The Full Noise

Blenhiem Graphic Design and Website Designers

Branding

Is blogging worth the time for small business?

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Is blogging worth the time spent for small businessesSo you like the idea of blogging but aren’t sure if it is worth the effort? This great post just came through my twitter stream via the @smbusinesscoach. Hubspot studied their small and medium business customers and were able to  document clear business benefits of Blogging.

The data was crystal clear: Companies that blog have far better marketing results. Specifically, the average company that blogs has:

  • 55% more visitors

The study also showed that those businesses that blogged gained 97% more incoming links than those who didn’t.

I am a strong advocate of blogging for small businesses to establish credibility in their field and connect with potential customers.

Does your business have a blog? Do you use it as a tool to build your business or as support for current customers?

Photo credit: Mike Licht

Why you should stop chasing new customers!

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When I first talk to a client about their marketing, I have a few questions I always ask. The first is “What do you want to achieve from your marketing?”, almost without fail I get the same response: More customers!

While it is the obvious response, it isn’t strictly the truth.  When they ask for more customers, most businesses really want something else… More money! The assumption that more customers result in more money doesn’t always hold true.

The Problem

The problem with targeting more customers with your marketing, is that each customer costs money in the form of paperwork and staff time for customer service.  Marketing to new potential customers is also expensive.

The solution is better customers

Rather than aiming for more customers, how about focusing on creating more great customers.  A great customer is a heavy user of your products or services, they buy more, more often.  The never complain about your prices, and best of all they brag about your business to their friends and colleagues.

A great customer is valuable to your business from a profit perspective, but they also give you the best type of marketing you can get – word of mouth testimonials.  In short, they send you referrals!

Getting great customers

There are two things to keep in mind about great customers.  Firstly, you already have some great customers.  and secondly, your great customers think differently about your products or services than your regular customers.

In a cafe example:  To a regular customer, the cafe might be a place for an occasional pick-me-up, or a casual place to meet a client out of the office.  To a great customer, the cafe is their breakfast bar.

Get talking to the the great customers you already have.  Find out their thoughts on your products, what is it about them that make them great customers, and  why they choose you over your competitors.

Once you have an understanding of who your best customers are, and WHY they are great customers. You can use the information to:

  1. Encourage your standard customers to become Great customers
  2. Target your marketing at those people who are most likely to become great customers

Rather than aiming to get just more customers, your ultimate goal should be to get more GREAT customers.

Last Question:

What do you offer to your best customers to let them know how much you value them?  Do they know they are a VIP to your business?

A secret to creativity in Business

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A secret to creativity in Business

It is easy for us all to believe that creativity is some sort of magic talent, or a gift given to the lucky few at birth.  I always considered creativity was the domain of artists and musicians, and was in awe of those who could  pick up a pencil and draw spectacular illustrations seemingly effortlessly.

Creativity for business innovation

Artists are talented but the very best still practice for years and years to refine their natural creative abilities.  Creativity in business is at the heart of innovation, whether it be for marketing campaigns or new and ground breaking products.  But unlike natural born talent, it can be learned and turned into a creative system.

Tip: steal ideas!

I’m not talking about blatant plagiarism of ideas from your nearest or most successful competitor, (though it obviously happens).  A much more effective and creative approach is to study other industries or market sectors. Preferably an industry entirely different from your own… If you sell bicycles, compare your business to an ice cream truck. If you’re an accountant, compare yourself to a book store.

Think about their business model? How do they market their products? How do they serve their customers?  What other systems do they have?  Challenge yourself to bring one idea from another industry into your business!

With this tip in mind, get into the habit of carrying a notebook with you everywhere.  When you see great ideas or are inspired by something others are doing, write it down and review it later.

Another great resource for finding new ideas to re purpose for your business is Springwise.com, which gathers great innovative business ideas from around the world. Also check out their sister site trendwatching.com for upcoming consumer trends.

photo credit

Your business should be using social media – heres why!

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I found this great video on why your company should be integrating social media into your marketing and branding efforts.  It gives social media vital statistics, including global usage of sites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as the speed of its growth.

Many business owners have said to me that they don’t need to be on the internet because their customers aren’t… 

Your customers ARE on the internet!!!

  • What are they saying about your business?
  • What will they do if they can’t find you?
  • Social Media lets you build relationships and maintain contact with your customers

If your customers are the very few who are not on the internet yet, they soon will be.  Doesn’t it make sense to be there first to welcome them?

What do you think? Are you tapping into the huge potential of social media with your business?

Social media is the future, START NOW!

 

This video was originally posted over on the Tips from the T-list blog.  Go and check it out for some great tips for the tourism industry.

A great illustration of the importance of first impressions

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I am always searching and reading as much as I can about marketing and branding to make sure we can keep up with the newest and best techniques people are coming up with.

Anyway, I stumbled on this post the other day.  It is a short video that really gets across the point I made the other day in my paint the fence post, about the importance of a first impression.

Head over here now and check out this post… the video is only about a minute long, and totally worth a look:

First Mental Image should draw you in! (video version)

Do something different, Stand out

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A strong Brand is the most important asset a business can have.  Traditionally branding has been considered a part of marketing startegy, but I consider marketing to be a part of your branding strategy.  Here is a definition of branding that I really like and agree with:

“Branding is about getting people to perceive you as the only solution to their problem” Rob Frankel

So how do you build a brand like this?

Companies like Coca-cola, American express, and the Warehouse, spend literally millions of dollars to be the leaders in their markets.  Advertising is an expensive way to maintain market position and branding.

The better way to become number one is to offer something that no-one else offers, Do something completely different from everybody else. If you are already in business, how can you change your industry, if others are fighting coming change, embrace it and stand up as the first and only.

Seth Godin would call this a purple cow…  Something that is so different from anything else, that it gets noticed.

Do something that others will talk about!