A shift in traditional marketing: VALUE MARKETING is NOW

I’ve been involved in marketing and advertising for well over a decade now. I started when new media was a one-person gig at a big company. That was my gig. I sat in a cubicle on the fringe of the marketing department. How appropriate.

There were no real budgets to speak of because no one knew what to expect, but because internet advertising was in its infancy (remember + $100 CPMs?), you better hope that someone in the traditional media advertising department had the ability (and trust) to authorize internet advertising contracts in the thousands of dollars. Luckily, I had a great time learning about online media (something that my college program hadn’t yet included), and it set the stage for the rest of my career.

Fast forward a dozen years… 
Since that time, as is to be expected, the world has continued to evolve. What I have learned is just how much marketing has been a mirror of society’s evolution in that time. Marketing has always had a symbiotic relationship with people and society. Afterall, if there is no one to market to, what is the point? Who is listening? 

Marketing depends upon people and personally, I think it is time for an industry wake-up call. The people part of the equation is what is going to make or break business in the near future. Those not paying attention will be left behind.

SIDE NOTE: A bit of  background here...As we know, marketing in the past decade was revolutionized with the advent of self-publishing, where everyone and anyone can take the mic and BE OUT THERE. Web 2.0 levelled the playing field for small companies to exist on the ‘big stage’ that use to be out of reach unless you had millions of dollars to spend on marketing and advertising. This changed the dynamic of advertising and marketing from being a one-way broadcast to a two-way method of communication. That shift is key. While this isn’t news anymore, it is plain to see that some companies still don’t get it – and that, my friends IS newsworthy. Why? Because that is the crux in the big marketing machine. THAT is what small business can use to its advantage. Read on to learn why...

Here's the big reveal: The companies that recognize the value of communicating with their customers and then using the information as insight to meet needs, add value and in turn, stay relevant, will succeed. This is what I call VALUEMARKETING. Companies who ignore the power that customers hold, will perish: it’s as simple as that.

Is your business among those who will succeed? Are you ready to be part of that shift in marketing - a shift that will involve a new and more relevant approach to your customers? I'm very excited to discuss and explore, and most importantly, help small businesses take advantage of this unique time in consumer culture to be the difference, to stand out and make the lives of their customers better, and in turn, become remarkable.

More posts about implementing VALUE MARKETING and free video tips to come...want to stay in the know? Register at right for first notification.

Best of luck, 

Nancy~

P.S.: To read more about the importance of VALUE MARKETING to small business success, read my next post that really gets into the nitty-gritty of this approach and necessary shift in thinking: People are marketing; NOT products, gimmicks or how many ‘likes’ a photo gets - coming soon! 
Register at top right to know when its up!

Social media management: Win the fight for control once and for all!

Reading time: 4 minutes

Just because social media is on 24/7 doesn't mean you have to be. I've too, felt the need to always be connected in case something new comes up. While social media is  always 'on' and new things are always coming up, it usually isn't urgent.

The TRUTH: Social media doesn't have to be the insatiable beast we have come to know.

Follow these 3 tips to successfully manage your social media networks, maintain your sanity AND improve productivity in the process!

Tip #1: Know your purpose

Being on social networks is different than actually being productive with them. To be productive, as with any aspect of marketing your business, you need to have an identified purpose for what you are doing. This is otherwise called an objective. 

Setting objectives is a challenging process but it is essential. If you want to make the most out of ANY marketing activity, defining your purpose by setting objectives is a must. Social media is no different. 

Here are some sample objectives:

• Reach new audiences (as measured by new likes)
• Engage audience with brand (as measured by comments or shares, retweets, repins, etc.)
• Encourage action (be specific - more sign ups for a newsletter? more downloads of a free tool?)

Identifying why you are on social media in the first place goes a LOOONG way to making it work for you, and not the other way around. Remember, the key is to make it measurable.

Tip #2: Set a time limit and stick to it 

Social media can often feel like the demanding child that is always begging for attention. It keeps calling you, drawing you in to it's vortex of time-sucking. Yes, I did just make that up. ;-) 

The point is, YOU have to take control over your time by setting a time limit and sticking to it. Sure, you will feel like there is so much more you could have done when that buzzer rings, but the reality is, while social media never turns off, neither the world nor your business will end after you log off. 

A very wise and web-savvy marketter named Lynn Terry taught me that you ABSOLUTELY can get what needs to be done in 15 minute blocks of time per social network. Do this as often as fits into your routine or lifestyle. Ready to give it a try? Go!

HINT: You know that purpose you defined earlier? This is where having a purpose comes in handy. Now you can make the most of your time online by focusing only on those activities which support your objectives. Which leads to the next point...

Tip #3: Make a list of your daily (or weekly) social media "to-do's" by network

Make a TO-DO list for each social network you are actively engaged with. This helps keep the distraction-clicking to a minimum, boosting your productivity. 

For example, make a list of keywords relevant to your business and purpose. Keep this list handy, and perform searches each time you go online. When you find interesting things, share and comment on them.

More examples of objective-oriented tasks for social networks:

• Want to extend your audience and reach? Find 3 new people to follow each session. Comment on their content, say hi' and introduce yourself.
• Look specifically for content that you can share on other networks (this is dual-use time because it fuels your need for content elsewhere, ie. find article links on Twitter and repost them as a status updates on your own Facebook page. Include the article link for your readers and voilà! You have new content to engage your audience/followers)

POP QUIZ: Have you noticed that a lot of the activities are related to engaging via commenting and sharing? 

This is important because you want to provide VALUE to  your audience and also contribute VALUABLE comments to other ongoing conversations in established communities where your audience hangs out. This is important because it makes your business (BRAND) look good. By not only 'selling' yourself and your business, by offering more substance through engagement and content, you are creating a more personal and valuable connection to potential customers. And isn't that what we, as business owners want?

For more on the value of building relationships, what I call VALUE MARKETING, and why it is the KEY to establishing brand loyalty, check out my other blog post about why you should be building relationships, and NOT selling your business.

Best of luck, 

Nancy

PS: Want to receive more one-on-one help with marketing  your business? Join me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRoguePeaMarketing

Want to be unforgettable to your customers? Here's how...

Short and sweet, here is the first in a series of 

VALUE MARKETING tips: 

Small business success tactics: #1 mistake to avoid

As a small business owner, it's very easy to be overwhelmed with how to approach building your business. How do you reach more people? How can you attract more customers? When will your efforts result in revenues?

Want to know the #1 mistake to avoid?

Don't build your strategy around selling.

Focus on BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. 

Whether you are building your business online or offline (although now, most people recognize the power and importance of integrating all activities to achieve a common goal) the ONE key to remember is the importance of building relationships, not selling your business. This should be the focus of EVERY touchpoint you have with your customers and target market.


It's so easy to overlook but the importance cannot be overstated: building your business means building relationships. That is PRIORITY #1.

HERE ARE 3 TOP TIPS FOR BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

1. Solutions and answers go farther than any sales pitch you can throw!

Because customers are looking for solutions. They are looking for value. They are looking for ways to improve their life in some aspect. BE THE ANSWER!

Showing how your business can provide SOLUTIONS to all of the problems and ANSWERS to their questions provides so much more value than a marketing spiel. .By treating each potential customer and existing customers as REAL people, you are building those relationships, creating devoted fans and people loyal to your brand. They are your best assets towards long-term, sustained growth.

2. Use EVERY touchpoint to your advantage.

These are simply every point of contact with your business that a person could potentially have. From Facebook and Twitter, emails, in-store visits with customers - all of these represent opportunities to engage, interact and build relationships. 

3. Keep the dialogue authentic. BE REAL.

By remembering that behind every interaction is a REAL person, you can ensure that HOW you are interacting is authentic. Think of how you would like to be spoken to. Everyone wants to feel valued and that they are more than an number, statistic or peg in the revenue ladder.

Honestly, I think taking this approach simplifies things. It certainly has for me. Focusing on customers by engaging with them in authentic ways, to help them find solutions to their problems is not only satisfying for them, it is much more fulfilling for you too. It goes a long way to building a strong following and foundation of loyal users for the long haul - an asset you cannot build overnight when the going gets tough.

Summary: Putting in the time consistently contributes to the long-term sustainability of your business.

Best of luck,

Nancy

P.S. What is the best way you have found to engage with your customers? Special offers? Coupon codes? Incentive buys? Share your stories.