Snow Day = Opportunity for Marketing

What to do when you find yourself snowed in for days at a time? Well, if you’re an entrepreneur, instead of posting gripes on Facebook, be productive. Get your thoughts together and do something you’ve been putting off.

Marketing ideas for Snow Days:

• Create a Marketing Calendar – record your marketing opportunities, article/blog titles, events, and promotions for the next 3-6 months
• Write a blog post or an article about your business, industry or trends
• Write a press release (or call I2D to write one for you)
• Learn something new (like how to get in on the conversation on Twitter)
• Read articles or blogs and subscribe to your favorites, then comment on posts you have valuable information about
• Answer questions on LinkedIn, and/or start or get in on the Discussions happening in your groups (not in any groups?…take time to find some)
• Update your social media profiles. Add photos and find friends
• Review your company website and make notes for updates and changes you need to have made by I2D
• Google. Search for yourself, your company, your keywords and phrases, and see what’s out there
• Find websites that can link to yours (directories, industry specific info)
• Create a customer/client newsletter. What topics would interest your clients?
• Start thinking about the value of a mobile website and possibly even what an iPhone, iPad, iTouch app could do for your business
• Schedule coffee meetings with networking buddies and ask them to invite someone you don’t know

Non-marketing Snow Day ideas:

• Clean out your desk (always a favorite)
• Get your 2010 records in order for your Accountant (OOOH everyone hates that!)
• Update your calendar with events and meetings you know you have each month
• Shred old and outdated information. Not sure how long you should keep records? Read this article from Consumer Reports or this from the US Government
• Find a good Accountant if you don’t already have one. If you use QuickBooks for your company records, we recommend Acclaim Professional Services.
• Exercise (it is January!)
• Sign up for a class (online or at a local college or technical school)
• Write a list of things to do (that you know you’ll put off while you’re sitting around drinking cocoa)

Sure there are tons of productive things to do during the snow days. In fact, if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll have to admit, these are things you should be doing and not putting off any day – just need to get moving!

Happy New Year from Inspired 2 Design.

So you have a new website… what happens next?

Good question, huh?  If you build it, they will come… is that the idea? WRONG! Creating a website is only the first step in effectively marketing your business online. Of course, if your website is 3-5 years old, built by a cousin, nephew, college student, or yourself, or was created using Website Tonight or some other template based monthly service fee product, you need to consider revamping and redesigning with a professional marketing-based website design and development firm (if you need one, call us).

But let’s say you have a dynamic, well-designed, easy-to-navigate website that communicates your brand and your product or service, has a clear call-to-action for converting leads, and is full of original content, that’s a great start. Let’s look at some of the next steps your business should be considering for its 2011 internet marketing plan:

1. SEO – search engine optimization. Worth the investment? Depends. On what? Competition, content, keywords, audience, search rates. Local businesses – yeah – it’s worth it!  What’s it involve? Some research, some copy edits, some renaming, some file additions, some logic. What’s it cost? Anywhere from $375 to $750 (could be thousands with other companies). Does it work? If you have the website described above, yes, it should have a great ROI for your business.

2. SEM – search engine marketing. Your website is part of the requirement. The other half? Links. Inbound links specifically. How are they built? Through marketing your website online with other sites that will help boost your SEO ranking.  What’s it cost? Depends on how much time you want to spend on it and how much you want to sub out to a partner.

3. SMI – social media integration. Do I have to? Depends. Are you a B2B or B2C company? What’s your customer look like and how are they influenced into making buying decisions? What’s your sales cycle look like? Social Media can include the simplest LinkedIn account or a full-blown integration of blogging, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. Is what I have to say interesting to others? If you are in business and have customers, they and others will want to hold 2-way social conversations with you.What’s right for your company? Depends on many of the factors listed above, and more. Worth discussing more? Sure… call I2D and schedule a $65 marketing planning meeting, and the coffee is on us.

4. BMI – brand & marketing integration. What? Boost your website visitors by driving traffic to it. How? Through each and every other customer touch you currently have, and those you may be considering adding in 2011. That means adding your website address to every marketing piece – business card, brochure, postcards, ads, signage and vehicle art, email signatures, social media accounts, etc. That also means driving traffic to your company website through promotions, offers, and information exchange. Your website is a tool for your company as well as your clients and prospects. If you aren’t looking at it that way, you may want to take another look.

5. MMA - mobile marketing & apps. Please explain?  There have been over 55 million iPhones sold since Apple released it. That fact alone should peak your interest in mobile marketing. Experts estimate that by 2015 mobile phone web browsing will overtake desktop browsing. So if you’re website is not compliant with the majority of users out there, then guess what? The visitor goes elsewhere… likely to your competition. We not only develop mobile apps, we create Google Mobile compatible sites that load fast, view well, and contain the information needed to convert the visitor (after all, we are a marketing company first, then a technology company!). Need a custom app for your business to prompt customers to come visit your store? Coupons, specials, calculators, inventory database? Contact us.

6. KMG – keep momentum going. HUH? Since you’re on a roll, keep the forward momentum going. Keep up to date on the latest, and greatest, or at the very least, consult with a company that is… like I2D.

There are many steps you can take once your website is complete. I won’t say that it doesn’t matter which step you take, it does. But the most important thing is that you take A STEP… if you build it, they WON’T come – sorry to say!

Ball Ground Business Association Lunch and Learn

Don’t miss this Wednesday’s free Lunch & Learn at City Hall in Ball Ground – 11:30 am.

For more information visit www.ballgroundbusinessassociation.com or read more about the event at Acclaim Professional Services blog.

Our ‘Great’full List

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, it seems everyone has a list of things that they’re thankful for, grateful for… we are grateful for our business, our home, our family, our God. And we’re ‘great’full for the wonderful people we interact with each day. So here’s a special Thanksgiving shout-out to a few of the Great-full people on Inspired 2 Design’s list for 2010. If you didn’t make the list, no fear, there are many more people we are blessed and thankful to have had the opportunity to work with!

1. Jules Leni – not just a residential Realtor with Keller Williams in Canton. Jules, who suddenly passed away this month, was a true citizen, a caring and generous man who’s life-experience helped shape him into someone you felt honored to know. We miss you Jules!

2. Betty & Terry Anderson – owners of Fun Finds & Designs in Canton, this is a couple with a genuine love of people. Their business prospers not because Betty has an eye for furniture, or because they have a great staff, perfect location or fabulous marketing company, no. Their business is successful because their hearts are in the right place. They truly put others first and it comes back to them in every way.

3. Mike Derman – owner/operator of Defender Pest Protection in Woodstock. Mike is a true friend. His ability to cut through BS and get to the heart of the matter is only enhanced by his honesty and straightforward nature. His business succeeds because he does what he says he will do. Personally, he is a good friend to our family and we love his family too!

4. Wendy Corlett – QuickBooks expert, tax guru, neighbor, dog lover, wine partner, friend. Wendy’s accounting business Acclaim Professional Services is headed to big places in 2011. Personally I don’t know how she deals with all the numbers, especially at 4am, but she does it and her patience with us non-number people is amazing. What’s also amazing is her sense of humor, so natural for a bean counter!  Thanks for everything!

5. Sam Naff – Sam would have made the list even if he hadn’t agreed to take over as SECBN President for 2011! His willingness to open his heart, his home and his faith are truly a testament to his great-fullness. Sam is co-founder of The Crown Business Group in Marble Hill. Look for the tallest building in the town and you’ll find Sam helping business owners make the most of their livelihoods when it’s time to sell and move on.

6. Stacy Bailey – this lady is a powerhouse! It’s incredible how she deals with everything life throws at her, bad and good, and gets through it with a smile. If we could bottle her attitude, it would outsell every energy drink out there and put the depression pill companies out of business. You Rock Stacy! Not only is she the single mom of a very special kid, she is a police officer for the City of Canton, runs her own cleaning business, and is on just about every volunteer council and board out there in Cherokee. We wish you and Ansley a peaceful year filled with joy, fantastic experiences and the love of family and friends.

7. Our Family – where would any of us be without the unconditional love and support of the people who stick by you through thick and thin! Samantha, Olivia, Tom, Deb, Tracy, Lisa, Garrett, Joe, Alicia, Kelly, Teresa… all you guys are outrageous!

Have a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgving day!

Social Media – A Bakers’ Dozen Questions to Ask the “Expert”

Busy business owners BEWARE! There are sharks in the waters of the social mediasphere! As it was in the beginning with SEO, as it is now with the so-called “experts”, “consultants”, and “concierges” all touting their success and ability to make your life easier, to the tune of $50 to $100 per hour.

Yes, most small business owners wear MANY hats working in the business more than on the business. That’s why it’s wading in the pool with so many hungry sharks is so dangerous. I am not by any means saying there aren’t solid social media folks out there, I’m just saying you need to be careful. There are self-proclaimed “gurus” that are clearly not educated or experienced in any form of marketing, selling, or branding.

This is especially true when it comes to freelancers and newbies.  When it comes to social media, it’s almost as if business owners are just so hungry for someone, anyone to help them, they throw caution to the wind and hire the first person that comes along regardless of their track record, resume, or references. You wouldn’t hire a website designer without seeing samples of previous work would you?

Don’t buy the lines: “this is all really, really new” or “I have 5,000 friends on Facebook“. Recently a self-proclaimed expert sold herself on her success on Facebook. Did anyone even look to see that she only has about 200 fans? Or that her blog hasn’t been updated? Is she ranking on Google?  The problem is that there’s no clear measure of success, so anyone who knows how to set up a Fan page, link it to Twitter and save some images seems to be a certified consultant!

Before even stepping foot into social media, ask yourself… is my customer even involved in it? You could be spending precious time and money talking to the wall!
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