Important Digital Marketing Tips Every Startup Company Needs to Remember

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

For anyone who’s ever launched a startup, you already know how difficult it can be to kickstart the business and let other people know about it. Even if you are alone in your line of field, you may be competing against other startups who are doing the same practices as you. This is why you need to know how to properly launch your business so that it will become a success. The best way to go about this without it costing you a lot of money is to invest heavily in digital marketing.

Considering you’re a startup business, you are most likely deciding to do as much as possible on your own. This is so you can save money by not hiring another individual to take over the tasks you need to accomplish for your brand. Thankfully, there are a number of tools you can use to help you kickstart your brand online. Here are a few of the important digital marketing tips you need to remember:

Invest in Social Media

Social media is every startup business’ best friend. As a matter of fact, it is one way you can create buzz about your brand and the products you intend to sell to your customers. Prior to setting up accounts on these websites, you have to know how best to make use of social media. This includes knowing which sites will work for your brand and which ones won’t. You also need to know how often you need to post in these websites so that you don’t end up putting off your audience. At the same time, you need to know how best to speak through your social media posts so that your personality will shine through. You will need to learn these things especially since you will be the only one to handle your social media accounts.

Take Time to Learn About SEO

If you already have a website, you have to make sure it has been optimized across all platforms. This way, it will be the first website to pop up on a search results list. On the other hand, if your website is being used for e-commerce, you have to make sure that it is secure. On both, you have to check that your headers, tags, and descriptions are used appropriately. Avoid stuffing your content with keywords just so you can get a higher ranking on your page.

Produce Quality Content

Whenever you’re posting content for your readers, you have to make sure that it contains the right information and is valuable to them too. The content you produce should have a conversational tone with a mix of some humor in it. Every time you post on social media, you can use the content to connect with your readers so you can invite them to engage in.

Consider Sending a Newsletter

A newsletter can help your business grow because it helps remind your followers about the products and services you are offering. You just have to remember that the newsletter you send should contain all the right information that is relevant for your industry. If you can, start out with a monthly newsletter so that your readers will not be bombarded with information all the time. If you see that the newsletter is working, you can increase it to every two weeks instead of just once a month.

Offer Rewards to Loyal Customers

While you’re still budding as an entrepreneur, you may have already come across some customers who swear by your brand and trust in what you bring to the table. These customers may have even recommended your business to their friends and family, which is why you should be ready to reward them with something they will enjoy. As a bonus, you can also offer them a discount whenever they sign up for your newsletter.

Don’t Forget to Network Offline

You should not limit your business practices to just online. Instead, see to it that you expand your network by meeting more people from different walks of life. This is a great way you can introduce your business to other people so they will be aware of it. By tapping on offline networks, you’ll be able to continue your business’ growth and not just solely rely on social media to do it for you.

These tips are a great way for you to let people know of your brand, especially if you’re working with a tight budget. When you are able to put money into your marketing efforts, you can upgrade your strategy to include other things that can help grow your brand more. But until then, these tips will do a great job on their own.

5 Ways to Use Emotional Intelligence in Your Marketing

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

As a marketer, you have to make sure that the campaigns you launch are hitting your audience. This is how you can measure how effective your campaigns are and whether or not you should be using these campaigns again in future projects. But in the case of making your marketing campaigns work, are you sure you are doing it right?

One of the best ways you can do a better job in your marketing campaign is by involving the use of Emotional Intelligence (or EI). But how do you measure EI? How do you know you are doing it right?

What is EI?

First things first– it’s important to dissect what Emotional Intelligence is and what it’s not. In a nutshell, EI refers to an individual’s ability to understand behaviors, impulses, moods, and control these to relate to a particular situation. By using EI with your marketing campaigns, you are able to target your customers at the right time and place as well as get to know them deeper.

In order to incorporate EI onto your marketing campaigns, you will need to establish a meaningful relationship with your customers. The best way you can do this is to understand what goes on in your customers’ minds when they think about buying your product. You will have to understand your customers’ experience with your product before they even reach out to buy it. Based on this, you can start carrying out a successful strategy to use to hit the right buttons when you market your product.

How to Use EI in Marketing

So how do you incorporate EI onto your marketing campaign? Here are 5 important things to remember when reaching out to your customers:

Listen Genuinely

Nowadays, there are a number of social listening tools that you can use to understand what your customers are passionate about. Before you invest time, money and effort in digital media, make sure that you use tools like Hootsuite or Social Mention to get to know your customers’ thoughts. Once you listen carefully to what people are saying about your business, you’ll be able to come up with a strategy on how best to go about with your digital marketing. And in using these tools properly, you’ll be able to have success in your marketing campaigns.

Before Anything, Add Value

Before you try to sell your product to people, you should remember to add value first. This is usually pretty natural for individuals who prefer to give instead of take. In such circumstances, they will feel a strong inclination to help other people by serving them with the products and services they offer.

When you add value to your product, you get to find ways to improve and boost your customers’ lives. This will help you identify who your brand is and what it represents. Using this data, you’ll be able to show your customers your identity as well as know why they should be investing in your brand. You can do this by letting your customers get to know you. Before asking for a sale, you can let them know who you are as a business.

Concentrate on Attraction

When you’re marketing to your customers, focus on how you can attract your customers in instead of interrupting or distracting them. Instead of giving the idea of selling, be a storyteller. Talk about the features and benefits of the product you are selling so they know what makes it a good option for them. Let them know what your brand and company stands for and how you are attributing to making the world a better place somehow. With this, your customers will feel enticed to buy from you since you have taken the time to tell them a story you love to share.

Avoid Being Creepy

As a marketing professional, you have to identify when you cross the line between being insightful and creepy. You may not know it, but you have already crossed the line (and maybe even broken some laws in the process). You have to look for ways you can be insightful and delight your customers instead of creeping them out by the amount of information you know about them and the habits they have. Even if you use social media tools to get information you need, you have to keep things at a general perspective.

Show Respect

Respect begets respect. This is why you have to remember when you should avoid going overboard when you are trying to sell your customers something. Not only will this let them know that you respect them, it will also avoid getting your customers annoyed with you. If you keep on hounding your customers to buy your products, they will most likely get turned off and will avoid you altogether.

Knowing these things, you can use EI to your advantage so you can effectively segment your customers. This will not only help you get the business you need but will also improve your customer relations.

 

5 Signs Your Website Needs a Makeover

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

From time to time, it’s important to give things a fresh, new look. No matter what it is, it’s important to keep things updated so that it stays in tune with the current trends. This same principle can be applied to websites, especially since they are being viewed by people throughout the world. By giving your website a makeover, you can get rid of things that no longer apply to your business as well as give your business a better image.

Giving your website a makeover is something that can benefit you in the long run. Because of your website, your customers are reminded that you are in business and know where they can find you. At the same time, it helps you gain new contacts in other areas where you have not advertised. For these reasons, a makeover is something that you cannot afford to ignore.

But how do you know that your website needs a makeover? Here are some signs:

Your website does not convert visits into leads.

The main reason why you have a website is so you can convert your website visits into leads. Once your website is unable to do this, it’s not doing its job right. A website that has been given a recent update should be optimized enough to win customers and generate new leads. You have to check whether or not your website is able to draw in new visits and grab their attention. At the same time, you have to encourage visitors to stay on your website and convince them to sign up for a free trial or a newsletter. With this, you’ll be able to get your website to actually do its work for you.

You can improve your website by the following actions:

  • Improve user experience
  • Create catchy call-to-actions
  • Compose attractive headlines
  • Optimize landing pages
  • Create clear and succinct contact forms
  • Offer conversion-oriented content

If you have a website that looks pretty much like a brochure yet doesn’t effectively convert visitors, then a makeover is much needed.

Your website has a cluttered homepage.

Compared with website design from years ago, the modern websites now have a simple, minimalist look to it. The main purpose of the design from previous websites was to give users a number of things to enjoy and images to look at. Websites also enlisted lots of information that often made it too much to take in. Information overload led to a high bounce rate. Because of this, many webmasters realized that in order to draw in more users, information should not be too overwhelming.

For this reason, there are many websites today that have a clean and uncluttered homepage. These websites are very easy to navigate and often have an appealing look to them. You may need to assess whether or not your homepage is cluttered so you can start giving it the makeover it needs. Apart from the design, you should also concentrate on removing unnecessary links and trim down your content to what’s needed. As for the photos, go for high-quality yet fast-loading images. By giving your readers the information they need without too much distraction, they will most likely visit your website again in the future.

Your website does not allow people to find you in social media.

Nowadays, your presence on social media plays a vital role on being online. It not only lets people find you, it helps you create a relationship with your customers. If you haven’t already done so, you need to take time to create a presence on websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and many others.

Once you have created your social media accounts, the next thing you need to do is to link your website to your accounts. This will make it easier for your customers to share your content on social media. In turn, this will boost your ranking and build a strong footprint for your brand.

Your website doesn’t show the latest web development.

Most of the time, websites are handled by web design experts who can identify whether or not it is equipped with the latest advancements in the online world. If you own a website and you are trying to see if it is still updated with the latest web development, you can hire a professional agency to take a look at your site. They will verify if your website is equipped with HTML5 instead of Flash as it is no longer an advised tool to use for animation.

Apart from this, it is important to check the platform used and see if an update has been installed. This does not only make your website more pleasant to look at, but will also be protected against viruses, spam, and any potential security breach.

Your website is not yet optimized for mobile devices.

Fact: The number of users viewing a website with a mobile device has exponentially grown. It is now the device being used by many people to check out a website, whether they’re on the go or just at home. This is why it is important that your website should be optimized for mobile devices.

Here are the signs that your website is not yet optimized:

  • Content format is incorrect when viewed on a mobile device
  • Links are hard to click
  • No response when tapping on a phone number

These are just a few signs that will let you know if you need to upgrade your website. While it may cost you to give your website a makeover, it will definitely be worth it in the end. And as a website owner, it’s an investment you need to make to stay relevant.

Tips for Successful Content Marketing

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

It’s been said many times — content is king — and it’s true, but there are still some business owners who don’t give importance to the exciting opportunities being provided by content marketing.

When it comes to developing a content marketing strategy, the process is not entirely easy. In most cases, it requires flexibility and experimentation. There is always something new to discover and try out to find a campaign strategy that works best for your line of business and the target group. You will need careful planning, research, and implementation in order to identify the best strategy for promoting a successful sales plan.

Here are a few ways you can be successful with your content marketing:

Audience

Get to know who your audience is

One of the surest ways you can be successful with content marketing is to see to it that you are targeting the right people with your campaign. You have to conduct a study to determine the demographics of what you are promoting. At the same time, you have to make sure you use the right tools to reach out to your target audience. When you are able to hit the right people with your campaign, you can be confident that they will also take the time to share your content to their friends. It becomes a valuable form of marketing with little cost.

Engage with your audience

It is not enough that you produce high quality articles every month. You should also take the time to engage with your customers. In the past, companies focused on building their brands by using a one-directional approach. This strategy, however, has long ago died when social media took over. You can now produce high quality blog posts, share new ideas on social media links, and even go on message boards just so you can interact with your readers. Not only are these great ways to engage with your readers, it also allows you to learn more about your audience.

Quality

Focus on content quality

Whenever you send out content, it will be read by your followers and other potential customers. For this reason, you have to make sure that the content you send out has been well-written, and probably by a professional writer. Whether you decide to write the content on your own or hire a talented copywriter, you have to make the decision carefully. This is because any poorly written article could potentially damage you and your brand. If you are not too confident with your writing, it’s best to hire the services of a professional so that you can most effectively get your message across.

Continue delivering quality articles

Once you have found the right copywriter for your content marketing strategy, you should plan to keep writing more articles. It is advisable that you produce up to 15 articles per month. If you can’t commit to producing that much, adding one or two blog posts per week may be a good approach, particularly if you are just starting with your content marketing campaign.

Measuring Effectiveness

Measure how effective you are

Keep it a challenge to continually improve your content marketing strategy. One way you can do this is to keep tracking comments, responses, and shares whenever you publish a post. There are a number of tools, both free and paid, that you can employ to help you decipher how effective your strategy is. Using this data, you can assess just how well you are able to get your message across and also identify what type of posts your audience looks forward to reading. In the long run, you can build your brand through the campaign strategy you follow.

Remember, the more content you produce, the better it will be for your content marketing strategy. Just make sure that the content you produce is useful, relevant and timely. But even so, don’t limit your engagement on just content creation. Above everything else, you need to cultivate your relationships with your customers through social media. Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to a successful content marketing campaign.

 

5 Ways to Increase Customer Loyalty

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

Every business owner knows how  important it is to build trust and customer loyalty. The reason behind this is that without customer loyalty, you won’t be able to succeed in your business. It is so hard to earn the trust of your customers but you can’t do without it. And what’s more is that it can be so easy to break their trust. And when it comes to dealing with customers, it’s even harder to get a new customer’s trust than to keep your existing customers. This is why it is important that you know how you can get your customers to trust you.

Here are a few tips that you can use:

Tip #1: Create an experience he will never forget

One of the surest ways you can gain a new customer’s trust is by creating an experience where you were able to go above and beyond. You have to remember that your business should not be just about you making a profit. It’s also about selling an experience that your customer encounters. Whenever you encounter a customer, you have to make him feel good. There are many ways you can do this:

  • Offer free coffee in your store
  • Offer free Wi-Fi if you have a cafe

You can also see to it that you over deliver whenever you meet with a customer. Aside from just meeting his needs, you have to go beyond it by adding some surprises or bonuses. Remember to focus on building integrity by being honest, keeping your word, be reliable, and provide consistently good service. These things can lead to customer trust and loyalty. Doing these things will let your customers walk away pleased with the experience they had with your business. They’ll be sure to share it with their friends and come back for more.

Tip #2: Value customer service

Customer service is something you should be concentrating on as a business owner. You have to make sure that your customers are pleased with the kind of service they received from your company.  One way you can show them this is by making things right, especially when you did something wrong. This is the best way you can build customer loyalty since you know how to resolve complaints made by your customers. When you handle complaints professionally, you get to show them that you value their business and want to make things right. You not only get to fix the problem, you also get to regain their trust. They will give you another chance since you have showed them that you can handle things properly.

Tip #3: Appreciate your customers

Nowadays, people tend to forget to say ‘Thank you’. Because of this, a little kindness sometimes proves to be something much more than just a word. But apart from just saying thank you to your customers, you should show them that you care about them. This can be done by giving rewards for no particular reason.

Another way you can achieve brand loyalty is by building a relationship with your clients more than just a business person. This doesn’t mean that you will automatically be their best friend, it just shows that you can care about them enough to know when their birthday is or when they are getting married, for example. You can also send your customers a personal letter to thank them for the business they have done with you over the past few years. Not too many business owners do this today so you know that your action is deeply appreciated.

Tip #4: Get to know what they want

A great way you can build relationships with your customers is to know what they want. Take time out to truly get to know your customers individually so that you know how to expand their interest in your business. You can send out surveys asking customers what it is they love about your company as well as what you need to improve on. Once you have gathered their responses, you should take time to act on it so they can see results from the survey they answered.

In return, you can give your customers a free gift by simply filling up the customer satisfaction survey that you have sent out. Or better yet, for every survey response, you’ll be donating to a charity or cause you support.

Tip #5: Don’t stop improving yourself

Your business is an extension of yourself. You should let your customers get to know who you are and see how you deal with your company as well as your employees. You should be able to engage existing customers in conversation as well as entertain new ones. Instead of hiring someone to build a relationship with your customers, you should be the one to do it. Otherwise, they will end up trusting that individual more than you. Always strive to improve how you handle your business and customer relations so you can build trust and loyalty.

Remember– customer loyalty works both ways. If you want to have a loyal customer base, you also have to be loyal to them. Stick with your long-term customers and make sure they are always happy and you’ll see just how loyal they will be to your brand.

 

The 4 Keys to Successful Branding

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

Often described as a sign, logo, or name, branding identifies the product or services you sell.

Branding your company isn’t as simple as creating a logo, purchasing promotional products, or keeping things afloat on social media platforms. Branding is about gaining the trust of your customers, rather than just creating the image of it. The following 4 keys to effective branding will help your company gain the recognition it deserves while arousing the interest of your target audience.

Consistency is Key
The key to a harmonious business is consistency. If what you say and what you do don’t align you’ll quickly lose the interest and respect of your customers. What your company stands for and believes in must be consistent across the line in order to achieve this place of “trust”. Your customers need to believe that your actions will always be influenced by the focus and vision of your company. How you handle complaints, your advertising tactics, and even your social media posts must add up and mirror the company you’re “selling.” Otherwise, your customers will call your bluff, feel lied to, and lose interest in what you’re all about. If you stay consistent in all of your relations people will never have to doubt what your business is about.

Likability
Is your brand easy on the eye? If you’re in the design process for your website, products, or your logo, likability is a huge consideration. Often what a business owner envisions likeable for themselves, might not go over well with the general population. Think twice before spelling your business name awkwardly, or using too many colors or patterns in your logo. The more drawn people are to your product, the more likely they’ll become a customer. This takes research and a thorough analysis of your target audience. You also need to look at your current competition and determine what works for them, and what doesn’t. See the world through the eyes of your future customers and ask yourself, “would I buy this”? If not, why not? Is there anything you can change to appeal to the masses?

Adaptability
The world is constantly in motion. Your business should be strong enough and adaptable so that you can project, as well as meet, the future needs of your customers. While short-term goals can help you build your brand, if you’re not looking into the deep future, you could be building a dinosaur of a business. Look at the current technology trends and see how they might affect your future business plans. Is your website mobile-friendly? Have you opted to use SMS messaging to send discount and promotion codes to your customers or are you still relying on printed coupons? Are you selling an industry trend with little chance of becoming evergreen? How can your company evolve from its current state should you see yourself in the next 20 years? What’s your future business look like, and do you have a blueprint to get there? Adaptability is key in successful branding.

Innovation

Are you a forward thinking business? Think about that, and the box you might be in. Innovation is new and different. It might be a unique product that puts your brand on the map. Behind the scenes, an organization needs to be innovative in order to make marketing powerful. Without newness, marketing stands still. What are your bringing to your industry and what sets you apart from your competition is what brands you. You’re either a leader or a follower, proactive verses reactive. Innovation inspires confidence and trust in your customers because they see the strategy and the path you’re on for the future.

Create the Future of Your Brand

Innovation. Adaptability. Likability. Consistency.

No matter how creative your business logo, without these 4 keys to successful branding, your company might fail to capture its target audience in time to secure its healthy place in the future.

Branding encompasses everything your company does. From the way it treats employees to the organizations or charities it supports, your brand will ALWAYS be tied to your image. Are you making a powerful impression?

We live in a digital age where brand names also reign. There’s soda and then there’s Coke. There are tennis shoes, and then there is Nike. There are cellphones, but only one iPhone. The biggest difference between a product and a brand is distinctiveness. Once you understand what makes your company unique you can begin to develop your brand further by following these basic steps, while staying true to the unique path of your company. So long as your efforts are consistent and your passion unrelentless, you can set yourself apart from the competition.

Does your company share these successful branding traits? Leave a comment below and let us know the characteristics you believe make your brand unique. Have a tip or want to share something else that has worked in successfully branding your business? We’d love to hear it!