Marketing | M3 Printing

This Week: Marketing With Original Content

March 7th, 2010 by marketing dept

Having been in marketing for more than a dozen years, I can tell you that one thing that positions a company and product better than any other, is original content. Having unique content that is relevant to your audience can dramatically improve your business.

What is original content?

Anything that your write and publish (online, pdf, ebook, blog, etc.) is considered original content. Often times creating original content is seen as a nice to have and not a must-have. However, if anyone is to really make a difference for their products or brand, generating original content needs to be front and center.

This is why websites like CNN.com and MSNBC are so well known - original content. Everything on their site is authored and done so with care and attention. Now you might be say, "I sell widgets. What does original content have to do with my business?" That's an excellent question and one worth answering.

If am in the market for buying a widget, I'm probably going to search online. From my first search, original content is going to win out. Sites that have original content, that write their own reviews, product descriptions, and so on, are going to be ranked higher in search results. Additionally, as I engage with the content - perhaps product reviews or descriptions - I'm going to move through the purchase decision process and buy something.

Sites that are using descriptions from other websites or don't have much content that speaks about widgets, aren't very engaging. A site that creates and publishes different reviews, opinions, usage suggestions, and so on, will keep readers engaged and moving towards the ultimate outcome of a purchase.

Original content doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming.

The complaint I often hear is that creating original content can be very time consuming or simply cost a bundle to have written. In my experience it doesn't have to be. Of course writing content for a website initially is going to take some time. Once established, publishing a new article or adding some information from time to time is easy to do.

There are also plenty of plug-ins and other applications that can integrate reader comments, product reviews and so on. By using these widgets, you can quickly integrate new content into your website site that is both relevant and meaningful. Many of these widgets are free or very low cost.

If you're searching for original content, there are sites out there such as eLance that can connect you with writers, publishers, and experts to author whatever content you need created. Most authors can now write for the web or print. Don't be discouraged by the need for original content, embrace it.

Use original content to generate leads.

One of my favorite ways to use original content is to offer access to specialized information at a price. Browsers may be interested for example in downloading a guide on how others have used their widgets (previous example) to do a special kind of project. By asking browsers simply for their name and email, you can add them to your auto responder or prospect list.

Creatively using original content to get individuals to opt in is the first step in creating a pool of potential customers. Think of their greatest needs, challenges, and requests for information and author something of value. The result will be meaningful content that they are willing to exchange something for - usually contact information.

Original content is necessary for being successful online. If you want to rank well on search engines, find a pipeline of potential customers, and be a resource for existing customers who continue to buy from you, then consider developing original content and you're sure to win every time

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The Power of Free Trials

February 28th, 2010 by marketing dept

This week I was surfing the web looking at different types of offers and couldn't help but think about all of the different approaches to getting prospects further along in the purchase decision funnel. This is one of the most important areas that we, as marketers, can focus on.

One type of sales/marketing promotion that I'm seeing quite a bit of is the free trial. Online, the way this generally works is to offer a 7 day or 30 day free trial. When signing up for the offer, you are asked to enter your credit card information. Upon trial expiration, you're charged the full amount for your product or service.

Many services are subscription based too, charging your credit card a recurring fee. Subscription sites are a great way deliver information and provide a great deal of value. These sites, and others like them, are using free trials to allow you to experience the product or offering. Those who continue on with the product or service are more loyal and better informed about what they are buying.

I know a number of Internet marketers who offer subscription based services and they claim a much higher level of engagement among customers and higher degree of satisfaction. The question I have to ask myself as a marketer is how I can apply this methodology (free trial) to my own products and services?

This week, think about the products you're marketing or selling. Is there a way to give your prospect a sample of what you offer? If you are offering an informational product, can you share the first chapter or first couple of pages (..as I have with my book, SEO Made Simple)? Can you offer a small sample of your physical product? If you are a retail store, can you construct product samples that would allow prospective customers to take something home and try it out for a short period - charging them if the item is not returned or returned late?

I realize that free trials aren't ideal for everyone or every product. None-the-less, they force us rethink how we expose our prospects and services to our target market. If free trials aren't viable for your business perhaps they can encourage you to rethink the payment model for your products or services. Can users buy a basic service (sample) and then pay for the standard or platinum service? What type of upgrades can you offer - adding features beyond an initial purchase.

By rethinking the value of a trial you can take your marketing to the next level. The key is to experiment with different offers. Measure how many prospects take you up on the initial offer and then the upsell or ongoing subscription. It's important to focus on life time customer value, not just the initial purchase price.

Let me know if you're usin free trials and how successfuly they are for you!

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The Most Powerful Form of Marketing: WOM

February 21st, 2010 by marketing dept

I'm often asked, "What is the most effective form of marketing?" To which I respond, "word of mouth." Nothing is as effective as word-of-mouth marketing. The real question is how to generate word of mouth from your customers on a regular basis. There are a variety of ways to generate word-of-mouth marketing and many are overlooked by companies large and small.

One of the best ways to generate a referral is with a strong customer advocacy campaign. Do you honor and reward your best customers? When customers are celebrated, there's lots to talk about. You can share their honor with others in their segment or group. Additionally, you can repackage the information in the form of news or video, easily distributed throughout the Web. This creates awareness and interest for your product or service.

I personally like using surveys to get at the heart of what your customers like and don't like about your products or services. By utilizing open ended questions like, "Who do you know who could benefit from our product?" Experiment with different ways for generating referrals from surveys that are personalized and based on customer insights.

Another great way to create word-of-mouth is through a customer referral campaign. Referral campaigns are simple to implement but require a solid understanding of your audience. By asking and rewarding your customers for referrals, you can have them do the selling for you. This type of personal selling is one of the most effective. Consider low cost methods of rewarding your customers for referrals. This could be a discount on existing services or added bonuses.

Other word-of-mouth campaigns may be effective in utilizing testimonials. Today, with the help of blogs, video, and web sites, when customers have a good experience they have lots of ways to share it. The challenge is to direct your customers to promote good experiences, not bad. Although I've tried to solve this dilemma for over a decade, the only discovery I've made is that you have to take the good with the bad.

There's actually a silver lining here. Research has shown that when customer comments contain both positive and negative feedback, they are more believable. The key is to encourage your customers to speak up about positive experiences and downplay the negative ones. When you receive or come across negative comments, respond to them - work with your customers to make things right. After that, let them go. The balance of positive and negative works in your favor.

Word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal. Think of ways to elicit positive feedback from customers. If you focus on generating word-of-mouth, you'll quickly find a number of methods for encouraging referrals from your customers.

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Watching the Super Bowl…

February 7th, 2010 by marketing dept

Each year I look forward to watching the Super Bowl. Even though my favorite team wasn't playing this year, there's just something about seeing one of the year's biggest events. I suppose the real reason why I've always tuned in to the Super Bowl is because I'm simply interested in the commercials. In addition to watching the ads, I'm equally curious as to whom the new advertisers are as well as who continues to spend the big bucks year after year.

This year was a combination of movie previews and some new advertisers as well as the traditional advertisers like GoDaddy and Budweiser. Although I saw more station programming ads than ever before. I guess the network had a little difficulty selling out all of their ad space!

Is it worth the price of advertising?

I thought a number of this year's commercials were pretty underwhelming (which seems to be more true each year). Personlly, whether Dockers is showing a bunch of men walking through a pasture without their pants or Careerbuilder gives us an office tour where employees have nothing but their underwear on, I could care less. From my perspective, most the advertisers just don't get it. The only exception is perhaps Bud Light where their audience is the exact segment that's watching the game - those who attend or watch sporting events. Because of their significant presence, I'm sure they got a pretty favorable price for all of their exposure.

Even so, the purpose of advertising is to engage, brand, and create awareness. Effective advertising is also capable of measuring a result. Other than GoDaddy, who gives some of their target audience a reason to go online, there was no real direct response vehicle on any of the ads. Can you say "missed opportunity"? That is, if you're trying to reach millenials or even thirty-somethings. Maybe I missed it, but no references to social media (Facebook or Twitter) or even texting. Although I'm sure that plenty of people were texting during the game.

The Super Bowl is also a decent platform for new product launches from my perspective. FLO TV was completely new to me and I didn't even realize that such a device existed. But without any call to action that was personally relevant to me, I'll probably forget about it in morning.

I guess the advertisers who are spending the bucks are so certain of the effectiveness of their ads that they don't need to measure their results-although I find that impossible to believe. If advertising is still based on impressions, and not action, then it still has a very long way to go. This is why TV advertising continues to slow and more marketers are taking to the web. Not only is it measurable, but many advertisers only pay for action.

What's the real challenge?

Without direct response, how do these advertisers know if their advertising is generating the result they're looking for? I wonder if they even thought about the goals of their campaign. A house made of full cans of Bud Light - cute.. but was it worth the $1M Budweiser had to pay for it? Personally I like to know if each dollar I spend delivers a positive return. I guess that's why I spend most of my money on online advertising and little else.

Part of the reason why I don't quite understand Super Bowl advertising is because I don't understand the target market. It seems to me that everyone from 8 - 80 is probably watching the game. That's probably why the Who was the half time entertainment. The Who were big before I was born but I still thought they were pretty good. I'm just surprised they weren't wearing Pepsi T-shirts, although the drummer's cybals seemed to be painted with Pepsi colors.

As long as there's TV, on the tube or your computer, there will be advertising. You wont see any of the companies I consult for advertising on the Super Bowl. But then again, when everyone is watching TV on their computers, I might not be able to avoid taking the plunge. And that day is soon upon us. It's already begun and the next few years will likely complete the transition. Super Bowl here we come!

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Blogging About Burgers? A Lesson In Social Marketing…

January 31st, 2010 by marketing dept

Last week's post on what we could learn about marketing from wine labels, was a great hit - thanks for all of your comments and feedback. So I thought I'd continue on with our food theme as it seems to be a popular topic for marketers AND food critics.

This week, I'd like to get us all thinking about burgers! That's right, big juicy hamburgers with the works. Now you might be asking, "What do burgers have to do with marketing?" My answer, EVERYTHING! As you know, marketing today is about much more than the traditional 4 p's (product, place, price, and promotion). It's about social media, community, and focusing on what you love. Add the power of social networks and the fact that individuals can easily contribute to the larger discussion via blogs, mobile devices, and so on, and you have a new marketing landscape.

The Straight Beef!

A couple of weeks ago I was at a reception and met Scott Blumenthal. Scott's a really bright guy and told me about a project he's been working on with John McManus and Michael Marino. They've created a blog to talk about and review hamburgers. Each post is filled with insightful information about the burger joints they frequent and provides an honest review of the hamburgers they've eaten. The blog also contains some eye opening stats like how many burgers (and whole cows) these guys have consumed over a lifetime - 1,066 to be exact.

My first time visiting the blog, The Straight Beef, I got really excited about what I found. I like a good burger just like the next guy, but the marketing implications were staring me in the face. Not only is the content of the blog entertaining, but it invites the community at large to participate in the discussion. Have you had a burger today? Did you think it was particularly good or bad? Leave a comment or email the burger guys directly at burger.reviews@gmail.com. Now this is marketing!!!

Burger Vendors Beware

If you're a restaurant or roadside stand, there's no hiding. Social media marketing is continuing to gain momentum and is the way that we, as consumers, will get more and more of our information. The products we want to buy, the services we want to learn more about - conversations are happening about them all over the Internet and we can easily participate or sit back and learn from the experiences of others before we make a buying decision. This is true for almost anything, even hamburgers.

I think that Scott and his blog partners have really hit on an essential marketing theme. That theme is to use media like blogging to share what you know and build a community around your passion. These essential elements can build a following and get everyone talking about a particular product or service. Do you know what people are saying about your brand? your products? If not, you should. Be part of the discussion and consumers will get to know you and associate positive feelings towards your brand.

I've think I've spoken more about burgers in this post than I have in a year. However, being reminded about how easy it is to be part of a larger social marketing community, even if it is about hamburgers, makes me want to talk about them much more often! Don't underestimate the effect that this type of information (a review) can have on your products. People are reading.. and writing!

Be sure to rate your next burger at The Straight Beef blog. I'm always searching for a better burger!

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Today’s Marketing Topic: PR

December 28th, 2009 by marketing dept

That's right, today we're talking about public relations. It's amazing to me how little marketing professionals and small business owners know about PR. In fact, PR is largely becoming one of the most ignored marketing disciplines. When speaking about PR to one of my marketing buddies he said, "no one reads anymore.. so PR is basically dead!"

Honestly, I pretty much laughed in his face. "Dead! PR? You've got to be kidding!" I said. The reality is that today's news, social media, and email are all a forms of PR. Sure, I agree that the traditional practice of "getting ink" is old school, but the concept of pushing out a message or creating interest in what you have to offer is just GOOD MARKETING.

Using PR Today

I recently listened to a talk from Tim Ferris, the author of the popular book "The 4-Hour Work Week". Tim went from being unknown to one of today's most recognized authors in a very short time. How did he do it? You guessed it, PR. However, Tim's public relations approach was slightly different than the norm.

He contacted influencers within his area of expertise and let them know about his book. Even a slight mention from market leaders like, ".. taking a trip. Picked up a copy of 'The 4-hour Work Week'.." had a ripple effect that has grown into a phenomenon. In about a week, Tim's book went form nowhere to the New York Times best seller list.

If You Think PR Is Dead, Think Again

So if you're not Tim Ferris and you're not well connected, can PR still work for you? My answer is still yes, you just need to think about it differently. Whether your are targeting bloggers, Tweeters with a huge Twitter list, or other social media, public relations is about distributing your message for others to hear.

If you've done a Google search lately you'll notice the press releases are gaining exposure in search results. This is one of the ways that a well distributed message can appear before prospects and buyers. The next time you do a search check out your results list. You'll notice quite a few listing from PR and other media outlets.

Don't Lose Sight Of Public Relations

Whether you have a robust PR program or are just starting out, learn what you can about public relations. Anytime you want others talking about your product, services, or brand, think PR. Begin with media releases, talking to bloggers, and even reaching out to traditional media outlets.

Think new media too. Video and image are integrated into more and more PR efforts than ever before. Use everything at your disposal to communicate effectively with your audience. PR is far from dead!!!

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The 30 Day Marketing Challenge: Game On!

December 24th, 2009 by marketing dept

This may appear to be my most ridiculous Marketing Blog post of all time, but in just a few short minutes you'll discover how this Internet marketing challenge has everything to do with marketing and little if anything to do with how to get rid of abdominal fat.

A number of weeks ago I was doing a Webinar on how to drive traffic to your web site or blog for little or no money. After the webinar I received a number of marketing related questions via email from seminar participants. I was pleasantly surprise when Internet marketing legend and guru Greg Cesar connected with me. Greg is not only a marketing genius, but he's also a great guy.

We got to talking and Greg gave me a challenge that was too good to give up. He asked, "How quickly do you think you can get a web site ranked #1?" Without giving it much thought I responded, "..about 30 days". And from that simple question the 30 Day Challenge was born.

What This Has To Do With Getting Rid of Abdominal Fat

Okay, so when a guy like Greg challenges someone like me to a seemingly impossible task, you've got to be on your toes. And honestly, other than getting on an exercise machine, working out with an exercise ball, or doing some jogging, my knowledge of six pack abdominals is pretty limited. However, I decided to find an affiliate product to promote and work with over the next month or two and discovered the popular ebook called Truth About Abs.

After conducting some basic keyword research using the Google AdWords tool I landed on the keyword phrase,"get rid of abdominal fat." The keyword gets over 1,300 monthly searches and, believe it or not, the URL wasn't taken. I couldn't believe it either given the fact that exercise and abdominal information is very popular. I bought the domain and started the 30 day challenge to get the site ranked on top for my chosen keyword.

I'm in the process of documenting and recording all of the steps that I'm using to achieve my goal. When finished, I plan to post the video here and show you step-by-step how I did the research, focused on the exercise niche, chose the abdominal product, selected the keyword phrase "get rid of abdominal fat", and optimized the site for search engines. I

Now you can see that while the rest of the world is thinking about the holidays, I'm thinking about losing belly fat - I know, an odd thing. But I guess that's what makes marketers like me so strange. Happy holidays!

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Add Integrated Marketing To Your Marketing Mix

December 21st, 2009 by marketing dept

The combination of online marketing and offline marketing can give you a real bang for your buck. It’s pretty common today to find companies running well integrated marketing campaigns that include online advertising like PPC with offline campaigns. This combination is ideal for anyone who is building their brand and driving leads for a particular product or service.

Getting Started With Integrated Marketing

Perhaps you’re running marketing campaigns across multiple media. Even if you’re using something as simple as the Yellow Pages from a print perspective, there’s usually a corresponding form of online marketing that can enhance results.

One of the easiest ways to take advantage of an integrated campaign is use direct mail with a corresponding landing page. For example, I recently worked with a local retailer who was trying to bring more people into their store during the holiday season. My recommendation was to mail out post cards to past customers and nearby prospects that contained an offer.

The post card contained a special offer on select merchandise available in the store. To get a full list of applicable products that could be purchased during the promotional period, users were given a URL to a specially designed landing page. They could print a special coupon by visiting the URL included on the postcard. The web page included additional merchandise, specific information about the promotion, and an opportunity to sign up for special offers. This resulted in a number of outcomes including increased foot traffic and a list of emails that could be used for promotional purposes.

Start Small and Build From There

Creating an integrated marketing program is not an easy thing. All aspects of your campaign need to be well planned and tracked. Often times I see companies working towards integrated marketing only to give it an effort that is partially thought through. When asking consumers to go from an off line piece of marketing (an ad, a post card, a brochure) to an online information or offer, marketers are wise for focus on their audience and product or service benefits.

The best thing you can do is to start with a small campaign. Perhaps your campaign is similar to the retail example above. Or, perhaps you start with a special offer that is communicated via a flyer or newspaper ad. Your landing page needs to be designed with the specific offer in mind. Driving individuals to your home page is a waste of money.

Integrated marketing is only successful is you are relevant. Your messaging must be consistent both online and off. In addition, the look and feel of your offer and landing page should be as consistent as possible. This improves the user experience and enhances conversion rates. When beginning with a small campaign, it’s easier to get the details right and see success.

Split Test and Tracking

Whether you’re running a traditional print campaign or an online marketing program, it’s best to be in a mode of continual testing. Start with a split test. Change your headline, experiment with a different offer, or change your copy. Regardless of which element you choose, split testing sets you up for future winning campaigns.

Track your results using basic web tracking like Google Analytics. To make the most of your integrated campaign, you’ll need a way to track whether your web visitors arrived directly from your promotion. By driving users to a specific URL identified in your direct marketing piece or ad, you’ll be able to measure web traffic. Additionally, require a special promotional code to be entered on your order form. In combination, you’ll have a number of data points that provide valuable information about your promotion.

Integrated marketing can work extremely well if your concept is simple and well executed. Start with a well thought through plan that is easily implemented. The effectiveness of any direct campaign is largely based on the offer and you’re list. Creative has less impact on the overall success of your campaign. So get started and be sure to test your campaign, comparing it to the effectiveness of your other marketing initiatives. You may find that integrated marketing has a better result than other forms of marketing on their own.

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Why Gen-Y Is Going To Win The Branding War

December 15th, 2009 by marketing dept

When Michael invited me to write a post on his site, I wanted to talk about some of the changes that are happening online and the speed in which everything is moving. As an outspoken member of Gen-Y (you know the Under 30 crowd), we are experiencing this change and adapting quicker than ever.

The Million Dollar Mint

Take a look at young entrepreneurs like Aaron Patzer of Mint.com who recently sold out to Intuit, maker of finance products like Quicken and Quickbooks. Aaron saw a gap in the way personal finance was being handled and created a solution. A good solution. And he did it fast. He did it using technologies like the iPhone, where the Mint.com app is regularly in the top 10 free finance apps. He did it by using customer service through Twitter. And the older generation had to play catch up, or rather buy out the fast kid with the great ideas.

Next on the list are heavy hitters like Matt Mullenweg, creator of Wordpress. This young gun changed the way many people develop websites, manage content and keep clients, fans and web browsers up to date on happenings in the world of the content creator. Next to him is Mark Zuckerberg, king of social networking after besting Myspace sometime last year.

These young people understand the information age in which we live, where information is extremely valuable and the price tag on data jumps significantly higher than the $15 for a CD or $20 for a DVD model that is slowing fading away and crushing long standing business models.

Gen-Y Speed Branding

With the increased speed in building a brand, the way in which people find you in more important than ever. There is no better way to be found, both cost effectively and conversion wise than from the Google. I say the Google, because they have more than transformed the way the web works. From simple searches back in the early 2000's to buying video sites, serving more ad dollars than any company on the planet and having more access to data than the government (opinion, but I really do believe it).

Young people have found that being on Google's good side can bring more than traffic to their website. Through topics like personal branding, college grads are starting to make a name for themselves that will have employers calling them before the ink dries on their diploma, getting clients without much work experience and having the opportunity to network with people all over the world, due to niche writing, blogging and having a case of the "curious."

The Internet has been around for nearly the entire lifespan of younger Gen-Y's and mobile technologies are in more hands than anyone could have ever imagined, to the tune of 4-1 over internet enable computers.

How To Rock Google In The Branding Space

Get a great domain name. With the availability of vanity names (facebook.com/yourbrand. twitter.com/yourbrand), it is more important than ever to have a home base that you control. Buy a domain and send all your traffic there. Build it as a home for recent articles, your products and services and use it to build your brand, your email list and RSS subscribers.

Grab up the vanity URL's. If you want to own a brand name, than you really need to own it. After you grab a rocking domain, go and signup for the popular social networks and start getting active. This includes YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Brazen Careerist (the latter for the Gen-Y crowd). By getting active on these platforms, you will build a fanbase, great links back to home base and start to dominate the top page in Goolge.

Create killer content. The last step is to get out there and create great content that people are going to want to share, link to and tell their friends about. This should include videos, audios (Podcasts), reports, presentations, images and blog posts. Share them with your followers, your customers, your mailing list and anywhere else that people would find value. Good content spreads. Good content is found by search engines and good content can make your brand stand out!

Your brands can compete with Gen-Y! The challenge is to get out there and outperform us. Work harder. Work smarter. Then cash out for $170 million to an older, slower company like Aaron from Mint. Not a bad exit strategy, huh?

This post was written by Greg Rollett. Join the Rock Star Business Series to learn more about branding yourself or your business. Greg blogs about lifestyle design.

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Alternatives To Discounting: How NOT To Lower Your Price This Holiday Season

December 14th, 2009 by marketing dept

This holiday season, everyone is looking for a bargain. Or at least it seems like discounts are driving the economic train. From a marketing perspective, nothing is more frightening than an endless loop of discounting. Take stores like Bed, Bath, & Beyond. Chances are that you’ve been hit with more than one of their 20% discount coupons. What if all the coupons were to stop? You might consider going to their competition. This is largely because you’ve been conditioned to shop at that store using a coupon.

What’s the alternative?

I’m often asked, “What is the alternative to discounting?” I think the more important question is, “How can I create more value?” By creating more value for your prospects, and ultimately your customers, price becomes less significant. For example, let’s take store A. Store A is offering a 20% discount on a towel set. These towels are available at just about any kitchen or bath store and even the big box retailers. Store B decides they want to move quantities of the towel set as well. But instead of discounting, they bring in an interior decorator to give a free “color match” seminar titled, “How to choose the right towels that make your home look like an expensive spa retreat!”

Assuming that Store A and Store B spend the same on advertising to promote their offers, store B will likely attract a similar quantity of prospects and may even have a higher percentage of sales. Regardless, they are building a pattern of value versus a pattern of consistent discounting. The endless loop of discounting is just that, endless – reducing margins and increasing prices. Very few retailers or online service providers can sustain the discounting tactic.

Think of ways to provide value to your audience. Yes, some people are solely motivated by a discount, but these aren’t the types of customers you truly want. Customers who see the value in what you’re offering and are willing to buy without added motivation become loyal repeat purchasers and advocates for your product, service, or store. Get creative, experiment with new and different ways to create value for your customers. The result will be long term customers who help you grow your business.

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