» Marketing Tips

Where To Find Your Target Audience Online

Michelle Salater — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:30:16 +0000

Do your target audience or key influencers primarily consist of women? If so, you might find this statistic to be of great interest to you in terms of your online marketing strategy:

According to a recent article on eMarketer.com, ad server Unicast performed a study involving female Internet users. In this study, Unicast found that women’s “top priority on the internet this summer will be connecting with family and friends (76%). About two-thirds of women also planned to keep up with the news and shop for sales. To that end, the sites they are most likely to visit include search engines (75%), shopping sites and social networks (both 60%).”

Now that you know this juicy tidbit about female Internet users, how can you connect with them online? Here are a few ways:

Host a Contest: With 31% of female Internet users likely to find interest in an online item that “allows you to create and submit an entry for a chance to win a prize,” hosting a contest on your blog or website is an excellent way to get in front of these females online.

If these women enjoy participating in contests and interacting with others, asking contest participants to submit a video or essay around a specific topic for their chance to win your prize is an ideal way to grab their interest.

When choosing a prize to give away, consider offering your company’s product(s) or service(s) as a prize or choose a prize that’s related to your industry.

Interact with Mommy Bloggers with a Predominantly Female Readership: Commenting and asking questions on blogs run by moms allow you to expose yourself to that blogger’s target audience and possibly build a relationship with this blogger—or key influencer.

Also, many bloggers have a link to their Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and / or bookmarking pages, which is a great opportunity for you to further connect with these individuals on some of their favorite social media platforms. Whether you ask a question, make a comment, or share an excellent article, interacting with the blogger and the blog readers will enable you build a foundation for a relationship.

The more you add value to the conversation happening on these blogs and social media pages, the more you will gain positive exposure to these blogs’ readers. You can reach an abundance of various markets by choosing a few female bloggers you believe are influential to women, and by connecting with them on a regular basis.

Start an Ezine: According to the same eMarketer.com article, Unicast found that the most popular online ads female Internet users are most likely to notice, are the ones that allow them to “take advantage of sales offers, discounts, or special promotion codes.” A whopping 46% of participants said this would grab their attention above all else.

With that said, how can you attract the attention of these female Internet users without coming off as too salesy? Create a newsletter that offers recipients tips and advice and has an area comprised of coupons and discount codes for your products / services.

For example, if you owned a luxury salon and spa, you could send out a biweekly newsletter that included anything from “5 Materials Necessary for a Do-It-At-Home Facial,” or “Tips for the Lips: Make Your Lips Pop.” At the bottom of these newsletters, you could offer a coupon or special promotion code that enables newsletter recipients to be rewarded for their participation in your newsletter. And not only will they feel special and rewarded for their loyalty to your company, but they’ll also receive valuable information and a discount on products / services.

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Understanding the New Ways to Market Online

Michelle Salater — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:30:32 +0000

You know it’s true: you cannot continue to chase your tail in circles, marketing the same way you have been and expecting different results. After all, that’s the definition of insanity, isn’t it?

The game has changed: how markets react, how people search for information, prospects’ attention spans, and prospects’ purchasing behavior.

While it’s easier than ever to market online, generate more exposure, and bring in more business, in order to do so, you have to understand the new rules of the game.

If you’re feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or simply want to ramp up your online marketing efforts, then you’ll want to join me for a free webinar on “Marketing in a New Media World” happening Wednesday, July 21, 2010, at 1 p.m. EST / 10 a.m. PST. During this one-hour event, I’ll be showing you how I successfully market my own company and help my clients achieve the results they desire.

Reserve your spot here.

On this one-hour webinar, you will learn how to . . .

Easily locate and engage with your target market and key influencers.
Share your brand message without selling (or being annoying and pushy).
Be found online using new search trends.
Integrate social media into every aspect of your business.
Effectively market your business blog.
Create and market content that people want to read and share.

Reserve your seat today.

Again, the free webinar happens Wednesday, July 21, 2010, at 1 p.m. EST / 10 a.m. PST. You’ll be able to ask questions via webinar chat, so come prepared with questions, and make sure you attend the live event. I’ll also be giving away some free gifts, but only to those who are on the live webinar.

Feel free to share this event with your friends and colleagues, but please make sure you reserve your spot HERE.

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5 Tips for Building Online Relationships That Last

Michelle Salater — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:30:49 +0000

As many of you know, I was asked to speak at the Big Africa business conference in Harare, Zimbabwe. Quite a few people have asked me how this came to be: Did I know the conference organizers? Did I submit a speaking proposal?

The opportunity came to me because of my efforts to build online relationships across the globe. The invite can be traced back to a Tweet, which led to an email, which led to a call, which led to the invite. To top it off, Sumèr was asked to write Big Africa’s website copy and help them refine their marketing message.

If I can end up halfway around the globe, speaking to an eager audience of business owners—all because of reaching out online—then you can, too. (By the way, if you haven’t seen the clip from the event, click here).

Below are 5 tips for building online relationships that last and produce results:

1. Become friends with your favorite bloggers on social media: Friending bloggers on social media platforms is a great way to stay in front of and build relationships with your peers and target audience. Blogs often have an area on the sidebar that features direct links to the bloggers’ profiles on social media. Take advantage of this by visiting their profiles, adding them as your friend, and leaving a friendly message for them on these profiles. I’ve reached out to some of my biggest key influencers this way. It’s powerful, and it works.

2. Comment: Build relationships with others by commenting on blogs, Facebook walls, videos, Tweets, answering LinkedIn questions, and more. Comments should offer additional valuable advice, compliment the post, or provide constructive criticism—with respect. I suggest searching blogs and social media platforms for topics related to your interests and your industry and commenting on these areas at least once a week.

Also, if you are commenting on a blog post, do not put your website or blog URL in the body of your comment. This often shows up as spam and will not be accepted as a comment. There is a designated area in the comment section that asks for your blog or website URL, as well as your name and email address. This is the only place you should place your blog or website URL.

On the other hand, if you’re commenting on a social media post, feel free to put a link to an article or post that you wrote. But do not constantly bombard people with your own articles. Instead, ask questions, provide additional advice, and recommend someone else’s article as a valuable resource. The whole point of commenting is to build rapport with others and show you are an expert in the industry or topic yourself.

3. Ask Engaging Questions: When you target certain social media users with a question pertaining to their industry or to their interests, you’re are engaging them and illustrating that you are interested in what they have to say. It doesn’t sound like much, but it is—it shows that you took time out of your busy day to ask them for their valuable expertise.

One of the most effective ways to engage and build relationships is to ask bloggers questions in their comments section that pertain to a post they wrote. Just remember to subscribe to the comment thread or check back frequently—the last thing you want to do is ask a question and never return to the blog to engage in the conversation.

4. Share and Support: When you mention bloggers or online friends / acquaintances on your Facebook page, LinkedIn profile, Twitter, and / or StumbleUpon, ezine, or blog, it not only adds diversity to the content on your page, but it also shows that you seek out valuable information and support the tips and advice that these people provide. Also, don’t forget to encourage followers or readers to contact you with questions, and post links to websites or pages that interest your audience. Give freely, be generous, and people will love you.

5. Send out personal invitations. Whether you’re asking someone to become a fan of your Facebook company page, sending an invite to a special event, or an invitation to an upcoming webinar you’re hosting, customize your invitations so that they connect with the receiver on a personal level. Take a quick look at his or her profile, and mention something specific: “Hi, Sue, we both like Cary Grant. I’d like to invite you to my fan page, where we can talk about his movies.” Tell her what’s in it for her. Two or three authentic, personal invitations per day have the potential to open numerous doors for your business.

Frustrated because you can’t seem to connect with prospects online? Not sure of what your company needs to be doing to market online? Join Michelle Salater for her free webinar on Marketing in a New Media World. Click here to register for the event.

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Why Aren’t Your Sales up to Par? Could It Be the Shift?

Michelle Salater — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:00:21 +0000

The key to getting customers to purchase from you is to influence them in some way, shape, or form—right? But how can you influence your customers and prospects if you aren’t conforming to their shifted purchasing and decision-making behavior? Quite simply, you can’t.

Before I delve deeper into the subject, some of you may be wondering, what shifted purchasing and decision making behavior? Well, take a look at your sales for the past year and a half. If they’re not quite up to par, you can probably thank the shift for the low numbers.

But, this shift in purchasing behavior isn’t the deciding factor in the fate of your company. Rather, it’s the beginning of a new era. Embrace the change by integrating one of the most influential and engaging elements you have into your online marketing and social media efforts—yourself.

But before you can do so, it’s important to educate yourself on the shift in purchasing behavior and understand the dynamics of engaging prospects.

Below are three ways to begin to understand the whole picture of social marketing:

1. Understand that social media marketing isn’t black and white: Many of our clients come to us asking how to properly post to Twitter or Facebook. Although there is a certain etiquette that should be respected, it’s also important to embrace your unique brand message and think outside of the box. There is no right or wrong way to Tweet or post to Facebook; just use your best judgment, and always remember that your prospects’ purchasing behavior has shifted to a more personalized approach. As long as you’re not being overly salesy, you’ll do just fine. Remember to be engaging, conversational, and approachable by injecting yourself into all that you do.

2. Consider how you prefer to be sold to: **Queue the red flag** you probably don’t prefer to be sold to at all! Rather, you want to feel a connection to companies before you purchase from them. A salesy pitch is the last thing that’s going to connect you to a company—you can see right through those, and so can everyone else. Being “sold to” doesn’t influence you to purchase—if anything, it probably deters you from purchasing. But, if you are influenced by the actions, reactions, and conversations you’re having with a company (in other words, the emotional connection you build with that company), you are being influenced to purchase in a way that doesn’t turn you off.

3. Don’t try to sell, and you’ll make the sale: You’re probably scratching your head in bewilderment, but I assure you, this tip can be justified. For example, let’s say you own a luxurious day spa and you want to leave your clients with more than a rejuvenating experience at your spa, but something that they will also remember you by. You could give them an eight-by-eight-inch card outlining “At Home Spa Treatments,” “DIY Spa Treatments,” “Bubble Bath Guide,” or “Tips to Making Your Pedicure Last Longer.” This way, if your clients want to give the cards to friends or hang it on their refrigerators, you’ll remain in front of your clients and reach others.

For prospective clients, you can offer these cards as a downloadable free gift on your website. This shows prospects that you are an expert in the spa industry and you care about your clients and are compassionate toward their needs. You’re also showing them that they don’t need to purchase from you to have a relationship with you and to benefit from your services.

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Developing a Brand through Website Design: Part II

Michelle Salater — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:00:53 +0000

In case you missed Part I of Developing a Brand through Website Design, you can view the post here.

Below is Part II of Developing a Brand through Website Design. This post is an interview with Sunni Chapman, founder and owner of Efflorescence, who discusses the essential components associated with branding a business. Specifically, Sunni shares her web design expertise and illustrates the importance of website design in attracting clients and expressing a clear brand message.

5. How do lines, shapes, and colors play a role in the tone of a website?

MAJORLY! Most people look at a website, and they will immediately like it, dislike it, or love it, but they can’t pinpoint why.

This is the very immediate and intuitive response that enables truly outstanding design to be so powerful. We’ve all walked past something in the street, or in a gallery, or on our travels that just made us stop and look for a minute, right? You don’t give it a lot of thought at first; you just stop in a second or two of pure awe and intrigue.

I believe it is in those first few seconds of awe that we are all looking from the same perspective, the pure presence, and alert appreciation that a moment brings. It’s something we all have from time to time, and different people find it in different things. But there is something unpronounced in that moment that speaks volumes to people, and this is what design is able to do.

Once a design has captured its viewer’s attention, you have enabled your viewer to see beyond “just another website” and opened him or her up to the potential of yours.

Lines, shapes, and colors play a vital and essential role in creating a visual piece of work that is able to capture people’s attention in just the right way. These elements play a pivotal role in creating the tone of the website, as well as the person that website will most likely attract.

For example, straight lines and cool hues will convey a more masculine, contemporary tone to a website design, and fluid lines, curves, and a softer, slightly warmer color palette will translate into a more feminine and earthen tone. But what happens when you introduce other textures, colors, typeface, or shapes into either of these? This is the role of a good designer: to take all of these elements and combine them in a way that speaks to multiple sensibilities while still working harmoniously to create a visually pleasing overall design.

There is a great deal of subtlety and trial and error in this process, and that is why good design takes the time that it does. Just another thing that I love about the artistic process!

6. What is the most challenging aspect of web design? How do you overcome this challenge?

To be quite honest with you, the greatest challenge is getting started! I realize now that this is always the time in the project when you’re just “thinking about it.” The actual design process has not begun yet, but you are just faced with creating an entirely new and original design for a new and wonderful client. You want to give him or her the absolute best design ever but aren’t sure what that’s going to look like yet or where it’s going to come out of. Therefore, the beginning of a project can be quite intimidating at first.

I have learned over the years (and am still learning with every new job) that it’s best not to get stuck at this stage and not to “think” about it too much. I just try to dive right in, start playing, and see what comes up. You could easily get trapped in “perfectionist” mode and never go anywhere. It’s the same with painters and all other artists—you just have to let go and get your hands dirty. When you do this, you free yourself from the biggest thing that holds all people back in all professions: fear. Once you free yourself from fear, you have cleared the path for the full potential of the design. Even though I know this, it is still a struggle to let that piece go each time. This is why I usually start by searching through photographic images or illustrations that are relevant or will be used in the design—this always inspires me and gets me in the rhythm.

The other most challenging aspect of web design, for any designer, is probably changes to the designs. Sometimes what a client has in their mind just does not translate well from a design perspective. It can sometimes be challenging as a designer to let go, even though it goes against your better “design judgment.” Whenever a client requests changes, I first approach the client with my recommendations and thoughts. And, if he or she still wants to do otherwise, I resolve to do the best that I can to find a solution that best serves both purposes. I always want to ensure my client is happy with the end result!

7. What do you think is the number one mistake businesses make with their websites?

I think the number one mistake businesses make with their websites is not fully believing in their website’s potential. There is an incredible amount of power and potential in a website, but unfortunately, it is often untapped.

So many business owners think that it will be enough just to get a website published, to get their name out there, or get the most amount of content that they can in order to increase their search engine rankings. They don’t feel as though the appearance of the website matters much and don’t care how the information is conveyed, as long as they come up in a search and the site looks “okay.”

But having your website pull up on search results is only half the battle. Thousands of websites come up in a search when you type in any key term, but once they click on your website, how are you going to keep them there? Even if they were referred to you directly, you still need to find a way to keep these potential customers on your website.

Cultures the world over are incredibly visual. If you do not visually engage your audience in those first few seconds, you have lost them. There is nothing to distinguish your site from the next site, and there is no reason for them to not look elsewhere and find a more stimulating user experience or a lower price.

Plus, at a time when anyone can publish a website for any product or service virtually overnight for next to nothing, businesses really need to visually establish themselves as a serious and trustworthy brand and stand out from the pack. This is why it’s crucial to develop a unique style and substance in your website, so that you can create brand recognition and trust, and so that you can show your potential customers the true value of your service or product. Because when a company has invested in their positive image—it shows. And it speaks volumes to the business character and integrity.

I have received many emails over the years from people who wrote me for no other reason than to say, “This website truly moved and inspired me—it’s beautiful!” And that to me is SO amazing and fills me with gratitude. The fact that people from all over the world would take a moment out of their busy day—not because they need something, but just to note that appreciation and that they were touched on some level by one of my designs—is truly a wonderful feeling. This, coupled with the great successes of so many of my talented and amazing clients, is how I know that when you truly commit and put your absolute best into your business, the world rises to greet you, and the rewards follow suit.

About Sunni

Sunni is pronounced “Sunn-e”, but don’t worry, I get “soon-e” all the time. It’s my fault for spelling it that way! It’s short for Sunshine—which you can blame my dear mother for. But even though for the majority of my young adult life I despised the name and its chipper implications, I have come to discover that I do indeed love to shine a little light in this world, in any way I can. So I guess she was on to something. Thanks, Mom.

Having always had a creative spirit and a love of art in all its forms, I serendipitously stumbled into this wonderful field of design while taking fine art classes at a not-name-dropping-worthy, but perfectly located community college. It was here that I fell in love with design, counted my blessings that I had found something productive I could do with my creative aspirations, and earned my degree in Applied Art & Design. After three years as a senior designer for a local design firm, I struck out on my own and opened Bella Fiore Art & Design in the hopes of creating a design firm that is driven by art, rather than functionality alone, and that provides a level of service to its clients that is hard to come by in the web design field.

Fast forward eight years, and I am proud to say that Bella Fiore was and continues to be a remarkable success, and the wonderful people that I have worked for have made that possible. I could not be more grateful for everything that has transpired (and I mean everything), and I look forward to the continuing success of Efflorescence under the same belief and principles.

~ Sunni (& Kita — lapdog designer extraordinaire)

Visit the Efflorescence website here.

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Developing a Brand through Website Design: Part I

Michelle Salater — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:00:33 +0000

It was our pleasure to interview Sunni Chapman, founder and owner of Efflorescence, on the essential components associated with branding a business. Specifically, Sunni shares her web design expertise and illustrates the importance of website design in attracting clients and expressing a clear brand message.

Below is the interview:

1. You recently rebranded. What inspired you to do this, and what’s different about the new company?

After eight successful years under Bella Fiore Art & Design, I decided that I wanted to further hone in on my original intention for my business. A year earlier, when I happened upon the word “Efflorescence” and read it’s definition, I knew the name was the perfect “suit” for my original intention.

Efflorescence, in this use of the word, is defined as:

efflorescence: 1 a: the action or process of developing and unfolding as if coming into flower : blossoming ; periods of intellectual and artistic efflorescence — b: an instance of such development c: fullness of manifestation : culmination c: to reach an optimum stage of development; to begin to bloom ; to blossom : simple concepts that effloresce.

This definition really spoke to me, and I immediately knew that this is what I wanted to further convey to my clients. What I wanted to speak to with my rebranding was the recognition that all of our endeavors and ideas are constantly evolving and unfolding to reach their highest potential. And when it comes to clients’ business aspirations, I believe they deserve no less than the full exploration of how that business will present itself to the world visually.

I believe I offer a unique service and perspective in the web design world as I take more into account than just meets the eye. I am able to get a better sense of the people behind businesses and their best intentions for it, and the energy of what they’re trying to create. I then translate these intentions and visions into a visual piece that is not only engaging to their perspective customers, but that also speaks to them through the subtleties of art and design and inspires them to explore further.

Bella Fiore had the same intention, and in fact means “Beautiful Flower” in Italian—so the developing and unfolding / coming into blossom concept has always been there. But I felt that some of it had gotten lost in trying to be “all things to all people,” rather than focusing on my strengths and what I do best, which is putting all my energy into working with people who recognize and value just that.

I also realized that, on a personal level, I was a little hidden in my old website. Therefore, I felt this was the perfect opportunity to focus on the fullness of my own manifestation, and by putting myself out there, I hoped that I would attract and work with more people who want to do the same.

2. Your designs are extremely unique and stunning. Where do you get your inspiration / ideas for your designs?

First things first, thank you!!

The short answer to that question is quite literally everywhere! I find inspiration in so many things, from the wondrous to the seemingly mundane. The natural world around us is one of my biggest sources of inspiration. The colors and textures and lines and curves found in nature speak to all of us on an intuitive, yet profound level. These are the “grounds” or foundation that I always begin with.

I also draw a great deal of inspiration from the world of “things” and, in particular, the old world of things such as vintages, found items, and antiques. I love imagery, textures, or treatment that evoke nostalgia or a sense of familiarity, and I feel that, when these are coupled with the elements of nature, it creates a powerful response in people. Not that most people realize everything that is happening when they look at a design, but they feel something and that inspires them to explore further.

3. How do you decide what colors and graphics / images to use for each particular client?

I first ask clients what their particular likes or dislikes are, if they have any—but that’s just the first and most obvious step. I next ask them what designs of mine they were first or most drawn to, and then what designs or images of others they are most drawn to. This not only gives me a good sense of their individual aesthetic, but also provides me with more of an insight into who they are, what they want to achieve, and whom they are trying to reach. Once I know all of this, I then go into the design process with that intention in mind and gather imagery, colors, textures, and typeface that I feel will best express their objectives.

For some, clean lines, contemporary colors, and a bold initiative are ideal, and for others fluidity, subtlety, and a natural palette fit perfectly. The diversity and potential each project presents is what I love best about this work! It is always evolving.

4. Who is your ideal client? Specifically, which clients provide you with the most room for creativity?

My ideal client is just that, as a matter of fact—ones who provide me the most room for creativity. The clients that I have not only enjoyed working with the most, but whom I have also seen reap the greatest benefits from my work, are those who came in the door knowing full well what they were about. They knew what they wanted to achieve and attract and what they liked / disliked in terms of design, but they immediately gave their full trust to me in regards to artistic vision and interpretation as a design professional.

Not only do these ideal clients allow the designer to explore the full potential from the vantage point of his or her professional training, these clients also know the value in that and are prepared to make that investment in their business’ most valuable marketing tool—a website. This combination makes for powerful business owners. They have clear directive on who they are and what they want. They believe in their own vision, and they want others to be able to see that vision in the same way they do; therefore, they invest their time and resources in that endeavor wholeheartedly. I applaud all of my clients for having the courage and foresight to follow their dreams and see them through!

Stay tuned for Part II of this post.

About Sunni

~ Sunni (& Kita — lapdog designer extraordinaire)

Visit the Efflorescence website here.

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Direct Mail as a Defender of Customer Loyalty

Michelle Salater — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:00:41 +0000

It is our pleasure to introduce guest blogger, Blase Ciabaton, direct mail professional and author of The Direct Mail Man blog, to our Copy Doodle readers. Blase’s unique blog caters to small businesses and tackles issues related to customer prospecting, improving response rate, and identifying targeted mailing lists.

Below is Blase’s guest post on Direct Mail as a Defender of Customer Loyalty:

How much do you love your existing customers? According to John Coe, author of, The Fundamentals of Business To Business Sales and Marketing, “68% of long-term customers stop buying because they just don’t feel loved.” In addition to feeling snubbed, the simple fact is that your customers will completely forget that you exist if you fail to communicate with them. What can you do about this?

Start with the basics. Recognize key customers on their birthdays, and send all customers periodic communication to acknowledge national or local holidays. This may sound hokey, but every time I send out a holiday campaign like this, I get business-every time! There’s no pitch for business in these communications, so they are very easy to plan and execute.It’s like tapping each customer on the shoulder and saying, “I just wanted to remind you that I care about you, and I’m here when you need me.”

If you need help remembering birthdays, I use www.birthday-reminders.com. Why do I like this website? Because it’s simple & free. Sure you could try to manage clients’ birthdays via Facebook or another social media platform, but when you go to birthday-reminder.com you won’t get distracted. The site has a single purpose which makes it extremely efficient. It e-mails you 1 week before each person’s birthday, and then again on their actual birthday. It even has a free feature that you can use to request any birthdays that you’re missing. For the most important clients, I not only send a card, but I also call them personally to wish them happy birthday. I found that this is a powerful way to establish rapport, and keep an open line of communication with your customers.

What’s the next step? Once you’ve mastered the more basic forms of communication and client interaction, you can move on to product-related offers. These types of interactions require some sort of call to action. The most effective offers involve some form of interaction between your client and your company.Technology has made it much easier to initiate this interaction, and to leverage existing data that you have about your clients. This includes utilizing information like:

the date of the last purchase
the amount of the last purchase
the frequency of purchases over a defined period of time
suggesting a complimentary product based on an earlier product or service that your client purchased

This type of information is typically referred to as “variable data.” Leveraging variable data helps to assure that your communication is more about each specific customer and less about your company.

The next technological leap in personalization involves using PURLs (Personalized URLs). The advent of PURLS creates a bridge between traditional print communication and your company’s online presence. A PURL campaign uses a printed piece, typically a postcard or letter, to drive customers to a specific website where they are greeted by name. Each specific micro-webpage typically incorporates their first and last name in the url/web address. In this scenario, if you mail to 1,000 existing clients, you will have 1,000 unique webpages. These micro pages will share much of the same info except for the specific information that you choose to personalize for each client. Can you see the theme here? Effective campaigns get your customers to interact with you because they are all about the customer!

If you’re wondering how to gauge the effectiveness of a PURL campaign, it’s very simple because you’ll get data back that tells you which recipients went to their unique web page, and where they clicked!

So you say, “That’s way too complicated!” The reality is while using PURLs may only have been an option for large businesses a few years back, it’s now a cost-effective marketing vehicle for small businesses and nonprofits. If you see the value in product-related campaigns for your business, but are intimidated by the additional thought and planning that’s required to pull off a successful campaign then it may be time to ask for help. In fact, it may make a lot of sense to work with a marketing professional or professional copy writer to create and execute a product-related campaign. When done correctly, these campaigns GENERATE REVENUE for your business so money spent of these campaigns is truly an investment in your business.

Do you still feel like money invested on marketing to your existing customers is a waste of time? If so, please consider that According to Marketing Sherpa it costs 5-7 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to sell more to an existing customer. The reality is that you can’t afford NOT to market to your existing customers.

Where can I start? Start simple & start now! While a full-scale customer loyalty plan can be intimidating, it’s not an excuse to continue to neglect your existing clients. Learn to crawl before you try to start running; start collecting the birthdays of your most important clients right now! Plan a simple direct mail or e-mail campaign to recognize your customers on the next local or national holiday. Even these very basic interactions help to maintain top of mind awareness with your clients and show them that you care. The future of your company depends on your ability to prevent the defection of the 68% of long-term customer who feel “unloved.”Start today!

About the Author: In 2009, Blase Ciabaton used his 6 years of expertise as a direct mail professional to launch the blog www.TheDirectMailMan.com. The blog caters to small businesses and tackles issues related to customer prospecting, improving response rate & identifying targeted mailing lists. If you found this post valuable you may want to sign up for his weekly e-newsletter or following his blog’s rss feed.

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How One Real Estate Company Successfully Uses On- And Off-Line Marketing

Michelle Salater — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:00:36 +0000

As part of our How Did They Do It? series, where we interview and spotlight companies who are successfully marketing their brands online, this post focuses on the successes of commercial real estate brokerage firm, Titan Commercial.

In the below interview with Emily Vanderbeek, Marketing Director for Titan Commercial, Emily shares the company’s on- and off-line marketing successes and strategies.

Below is the interview:

1. Where you do you spend most of your marketing dollars, on- or off-line? What past results have impacted your marketing spending decisions?

Titan Commercial spends most of its marketing dollars off-line. As a commercial real estate company, a lot of leverage comes out of putting up signage on the properties that we are representing. This way, individuals can see that the property is available as they drive by.

We also create informational packets for every property, which we either print or email to potential clients. This helps to ensure a quick, easy, and eye-appealing way of sharing property information.

This is not to say, however, that online resources are not valuable to us! We put our listings on multiple websites such as LoopNet, Costar, Property Line, etc. Also, we have invested heavily in email blasts and are currently redoing our website and looking into Search Engine Optimization. This is a large investment that we feel will be very worthwhile in the long run.

Past results that have impacted our marketing spending decisions are varied. The reason why we spend most marketing dollars on signage is because in the real estate world, a “for sale” or “for lease” property is expected to have a sign displaying its availability.

Also, a huge benefit of a sign is the amount of exposure it receives from the people driving by. In terms of online marketing, past email blasts and property listings have produced great leads and results for us. This is why we continue to spend a considerable and growing amount on online marketing.

As the world continues to gravitate towards online as a means of obtaining information, we feel that this will increasingly become a huge segment of importance for us to reach our customers, which is why we are heavily investing in website redevelopment and a social media presence.

2. How has marketing online affected the way customers and prospects perceive and engage with your brand?

Marketing online has made our brand easily accessible. Between email blasts, online listings, social media, and our website, with the click of a few buttons, you can find Titan Commercial’s property listings, our brand identity, and outreach efforts in which we are participating.

This has helped us to reach potential clients that we may not have otherwise been able to reach. It has also helped to shape Titan Commercial as a leader, by allowing us to tap into great resources like social media, which allows our business to engage with clients and customers. Additionally, our online listings have generated a lot of leads for our brokers, because the first thing that most people now do when they are seeking a property is to search online resources for their needs. We offer a quick and reliable solution to their needs through online marketing.

3. What social media platform has brought in the greatest results for your business? What are those results?

In regards to social media, Twitter has brought Titan Commercial the greatest results. Titan Commercial has shaped itself as a leader in the field as a result of the continual tweeting of our “Titan Word of the Day,” real estate news, and articles involving market trends. Many people have “retweeted” our tweets, and we know that our links are successful because they are continually growing in the number of clicks they receive (just a week or two ago, a link we posted received over 250 clicks!).

This clear engagement has helped individuals perceive Titan Commercial as a leader, because we have positioned ourselves as an educator, which is always a great position to be in. The results have brought a continual increase in Twitter followers, and it has also increased the number of viewings that our website has received.

4. How have Twitter / FB helped increase property listing viewings? In what ways? Be specific.

Twitter postings have helped to increase web traffic to our company website and, often, when people go to the web they will search our available properties. Every Twitter follower that we add is another opportunity for us to market our name and properties to him or her. We see this as a slow and gradual process, and we are aiming to build our brand name first, and from this, people who want to search for properties will come.

Additionally, every once in a while, we will tweet links to properties that we have available. This is done on rare occasion so as not to spam our followers. These links often receive hits, which clearly indicate an interested individual. Though we have not yet received an actual lead from our property link postings on Twitter, the clicks that we receive on our property link postings reinforce that we are indeed generating interest. Hopefully one day we will reach the right person at the right time, and they will actually pick up the phone to call us!

5. How are you tracking and managing your social media efforts / online marketing efforts?

The website http://bit.ly/ is a great resource because it shortens URLs and tracks the number of clicks that the link gets. This combination is perfect to use for Twitter and has been a huge resource for us.

We have continually managed our progress on social media by reviewing our followers every week and noting the number of click-throughs that we receive on our links. This helps us to gauge which links interest people, which links do not, and which links have been successful. Another way we manage our success is by tracking how many people retweet our posts. This is a number that is continually growing.

In regards to email blasts, we generate reports for every email blast that we send out. These reports tell us how many people opened the blast and the number of people that clicked through to the website. However, the best way of tracking success for email blasts is the number of leads generated, and we track these as well.

About Titan Commercial:

Titan Commercial is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm dedicated to embracing the relationships they have both internally and externally. They focus primarily on assisting clients with real estate strategy and operations challenges across a variety of real estate functions. Titan Commercial has been successful in acquisition, leasing, and disposition of commercial property and consulting.

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Mine the Gold in Your Customer Files

Melody Brooks — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:00:33 +0000

Guest post by Melody Brooks

Most businesses don’t treat their current customers like the treasure they are. Once customers buy, there they sit—forgotten. Oh, they might get a sales flyer now and then, but they’re not a marketing or sales priority.

Businesses are busy chasing those shiny new clientele, and they let previous customers fade away. Sometimes old clients drift into indifference, forgetting about you completely, or they’re miffed that you don’t check on them to see how they like your product. After all, they spent good money with you—and if you’re not keeping in touch, you’re blowing it.

These customers would be your biggest cheerleaders if you’d put forth a little effort to contact them. Instead, they’re ignored, and they aren’t impressed . . . and worse, they let others know it.

Why Don’t Businesses Go for the Easy Sale?

Is it easier to sell to someone who has already bought and knows the value of your product or to sell to someone who doesn’t know who you are? And is it cheaper to keep in touch with current clients or to go after new ones?

It’s less work, less expensive, and easier to sell to current customers than to new ones. Which begs the question: why aren’t businesses working those customer files? Your guess is as good as mine, but I suspect it has to do with the constant push for numbers—to acquire clients and sell, sell, sell. Old customers are just that . . . old customers. It’s a shame so many businesses have a shortsighted view of their clients because they’re leaving a fortune on the table.

What these businesses don’t realize is that it doesn’t take much to keep up with clientele, especially if they have their email addresses. They can create a list and contact clients whenever they wish. Clients want to hear from businesses they’ve worked with, especially those that treat them like a preferred customer. A little attention goes a long way.

Keep Customers Close.

Send all your customers a letter offering some kind of freebie or bonus if they’ll just give you their email address. Let them know you’ll be contacting them regularly with tips and information.

Then do it. Build your list, and contact them once a month or so. Give them great information to help them with their problems. Make them feel appreciated with special deals or coupons. Get them in the door or to your website with an irresistible offer.

Create a Win-Win with Joint Ventures.

If you find products or services your clientele would like, partner with that vendor to offer them to your list and split the revenue. Not that you should cram their inboxes with sales pitches, but if you find something you know would benefit them, offer it. You’ll be surprised how lucrative JVs can be.

A word of warning here: that product better be good, or you’re not doing yourself any favors. Customers can smell hype and insincere pitches a mile away.

The name of the game is relationships. Establish trusted relationships with your clients, and not only will they buy from you, they’ll also send their Aunt Sally and the receptionist from work to buy, too.

Melody Brooks is Sumer’s head copywriter and can be reached at melody@writtenbysumer.com.

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Maximize Social Media Success: Create a Connection

Michelle Salater — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:00:36 +0000

As part of our How Did They Do It? series, where we interview and spotlight companies who are successfully marketing their brands online, this post focuses on the successes of bridal attraction expert, Natalie Bradley.

Natalie Bradley specializes in helping wedding professionals and vendors attract and market to brides. In the below interview, Natalie shares her online marketing and social media successes.

Below is our interview:

1. Have your video marketing efforts affected the way clients and prospects connect with you? If so, why do you think that is?

Yes! They relate to me so much easier because I firmly believe that they know, like, and trust me more. Plus, it’s a simple way for me to expound on past articles, answer questions, or address any frustrations clients are emailing to our team. It’s easier to close the sale, get people on the list, and into programs! It’s called viral marketing for a reason, right?

2. You hold a lot of online and offline events. How do you promote these events online? Which platform have you seen the greatest success rate on, in terms of exposure for these events?

I promote events through our ezine and solo-emailings, hosting free preview calls, and marketing more heavily to sublists that sign up for these calls, through joint ventures and strategic alliances, social media, PPC campaigns, blogs, videos, affiliate partners, and speaking engagements.

3. You often use your face as a logo or image for your business. How do you think marketing yourself online affects the way customers and prospects perceive and engage with your brand?

Yes, I do use my image, because I’ve truly found in both of my businesses that people buy from people, not from businesses. So, the more I put “me” out there, including my face, the more people can identify with me and my message—and know, like, and trust me.

4. How are you tracking and managing your social media efforts / online marketing efforts?

Google analytics and our shopping cart manage a lot of traffic and marketing to see what’s working and what isn’t. I also have a team to help me manage social media to maximize it the most!

5. You’ve been leveraging a lot of social media into your websites and marketing efforts for the past year. How were you marketing before and what specifically caused you to integrate social media into your marketing?

It’s almost hard to remember what life was like before social media, now that it’s become such a daily routine. Before social media, it was more important than anything else to team up with others to get the word out there to the masses! Social media was very attractive to me because I saw that it was an easy, effective, and affordable way to reach thousands and thousands of people in my target market, in a relaxed environment. It’s a place where people “let their hair down” so they are more open to receiving and interacting. And, this sort of marketing is viral in nature, so it spreads like wildfire!

About Bride Attraction and Natalie Bradley:

After owning and operating one of the most successful wedding planning businesses for 6 years at a very young age, Natalie was asked by hundreds of wedding professionals to teach them how she rose to success so quickly and easily. From that, the “Bride Attraction System” was created, and Natalie has now become known as the “Bride Attraction Expert,” educating wedding professionals all over the world on how to attract more brides, make more money and have more freedom to enjoy it! She offers a free audio course on “The 5 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Wedding Business” at www.BrideAttraction.com.