastructure for your online business. Here are three guidelines your web site should adhere to before its initial debut:
- Your web site must be easy to navigate, understand and use. When a web surfer comes to a web site and doesn't understand what the web site is about in the first few minutes, the surfer moves on to the next web site (trust me, there lots of them out there. Approximately 2.7 billion at last count, give or take a few billion).
If the purpose and intent of your web site is not blatantly obvious, a surfer will move on. If your web site is difficult to navigate, a surfer will move on. If your web site is hard to use (for example, it is not obvious how to contact you or hire you) a surfer will move on.
- Your web site must discuss what you do AND how what you do will benefit your customers. Let's say Sue and Jane are both weight loss coaches. Sue's web site says that Sue is a weight loss coach. Jane's web site says that Jane is a weight loss coach who helps women look and feel better by losing 30 pounds in 3 months.
Which coach sounds more appealing? The one who not only states what she does, but also shows what is in it for the customer. The site must answer a fundamental question: Why should I hire you?
- Have a newsletter sign up box on your web site. The majority of your web site visitors will not contact you about your services after visiting your web site, but they will subscribe for a free newsletter. By subscribing, they give you permission to send them your information-packed newsletter, which will also serve as a reminder about your business.
Without a newsletter, many people will visit your web site once and promptly forget about it 10 minutes after leaving it. By having a newsletter, you are able to capture these visitors, and tell them about your business again and again.
Take action today! Take a critical look at your web site and make sure that it conforms to the guidelines outlined above. A website that follows these forms a solid foundation for having a marketable web site for your business.
Your web site should not be languishing in one of the rarely visited corners of the Net. Instead, it should be working 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year getting leads and clients for your business. It should serve as marketing brochure and as your best salesperson (who incidentally never sleeps, and doesn't require either salary or commissions).
So how do you turn your dust collector into a lean, mean sales machine? First, you need to lay down the infrastructure for your online business. Here are three guidelines your web site should adhere to before its initial debut:
- Your web site must be easy to navigate, understand and use. When a web surfer comes to a web site and doesn't understand what the web site is about in the first few minutes, the surfer moves on to the next web site (trust me, there lots of them out there. Approximately 2.7 billion at last count, give or take a few billion).
If the purpose and intent of your web site is not blatantly obvious, a surfer will move on. If your web site is difficult to navigate, a surfer will move on. If your web site is hard to use (for example, it is not obvious how to contact you or hire you) a surfer will move on.
- Your web site must discuss what you do AND how what you do will benefit your customers. Let's say Sue and Jane are both weight loss coaches. Sue's web site says that Sue is a weight loss coach. Jane's web site says that Jane is a weight loss coach who helps women look and feel better by losing 30 pounds in 3 months.
Which coach sounds more appealing? The one who not only states what she does, but also shows what is in it for the customer. The site must answer a fundamental question: Why should I hire you?
- Have a newsletter sign up box on your web site. The majority of your web site visitors will not contact you about your services after visiting your web site, but they will subscribe for a free newsletter. By subscribing, they give you permission to send them your information-packed newsletter, which will also serve as a reminder about your business.
Without a newsletter, many people will visit your web site once and promptly forget about it 10 minutes after leaving it. By having a newsletter, you are able to capture these visitors, and tell them about your business again and again.
Take action today! Take a critical look at your web site and make sure that it conforms to the guidelines outlined above. A website that follows these forms a solid foundation for having a marketable web site for your business.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Establishing Credibility When Starting an Online Business
When starting an online business it is important to get off to a successful start to give you momentum to build upon. Marketing your business in a professional manner will require special attention be paid to 3 key components. Overlooking any of these areas could have a negative impact on how your business is viewed by potential customers and also future expansion capabilities as well. What we are looking for is to give your business credibility that will help make all your marketing efforts more effective over time.
Here at the 3 key components all online entrepreneurs need to establish to get a successful start and to position their business for future growth.
Reliable Hosting
Having a reliable host is an absolute must for any online business. When marketing your business you need to know that you websites, landing pages and other sales pages are easily viewable. If any of your sites go down you are effectively speaking, out of business. Avoiding any lost sales opportunities is important but of equal importance is having your business represented in a professional and RELIABLE manner.
There are many reliable hosting companies available but what you want is one that has a good reputation and can be reached 24/7 if need be. Visit some online forums and ask around. This should yield you more than enough information to make an educated decision.
Website
Maintain your own websites and do not try to rely upon referring people directly to affiliate sites. Having your own websites gives you and your business more legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of your customers.
Give your site a professional look and feel by not overwhelming it with too many different colors or graphics. Avoiding the use of any bright colors when you can will also help reflect a more professional 'tone' to your site. Remember when marketing your business that it is not a 'circus' but in fact a legitimate site for commerce.
Auto-Responder
A necessity for all online entrepreneurs is the use of an auto-responder system to help maintain regular contact with customers. Every business should also practice capturing the names of any website visitors with the use of an opt-in box. This box can be located on the website itself or given more prominence by placing it on a 'dedicated' squeeze page.
Starting an online business requires that certain areas first be established before you go live online which will allow for you to get a successful start. Creating momentum in the early stages of any business is critical since profits earned can be re-invested helping to fuel growth. Marketing your business in a professional manner is especially critical being by doing so you can gain more credibility which is an important asset to have online. The 3 key components we reviewed need to be addressed by all online entrepreneurs to give their business a solid foundation and the successful start they need. At this point it is up to each individual business owner to maintain their momentum through a consistency of effort and professionalism.
Here at the 3 key components all online entrepreneurs need to establish to get a successful start and to position their business for future growth.
Reliable Hosting
Having a reliable host is an absolute must for any online business. When marketing your business you need to know that you websites, landing pages and other sales pages are easily viewable. If any of your sites go down you are effectively speaking, out of business. Avoiding any lost sales opportunities is important but of equal importance is having your business represented in a professional and RELIABLE manner.
There are many reliable hosting companies available but what you want is one that has a good reputation and can be reached 24/7 if need be. Visit some online forums and ask around. This should yield you more than enough information to make an educated decision.
Website
Maintain your own websites and do not try to rely upon referring people directly to affiliate sites. Having your own websites gives you and your business more legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of your customers.
Give your site a professional look and feel by not overwhelming it with too many different colors or graphics. Avoiding the use of any bright colors when you can will also help reflect a more professional 'tone' to your site. Remember when marketing your business that it is not a 'circus' but in fact a legitimate site for commerce.
Auto-Responder
A necessity for all online entrepreneurs is the use of an auto-responder system to help maintain regular contact with customers. Every business should also practice capturing the names of any website visitors with the use of an opt-in box. This box can be located on the website itself or given more prominence by placing it on a 'dedicated' squeeze page.
Starting an online business requires that certain areas first be established before you go live online which will allow for you to get a successful start. Creating momentum in the early stages of any business is critical since profits earned can be re-invested helping to fuel growth. Marketing your business in a professional manner is especially critical being by doing so you can gain more credibility which is an important asset to have online. The 3 key components we reviewed need to be addressed by all online entrepreneurs to give their business a solid foundation and the successful start they need. At this point it is up to each individual business owner to maintain their momentum through a consistency of effort and professionalism.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
3 Tips for Increasing Website Sales
The key to making money online can be found in your website sales conversions. In order to get website traffic a lot of effort goes into generating it but you do not make money unless you can increase the sales conversions. Website visitors will not spend a lot of time on any page if they are not stimulated or interested by what they are presented. In order to persuade visitors to make a purchase therefore your site must convey your message quickly and convincingly.
Here are 3 simple adjustments you can make on your page to increase the sales conversions of website visitors.
Work above the Fold
Place your intended message as close to the top of your sales page as possible so website visitors are able to view it immediately upon landing on your page. Do not expect people or make people scroll to the bottom of your page to view your message. The typical visitor will leave the page within seconds unless their interest or curiosity is sparked by something they have read. Put your 'best' stuff at the top in order to captivate people so that they will continue reading further.
Call to Action
It is important to clearly tell any website traffic that lands on your page what it is you want them to do. Do not ever expect or assume that people will figure it out themselves. Leave nothing to chance but instead after you have clearly presented your marketing message tell people what it is you want them to do next. Whether it is to continue on to the next page, make a purchase or leave their contact information always tell people what to do next.
Keep Distractions to a Minimum
Do not cheat yourself out of any sales by unknowingly distracting any visitors to your site away from your intended message. By minimizing the use of needless graphics or advertising you are better able to help visitors maintain their focus thereby giving your message a chance to be more effective.
Remember that when viewing any websites online most people will only spend a few seconds before deciding to leave the page. Maximize the chance that they are able to receive the message you are sending by minimizing distractions.
You can generate all the online traffic in the world but if you are not getting any website sales you are wasting your time! Anybody who works on the internet knows how much effort goes into generating website traffic. The key to making money however is what this traffic does when it lands on your site. Since most people will spend only seconds on any site if they are not interested it is important to convey your message both quickly and convincingly. The 3 simple adjustments we suggested above will help you position your message so that website visitors will see it immediately and without distractions. In getting your message seen by more people before they leave your page you therefore stand to experience an increase in sales.
Here are 3 simple adjustments you can make on your page to increase the sales conversions of website visitors.
Work above the Fold
Place your intended message as close to the top of your sales page as possible so website visitors are able to view it immediately upon landing on your page. Do not expect people or make people scroll to the bottom of your page to view your message. The typical visitor will leave the page within seconds unless their interest or curiosity is sparked by something they have read. Put your 'best' stuff at the top in order to captivate people so that they will continue reading further.
Call to Action
It is important to clearly tell any website traffic that lands on your page what it is you want them to do. Do not ever expect or assume that people will figure it out themselves. Leave nothing to chance but instead after you have clearly presented your marketing message tell people what it is you want them to do next. Whether it is to continue on to the next page, make a purchase or leave their contact information always tell people what to do next.
Keep Distractions to a Minimum
Do not cheat yourself out of any sales by unknowingly distracting any visitors to your site away from your intended message. By minimizing the use of needless graphics or advertising you are better able to help visitors maintain their focus thereby giving your message a chance to be more effective.
Remember that when viewing any websites online most people will only spend a few seconds before deciding to leave the page. Maximize the chance that they are able to receive the message you are sending by minimizing distractions.
You can generate all the online traffic in the world but if you are not getting any website sales you are wasting your time! Anybody who works on the internet knows how much effort goes into generating website traffic. The key to making money however is what this traffic does when it lands on your site. Since most people will spend only seconds on any site if they are not interested it is important to convey your message both quickly and convincingly. The 3 simple adjustments we suggested above will help you position your message so that website visitors will see it immediately and without distractions. In getting your message seen by more people before they leave your page you therefore stand to experience an increase in sales.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The Importance Of Solitude When Marketing On The Internet
Marketing on the internet can be a very fast pace environment with constant change and challenges. Working online from home can even add a few additional distractions you would not normally encounter in a 'normal' work environment. The phone ringing off the hook, kids playing and the neighbor at the door make it tough to maintain focus. With all that said it is easy to understand how important solitude can be for online entrepreneurs. However finding peace and tranquility can serve a much greater purpose for entrepreneurs than just rest and relaxation. In fact finding solitude FROM your work can be one of the most productive things you can do FOR your work.
Here are 3 major work benefits all online entrepreneurs can experience by gaining separation from their work and retreating into a state of peace and quiet.
Reflection
By gaining space or distance from distractions and work that requires our focus allows you to 'reflect' back upon the recent experiences of the day. This peace and tranquility encourages you to look at things more objectively to determine what went right or wrong and why. This is important so that we learn from our mistakes and triumphs thereby giving us a more 'productive' direction in our work. We want to duplicate our success and avoid any needless failures.
Stimulates Creative Thinking
Escaping the regimentation of the work environment and experiencing a more relaxed state of mind encourages thinking outside the box. Our minds are no longer 'required' to remain focused on the tasks at hand. We are now more likely to consider options in a more liberal 'what if' kind of way leading to more experimentation.
Problem Solving
When reflecting upon the 'events of the day' in a more relaxed and unfocused manner we can now 'uncover' and focus upon making improvements or problem solving. Being immersed in a work environment involves many 'planned activities' that require our focus. By gaining separation from this atmosphere we can now devote more focus on those things that did not go according to plan. It is always how much easier to solve problems when you are able to fully concentrate on them.
Marketing on the internet involves a whirlwind of activities that all occur in an environment of constant change. Considering that many marketers are working online from home the distractions have a tendency to increase. These changes and distractions create many challenges for online entrepreneurs. The need to find solitude is especially important under these conditions but not just for rest and relaxation. The 3 benefits discussed above show how entrepreneurs can use a state of peace and tranquility to actually help their business grow. Strange how finding solitude from your work can be one of the most productive things you can do for your work.
Here are 3 major work benefits all online entrepreneurs can experience by gaining separation from their work and retreating into a state of peace and quiet.
Reflection
By gaining space or distance from distractions and work that requires our focus allows you to 'reflect' back upon the recent experiences of the day. This peace and tranquility encourages you to look at things more objectively to determine what went right or wrong and why. This is important so that we learn from our mistakes and triumphs thereby giving us a more 'productive' direction in our work. We want to duplicate our success and avoid any needless failures.
Stimulates Creative Thinking
Escaping the regimentation of the work environment and experiencing a more relaxed state of mind encourages thinking outside the box. Our minds are no longer 'required' to remain focused on the tasks at hand. We are now more likely to consider options in a more liberal 'what if' kind of way leading to more experimentation.
Problem Solving
When reflecting upon the 'events of the day' in a more relaxed and unfocused manner we can now 'uncover' and focus upon making improvements or problem solving. Being immersed in a work environment involves many 'planned activities' that require our focus. By gaining separation from this atmosphere we can now devote more focus on those things that did not go according to plan. It is always how much easier to solve problems when you are able to fully concentrate on them.
Marketing on the internet involves a whirlwind of activities that all occur in an environment of constant change. Considering that many marketers are working online from home the distractions have a tendency to increase. These changes and distractions create many challenges for online entrepreneurs. The need to find solitude is especially important under these conditions but not just for rest and relaxation. The 3 benefits discussed above show how entrepreneurs can use a state of peace and tranquility to actually help their business grow. Strange how finding solitude from your work can be one of the most productive things you can do for your work.
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