Social media can be a great way for businesses of all types and sizes to connect with their audiences and stay connected with them! In fact, for small businesses in particular, a social media strategy focused specifically on customers (rather than prospects, or the masses) offers the greatest potential to not only keep but to grow business.
Continue reading “Getting Local With Your Social With a Customer-First Approach”
Marketing is a must-have for businesses of any kind and any size. In fact, all businesses are using marketing to some degree whether they know it or not.Continue reading “The (Absolute) Power of Product and Its Impact on Your Marketing”
It’s quite common for companies and their marketers to seek feedback from customers about their products and services. But there’s another group whose feedback should also be considered. In fact, it should be considered before seeking customer feedback.
Continue reading “Why You Should Seek Employee Feedback Before Customer Feedback”
by Justin Grensing, Esq., MBA
Few things can be as effective at generating sales as positive customer reviews. Similarly, and conversely, few things can be as damaging to sales as negative customer reviews. In terms of online retail, a recent survey found that positive reviews influence the purchase decisions of 90 percent of respondents, while negative reviews influence around 86 percent. But that’s in the B2C (business-to-consumer) world. In B2C, there are a relatively large number of customer interactions compared to B2B (business-to-business). This means that while B2B has fewer potential customer reviews to base a purchase decision on, each one is that much more impactful. Continue reading “Cultivating Customer Advocates in a B2B Environment”
Testimonials and endorsements have been a mainstay in marketing for many years. In the online environment, these concepts have been combined, embraced, and refined to drive a hot trend: influencer marketing. It works. If you think about your own purchase behaviors, you can probably trace many of those purchases—whether for some electronic device, a hairstyle, a meal, or a car—to a recommendation or referral that came from a friend or relative or that was prompted through some online endorsement from an individual you admire. How effective are these kind of endorsements? Both Nielsen and McKinsey have studied the issue.
Continue reading “Influencers: Organic or Paid? Making the Right Choice Matters”
by Linda Pophal
As more and more businesses engage in content marketing, studies show that implied endorsements from third-party experts hold more weight with buyers than what companies say about themselves. That makes logical sense. Think about how you are influenced to buy new products, try a new restaurant, etc. Will you be most influenced by their advertisements, social media posts and other self-promotions, or by what others say about them? The latter is likely to be true. Continue reading “The Role of Contributed Content in Your Marketing Mix”
by Linda Pophal
I wrote a post recently about the value of positive public relations compared to other ways of generating awareness and preference for organizations. I made the point that what others say about us (e.g. positive word-of-mouth) is always more impactful than what we say about ourselves. One reader followed up with a question: “So how do we get our satisfied customers/alumni to talk about us more?”
This was my response: Continue reading “How to Get Customers to Spread the Good Word”
The best product or service in the world won’t be well received by customers if it is delivered poorly. Businesses of any kind and any size — whether virtual or bricks and mortar — must deliver exceptional customer service to compete effectively in what has become an increasingly competitive business environment. With businesses able to sell their goods literally around the world, your field of competitors has increased exponentially.
That means that you need to ensure that your employees are prepared to
Continue reading “What You Need to Teach Your Employees About Customer Service”
The Evian babies are back! In a new spot, which has received more than 41 million views on YouTube, adults find themselves face-to-face with their younger selves in a large mirrored window–and the dancing ensues. It’s adorable–but does it sell water? Where’s the relevance?
Contrast this spot to an equally creative–and far more out-of-the-box–spot Continue reading “Dancing Babies, Talk About Ship and Dads in Briefs: Creativity With Relevance Gets Results!”
Why do some brands become cultural legends that stand the test of time, while others ebb, flow and eventually sink? The brand is the cornerstone of any business and is, unfortunately, often misunderstood. That is possibly why the brand is also often so mismanaged. Brands are not, are not, ARE NOT logos, taglines or corporate colors. Brands are not advertisements. Brands are not Facebook pages. Continue reading “Creating a Lasting Brand Image”
