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I hate websites...

6/27/2014

Because there are TWO types of graphics experts!

And I don't know which one I need...

A Graphic Designer or a Programmer?

One knows how to fill a canvas with a palette of colors.

The other how to speak the foreign language of Code.

Thing 1

The first person I need is a WEB DESIGNER.

Someone adept at using and manipulating graphic design software to create custom looks for the web. Able to make eye-catching and pleasing additions to a website that convinces prospects to look, stay, and come back.

Using intuition and imagination, with a graphic design and arts background. Who designs everything from color, style, and format but then gives it to a developer who marries it to the code.

Or avoid hiring a developer by having someone who can work off of a platform like Wordpress, Typepad, etc. Who knows how to add specialized coding to a web platform to help your site look unique and interesting. Making posting, editing, and moving things around a cinch as the platform does most the work for you.

But overall, when looking for your own designer, look for somone who has a strong understanding of color, typography, spacial relationships, and user experience that boosts traffic, click-throughs, and responses. With measurable results of how their effective their design is to the bottom line.

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Thing 2

BUT if you are looking for something a little more advanced or interactive for your customers, there is another option!

A Web Developer.

A web developer builds your website from scratch giving you the freedom to customize and get your site to do exactly what you want. Most having backgrounds in computer science or programming.

They are well versed in complex computer languages specific to the web. Think: Javascript, advanced HTML knowledge, JQUERY, and much more. And can incorporate flash animation, advanced video integration, and other nifty features.

Although most don’t focus on making your site visually appealing, you get a website with technically sound and clean code.

Mutant Thing: Best of both worlds.

More often than not, you don’t need the headache of hiring both a web designer and a web developer. Forgoing the many issues of trying to get a creative to work effectively with a techie.

Such as:

Jargon.
People who can’t express what they want to communicate.
Closed to ideas. Designers and developers need to work together and take suggestions from each other.

Instead, you can hire one who does both. A graphics expert who possesses the skills of a Web Designer and Web Developer.

Thus, if you want a website with collaboration that can take your website to new heights, then a designer and developer team maybe in order. As long as they get along and work harmoniously.

Otherwise, find a dual wielding designer /developer. But beware he may lack in one or the other, or be unable to transform your website without someone to toss ideas off of.

3 Comments

What does the Mark On a Cow's Butt have to do with your business?

6/19/2014

2 Comments

BRANDING OF COURSE!!!

“Frank, sales are down since we opened here,” Louis began. “We’re unknown. How can I make an impression and draw in new customers?”

“You need to build an image, Louis,” Frank answered.

“Build an image?” Louis questioned, “How do I build my company’s image?”

“Do you remember how ranchers labeled livestock so they were easy to identify when they grazed the open range?

How they would make a simple image on an iron, heat it, and imprint each animal’s hind-quarters with it?”

“Yes Frank, I remember.”

“Then you know you need a Brand.”
----
And here’s how we built ours:

Collected Information: We collected information on the people and environment that allowed our company to thrive. We wanted to see what brand we already had.

This included who our ideal customers are, how to find them, and what they like about us. Knowing these things made it easy to find our strengths and weaknesses. Allowing us to pick the best brand for us.

Articulated: Taking that into account, we got together and brainstormed the personality of our company, articulating the voice of our business, and the story we wanted to tell; of our core values, mission, and ultimate vision.

With each.

Came backstory and even drama we could turn into a something more. An identity.

Identified: Once we found the fundamental pieces of what made our company. We combined them to make our identity – an identity we could rally around and build our company culture from. A company we were proud to be a part of. And easy to differentiate from everyone else.

Applied: Once we had all of these ideas down on paper – we took the next logical step - applying it to all our marketing. Designing it for every type of media.

In our video content and commercials.

In our writings perfecting the voice through our text advertising alongside professional photos that emphasize what we stand for.

And in audio, with our podcast that we broadcast weekly.

Putting it in everywhere our customers and prospective customers are.

Positioned: We positioned ourselves with the information we collected, our new brand, and our marketing campaigns. And we reached those who already knew us, those who wanted to know us, and those who should know us. Meeting them at tradeshows, on television, the internet, and even on their doorstep.

With those five things, we were able to build our brand. Increase our sales, bigger market shares, and a bigger bottom line. Even allowing us to expand into multiple other markets.

And you too could have your very own brand working for you.

Just remember…

·         Collect information on the people and environment that makes you thrive or shrivel.

·         Articulate it in the fundamentals of your Company.

·         Identify your brand with those fundamentals.

·         Apply it to your marketing and build campaigns to rock it.

·         Position your brand in the light and the people you want to see it.

And you will have the most Powerful Marketing Campaigns imaginable.
----

“Wow.”

“The most Powerful, Frank?”

“The most Powerful, Louis.”

2 Comments

Benefits of Online Advertising.

6/12/2014

4 Comments

Low Cost

Online marketing has by far one the best ROI of any other marketing because of its low cost and effectiveness.

Because people are increasingly spending more time online, Love to shop there, and adore it when personalized advertisements get them the best deals.

In fact, many is completely free with Social Media, Email, and YouTube.

So if you are looking for more bang for your buck then Online Advertising is the way to go.

Measurability

If only offline advertising was as easy to track and measure than Online Advertising.

Life would be so easy.

As being able to see instantly which ads are working and how they are working. Letting you budget more on ads that give you a greater return.

And most importantly, you can see where prospects come from and how many become actual sales. Telling you if you are getting your message to the right people and not generating traffic that has no interest in your company.

Letting you hit the mark more and more often.

Formatting

If that’s not enough, Online Advertising beats offline advertising by not only topping its ability to reach a people in multiple formats from…

·         Copy – content people want to read about

·         Images and Photographs – aesthetically pleasing sights to please prospects eyes

·         Audio – entertaining and informational podcasts and sounds

·         Video – Professional Videos that wow and amaze with style

But goes beyond it by being interactive with consumers. With games, surveys, questionnaires, and many other ways to entertain as well as advertise. Making Online Marketing a step above traditional.

Targeting

Online Advertising allows an unprecedented amount of ways to reach different segments of consumers, groups, and organizations.

Allowing you to target any niche based on…

·         Geography – Reach only your local customers, national customers, or if global, your international customers by their location.

·         Affiliations –  Touch your customers through their relationships and affiliations. Be it an organization, a fan base, or job position.

·         Behavior & Tastes – advertise to them using their behaviors and preferences. Such as the websites they visit, the things they buy, and what they search for on search engines.

Giving you the full spectrum of ways to find your prospect and persuade them to buy.

Coverage

And unlike most traditional offline forms of marketing that have limited coverage, Online Advertising is worldwide, instantly giving you the capacity to become a Global Business.

Opening you up to the world, letting you sell everywhere.

Speed

And the best part…

It can be done almost immediately.

No need to wait for openings in media, publishing schedules, or any other obstacle.

You can start to advertise as quickly as you can write a one sentence advertisement with a picture, shoot a 2-5 minute video, or produce a podcast.

With benefits like that, how can you not get your online advertising on its way today.

As every passing moment, is a moment of opportunity to make a sale, lost forever.

Get more information now.

4 Comments

Techniques of the Week: One. Two. Three...

6/5/2014

4 Comments

FOUR.

Howdy,

This is my fourth iteration of “Techniques of the Week” which is an ode to simple writing and marketing techniques that can be used immediately with measurable results in the Before,

During, and After of your sales process.

Interested in past and future iterations? Then stay up-to-date by subscribing.

With that said, let’s be off…

The Before: Guard-Lowering Pictures

Have you found yourself clicking on an advertisement just because of the cute cat picture or the really weird looking thing that you have to tilt your head to figure out?

We all have.

And you can utilize it yourself. Right now. This second. To lower the guard of your prospects to catch their attention and throw them a pitch.

Just pick a picture that…

Has nothing to do with what you’re selling, and is used as a segue to your sales pitch.

Don't get left behind. Stay up-to-date!

Has something to do with what your selling, but is very interesting looking.

Knick-knacks! Have them take up space in your garage today!

Directly relates to what you’re selling, but is friggin’ awesome.

Cow Takes Selfie. P.S. I sell cows.

Just remember to make it something that piques someone’s curiosity.

SO CUTE, WEIRD, or FUNNY is the way to go.

* Guard-Lowering Pictures – have a picture so cute, so awesome, so absolutely amazing your prospect has to click it, lowering their guard.

The During: The Feelings

Best way to sell?

Hit a nerve.

Tap into a person’s emotions through stories, opinions, and trigger words.

Riling up the emotions of your prospects, calling them to action, and getting them to make a decision.

All in one emotionally charged piece of copy, video, or audio.

Here is what to aim for…

· People want THINGS THEY DON'T HAVE and MORE OF WHAT THEY DO.

Like…

o   Money — saving it, spending it, and giving it to others

o   Time — for themselves, family, and interests

o   Praise —for being intelligent, knowledgeable, attractive, and other superior qualities

o   Self-confidence — to see themselves as worthy, and physically or mentally superior

o   Comfort —for indulgence, convenience, and luxury

o   Fun — to have no worries and feel like a kid again

o   Pride of accomplishment — excelling, triumphing, and beating the competition

o   Leisure — to travel, have hobbies, rest and play, and for self-development

o   Prestige — being important, a member of a select group, and having power

o   Enjoyment — food, drink, and entertainment

o   Security — at the job, in the home, and as they get older

o   Exclusivity — being able to go where others can’t

o   Envy — to have what others want

o   Ego Gratification — to grow their ego

o   Business advancement — feeling successful, getting a better job, being one's own boss

o   Social advancement — to be in the social circles they have always wanted

o   Health — to have strength, vigor, endurance, and longer life

o   Popularity — to be liked by others

o   Better appearance — to have beauty, style, physical build, and cleanliness

· People want to AVOID LOSS OF THINGS THEY HAVE (See list above)

And to AVOID THINGS THAT ARE UNPLEASANT.

Like…

o   Embarrassment – being ridiculed, looked down upon, and a certain way

o   Offense to others – being confrontational and hurting others feelings

o   Effort – having to try is a no-no

o   Domination by others – having to submit to another forgoing dignity and grace

o   Loss of reputation – losing the trust, appeal, and benefits of a reputation

o   Pain – people don’t like to hurt; Physically and Mentally

o   Criticism – people don’t like to be negatively criticized for things they do

o   Risk – most don’t like the gambling feeling that they can lose

o   Discomfort – awkward moments, feelings, and positions

o   Worry – fear of things not turning out right

o   Work – being lazy is hard work

o   Doubt – not knowing things are going to be ok

o   Guilt – no one wants to let the guilt eat them from the inside out

o   Boredom – and the worst of all… the ultimate mind-killer… NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO DO

Therefore...

Hit one.

Hit two.

Hit a combination and you will definitely make the sale.

* The Feelings – go for the emotions, rip and tear them up, and sell them something in their emotional fervor

The After: Free Audit/Info Audit

Have a great product?

But need to get in front of your audience to make the sale?

Then here is a technique for you.

·         The Free Audit.

·         And it’s Cousin, The Info Audit.

Now how do they work…

The free audit is a free service you provide where you come in and audit something of your customer that directly relates to your business products or services.

When you audit, you take notes of the customer’s environment and situation.

Once complete you give them a report of problems you saw, potential problems they can have, and recommendations on how to fix them. And perhaps put a pitch in their about how your specific products and services can help. Maybe.

And a perfect way to advertise it is to have a Pre-appointment package (by mail, email, or phone), that notifies beforehand of a meeting. Then you show-up, audit them, and close deal. And for the kicker leave them a gift basket.

The other is the Info Audit.

Where you come in.

Interview customers, reps, and others.

Build a report with the problems and the potential problems you see.

Be an Expert for them and give them the best solutions.

And Create Value.

* The Audit – come in, find the problems, give the solutions, and sell your product.

3 simple techniques

You can use to catch the eye of your prospects.

Lowering their guard.

Touching their emotions.

And finding places to create value.

Did you have success with these techniques? Or do you have your own techniques you would like to share?

4 Comments

I hate websites...

What does the Mark On a Cow's Butt have to do with your business?

Benefits of Online Advertising.

Techniques of the Week: One. Two. Three...

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