by Jim Hughes on June 30, 2009
Small businesses today have tremendous opportunities to gain ground on their larger competitors. The question remains however, how many will step to the plate? The information evolution, driven mainly by the Internet and social media networks have created a level playing field for those who choose to participate. Sharing expertise, exchanging ideas, providing solutions and answering questions allows for building customer relationships – one of the key ingredients to small business success.
Digital and social media’s level playing field does not however ensure victory – they simply allow you to compete. Those of us who participate in or follow competitive sports know that talent, decision making, execution, and desire to win all make the difference once the game is on.
In today’s information age, relevant and compelling content is the key to engaging target customers and thus becomes the talent in our sports metaphor. Creating original content on your website and increasing online visibility via inbound marketing strategies all contribute to establishing your company’s digital presence.
Choosing media channels and topics of conversations to connect with your target customers are significant components in the decision making process. Writing blogs and e-Newsletters, using Twitter, Facebook or other social media networks all can be effective tools for small businesses to compete if used in proper context.
Frequency of producing content becomes the execution piece to the equation. How often you update content on your company’s website and chosen media vehicles is essential to managing your online presence, maintaining the interest of your customers and maximizing SEO.
Small businesses that provide useful, transparent information become relevant and credible. This increases their ability to influence perception, and ultimately the behavior of target customers – the obvious desire to win reference.
Many small businesses possess the expertise of their products and services as well as the passion for providing solutions to their customers. This is the beauty of doing business with these organizations. The small business challenge however, is how to participate competitively on this newly created level playing field of connecting with target customers.
Is the talent within your company to communicate effectively? Can you afford to assign someone the time to focus on the marketing strategy? Can you afford not to?
The game is on – is your company participating?
by Jim Hughes on June 20, 2009
Custom content, custom marketing, SEO strategies, social media networks and digital magazines were the main topics at the Custom Media Day event this past week in NY. The one day workshop Growing Your Custom Media Business in a Social Media Age was hosted by the ABM, Junta42 and the CPC.
Event moderator Joe Pulizzi from Junta42, HubSpot‘s Mike Volpe and Prime Visibility‘s Andrew Hazen each provided valuable insight into their areas of expertise. Other speakers reviewed interesting case studies and information; however Joe, Mike and Andrew hit the relevant topics mentioned in the lead sentence.
I found it was Tippingpoint Lab’s Andrew Davis who stole the show with an impressive overview on the topic of social media. He delivered powerful content while using an exciting new presentation format called Prezi.
As Davis energetically led us through his views on social media and its synergy with custom content, an interesting observation came to mind. Andrew was a live, walking and talking demonstration of the actual subject itself. He provided relevant and compelling content. His knowledge and passion was convincing. His delivery was effective, transparent and it matched his chosen communication platform. He ultimately left many in the audience wanting to ask more. My compliments Andrew!
Does your company effectively communicate with its target audience and have them inquiring for more information?
by Jim Hughes on June 16, 2009
Generating new business and maintaining relationships with current clients is certainly the focus of every organization today. The best management teams develop strategic approaches which reflect their companies’ philosophies, their sales team’s strengths and most importantly, their clients’ needs.
Over the past several years many forward-thinking companies have formed a consultative selling approach. In short, consultative selling is solution-led rather than product-led. The idea is to emphasize customer needs and meeting those needs with solutions combining products or services. A consultative seller provides information or advice on which solution best meets the clients’ needs. When properly and genuinely executed, the salesperson becomes a valued consultant in their respective field to their client, which in turn leads to a successful partnership.
Content marketing has several descriptions. However I think we all can agree that the concept of content marketing is totally focused on customers’ needs and interests. It’s the art of engaging a target audience by delivering relevant information about a subject of interest or need, and then influencing a behavior. That’s my description.
Content marketing allows organizations to provide current and potential clients with useful information or advice. In other words, content marketing is a solution-led selling approach. When done properly, content marketing positions your company as an industry expert (consultant), it builds trust with your customers, it generates leads, and it leads to doing business. It’s a solution-provider technique. Sound familiar.
There are many forms of content marketing which companies can incorporate into their marketing and sales process. The challenge, like with any strategic approach, is execution.
How is your organization handling communications through emerging technologies? How are you connecting with current and potential clients?
