In the last couple of weeks, Google Places was supplanted by Google+ Local and Google has been publicizing the changes and opportunities on their blog. They plan to keep adding more profile dimensions to help users refine the quality of the information they receive and eventually Google Places will disappear. For the meantime, Google recommends […]
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What Were They Thinking?
Public relations is tricky. No doubt about it. According to the Public Relations Society of America, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” Notice the emphasis on building mutually beneficial relationships. The PR Rep who posed as a reporter was clearly not trying to improve […]
More About Every Door Direct Mail
You’ve probably seen the television commercials from the Post Office about Every Door Direct Mail. Maybe you have wondered what that was all about. The Postal Service is investing heavily in Every Door Direct Mail, also known as EDDM. In fact, there are those that think EDDM will help “save the post office” from all […]
Planning Ahead – Order Promotional Calendars Now
June crept up on us. It was January and now it’s June—half a year is over. In another blink we will be preparing for the holidays at the end of the year. Unbelievable! In fact, if you give your customers promotional gifts for the holidays, now is the time to place your orders. Even without […]
The Truth About Prospecting
The truth is that finding new customers is a challenge for almost any smaller company. This is because most business owners are more concerned about their products and service than they are about selling. Marketing and selling are important keys to your business success, however. Finding your best prospects and letting them know how you […]
Content is King – Content Marketing
Generating original content is extremely beneficial for building a marketing presence today. This is because new digital technologies extend the range of messaging options. High quality, relevant material establishes you as an expert and can give you qualified prospects for sales if you ask for information from the audience in return for access or additional […]
Effective Market Research
To market your business most effectively you need to know who your customers are and what they need. That requires research. How you market yourself depends on who you are and the product or service you provide. If you are selling a specialty item like luxury cars, furniture, or lavish entertainments, you want to communicate […]
How to Use “Lumpy Mail” to Increase Sales
For thirty years, direct mail has been one of our best marketing strategies. It has higher likelihood of being retained by the recipient, being passed along to other people, and creating an emotional connection with readers. Communications that are physical can help the sender seem real to the receiver. Every marketing strategy needs to get […]
Green Marketing : Marketing Your Values
Your marketing needs to conform with the brand identity you are trying to project. Every tactic you use to promote your products or services should be in agreement with the values you and your customers share. For instance, if you are a health-oriented company, you will not want to connect yourself with anything that is […]
Align Your Marketing with Memorial Day Celebrations
Promotional Ideas for Memorial Day Our nation has achieved greatness through the sacrifices of those who fought and died for our freedom. Memorial Day was intended to help us remember those who gave their lives for us. To celebrate Memorial Day, Decorate your business with patriotic bunting and offer commemorative memorabilia like flags and t-shirts […]
Bad Press That Builds Business
An unhappy customer can have far greater impact now than in the past. In fact, a complaint before the advent of Twitter and Facebook would usually only reach the disgruntled customer’s most immediate contacts. Now it can be seen by ten times as many people because it can be broadcast far beyond those circles. No […]
Is Customer Service Dead?
A recent article by Cheryl Hall in the Dallas Morning News on Customer Service caught my attention. It seems, Garrett Boone, Chairman Emeritus of the Container Store, spent some time “mystery shopping” his stores. In 30 stores he found only two standout salespeople. I’m not surprised. Dan Kennedy, information guru, wrote in his No BS […]