March 9, 2011
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Affordably Build Your Brand
FedEx Global Brand Management Director Monica Skipper shares a cost-effective way to build a bigger brand for your small business.
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There are so many online marketing tools and strategies out there, that you may be getting confused and overwhelmed with just how to use them all. So, I’ve pulled together this series of quick tips that will help you get the most out of the time and effort that you spend.
You’ll see from this checklist, that it’s completely focused on generating leads and ultimately sales. Brand image is a part of your online presence, but in this list, it’s taking the No. 2 slot to leads and sales.
Set your marketing goals. Start with your revenue goals and work your way backwards to the number of appointments you’ll need and then the number of leads you’ll need.
List your potential online lead channels. I’m defining lead as someone who “raises their hand” to your offer. This might mean filling out a form online, or sending you an e-mail for more information. Your current list might only include web site. But if you have Twitter accounts, LinkedIn profiles, Facebook fan pages, etc., these are lead channels, too. So put them on the list. Don’t forget to include and groups that you belong to on LinkedIn or Facebook or any associations. These are also very valuable.
Brand your accounts. Be sure to have social media accounts in your company name. It’s a great idea to use a logo for a company account and pictures for personal accounts. This allows you the flexibility to have multiple people managing the company account. Your community has value, in the same way that a customer list has value. Be sure that YOU have accounts in your personal name because you also need to build your personal brand. If you’ve made the decision to have employees with social media accounts, be sure to create company social media accounts that include their name and either a company name or brand name. A great example is NPR; they use a format like @nprscottsimon.
Want to read more about attracting customers? Check these out:
Set a communication strategy for each channel. Think about how much time people spend on each site and why they are there. Then create messages that fit. For example, Guy Kawasaki told me that people prefer his news links on Twitter, but LOVE to see his pictures on Facebook. Phil Simon, author of The New Small and small business technology expert told me that people spend 45 minutes on Facebook. So it makes sense to have a Fan Page that engages them and communicates with them. Simon also told me not to be afraid to sell on Facebook. It’s the ideal place to give and get recommendations.
Define a target landing page for each channel. This is critical. Most social media sites aren’t designed to collect data, they are designed for interaction. This means that you will have to guide your community to a space that YOU OWN so that you can convert them from a lead to a prospect to a customer. If you’re promoting one product across all the platforms, then create a landing page with a form where people can sign up for more info or a download. If you’re promoting multiple products or services, be sure to strategically send people where you know they will get what they’re looking for to help them choose you.
Create a visual map. If you’ve read through the list, you can already see how complicated it can get. This is why I recommend creating a visual map with your target landing pages at the center and then your social media “feeder” accounts surrounding them. For “feeder” accounts or sites you’d list the social media accounts you have, and don’t forget bookmarking sites like BizSugar, Digg and StumbleUpon. Also include blogs and sites where you contribute articles or where you guest post.
Get familiar with your Google Analytics. If you’re a DIY Marketer, visit Google Analytics help pages and get familiar with the information it provides. Start with seeing where most of your traffic is already coming from. If you’d like to increase your traffic from a specific source, then dig into the content and see which keywords and pages are most popular.
Revisit regularly. Technology changes. Social media sites gain and lose function just about every few months or years. You want to be sure that you stay connected to the sites and accounts that you’ve created so that you fully understand all the functions that are available to you.
Social media marketing can get complicated and overwhelming until you decide on what you want, map out the sources that will give it to you, and start measuring and making adjustments. This is no longer an option for your marketing plan, it’s a necessity. Make the most of it.
Check your balance, review recent transactions and pay your bill on the go.
