Category Archives: Marketing

Branding, networking & promoting your business

Marketing , , Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: How to Write A Press Release

by

In numerous posts,  I have urged readers to send out press releases.  Despite the presence of social media outlets,  traditional media outlets still matter and the usefulness of a well-crafted press,  or news,  release continues.  When you win an award,  participate in a major charity event in your community,  teach a class, host a webinar, or debut a new product or service,  a press release should be sent to the appropriate media outlets.

Writing a good press release can be a challenge.  The stakes are high for Freelance consultants and other small business owners who must promote their products and services to target markets on a shoestring budget.  The press release is an important representation of you and your brand and it’s imperative to make it effective. Reporters might receive dozens of press releases a week,  so the relevance of your story must be obvious.  The key to success is an interesting news hook,  says Lou Colasuonno,  former editor-in-chief at both The New York Post and The New York Daily News and now Senior Managing Director at the New York City P.R. firm FTI Consulting.

Colasuonno advises his P.R. clients to consider how newsworthy their story will be to a publication’s target audience. Colasuonno also advises that the press release email subject line summarize your story hook in 10 words or less.  Your release needs a good headline,  so that the editor or reporter will immediately see how your story will impact their readers.   He recommends that you customize your press release to the editor or reporter who has responsibility for whatever your topic is,  to improve the likelihood of a response.  Finally,  he cautions that you visit media outlet websites and note publishing deadlines.  Two weeks lead time is standard for many newspapers and a bi-monthly magazine may require three months lead time.

  • Determine the story your release will tell
  • Write a  “hook”  that communicates why your story qualifies as news to recipient media outlets
  • Avoid using words and phrases that are likely to get your email blocked by a spam filter
  • Keep to a 400 word maximum release

Follow the standard format when you compose your release.   At center top in capital letters,  write FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE and below that include the contact information,  with email address,  web address,  telephone number and today’s date.  Centered below the contact info and written in bold capital letters,  provide your headline.  If your press release must exceed 400 words or one page,  include a short synopsis of your story below the headline.

Many press releases begin with a dateline,  giving its city and state of origin in parentheses.  In the first paragraph,  summarize the story’s theme and newsworthy info very concisely.  The most significant items appear at the top of the page and less important information is stated in subsequent paragraphs.   The final paragraph gives standard company info,  including the company mission,  when the company was founded,  awards that have been received or other major achievements,  so that the media recipient will have some background information.

Add credibility to your news release by including at least one quote from someone in authority  (maybe that’s you).   An insightful quote communicates to readers why your story is important and deserves publication.  You might also add audio-visual aspects to your press release and include a YouTube or podcast link or link to a client testimonial from your website.  Finally,  it’s recommended to send your news release in the body of the email and also as an attachment,  since many editors and reporters will not open an attachment from someone whom they do not know.

Alas,  even when we follow all the  “rules”,  our press release may go begging.  Carson Stanwood,  Freelance PR/media consultant and COO of Channel Signal,  a social media analytics platform in Jackson Hole, WY,  claims that in his experience,  only about 10% of press releases receive a response from recipients.  He recommends that you follow-up your press release with a phone call and cautions that you not call daily or otherwise make a pest of yourself. I prefer to call the editor or reporter first,  to determine whether there is interest in my story.

I pitch first and then send the press release if appropriate.  My strategy does not always work,  because editors and reporters sometimes lie,  unfortunately.  Really,  whether your story sees the light of day depends on what other news is happening and what the editor or reporter finds compelling.  But keep sending out press releases when appropriate,  because that is how relationships with the media are developed.  Offer to take a business reporter or editor to coffee and pitch your story in person.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , Leave a comment

Content Marketing Is the New Ad Copy

by

Several times this year,   you will be presented with opportunities to advertise your Freelance consulting services in a print or online publication.  You probably belong to at least one professional networking organization,  whether it’s one that caters to peers in your field,  or a local business association.  The organization will have a newsletter and a directory and you will be asked to make the decision about buying an ad.  What should you do?

The answer is to confirm your budget after checking out the rate card and jump on it if you’re able.  Consider the advertising opportunity as an extension of whatever content marketing you produce.  If you don’t write a blog or newsletter,  then ads are  your content marketing and you must make the most of them.

Consider who will see the ad.  If potential clients are members of the organization,  then you definitely want to advertise in newsletter and directory.  Additionally,  there is  a second audience for your advertisement,  the organization big shots.

Placing ads with the newsletter and/or directory of the right organization will cause the big shots to look upon you more favorably.  They will likely reward you with valuable opportunities for exposure.  In exchange for your ad,   you can expect to be invited to moderate or speak on a panel or receive some other showcasing opportunity.  You may even be nominated to become an organization big shot yourself.  It’s a political thing and if you can scrape together the budget,  you are advised to join in.

Frame your approach to the ad in terms of content marketing,  that ubiquitous new term for advertising copy.   Content marketer and ex- advertising executive  Barry Feldman says that first,  determine what potential clients need to know about where and how your services fit into their business needs and then decide what action you want them to take on the road to hiring you to solve those needs.  Those pillars shape your ad copy,  i.e. the content marketing message.

Your content must be compelling,  communicating the story and providing  information that matters to prospective clients,  even if the audience consists of your peers and not prospects.   Peer organization big shots may be good referral sources,  so take the time to produce persuasive content.  Because life has become a barrage of marketing messages emanating from various media,  create content that makes your ad pop.  Spotlight three or four primary services maximum,  so potential clients and referrers will not become confused about what you do.  Hire a graphic artist to design a sleek and eye-catching ad.

Be authoritative,  never arrogant,  and perhaps be  a bit provocative as you concisely describe the challenges that cause clients to hire you and the unfailingly excellent results that you deliver.  Weave in terminology that clients use,  so that content will resonate.  Remember the call to action,  to inspire prospects to call you when in need of your kind of services.   After they’ve read your ad and decided they might want more info,  what do they do? You must tell them.

Maybe they send you an email or give you a call,  which gets a conversation going.   Maybe they go to your website and fill out a short questionnaire to get the ball rolling.  Generating prospective client follow-up,  also known as in-bound marketing,  entices prospects to commit to evaluating the fit between your services and their needs.  Most ad viewers won’t take the plunge,  but if even one does you will be on the road to good ROI for ad dollars spent.  If you get invited to a meeting with your prospect,  you will be 85%  of the way to a contract.

As I’ve said before,  social media gets all the headlines,  but tried and true forms of advertising are still able to deliver results.  Advertisers must approach ad copy as content marketing now and aim to teach as much as sell.   From the Mad Men era to the new millennium,  if you tell the story in a way that grabs prospective clients,  you will get the sale.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , 11 Comments

Marketing Mix Remix: 4 Ps for the 21st Century

by

The term Marketing Mix was coined in 1948 by Neil Borden,  who was then a professor at the Harvard Business School and James Culliton,  who was dean of the business school at University of Notre Dame.  In 1960,  then marketing professor at Michigan State University E. Jerome McCarthy laid out the original 4 Ps: Product,  Place,  Price and Promotion.

Half a century later,  the 4 Ps  are still considered to be the marketing strategy gold standard.  Over time,  the marketing mix list was expanded to include nine Ps,  with Process,  Position,  Profit,  Packaging and People added.  In whatever number,  the Ps served marketing departments throughout the world for several decades.

But we’re in a new century now and the marketplace has changed.  It is time to re-think and re-tool the Ps for today’s B2B service-oriented economy.  Eduardo Conrado (Senior VP and Chief of Marketing at Motorola),  Richard Ettenson  (Thunderbird School of Global Management)  and Jonathan Knowles  (CEO of Type 2 Consulting in New York City)  have presented a reinterpretation of the Ps that tacks toward offering solutions,  which is what the Freelance consultant’s current and prospective clients value today.  Their model has updated Product to Solution;  Place to Access;  Price to Value: and Promotion to Education:  SAVE,  a perfect acronym if ever there was one.

Conrado,  Ettenson and Knowles posit SAVE as the centerpiece of a 21st century solution-selling strategy that encourages marketing and sales practices that take a client-centric perspective.  The SAVE model gets one into a solutions-oriented mindset and helps a Freelance consultant to devise marketing strategies that target specific client needs.  SAVE emphasizes the value proposition of the B2B solution that is being offered and creates the context for the Freelancer to position him/herself as a trusted source of expertise,  advice and problem-solving.

SOLUTION,  rather than Product /Service

  • Describe your services and bundle your service packages according to the client needs that they meet instead of merely presenting a list of services offered,  with descriptions of their functions,  features and benefits.  Don’t make clients have to think about how to use your services.  Show them exactly where your service fits.  Clients are over-worked and distracted,  so save a step and visualize things for them.

ACCESS,  rather than Place

  • Institute an approach to delivering products and services that is mindful of the client’s entire purchase journey,  from the initial project specs meeting through post-project follow-up support and billing.

VALUE,  rather than Price

  • Articulate the benefits of your services relative to price,  instead of stressing how price relates to production costs,  profit margins,  or competitors’ prices.  Present your value proposition in a way that ensures you’ll be perceived as being well worth the money.

EDUCATION,  rather than Promotion

  • Provide information relevant to your clients’ specific needs at each point in the sales cycle.
  • Re-think and re-tool a broad-brush advertising message and media outlet choices.  Maybe a webinar that helps clients sort out approaches to meeting specific business needs will be more convincing than an advertisement.  A relevant case study,  presented as a story, is invariably convincing,  helping clients to visualize where and how your services can address business needs effectively.

Eduardo Conrado and his marketing team at Motorola used SAVE to guide the re-structuring of its entire approach to marketing and sales strategy development.  Motorola now designs strategies that build a strong case for the superior value of their products by presenting them as solutions that solve problems,  shifting the perception of their sales professionals to that of trusted experts and advisers.  Like Motorola and other multi-nationals,   Freelance consultants who plan to maintain their relevance in a merciless marketplace are advised to bring our marketing strategies into the 21st century as well.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , 2 Comments

Holiday Greetings!

by

Freelancers know that our business is only as good as our relationships and our relationships are our responsibility to cultivate and nurture.  One of the ways we do this is by sending December holiday cards to clients.  Show appreciation for the business you’ve been awarded and make this small,  yet important,  gesture that is a good relationship building block. 

Sending physical holiday cards,  as opposed to email greetings or e-cards,  demonstrates that you are a gracious and thoughtful professional,  willing to take the time to properly acknowledge and thank your clients at this special time of year.   When you send to your clients a genuine holiday card,   it shows that you understand and respect business etiquette.  Sending  holiday greeting cards is good for business relationships and for business.

 Holiday cards are an inexpensive and effective marketing tool.  They don’t take much time to write.  Your clients will be flattered to receive one from you.  Many business owners and Freelance consultants do not send December greetings to their clients any more  (or if ever),  so when you make the effort to send the card,  you communicate an important statement about who you are and your approach to doing business.  Sending holiday cards helps to distinguish you from competitors,  guards against your being viewed as just another vendor,  enhances your brand and shows clients that you value them.

When shopping for your card,  take special care to select one that will represent you well and will leave the desired impression with the client.  Because it is possible that you’ll have on your list clients who are neither Christian nor particularly religious,  avoid cards that depict a nativity scene or other Christian imagery,  or cards that contain a religious message. 

Scenes of winter or Poinsettias (for example),  with  “Seasons greetings”  or  “Happy holidays” printed within is the business-appropriate choice.  Spend the money to buy a good quality (but not lavish) card.  A small and tasteful card will be perfect.  Expect to pay about $20.00 for a box of 8 cards.

Next,  consider who should receive a card.  Along with current clients,  you’ll also include any clients you’ve worked with during the year.   I send cards to all clients I’ve worked with over the past five years,  as a way to keep my name in front them and remind them that they have not dropped off of my  radar screen.  Later in the new year,  when they’re thinking of whom to call for a project,  I want my name at top-of-mind,  if possible.  BTW,  it’s good to verify that clients from the past are still in the same posts,  so a visit to the organization website or call to the main switchboard will save you from wasting a card.

If you are a very organized Freelancer and had the foresight to order holiday cards printed with your name and business name back in November  (unlike your Diarist),  personally sign your name to the card anyway and write a brief handwritten message.  Along those lines,  do not use pre-printed address labels.  Keep the personal touch going by handwriting the client’s name and address on the envelope.  Verify job titles and always use honorific titles  (Mr. or Ms.).

Lastly,  get your cards stamped (no religious stamps,  use holiday stamps if available)  and to the post office no later than December 15.

‘Tis the season,

Kim

Marketing , , 6 Comments

Guerilla Market Guru

by

We’ve made it through a very competitive presidential election and we witnessed quite a battle.  The President remains in office because he was the more strategic.  He ran the better campaign,  he had the better ground game,  his get out the vote initiative was superb.  In sum,  President Obama had the better marketing plan.

He didn’t execute as ruthlessly as political strategist Dorie Clark recommends (see the October 30 post),  but he took full advantage of a few key situations,   most notably the well-timed  (for him, anyway)  Hurricane Sandy.  He hopped onto Air Force One,  landed in hard-hit New Jersey (what an entrance!),  reassured numerous devastated and frightened residents and in the process,  managed to have sworn nemesis Governor Chris Christie eating out of his hand,  all with the TV cameras rolling.  New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg,  officially an Independent but really a Republican,  went so far as to endorse the President for re-election.  Talk about fortune smiling.

So the 2012 presidential campaign provides a blueprint for Freelance consultants who are trying to survive and thrive as the economic assault on the middle and working classes continues.  The only possible way to keep your business alive is to survey your unique set of circumstances and leverage all resources to strengthen your position.

One major factor in competing strong in a weak economy is remaining visible.  Longer lapses between assignments,  especially when combined with the insult of smaller projects and fewer billable hours,  are a dynamic that slashes your available money.  Yet one must do all that is possible to preserve the marketing budget,  for that is when we need it more than ever.

When marketing on a limited budget,  be very objective.  Review your marketing strategy and make sure that activities align with current conditions in your business environment.  Contact media outlets that have been just beyond your reach and inquire as to what your budget will support now.  I’m willing to bet that there are deals to be had.  Also,  advertisers can expect to receive some editorial space,  so when you purchase an ad,  expect at some point to be asked to give quotes or even write an article that will showcase your expertise.

Evaluate your core message and verify that it addresses what clients are most interested in when they consider hiring for your service category.  Be aware that client budgets and priorities may have shifted along with the economy.  Examine your website and print collaterals.  Sometimes a client will check you out before calling,  so make sure to communicate a message that will optimize every potential opportunity.

To both improve your reach and save on your marketing budget,   review your social media strategy.  Perhaps this is the time to explore Google + and figure out how it can help you engage clients and prospects,  or at least keep you visible in the best ways.  Google + invites client interaction,  making your marketing a two-way conversation that can enhance your brand by showcasing you as a trusted adviser and authority.

On the traditional media front,  write and distribute press releases to announce your participation in any business-related public event.  Oh yes,  and do make sure that you schedule yourself to speak at conferences whenever possible and conduct workshops and take on teaching opportunities.  Call your local adult learning center,  community college and neighborhood business association to figure out how to get on teaching and speaking calendars.

It is also very important to maintain good relations with current,  or previous clients.  Just last week,  as I finished up with a client meeting,  one of the principals asked if I’d mind if her daughter called me.  The daughter is a dancer with a mid-sized company that needs marketing strategy and PR work.  That meeting itself was the result of up-selling services that expanded billable hours with the client.

Superior service and excellent relationships matter more than ever in a highly competitive business environment.  Christmas and Chanukkah are coming.  Plan to send holiday cards to all clients you’ve worked with in the past five years.

Devise marketing moves to position your consultancy to win as much available business as possible.  Be a fierce competitor not by spending more,  but by being shrewd and recognizing opportunities.   Make every marketing move strategic and create good luck.  Only the strong and the lucky will survive and thrive.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Kim

Marketing , , , Leave a comment

Do Not Sell Your Elevator Pitch

by

The elevator pitch gets a lot of attention.   Much has been written about its importance and how to get it right.   Unfortunately,  most of the so-called experts cannot help us get our elevator pitch right,  because they don’t understand what it’s about.

The original purpose of the  “elevator pitch”  was to have something relevant to say about your business if you happened to encounter someone who could potentially become a client.   Over time,  its purpose was corrupted and it metastasized into a sometimes smarmy self-promoting sales pitch that prospective clients didn’t want to hear.   Most of us forgot,  or perhaps never realized,  that  an elevator pitch was never meant to be a sales pitch.    

But we’re Freelancers and we need to self-promote because we need to plant the seeds for new assignments so we won’t starve to death!  Isn’t that what an elevator pitch is for? If it doesn’t sell us,  then how do we introduce ourselves to prospective clients?

Take heart,  gentle reader.   As we all know,  it’s not what you say,  but how you say it.   It is more advantageous to present oneself in a way that does not reek of obvious selling.   What Freelancers need is an elevator pitch that not only can open up the possibility of a sales opportunity,  but can also be gracefully inserted into a casual conversation.

The well- made  elevator pitch presents you and your offerings in a socially acceptable manner,  with no  obvious  sales pitch.   You’ll be able to roll it out at a backyard barbecue or a wedding reception,  without making people cringe.   To do it right,  it is necessary to learn how to introduce yourself and your business concern in the context of social conversation.

According to Geoffrey James,  author of  “How to Say It: Business to Business Selling”  (2011),  break your elevator pitch down into three parts.   First,  come up with one  sentence that will Position your business.   That sentence will describe what you do for clients in easy-to-grasp language and will state a benefit  that could be of interest  to the person who asks about your professional  life. 

The beauty of this sentence is that it will start the process of separating the wheat from the chaff by revealing the questioner’s level of interest in what you do.   If that person shows only polite interest,  you’ll know that you’re not speaking with a prospect and can move on to  other topics.   But if he/she asks something like  “How do you make that happen”?,  you may have a live one.

If your questioner shows knowledge and interest in your field of expertise,  then proceed to level two and Differentiate what you do by giving examples of what distinguishes you from competitors.   “Some of my clients begin to receive the desired return on investment within three to six months after implementing the business  strategy plans that come out of the sessions I facilitate for them”.   “We have extensive press contacts that will allow us to roll out the PR strategy you need to make your business appear reliable and trustworthy to your target customers”. 

If your questioner continues to demonstrate interest and ask relevant questions,  then advance to level three and open a Conversation.   Ask an open-ended question to verify whether you are speaking with a potential client,  or just someone who is bright and curious,  but cannot hire or refer you.   Maybe  ask something like,  “Does your company have these kinds of needs?  If so,  how are you getting the job done”? Drill down further with,  “Do you have an impending project on the drawing board”? The answers you receive will let you know who you’re dealing with.

If you’ve done things even half way right,  maybe five minutes have elapsed during which the other  person has done much of the talking and you the listening.  If it makes sense to keep the conversation going,  it’s time to  ask for a Meeting,  since  1.) Follow-up is an essential component of success and you don’t want to let an opportunity slip through your fingers and  2.) You are at a social event and you don’t want to be crass and ruin the mood by continuing to talk business.

You might propose it this way:  “If you’re open to talking a little more about how I can help you with  (insert prospect’s concern),  I’ll be happy to sit down with you.   How do I get on your calendar”?

A more cautious approach is,  “If my company were able to handle  (insert prospect’s concern),  what are your thoughts about us getting together so that you can learn more about what we do? Can I get on your calendar”?

So there you have it.  A straightforward and brief elevator pitch strategy that is a real conversation and elicits useful information for both parties.  It is not a sales pitch.  Now all you have to do is put yours together.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , 1 Comment

Boost Social Media ROI

by

Like nearly all Freelance consultants,   I engage in social media  (LinkedIn)  for professional reasons.   I have yet to obtain a client through social media interactions  (my business is nearly 100% referral,  since basically no one hires business strategists or marketing consultants without a personal endorsement),  but I must keep up appearances and so I keep my profile in good shape and post relevant updates to keep things fresh.

The experts say that like all marketing campaigns,  what and how you communicate through social media must appropriately reflect your brand and appeal to current and prospective clients.   To achieve the desired return on investment from social media,   it is imperative to deliver the right message to the right sites.  To accomplish that,  you must know the customer.   Who hires you and what type of social media might they trust and follow?

To help define which social media platforms to focus on,   begin with the age group of your prospects.   Are they under 35 years old? If so,  they are more likely to be very comfortable with a variety of social media.  They’re likely to  own a smart phone,  tablet and laptop.   They may very well create and copiously share online social media content in their personal and professional lives. 

Conversely,   if your typical clients are 40+ years old  (like mine),  they are less likely to be heavily involved in social media and much less likely to create  content.   They may own a smart phone,   are guaranteed to use a computer and may even own a tablet,   but should they decide to share content,   it was most likely created by someone else.  

Social media expert Judith Lewis  says that about 20%  of social media users are High Sharers and about 80%  Low Sharers.  High Sharers are almost three times as likely as Low Sharers to recommend  products or services to those in their network.   Therefore,   it is wise to create content that will appeal to the High Sharers,  who will do some  “e-legwork”  on your behalf and boost your social media ROI. 

Lewis has identified seven types of social media High Sharers and explains how their sharing style can be leveraged to target and engage clients and prospects.   Give the list a read and see how you might tweak your message and perhaps vary the sites you use:

Altruists

Altruists share content out of a desire to help those in their network.  They respond well to appeals made through email and Facebook.  Altruists make up the largest percentage of social media users.

Selectives

This group shares information if they feel it will be useful for a specific individual.  They usually use email to share information.   Selectives comprise the second largest percentage of social media users.

Passionates

Passionates share information with those who share their intense interest in a given topic,  cause,  band,  fashion designer or whatever.  This group uses Facebook most frequently.   Also,  they are big contributors to customer review sites.

Connectors

As their name describes,  this group likes bringing people together to socialize or perhaps do business.   Connectors tend to use several social media sites,  most notably LinkedIn,  Flickr,  Twitter and Facebook.

Trendspotters

This type uses social media sites to show the world that they are on the bleeding edge of the hottest trends.   Trendspotters are compelled to build their credibility and they are busy working many social media platforms.  YouTube,   Foursquare,  Delicious,  Twitter and Facebook are favorites.   Trendspotters can be very useful for B2C  ventures seeking to increase visibility and sales,   especially in fashion,  electronics and baby products.

Provocateurs

Bloggers often fall into this category  (but not your humble diarist).   Provocateurs like to do just that—be controversial,  cheeky and outrageous and get a rise out their readers.  In addition to their blog,  these folks tend to favor YouTube,  Delicious,  Flickr and Twitter.

Careerists

This group will use social media networking almost exclusively for business purposes.   They favor LinkedIn,  but will use Facebook,  Twitter,  YouTube and Facebook as needed,  to effectively share information about their business enterprise or career.

As a postscript,   I will say that I don’t know any Freelancers who have successfully monetized their social media relationships.   From time to time I read and participate in LinkedIn Answers and there are those who swear that they get clients  (whom they have never met)  through LinkedIn.   I have my doubts.   Still,   creating some buzz will never hurt your business.  If you’re able to get on the radar screen of a High Sharer who will post a good recommendation for your services,   at the very least this may help convince someone who is on the fence to go ahead and offer you the contract.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing 4 Comments

Follow-Up Your Inbound Marketing

by

Inbound Marketing,  the strategy and practice of persuading prospective clients to contact a business by offering information on,  for example,  a website or social media platform that piques a prospect’s interest and leads that individual to contact the business,  stands in opposition to Outbound Marketing,  which encompasses traditional marketing practices such as advertising,  participation in trade shows,  sending out press releases and making cold calls as a strategy to appeal to prospective customers.

Either method can be effective and one is advised to implement both to a greater or lesser degree depending on one’s clientele.  Inbound Marketing is all the rage in some quarters,  as it has the potential to deliver self-selected prospects.   In 2009,  US companies spent $22.7 billion on internet based advertising designed to drive Inbound Marketing to both B2B and B2C customers.   Yet as with so much in life,  follow-up counts.   Time,  it turns out,  is the enemy of Inbound Marketing.

Do it now

Unless your product or service can be purchased online,  fast follow-up to Inbound Marketing inquiries is absolutely essential.   A 2010 study conducted by the Harvard Business Review revealed that the average response time to an Inbound Marketing lead is 42 hours.  Evidence has shown that waiting nearly two days to get back to a prospective client may very well cause you to lose your chance.   In 2006,  James B. Oldroyd,  professor at MIT Sloan School of Management,  teamed up with the sales technology firm Inside Sales to address the question of the ideal follow-up time-frame for web-generated leads.

Dr. Oldroyd analyzed three years of cold calling data across six companies: 15,000 sales leads generated from 100,000 + cold call attempts.  He found that Inbound Marketing leads have an extremely short shelf life.  His data showed that 5 minutes is the best time-frame and that any response made after 30 minutes was a waste of time.

If follow-up was made within five minutes,  the likelihood of a sale resulting was four times greater than if the call back occurred from five to ten minutes after the inquiry.  Freelancers can take that to mean our follow-up needs to occur within 24 hours; waiting even two days to call someone back could cost you.

Time it right

There are also many theories floating around about the best days and times to contact a customer.  Oldroyd studied that issue as well and discovered that 8:00 – 9:00 AM and 4:00 – 5:00 PM are the prime times to call.  1:00 – 2:00 PM is the worst time of day to attempt contact.

Popular wisdom has it that Monday is totally the worse day to call anyone and there is a school of thought that claims Friday is the best day,  since clients are allegedly in a good frame of mind as they wind down and head into the weekend.  Oldroyd’s study revealed that neither day is best or worst.

When it comes to cold calling or following up,  Thursday reigns supreme and Wednesday is a close second.   Friday emerged as the worst day to call and the other days are somewhere in the middle.   So if you’re unable to respond back within the ideal time-frame for your clients,  a reasonable Plan B is to call on a Thursday,  between 8:00 – 9:00 AM or 4:00 – 5:00 PM.

The moral to this story is pretty simple,  actually.   If you decide to direct valuable resources into an Inbound Marketing strategy,  then make sure that you or your team are prepared to respond to prospects in a timely fashion.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , , , 1 Comment

New Facebook Ads Up the Social Ante

by

Recently,  I taught a business plan writing class and one of my students,  a talented home baker originally from Mexico who specializes in Latin American confections  (her pecan balls are wonderful!)  and wants to upgrade her hobby into a formal licensed pastry catering business,   spoke of her business promotion success with Facebook and Twitter.  On her personal Facebook page,  Mariela utilizes the Fan page for her cakes and other desserts,  featuring attractive photos of the goodies.  Additionally,  she tweets maybe three times a day about what she’s making for the parties she sometimes caters,  new recipes she’s trying out or other baking topics.

To her great surprise,  Mariela received a response to her tweets from an employee of a huge US sugar company,  who tweeted to ask whose sugar she uses when baking  (she does use that company’s sugar).  Also,  a popular local blog in her town tweeted to ask if they could write an article about her.  So maybe it’s time to take another look at your social media strategy and think about how the benefits of Facebook and Twitter might help you get on the radar screens of prospective clients who would ordinarily be beyond your reach?

To grease the wheels of that process,  Facebook will soon announce a new premium ad format that will radically transform traditional online banner advertising and replace it with ads that potentially will become  “conversations” about the advertised product or service.  According to sources with inside information,  Facebook will make the new ads social by allowing Friends of the advertiser to Like the ad and make comments. 

The new Facebook banner ads will not exclusively contain the usual content written by the business and reading like a commercial,  but also endorsements personally written by Friends of the business,  who know and trust the products or services being touted.  These exciting new ads promise to be personal and active,  not finite and static.

When page visitors view an ad and decide to click the Like button or enter a comment in response,  those actions will be added to both the advertiser’s page and to the News Feeds of the poster’s and advertiser’s Friends.  Pictures of Friends who have Liked the ad or have made a comment will also be incorporated into the ad.  The goal is to start a conversation between Friends and Friends of Friends,  with comments traded back and forth,  spreading credibility and brand visibility far beyond the advertiser’s usual reach.  As a result,  the whole advertising process will become organic and based on who knows and trusts the advertiser.

To verify the process,  Facebook tested the new ads and found they produced 40%  more engagement  (meaning clicks,  comments and Likes)  and are 80%  more likely to be remembered by viewers.  Best of all,  Facebook claims that viewers of the new ads are four times more likely to follow-up and/or purchase products / services when they see their Friends interacting with the ads. The new ads are set to promote the coveted  “word of mouth”  that is widely seen as the most effective form of advertising.

The data have convinced Facebook execs that the hyper-social ads will have a substantially better conversion rate for advertisers than traditional print or online ads.  The top brass believe that ads  “written”  by those who know the products and services best will convey trust and credibility in a way that traditional advertisements cannot.  The company is expected to discontinue its traditional banner ads and offer current advertisers replacement with the new format.

I was unable to find any cost data on the new interactive ads.  If even a couple of your business clients are inclined to follow Facebook,  the new ads could be a very savvy way of spreading the good word about your services and giving those who don’t know you well the confidence to hire you based on the endorsements of people they know and trust.  I’ve thus far avoided Facebook,  but I plan to pay attention to this new ad format.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , , , , Leave a comment

Heads-up: Google + Business Pages

by

At last it is here.  The business page option for Google Plus was rolled out in November of last year.  The early adapters are still figuring it out,  but the consensus is that Google + is an innovative and useful social marketing tool for Freelancers,  business owners and our customers.   Google + combines and enhances the business-friendly social networking features of Facebook,  LinkedIn and Twitter and presents it all in one platform.

You’ll be able to share links,  location data,  photos,  videos and have interactive two-way conversations on the Plus platform.  Ian Schafer,  founder of the Manhattan digital marketing agency Deep Focus,  says  “Integrating with Google + is essential right now,  because of its impact on Google search results.  Experimentation will give businesses  (especially small ones)  a leg up on their competition.”

But all is not rosy.  First of all,  you need a Gmail address to set up and access the service.  On top of that,  there is as yet no cross-platform integration with other Google services.  Plus doesn’t mesh with Analytics,  Blogger or YouTube.  The company vows that full integration is on the horizon,  but an arrival date has not been promised.

As with all social media,  you must sign up  (with Gmail)  and create a profile.  Like LinkedIn,  describing your services is the name of the game.  The  “About”  tab is especially important,  for this is how visitors to your page will elect to invite you to connect with them  (or not).  Present an informative,  compelling profile and tell the story of you and your products and services.  You may provide a link to your website.

Like Facebook,  photos figure prominently in you Plus profile.  Before you sign up,  create five photos of yourself in action as you provide different aspects of your services,  sit on a panel,  speak or teach,  take a meeting or whatever.  Those photos will be uploaded to the Photo Strip,  which is displayed beneath your business name and tag line on your home page.

Next you can populate the  “Circles”,  “Sparks” and  “Hangout”  sections.  Circles are grouping categories for your connections.  Hangout lets you set up various group events and invite contacts from your Circles and also the public to interact in useful and engaging ways.  Sparks is a streaming feature that lets you choose to receive info that keeps you updated on business issues of interest to you.

Invite clients and professional contacts to join Circles that you will designate.  You get to curate what information is shared with contacts based on the Circle you place them in and that decision will be determined by their relationship to you and your business.  You may designate Circles for clients,  peers and colleagues,  members of your business advisory board,  friends,  press updates,  or whatever categories seem appropriate.

Through interactions with those in your Circles,  you may refine your understanding of what contacts would like to know about your business,  how your services can be packaged and marketed and/or what clients value most about your services and how you can become even more valuable.

Like the LinkedIn Answers forum,  questions can be posted and Google+ members can offer answers.  It’s a great way to expand your connections and build relationships by sharing your expertise.  Visit http://findpeopleonplus.com to find professionals in your target markets and find out what’s on their mind,  how you can help and who you want to invite into a Circle.

Hangout is a very intriguing feature of Plus.  It one-ups Facebook and the Skype connection.  Real-time interactive communication is possible on Hangout and with a larger audience.  Reportedly,  the Dalai Lama recently hosted a Hangout with Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu with an audience of millions. 

 With Hangout,  those of us who teach now have a way to present our courses and workshops in a free online classroom that will host up to 10 students in a group class.  Private consulting sessions are also possible with clients who live anywhere there is internet access.

So check out Google+ and consider the benefits for your business.  49 million hits were made on Plus in December 2011 and analysts predict that Plus will have 400 million users by year-end 2012.  Google is the word’s biggest search engine and inbound links are increasingly important in search engine marketing.  A well-thought out and crafted Google+ page has the potential to draw in prospects with the money and motive to join your client roster,  the best Circle of all.

Thanks for reading,

Kim