Avoiding Oversimplification of Content

This week's blog title may be a mouth full, but trust me when I say that this topic is an important one! There is a common assumption among business owners that customers cannot understand the complexity of a product or service, therefore they "dumb down" the context of their content. While their will always be a learning curve for customers to understand your company's unique jargon, oversimplifying the content on your website, social media posts, blog, and anything else you publish to the masses is a poor reflection on your business and you.  

Before we go any further, I do want to make note that there is a big difference in oversimplifying content to your customers and being detailed in your communication. Yes, this mean that there is a disconnect between the everyday person and the misunderstood customer, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Instead of divulging statistics and pushing articles that could be deemed as condescending, smarten your content! This will lead to an appreciation from the qualified, current and prospective customers you want to reach!   

The millennial generation has grown up with more choices (oppose to ultimatums) than previous generations. This generation is educating themselves on products and services they desire or need before spending their hard-earned paycheck. Your goal should be to target your explanations to the right audience and begin treating your customers as business partners! 

Now that you've gotten a hang on this concept of avoiding oversimplified content, you have no accustomed yourself to one of the best, modern marketing tactics: content marketing. 

“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”
— Content Marketing Institue

For more information on content marketing practices or to have a review of your current marketing campaign, please use the contact form below chat with us today! 

Preparing for 2016: Reviewing Your Campaign

Do you want to give your campaign a makeover? Is it time to access your current strategies to determine if it is working? If your fiscal budget begins in the New Year than it is high-time to review your current marketing and advertising campaign. Today on the blog, I am giving you a guideline for reviewing your campaign to help answer the above questions and place your company on the right path toward success for 2016. 

1 | Define Your Goal

Surprisingly, many companies dive into a marketing and advertising campaign blind. By defining your goal for 2016 you should know the following: where your want your company to be present in the media, who you want to reach, where you want to focus and why. This will enable you to define your goal and create a start line for your campaign. 

2 | Determine Your Budget

Determining your budget is one of the most important things to consider in reviewing your campaign! Did your company suffer losses in 2015 and cutting back is necessary? Did your revenue increase to allow you to market in new areas? Whatever your situation maybe, your company's funds will weigh heavily in your marketing and advertising decisions for 2016.

3 | Audience

Consider who you want to sell your services and/or products to and how you will grab their attention. By deciding strategies that reach your intended audience you will have a successful campaign. The flip side of this is pushing marketing and advertising through random channels without a strategic action plan - a strategy I strongly discourage! Lastly, audiences are constantly changing the media they use and it is important to stay on top of marketing trends to keep afloat. 

4 | Communication Media 

Communication media refers to channels you send your message: billboards, radio, magazines, etc. The means by which you send your message to your target audience will make or break your campaign. If you do not chose the correct media to relay your message than it will be lost in translation. By reviewing your budget and audience, you are able to determine which media you can effectively reach your consumers and stay within your finical means. 

If you believe that your current campaign strategy needs to be revamped, contact me via the form below to decide the best ways to reach your key audience. 

 

Preparing for 2016: Strategies to Make Marketing Easier

When it comes to preparing your company for the New Year, I think we all agree that anything that makes the marketing side of business easier is always better! While today's blog may not be the easiest pill to swallow at first, it will enable you the tools necessary to make marketing and planning easier. 

1 | Create Goals

Challenge yourself to write down all of the realistic and "reach for the stars" goals you'd like you company to achieve during 2016. Once you have written them down, let's make them happen! Whether it be to network, gain more press or book more clients there is never a goal that is too large or too small! I want you to take that list and post it in a location that you will see each and every day. This will not allow yourself or your employees to disregard those goals or put them on the back burner. Remember, your goals will only help you grow! 

2 | Determine Your Ideal Client

What are the demographics of your ideal client? How can you reach them? Will that strategy coast a fortune? These are all questions that you should consider when determining your ideal client. Deciding the type of person that you want to target is important because not only is that the audience you would like to work with, but also the audience that is in need of your product(s) and/or service(s). Once you define your ideal client, we can then determine the marketing strategies to reach them instead of haphazardly marketing through random selection. 

3 | Create a "Date Night" with Your Blog & Social Media

This is an important one, friends! Choose one night each week to write and schedule your social media posts and blog. I always suggest working on this on a Sunday or Monday evening, but of course you should choose what day works best with your schedule! Before start scheduling your social media, take a moment to review my previous blog post on social media timeliness! Trust me when I say that you will be so glad that you scheduled these post when the day-to-day tasks begin to takeover your schedule. 

4 | Create Your Own Stock Photos

Here is your next big challenge: create your own stock photos! Enlist photographer to help you create stock images for blog, social media and portfolio to fall back on when needed. It is true that visual marketing is a hot ticket for 2016, and you do not want to fall short going in to the New Year.

5 | Hire Someone! 

This may be a favorite strategy among some of you! There is nothing wrong with waving the white flag and surrounding to a third party to help make your marketing more efficient and effective. If you believe that this is you, be sure to fill out the form below to learn how Magnolia Media Public Relations can be of service! 


5 Hacks to Build Business in the Off-Season

If you own a seasonal business then today's blog post is just for you! Running a company that thrives one season and comes to a halt the next is not an easy task. Yes, checking out (mentally and/or physically) when things slow down would be the easy solution during the off season, but that would not benefit your business! Enjoy my five ways to build your business during the off season that will help you enter the peak season with confidence! 

1 | Perform Maintenance 

Whether you need to revamp the look of your storefront or contract a designer to create a much needed website update, performing maintenance to your business where it needs it the most is always best during the slower business months. It takes a lot of time and energy to devote to either of the above, and you will need to give that time and energy to make certain your business stands out above the competition in every shape and form. 

2 | Educate Yourself.

Update your certification, take a new photography class, research the newest marketing trends, sign-up for a workshop - all of these are great ways to educate yourself and ultimately benefit your business. Clients are more likely to seek your service if you can showcase your talents by continuing your education and expertise by staying on top of trends as it relates to your industry! In addition, this will give you an ego boost and credence that will carry into the busy season. 

3 | Build Your Online Presence.

Having an online presence has become just as important as owning a telephone. From this point forward, consider your blog, website and social media accounts as another form of your portfolio. Not only are you able to showcase your work, services and products but also you are able to become a storyteller by sharing daily and weekly updates! 

4 | Attend a Trade Show or Expo.

Going to a trade show or expo as a vendor or attendee is another great way to build your business during the off season. Once you sign-up to be a vendor at an expo, you are taking on a marketing strategy that is tried and true. However, make sure that you are prepared to meet and greet expo attendees with a look that will draw them to your booth! By going to industry specific trade shows, you'll be able to learn where your industry's future is headed, receive discounts on products from participating vendors and even network! 

5 | Collaborate Other Professionals!

Now that you are a networking feen after reading my last networking blog post, you are ready to collaborate with other professionals in your industry or near your storefront. Create a styled shoot to submit for publication or host a meeting with business owners near your company to plan for the upcoming season. Either way, by collaborating with others shows that you are a team player and ready to further your business by working with your fellow peers.