What's Behind the Curtain?

Remember that scene in the movie, The Wizard of Oz, where the famous wizard was caught as a phony, saying "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"?

Well, think of Oz when you select a firm or indicidual to market for your company. What are they really about? For instance, there are all kinds of firms in the Green Bay area who proclaim to know web development and social media optimization. Looking behind their curtains - their own websites for example - we find they can't even link to pages correctly or fold in social media appropriately.

So choose wisely when you choose to partner with a marketing firm. Make sure what they say can be backed up with real work.

What''s Your Pulse?

I follow this blog and it is a great reminder about the incredible power of social media. More specifically, it illustrates what could happen if you or your company ignored social media. Imagine the devastation to netflix if they didn't keep a finger on the pulse of social media!

I have experienced several clients lately who feel monitoring social media is a burden. I argue it's a necessity in today's world! It may appear to be a burden, but people like me can help you develop plans and utilize technology to keep that finger on the pulse...allowing you to know what's being said about your company and products, whether it's good or bad.

 

The Power Of Marketing Consultants

I've been working on bringing in more clients in my consulting business recently, and thought the article below captured why hiring people like me can be very beneficial to your business. Take a look for yourself!

What Do You Expect?

I have to say my recent move to Marquis Yachts has surpassed my expectations and I am loving every minute of it. It got me to thinking about expectations.

So many times in my career and personal life, I have run into situations where expectations were not aligned with others. I firmly believe you must ensure expectations are outlined up front in any marketing effort. That ensures a clear path of communication with all involved.

I encourage you to look at your marketing ambitions and make sure you and your team are meeting - hopefully exceeding - expectations. If not, investigate why you're falling short, then execute a plan to get back on track. If you ever need help, feel free to contact me!

 

Do What You Love!

Have you ever wished you could fulfill your career passions and do what you love to do? Is it eating at you that you have expertise in areas that you are not utilizing in your current career?

Well, then make a change! I have experienced those very things in my professional career, and have had to make some very difficult decisions along the way. But, ultimately, the changes I made were a result of me not fulfilling my career passions. So what did I do?

I simply took a step back, looked at what I was currently doing, then assessed my true skills and passions. I concluded I was not fulfilling my passions and made a change for the better. Today, I can say without doubt that my career is in such a great place, and I am happy, energized and enthusiastic about what I do.

The decisions can be tough, but ultimately you have the control to fulfill your career goals. I love marketing and helping small businesses to large corporations flourish. Find what you love, then go do it!

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Proof is In the Pudding!

I have been talking marketing with some great people recently, and thought I'd dust off a very old blost post from tha past...

I have been talking to quite a few marketers out there lately. There are certainly a lot of them out there. I'm one of "them" too. Meeting with people like myself got me thinking...

First, how am I different? I love talking internet marketing, social media, sales and on and on and on. So do a lot of others out there.

Next, what makes a marketer a marketer? I think I answered both questions by re-reading my last blog post about being genuine.

Of all the hundreds of self-proclaimed marketers out there, what it seems to come down to is the pudding. The old saying, the proof is in the pudding really applies. I've worked for companies and people in the past who say they are marketers, but really don't have a process or practical experience to back it up. Sometimes self proclaimed marketers talk the talk, but really can't back their words up.

So to me, what sets marketers apart is the ability to apply hands-on experience and convert it to real results for customers. By being true to yourself and the knowledge accumulated through experience, you will be the best marketer to your customers and your company.

Anyone seeking help with marketing needs to ask the question...show me the pudding!

Social Media and ROI...What to Measure

Through several experiences with organizations of all sizes, I hear very common questions when it comes to measuring the success of social media. One big one that almost everyone asks...what's the return on the investment?

I have always thought that question is fair to ask, but sometimes difficult to answer. There are so many dynamics happening with social media platforms for any given organization that uniform ROI measurements can be hard to define.

But alas, I came across this article today, which is a great brief overview of what to measure and why. I happen to agree with Heidi's thoughts. Give it a read and let me know what you think!

It's a Chicken Or Egg Kind of Question...

Recently I was asked a very interesting question. It went something like this...is there a difference between sales and maketing, and which one feeds the other?

Great question! You could argue this question is much like asking, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

I've learned over the years that everything you do is marketing. Whether you're at work, or just buying groceries, I firml;y believe that you are marketing yourself in both situations. And, in a sense, it could be argued that you are selling yourself at the same time, in almost all situations.

Looking at the definition of marketing shed light on my point as well. On dictionary.com, marketing is defined as:

• The act of buying or selling in a market.
• The total of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the customer or buyer, including advertising, shipping, storing and selling.

You can have an effective sales department without the support of marketing, but I believe that is difficult. To effectively sell, an organization should develop a marketing plan, detailing who, what, when, where and how your sales team will take products to the market. It should also outline goals, then provide details on how the team will report to the stated goal.

So, my answer to the question would be yes, there is a difference in that a sales team sells a product or service to clients or potential clients. Marketing does involve other duties other than sales, in some cases. However, overall, sales and marketing should work hand-in-hand, with effective communication lines between the two. 

Think about it next time you have a meeting at work, or you bump into an old co-worker at the store...how are you communicating? Are you marketing/selling in each circumstance? I bet you'll find you are, and it is always a great way to effectively communicate if you understand how and why you communicate in a marketing and sales approach.

 

Augmented Reality and On Demand Coupons

Today Valpak announced its coupons will be available on the junaio app.  This will allow customers to access coupons for nearby businesses.  GPS enabled smartphones trigger the app providing the geo-targeted coupon. 

The app launches the camera and overlays icons on the screen promoting offers for businesses from 5 feet to 20 miles away.  The coupons could be for local services or for national brands.   I downloaded the Valpak app and performed a search in my area.  The usual suspects appeared pizza places, tire stores, chinese restuarants and insurance agents.  I saw no business which had the ability to scan a coupon from my iPhone (like Starbucks).  There was disclaimer that businesses may refuse mobile coupons.  Definitely a step towards getting customers what they need when (or in this case where) they need it.

This is not the first augmented reality I have seen Macys has a in store program which uses QR code which send shoppers to videos which offer fashion advice.  I've also tinkered with Layar.  I think adoption of this technology will be slow, but it is becoming more popular all the time.     

Tracking the Impact of an Interactive Press Release

I am convinced a press release is very effective method of Social SEO.  I recently tracked a press release for a stuffed hamburger maker named Stufz.  I chose this product due to the ease of tracking a unique name in addition to a love of stuffed sandwiches.  The release was multi-media with embedded links on the brand terms.  

I monitored Google results pages looking for brand mentions in blogs, tweets and just about any where else Google could find them.  The day the PR was release it moved to the top of the SERP for searches for the brand as expected.  The press release was syndicated by PR Web, a well-known service.  The press release was syndicated on the business pages of newspapers such as San Fransisco Chronicle.  It was also syndicated to a variety of other news blogs such as Thrillist and Break.com.  These outlets posted the blog some with and without links, images and video.  Niche blogs such as Tastydays and SmokingMeatsForum also posted the press release.  Tasydays and SmokingMeatForum supplemented the PR, its images and video with some unique content.

Tweets also appeared...less than an hour after Google indexed the release the tweets began.  The first was a blogger, then retweets including comments surrounding the original tweet.

Longtail results were also positive.  "Stuffed Hamburger Press" is no doubt a highly contested word, and for at least the short term Stufz earned a top spot over the likes of Amazon, William Sonoma and ebay.  The dominance of the top spot held for several days before reliquishing it to these internet powerhouses.

I would estimate the PR release was around $200 and I would conclude that Stufz was satisfied with the results.

You've Got Mail!

I have had the great experience to work with companies who believe in email marketing. When used correctly, this form of customer contact is very effective. Keep in mind, however, that you need to know your analytics to determine what is successful in your campaigns. 

I recently read this short piece about email marketing, and thought you'd find it helpful. Good luck!

Google changes Product Search Requirements

Google has made some changes to help customers accurately compare prices.  Starting May 3, Google will requires Unique Product Identifiers for most categories.  Starting June 6, Shipping price must also be included for each product.  Also on June 6, tax information must be included.  Tax information may be at the account level are as a 'tax' attribute.  Sale price attributes are also recommended with 'sale price' and 'sale price effective date".  This is to help ensure sale pricing is received by all shoppers.

Shipping price and tax information are required and the UPI will be required for all categories except apparel and one-of-a-kind items.  Sale price attributes are are not required.  Products without UPI my not be listed in Google Product Search, though the feed may not be disapproved.  Feeds without the tax or shipping information may be disapproved.

Speaking in Code!

QR codes are big in the marketing world. The penetration in your respective marketing may vary, but know this...they're coming and they're effective!

In the days of smart phones and mobile applications, QR codes now allow you, the marketer, to reach clients who can make instant buying decisions wherever they are!

I found this article which explains things quite well. I'm a big fan of this technology...get to know it.

A change in the Algorithm

Google has finally addressed a long standing complaint of search engine users.  Sites which increase their natural rank by leveraging black hat tactics such as link buying and content farms.  Hitwise data shows that searchers consider 82% of their searches in the US successful.  The data also shows that only a 66% success rate for Google searches.

Google wrote that only about 12% of searches queries will be impacted.  I've read that Yahoo's Associated Content, AOL's Seed and Demand Media's eHow and Answerbag are considered content farms and links from these sits will all cause a hit to you ranking and traffic.  If you've ever read any of the content on these sites you can easily understand how they are thought to be content farms.  

Are you involved in any of these tactics?  If you are I would recommend you stop immediately.  So, what can you do?  Get back to basics.  Leveage press releases, create programs to generate user comments and reviews, reach out to suppliers and resellers to generate valuable links and most improtantly generate new content.  New content can be Top 10 lists, new points of view, product demos,  contests and games.  Generating content is an opportunity to seperate yourself from the crowd. 

Success...How Social Media Can make You a Winner

I read the article below, and really believe it to be true when engaging customers via social media in the business world. And even better yet, I practice these ideas daily when thinking about my clients. Check it out!

Social Media Success - Secrets!

Social Media Marketing...Get in the Game!

I have been watching the trends in social media for a while now, and one of the big trends is to hire someone to do it for you. In fact, in the article below, it sounds like social media hiring is a big focus for agencies and businesses alike.

My take...seriously consider whether you want to hire an agency to manage your social media, or perhaps even a smaller firm or freelancer. All have their benefits, so listen to their pitches and choose wisely. 

 

Check out the article for yourself!

Click Here!

Maximizing You Relationship with Google

Everyone is aware of the potential of paid search marketing using Google.  To maximize your relationship with Google I recommend:  

• Link Ad Words and Merchant Center.  If you are not familar with Google Merchant Center here is a link to the Merchant Center Blog. This will allow
• Participation in Product Extensions and Product Listing Ads
• Send a product data feed to Google, be certain to include
• Internal ID code, title, link, price, description, condition and image link
• Attributes can also be sent including groupings and labels
• Other attributes include exclusion fields and tracking parameters
• Rich Snippets
• Stuctured data from the website...such as product reviews
• Requires stock and price updates along with the product rating
• Also requires rel="canonical" link  on the product detail page

Those are three steps to help maximize your relationship with Google.

Try Not to 'Like' Too Much!

I thought this article was interesting in warning marketers in how they utilize Facebook to market their brands. Give it a read!

http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/2015806/facebook-offer

Coupon Site Affiliate Marketing

I have managed several large affiliate programs and have a love/hate relationship with most affiliates.  I love the concept of a robust affiliate program.  Having niche sites generate brand awareness, traffic and revenue while I encourage them with a fair compensation package.  These niche sites provide content or other value to the visitors of their sites and expose them to my brands - an audience which I may have trouble reaching.

In reality, very few affiliates are content based.  The most successful affiliates are coupon sites.  Coupon sites often optimize pages for merchant brand names and drive traffic from brand searches on search engines such as Google.  Let's perform a Google search on Bath and Body Works at this time the number 3 result for natural search is for the coupon site Retail Me Not.  The copy for this result promotes an "average discount of $12.55 with these Bath and Body Works coupon codes and promo codes" delivers a strong message to shoppers.  A searcher interested in joining discussions about aromatherapy or skin treatments find value in a visit to Retail Me Not, no.  Retail Me Not only has appeal for shoppers already aware of a brand.  The structure of coupon sites does not lend themselves to new customer with navigation which often lists brands alphabetically, not even by category.  

Do not count on Retail Me Not or any other Coupon Site to deliver incremental business to your web site.  That does not mean they do not have value in customer retention.  Customer retention is a valuable contibution that coupon sites can make to an affiliate program.  There are shoppers who are committed users of coupon sites and their orders would be at risk if you removed coupon sites from your affiliate program (something I have actually done in the past).  I recommend keeping coupon sites in your program and holding them to the same standards you would other retention efforts.

I recommend segregating coupon sites from other types of affiliates (such as content sites or loyalty sites) and setting a commission rate which is appropriate for the value they add to your program.

Social Media and Advertising

Good, brief read about advertising with Social Media.

http://blog.ogilvypr.com/2010/12/the-future-of-advertising-is-here-and-its-140-characters-long/

 

Proud Packers Fans!

Analytics basics...

I thought this was a very good summary of choosing an analytics platform for your sites...

http://searchenginewatch.com/3641761

ROI - It's Up to You!

I thought the article below had great points as to why ROI (return on investment) needs to be measured by your standards based on your business. Check it out!

http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/1937353/ignore-industry-standards-gauge-success

 

Sometimes it's fun to have fun!

A Good Read to Address Utilizing Social Media

I agree with many points in this article. It's essential that we are using this very powerful medium correctly. Give it a read!

http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/1937068/2011-social-media-ftw

Google already knows its search sucks (and they’re working on it) | VentureBeat

Google already knows its search sucks (and they’re working on it) | VentureBeat

As a user of search engines I agree with what the author writes. The SERP have become clouded with results for link farms and other farms generating poor results and a unsatisfactory user experience. It is apparent that those who manage websites cannot be counted on to contribute to the optimal search experience. Results generated by the Like on Facebook will eventually become contaminated, as will other sources for user recommended results such as Delicious, Digg and Reddit.

Have you read about the Priority Mailbox which Google has been developing? The Google Priority Mailbox delivers personalized results, delivering the most relevant emails to the top of your inbox. Is the future of search your past searches, not what websites say what should be displayed? Something that puts more weight on what you read or view and how long you view it. Possibly incorporating recommendations from those you know or who are similar to you.

If you are the type to click on a link which may take you off the beaten path, taking a "link" risk. A search engine would be better to show less traveled sites. If you click on the Internet 500 and other more trusted sites, then you may be missing those gems which are off the beaten path.

Accountability is Key!

Recently, I have been working with my 18 year-old  stepdaughter on accountability. It seems she wants the freedoms that being an "adult" provides, but when it comes time to be responsible for some of those freedoms, she wants to be a teenager again.

That got me to thinking about marketing, and how some marketers out there want to be IN marketing, but are they really being held accountable for how and what they do? I've seen and worked with several agencies over the years - some have a proven process and a defined methodology behind how they help their clients. Otherssay they have a process and enjoy having fun marketing clients, but when things go bad, these types of marketers usually hide behind the idea that the client or vendor "wasn't the right fit."

I have said this before, but when choosing someone to help you market either your company, product or service, make sure you hold them accountable. Find out what they're really about. Are their processes in which they work proven, or just stolen from others or modified to look like they are their own? Like a teenager, accountability will show the true maturity of the company you're considering.

Be Genuine!

I changed employers over the past few months, and have learned so very much from just being the real me. It earned me the position I hold now, specifically because I held nothing back and was true to who I am - I was genuinely me.

What triggered me to write this today was some recent events in both my new position and also my consulting business. I am incredibly passionate about the use of online media, such as websites and social media. use all of these elements wisely, and the chances for marketing and sales success is great!

I recently contacted a past client of mine who needed help with their web site and a social media plan. It turned out they were starving for help and couldn't find someone willing to help without charging thousands of dollars. Of course I am in the consulting business to make money. But, I also realize that being genuine and fair will facilitate business and relationships for the long term, allowing small businesses to work with people like me.

So I encourage everyone to be the true you and let your passions shine through. While it may not always produce huge sums of money right away, being genuine will pay off in the long run.

Accountability is key!

Recently, I have been working with my 18 year-old  stepdaughter on accountability. It seems she wants the freedoms that being an "adult" provides, but when it comes time to be responsible for some of those freedoms, she wants to be a teenager again.

That got me to thinking about marketing, and how some marketers out there want to be IN marketing, but are they really being held accountable for how and what they do? I've seen and worked with several agencies over the years - some have a proven process and a defined methodology behind how they help their clients. Others say they have a process and enjoy having fun marketing clients, but when things go bad, these types of marketers usually hide behind the idea that the client or vendor "wasn't the right fit."

I have said this before, but when choosing someone to help you market either your company, product or service, make sure you hold them accountable. Find out what they're really about. Are their processes in which they work proven, or just stolen from others or modified to look like they are their own? Like a teenager, accountability will show the true maturity of the company you're considering.