Showing posts with label Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business. Show all posts

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Facebook Fan Page Marketing Tips


Make the most of your brand's Facebook fan page
with these
Facebook marketing tips
(Photo credit:
Social Network Asia)
As you're probably aware, Facebook fan page marketing is what most people are talking about in the online world at the moment. However, are most doing it correctly? That reality is no, they are not! There is an art and science to marketing on Facebook and building relationships but most never fully get it.

Here are some tips to help you on the fast-track to getting new customers.

Don't be a jerk and spam people! No one likes an annoying person so don't be that guy/girl. If someone didn't subscribe your status updates, don't pressure them to and send them info without permission. This is a big no-no and will get you kicked off of Facebook fast.

Get a professional background created.

This will help your Facebook fan page marketing more than you realize. It sets the stage for interaction later on. Don't be cheap on your design either. Trust me, you don't want that to be the first impression someone gets of your business.

Get a custom Facebook landing page built

This serves two purposes. One, it will get the prospective new customer to "like" your page. This will allow any status updates you post to appear in their news feed. This helps you have top of the mind awareness with them and be able to provide value their way.

Purpose number two of the custom Facebook fan page is to capture a name and an email. This allows you to keep in contact with the prospective customer on your own terms off of social media. This is essential! You have to get them onto a separate list.

A good thing to do is to offer something of high value in exchange for the leads name and email. You can offer a free report or video training. It's up to you, just make it valuable.

Get traffic

Use the Facebook sponsored ads platform to drive traffic to your fan page. This is very easy to set-up and target to your market. There are literally dozens and dozens of ways to bring visitors to your page / site but pay-per-click runs on autopilot. You can turn it on and turn it off when you want.

Other forms of traffic you can use to get more fans are email marketing, videos, online forums, press releases, articles, blogging, and Google Adwords.

Measure conversions

Always test your Facebook ads and track your conversions. If traffic is king, conversion is surely queen. See which ads perform better than others. You always want to strive for the highest click-through rate.

Using the above Facebook fan page marketing tips will get you more fans and allow you to turn them into actual paying customers quickly.

Discover how to get a flood of new customers each month with Facebook fan page marketing. For the latest free tips and Facebook marketing strategies that work, visit Social Network Asia's blog now!


Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/6105442

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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

SMS: Mobile Text Message Marketing

Advertising advertising
Advertising advertising (Photo credit: Toban Black)

Marketing is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner. Without a marketing strategy and targeted advertising, many businesses simply do not make it. Many business owners think that simply having a store front or running an ad in the yellow pages is all they need to do and soon realize, it's not that easy.

In today's world, businesses big or small are finding more and more challenges when it comes to traditional marketing strategies. Running an ad in a local publication or paying for a spot in the yellow pages, just doesn't produce the same results they once achieved and are very expensive.

The reason why this is happening is that we are in a rapid changing communication age. With the birth of the Internet and number of internet-ready cellphones expanding globally, the effects on marketing are tremendous and are taking the marketing challenges to a new level. International businesses large or small are facing the same challenges.

The technical requirements associated with setting up a website, understanding social media, creating campaigns that will promote brand and convert traffic into buyers, are all part of the requirements necessary to market a business in today's world. The problem is many business owners need to focus on running the business and do not have the time, can't manage, nor have all the skillset required to create and manage an effective marketing program.

One new marketing method that will have a tremendous impact on businesses globally has to do with mobile text marketing. Mobile text marketing targets cell phone users in a very unique way. Similar to the time when e-mail marketing was brand new, mobile text marketing has a much higher response rate. With response rates at 90% plus, business owners need pay attention and incorporate this strategy into the overall marketing strategy.

There are a lot of reasons for the high response rate in mobile text marketing. Here are a few:

  • When a user receives a text message they almost never ignore it due to the alert features on cell phones.
  • It's considered more personal than an e-mail because it is used primarily by personal friends and family. So, the user always responds to a new text.
  • Most businesses have not yet utilized this strategy so; the opportunity is here right now to be on the cutting edge of this new marketing concept.
  • Users do not ignore the messages when received.
  • Messages are short and to the point.
  • Newer cell phones display the message right on the front of the screen.
  • Users almost always have their cell phone on them.
  • Cell phones do not require internet access to receive a text.
  • Almost every cell phone made today has text messaging built in. 

The most important factor is that cell phone users out number internet users worldwide. With the rapid increase in internet-capable phones, there will also be a proportional increase in a business' ability to market to a cell phone user.

For those who don't know, here is how mobile text marketing works in general. Let's say you want to run a campaign to offer a discount for a product, service, or an event. As a business owner, you would target your existing customer base first. You would offer a coupon or discount, when a user sends a text message from their cell phone to your advertised campaign word. An example of this would look something like the following:

To receive a discount today, text "specialoffer" to 41242

What happens is the customer wants to receive a discount, so they text the word to the number. Then they immediately receive a response back with a promo code or message authorizing a discount. They are also informed they will receive future discount offers and can opt out anytime. Your customers are ok with this since they are already patrons of your business. This process all happens automatically.

Develop Brand Marketing Strategies

Relationship between trade marks and brand
Relationship between trade marks and brand (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To the "outside world", when you create your brand you create unlimited opportunities to leverage what you do into high payoff programs, information products, teleseminars, joint ventures, workshops and more.

On the inside, creating your brand gives you a powerful sense of identity, mission and alignment with your Unique Brilliance. You feel as if the heart and soul of who you are is now (finally!) in tune with building a successful business.

But what if you're struggling with trying to figure out what your brand really is? If you haven't been able to create a high-impact, high visibility brand, that tells me three vital elements are missing from your business-branding strategy.

Luckily, once you focus on, discover and integrate these three missing elements, your brand will "pop!" This branding strategy works equally well for internet branding and other brand marketing strategies.

If creating a strong, memorable, authentic brand has been eluding you, then take a look at each of these strategies for your answers. If you already have your brand, then you can use this list as a "brand checkup," or for help in rebranding.

Branding strategy #1: What results do your clients experience from your service? 

In my Brand Authenticity workshops I ask participants to create a list of not just one or two results, but THIRTY! Why so many? Because it forces the (and you!) to dig deep and get really specific about the results you offer.

For example, let's say you're a life coach and you love to work with women on finding better balance in their lives. That's a tough sell (even though most women will wistfully acknowledge they need more balance!) Your list of thirty client results for may include: starting regular exercise programs, picking up long-wished for hobbies, joining book clubs, asking for a raise or setting clear boundaries with their kids about doing homework.

Now, isn't that a lot more tangible and sellable than quasi-results like "be more accepting,” “be happier,” or the ubiquitous (and sorry, nearly meaningless) "put themselves first for a change?”

My coaching challenge to you: You don't need to wait for my next Brand Authenticity workshop. You can create this list for yourself starting now. Just pull out a piece of paper and start listing each and every detailed result you help your clients achieve.

Branding strategy #2: What problems does your service solve?

Like the prior list, this one too needs to be more than just an answer or two. Again, aim for thirty problems your service helps your clients solve. It's okay if some of your answers overlap with your prior list – just be sure you are detailed and specific in what you list.

Branding strategy #3: What are you a stand for, no matter what?

Great brands have power and punch to them. For example, Maureen, one of my Brand Authenticity clients created the brand "Real Relationships." Another client, Jack, created "The Christian Business Profit." (I love the play on words!)

Both Maureen and Jack are clear on what they stand for and that shows up in their powerful, compelling brand names. So, what are YOU a stand for, no matter what? The "no matter what" part matters because it will shift you out of complacency or fear. It will move you into that courageous, vibrant, determined place where your passion breathes fire and life into your words.

So whether you are internet branding, rebranding or looking at branding strategies for the first time, your powerful, authentic brand is just waiting to be discovered! So what are you waiting for?


Article source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/marketing/article_3992.shtml

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Logical Process of Social Network Marketing

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: U.S. Preside...
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at a town hall meeting hosted by LinkedIn Corp. at the Computer History Museum on September 26, 2011 in Mountain View, California. The president used the opportunity to share his view on job creation and the current economy. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
Social network marketing is popularly called as Internet marketing. Today you can find many ways for internet marketing. Many people who enter this online marketing are less worried because of its guaranteed success. If you see in Internet totally all types of products has been marketed online without much effort. Internet attracts many business people to promote their business online. Social network marketing is grown to such a height that today many people can't earn without it.

Some of the most recognized network marketing tools are Face book, My Space and LinkedIn. Twitter became regular place for people who have newly entered the field of social network marketing.

Different social networking marketing methods are as follows.

1. Blogging:
When you start Blogging or posting your data about any product, you can see less response from clients. Later it will become big business via blog. Websites and blogs are most powerful tools for social network marketing when matched with other networking tools. Blog is an amazing tool which provides many other facilities in addition to just marketing your business. It also helps you to communicate with other clients in case if you have any problems.

2. Personal website or blog:
It is important to have private website if you are a freelancer. Your website will help your clients to know about you and it will make them clear that you are a serious freelance marketer and help to make huge revenue via online marketing.

3. Article selling:
It is also best and cheap internet marketing method. It is a mode of advertising our trade just by writing articles and attracting endless number of users across world. We usually sell our articles to different article database websites and article directories. Today it provided free business to many advertisers and publishers and they are really benefited through their articles.

4. Email sending:
Electronic mail sending is the best way to marketing. Collect list of email addresses through portfolio websites and email about your business to all internet users. Your Email should be attractive in such a way that your recipient will be impressed to get back to you.

5. Use social networking websites:
Social networking websites like Twitter, face book can be used to promote your sales. These provide best platform for all who are thinking of online marketing.

6. Video promotion:
Use several video distribution websites for your marketing. These websites uploads your service to the whole world. All that you need to do is film a video about marketing and send it to video uploading sites like You Tube. It seems it is the easiest way of marketing than any other modes since many people will be interested in view videos rather than word form of advertisement.

7. Press Release or media release:
It attracts several public clients and increases relationship among them.

8. Search Engine Optimization:
It improves the traffic to your website by providing quality web content. It uses RSS feeds and many SEO techniques.


Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/3510735
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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Integration Mobile Marketing and Social Media

Image representing Twitter as depicted in Crun...
Image via CrunchBase

Mobile marketing is a natural extension of social media. If you are successful in promoting your business and spreading word of mouth advertising by "creating apostles" to your business with social media then mobile marketing is the next step to take to increase your customer interaction, frequency and sales.

These platforms from Twitter, Facebook, mobile marketing and now new sites that are showing huge promise such as Groupon and FourSquare can all be used effectively alone. When we see the big difference and missed opportunity for small business owners is how to run multiple social/mobile marketing platforms together and integrated with each other.

It is important to use multiple platforms for several reasons. First, social marketing provides the highest ROI in marketing. While it does take some time in the beginning to learn these services effectively, they are essentially free and only take your time. If you are short on time, there companies that will build your social media sites and manage the marketing strategy for you so you can focus on other aspects of your business.

Second, customers that are more involved in your business and feel a deeper connection are less likely to leave you for another business. Social and Mobile create brand loyalty, positioning, differentiation and if you reward these customers accordingly, a very high rate of customer satisfaction that cannot be matched by direct mail, television, radio or other forms of print or mass media marketing.

With all of these sites and methods you must add value to the users experience by providing your fans, followers and subscribers with discounts, exclusive promotions and sales. If you you're your customers what they want, you will be rewarded. People who allow you to engage them in these mediums are most likely to spend money with you, spread the word of your business: "Creating Apostles!", and you are circling the wagon so to speak around your best customers, the ones that support your business and provide the main base of your profits.

People that are fans on your Facebook page are more likely to buy from your business. Use twitter to drive traffic to your Facebook page and get them signed up as a fan. Use Facebook to offer fans the chance to answer the mobile call to action to receive another reward for signing up to your mobile campaign. When you send out a new SMS message you will soon be able to have the ability to have the message automatically update your twitter and Facebook page. This will complete the circle and drive customers ultimately to your mobile list.

Unlike other marketing mediums, mobile marketing is far from saturation or showing any signs of slowing growth. Customers will not be members of multiple or dozens of Facebook fan pages or be following thousands on Twitter. With mobile marketing your customers will most likely follow one business from each market category. This allows you alone to have their sole attention which will drive your sales and ROI to new levels in this economy. While you may be able to use effectively to show a ROI or increase in sales, combine the power of mobile and social media marketing to compete and grow your sales.


Article source:
http://EzineArticles.com/4069006

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Branding Business via Celebrity Marketing Strategies

SUCCESS (magazine)
SUCCESS (magazine) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Success Magazine has a great article, "Celebrity Marketing", in their February 2012 issue.

This article got me thinking. What can celebrities teach me about marketing or branding my business? Even though you may not agree with celebrity strategies, there is still an underline message that can apply to any business. These tips are great for college graduates, and for new network marketers.

1) Celebrities personally connect with their fan base. Celebrities don't only focus on the products they offer, they learn more about their fans and build relationships. Social network marketing is the MOST POWERFUL path for communicating with the masses! This path is a two-way street. Many celebrities make time to respond, and are sending their own tweets. Take this lead from the celebrities! Learn about your "fan base" problems, build a relationship, and respond to them. By responding you become a 'real' person. Through the relationship you can explain how your product or service will solve their issue.

2) Create an emotional attraction. People typically stay loyal to a brand because the brand promise meets or exceeds their expectations. They can also become emotionally connected by how it makes them feel. Harley Davidson enthusiasts are a perfect example. Their emotional touch point is the open road, personal freedom, and for some, rebellion. These enthusiasts feel so connected, many are willing to tattoo the company logo on multiple body parts.

This is way over the top for me! However, what type of emotional connection attracts your "fan base"? These emotional connectors can easily be connected with their problems. For example, a woman has a weight problem. To lose weight, she attends zumba classes. Now even after she lost her weight, she still attends zumba classes because it makes her feel; more energetic, younger, and sexier. So she started zumba to fix her problem, and then became emotionally attracted because the way it makes her feel.

3) Live & breath the brand. This means you must love your product or service. You must love it so much, that you use it. When someone is using a product regularly, it is only natural for them to tell others. You can't attract customers if they don't know about it. When owning a business, don't be shy or act like the "wallflower" at a school dance. If you want a your business to grow, then get to talking.

There are many other success strategies in the Success article. These are three that I think are very helpful to a college graduate getting involved with network marketing for the first time, or a stay at home mom trying to start a home business.

If anything, realize how important utilizing social network marketing is for your financial success!

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. ~ Dale Carnegie 

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/6851716

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Sunday, September 16, 2012

Measuring Social Media Company ROI

Return on investment after training and resour...
Return on investment after training and resourcing an Otago Polytechnic teacher how to use social media for open education (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are number of factors to measure the ROI of a company. These would be metrics and measurements that can contribute to a company's longevity. These measurement includes but not limited to: reach (# of website visits, relay and #post), relevance (engagement and authority) and outcomes. The outcome is the ROI that can result in exposure, as Jack mentioned, customers satisfaction, increase in leads and sales.

A business that wants to track their ROI from social media should start with a baseline of your company's current growth, website visitors, online transactions, telephone inquiries, etc. If you don't have this information, start tracking it.

Next, create an activity timeline that tracks all new social media projects: blog launches, new Twitter campaigns, press releases, etc., 

By stacking these timelines on top of one another, your company can create a picture of which efforts are working, and which ones aren't. Over several months, you can graph your progress and watch for correlations between events, such as certain blog articles equaling more customer calls, or positive online mentions and a jump in site visitors. 

Keep in mind, though, that another part of a good social media campaign and tracking ROI is having a goal in mind when you start so you know where you want to be. Your goal could be monetary return (more sales), or non-monetary (brand awareness, increase in social media mentions). It's not too late to start tracking your progress so your business will know how your social media efforts are affecting your company.

With social media being a prominent mode to gain popularity, companies streamline their efforts to build an entire presence through twitter, facebook & other popular social media outlets. Talking about ROI, it is indispensable to form parameters before measuring the profits for a company. Hence, business and marketing professionals who embark on the journey of social media should define what they want to achieve from using social media marketing.
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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Using Instagram to Market Your Business

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 09:  In this photo illust...
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 09: In this photo illustration, the photo-sharing app Instagram fan page is seen on the Facebook website on the Apple Safari web browser on April 9, 2012 in New York City. Facebook Inc. is acquiring photo-sharing app Instagram for approx. $1 billion. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Photo sharing has been given a major social upgrade thanks to introduction of Instagram. The Instagram platform has become hugely popular with more than 80 million users, who enjoy altering their photos with special effects and cool filters before sharing them with friends and followers.

Businesses can start using this new type social media as a way to market their company and build up a following. People love strong visual images, so posting pictures of products and even employees will make them feel closer to you. This type of marketing is what helps forge brand loyalty.

So how can your business use Instagram for marketing? Here are some examples:

Geotagging

In Instagram's latest update, users now have the option to tag a specific location with their images, which are saved to a personal photo map. These can be shared with your followers.

This is great if you have a physical location or even if you travel around the city, state or country. If you have booths at local craft fairs or other vendor events, then you can snap a photo and tag your location to let your followers know where you can be found.

Inside Look

The whole idea behind social media is sharing. Your fans and followers are giving you a chance to reach them on a more personal level so make sure you are giving them the same. Take pictures of the staff in the office. Snap shots of upcoming products to give them a sneak peak. If you're on the road, take some pictures along the way. Give followers a real sense of how things are behind the scenes to help them feel like a part of the brand.

Use Hashtags

If you use Twitter, you know how effective hashtags can be at sharing. You can use the same on your Instagram photos. Use hash tags that relate to your business or industry to make it easy for people to find you. For instance, if you make jewelry, you can use hashtags like #rings, #customjewlery, or #necklaces. Look up popular hashtags that are being used by similar brands and add them to your images.

Encourage User Images

People who are already using your products should be encouraged to snap a photo of themselves using it and tag it with one of your hash tags. This will show people how to use your products and show how many people are happy with your company.

Hold Contests

People love a chance to win prizes and using Instagram to hold a photo contest is an exciting way to give them what they want. You can ask fans to send in a picture of them using your product and then choose a winner from among them. You could also go a different route by asking them to send in a picture that demonstrates something more abstract, like what represents summer to them.

There are any number of ways to get creative and get more followers by holding a contest using Instagram. Your followers will share with their friends who will also want to join in the fun.

Market Your Events

If you are going to be at a trade show or convention, take pictures and tag your location to let your followers know what is going on for your business. If you are holding a big sale, snap a shot of your sales flyer for your followers to see. This is also a good way to make your followers feel more special because you can offer them a VIP discount that only Instagram users can get. Get creative with them!

Instagram was acquired by Facebook for about $1 billion. That is a sure sign that this is an important part of social media. When you implement it in your marketing strategy, it is one more important tool to have.

People love getting involved and sharing with the businesses they love. Take part in this era of sharing and you can broaden your reach and strengthen your branding with a few snaps of the camera.

Are you signed up with Instagram yet? What are you doing to market your business with the latest social app?

Article Source:
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Use-Instagram-to-Market-Your-Business&id=7270933

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