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Category: Marketing Tips

  • Why it is worth your business offering a guarantee.

    Why it is worth your business offering a guarantee.

    When it comes to running a business and securing clients, one thing is for sure; your clients and customers will want to feel that they can trust the service or product that you can offer them. 

    Trust can be hard to build; however, the good news is that there are a variety of ways that you can try to ensure that your clients have faith that you will be able to deliver what they need.

    One approach that you can take is to offer some form of a guarantee. There are a wealth of guarantees out there to choose from. Here are some of the most commonplace to help you work out which will work best with your services or products. 

    Money Back

    One of the most common guarantees that you are likely to see is one that is “money back”. Many people see that this is just their everyday rights regarding buying an item or signing up for a service, rather than an additional benefit offered by the company. This doesn’t mean that you should give up on this idea; in fact, it can be one of the most basic offerings that you can give your customers and shows them that you are taking their rights as a consumer into consideration. 

    Lifetime guarantee

    If you have a product that is known for being long-lasting and durable, then a lifetime guarantee might be the right choice for you. Examples of some of the brands that offer this level of guarantee include Doc Marten and Eddie Bauer. Both of whom are known for being able to provide exceptional quality to their customers. 

    Try before you buy

    Another common type of guarantee is allowing your potential customers or clients to try you out before committing to buying. This is particularly commonplace with online retailers, who may find that their audience feels concerned about diving in to make a purchase before they fully know what to expect from them.

    This type of guarantee also serves as a way to make sure that whatever it is that you offer will be suitable for the customer. You will often see mattress suppliers provide this type of guarantee, as they know that comfort is going to be vitally important for their success. 

    Price match

    Not every guarantee is around the quality of the item, how long it will last or whether it is fit for purpose. Another thing that you can offer is the best price guarantee. This type of guarantee means that, given a product comparison, if someone finds the same product as yours at a lower price, you will match it.

    For the most part, this particular guarantee is offered when the market is competitive as it may give you an edge over your competitors. 

    The type of guarantee that you offer will depend on the nature of your business and what you think will appeal the most to your audience. No matter what you pick, one thing is for sure, and if you do decide to offer a guarantee, then the chances are that you are going to appeal to a whole new audience and secure yourself some new customers in the meantime. 

    As always if you need support with identifying business growth strategies such as these then please reach out and connect.

  • How to grow your business, create a USP, and cut through the Noise?

    How to grow your business, create a USP, and cut through the Noise?

    Many businesses look to what is considered as external marketing to boost the growth of their business. Utilizing the various digital platforms to raise awareness via content marketing. However, many miss a fantastic opportunity for customer driven content. This is where business growth specialists and many marketeers differ, business growth consultants and coaches should be looking at all aspects of your business. Whereas many specialist marketeers will look at specific way to promote your business.

    One of the huge difficulties with the later approach, the marketing landscape is always changing. Technology moves fast. However, an outstanding customer care/service strategy moves with your customers.

    Research paints an interesting picture of what business owners are concerned about. The constantly changing and super-crowded digital marketing landscape is a definite challenge.

    But there is a solution that has been around for decades. It often gets overlooked during the pressures of growing a business.

    The Algorithm Problem

    Many businesses now heavily really on digital media and in particular social media. One of the biggest threats to those businesses is any algorithm changes. Nearly 2/3 of the respondents of a survey from Bynder and OnBrand magazines cited algorithm shifts as the largest threat to their businesses engagement and growth on social media.

    However, the anxiety caused by social media algorithm shifts is not new. Numerous studies since marketers became aware of the importance of algorithms have shown concern for both the lack of true understanding of how it works and the lack of control in what direction it changes. Consider when Google changed theirs to outlaw blackhat techniques such as keyword stuffing, many businesses had websites disappear from the SERP, especially if they built a website and did not maintain current onsite SEO management.

    Other Key Issues

    For those that have a business development strategy that relies on digital advertising in particular on a platform that has or will offer ad-free streaming. How will they get their message in front of their target audience with the same ROI measurement?

    Another issue that is ever increasing is ad and pop-up blockers. The awareness of these are growing beyond just the savvy internet users and Gen Z. People.

    PPC is getting beyond the reach of the average small business, when you consider the time and effort that needs to go into a campaign before any adverts are even created and purchased. The foundations are getting harder and more costly to build to support an effective digital paid advertising campaign.

    So, how can business owners reach their audiences?

    Looking at the big picture, not just in marketing segments.

    Look at your biggest resource, your customers. Why do many not consider them as a voice of your brand and an excellent resource in generating and sharing marketing communication?

    Excellent customer service has always been a successful strategy for business growth, but the digital world has taken away the focus of the importance of outstanding customer care. Now let us take a moment to understand that excellent service means within your field and measured against similar competition.

    However, many independent studies have shown that the opinion of current and past customers has a huge influence the buying behavior of potential customers.  Even when marketeers are surveyed, they agree that an excellent customer service strategy is the top-cited method for cutting through the clutter in the digital space.

    Social Media Has Changed Everything

    It’s no secret, despite many choosing to ignore the facts, that social media has changed our buying behaviors. In 2018, e-commerce was responsible for nearly 12% of all global retail sales. Also, people do more of their shopping online every year.

    In addition, according to a report from Hubspot, 71% of consumers rely on social networks to guide their purchasing decisions. People research products and find new ones on social media.

    What better way to influence future customer purchasing than to utilize the positive experience of past and present customers?

    Like it or not social media has made the consumer-company dynamic extremely public too. It has changed it entirely. Even for those businesses that have a relationship marketing approach, it is easy for the consumer to complain via social media rather than to the enterprise itself. However, a well thought out customer service strategy can negate even the toughest social media troll.

    Consumers Want To Interact With You

    Social media also enables customers to become advocates. People often show off products that they like on social media. If a brand has a cool image, it is common to see young and old posting about their products online.

    Social media can make consumers feel like they are interacting with a person, rather than a company. This opens up marketing to new forms of relationships. Consumers can directly celebrate your brand or criticize it.

    As such, customer service is no longer staying in a single department. According to Sprout Social, nearly half of all consumers have used social media to call out brands.

    New Ways To Serve Customers

    As a result, it only makes sense to put effort into stellar customer service. If your customer service is lacking, you will likely hear about it on social media. This could put a damper on even the most stellar social media campaigns.

    Also, unless customers have been involved in business themselves, it is likely that they see your brand and business as a single entity. They will probably not view your company as a number of separate departments.

    Your social media presence is the digital face of your brand. So, it makes sense that they would reach out to you on your branded social accounts.

    Why You Want To Get It Right

    We exist in a web environment of social media callouts and canceling. So, it might be helpful to understand exactly what makes consumers call out brands on social media.

    While every case is different, there are overwhelming trends when it comes to what customers dislike. Customer service plays a big role too. It is actually one of the biggest things consumers are likely to criticize a brand for on social media.

    The top things which trigger callouts are:

    • 60%: Dishonesty
    • 59%: Bad customer service
    • 58%: Plain rudeness
    • 45%: A bad product experience
    • 35%: Overcharging

    Appealing To The Heart

    In cases like this, your customer service and social channel must combine. How you handle negative feedback on social media is so important. It plays a big part in how people think of your business.

    If you fail to respond professionally or with sympathy, people will notice. They might even call you out. Some may choose to leave your brand behind too. This is not what you want.

    The Engagement Issue

    New research suggests that marketers across the board are struggling to engage consumers too. However, more than anything else, a well-known company with a strong professional brand can help to bridge that gap.

    Ultimately, branding, customer service, and social media are merging and rightly so. They need to be cohesive to inspire loyalty. You also want to spark positivity in the minds of consumers.

    Final Thoughts

    The marketing landscape becomes more and more high tech with every passing day.

    However, it is important not to lose sight of what matters.

    Ultimately, you want your technological know-how to humanize your brand. Combine personalization and stellar customer service. That way, consumers can truly connect with you.

    The rise of social media has created a new environment. Businesses are being put on the front lines of customer service. So, you have to take this shift head-on.

    More Accountability

    It is easier than ever for consumers to speak out. So, your organization needs to be ready to cope with all that social media throws at you.

    You want to make your customers feel valued and heard. You want them to feel connected with your brand on social media too. A big part of this is your overall customer service.

    It is interesting how years ago we had the 4P’s of marketing and then the 7P’s but somehow the process (one of the 7P’s) has slipped into oblivion and been overshadowed by social media marketing (only one small part of one of the 7P’s). A excellent customer service strategy will help your business on so many levels, once you have it mastered then you can leverage it for sustained business growth.

    As always if you need support with devising or implementing an outstanding customer service strategy, please reach out and connect.

  • How to Communicate a Business and Brand Name Change

    How to Communicate a Business and Brand Name Change

    Communicating a name change to a business, brand or product is not an exercise to undertake without comprehensive research and planning. Many believe a simple marketing communications plan is sufficient. However there as numerous aspects to consider and a change involves a wide array of challenges and obstacles. But when done right, a change can bring exciting new opportunities for growth.

    Careful planning is essential. A conscientious focus on budgets and strategic milestones for implementation will help ensure an effective rebranding process that customers will understand and appreciate.

    Branding is more important today than ever before, and your company’s name is the public face of your brand. Changing it requires a thoughtful approach that ensures your investment pays dividends.

    The whole process must ensure you build on the trust you already have with your audiences.

    Find & Know Your Why

    The first step is to clearly validate your Why. Why are you doing this? Why are you planning to do it this way? Dig deep. Own it. Be able to convey it clearly, quickly, and passionately to others.

    Good Communication is Key

    Communication is both internal and external, only carrying out one will not produce a successful name change. Without having internal stakeholders on board any marketing communication will be significantly less effective.

    Customers who are already loyal to the brand deserve to be informed about the upcoming changes. It is essential to assure current customers that the pivot will result in a positive transformation and will not affect the service and commitment that the business has demonstrated thus far.

    When announcing the change to customers consider your relationship with your audience, then consider which of the following are best: business’ blog, email announcements, regular mail, social media and press releases can all be effective communication methods. The key is to communicate the new brand to all your customers so there’s no confusion. Keepingyou’re your audiences informed will prevent any backfire and less frustration. The more your customers know about your marketing activities, the more they’ll appreciate the changes and improvements. Remember that most people need to be communicated with three to seven times for a change to be accepted and understood, so plan accordingly.

    The key to the success of a name change, however, hinges on how well you communicate that change to employees, customers and partners.  Creating a communications plan that includes six key steps will help your organization’s name change go off without a hitch.

    Begin with your employees. 
    Your teams are the face of the organization to customers and partners alike, and it is of critical importance that they understand why the name is changing and be able to explain it, succinctly. Hold staff meetings and offer Q&A sessions to help your teams understand why the change is important – and do this well in advance of launching the new company name. Provide talking points for employees at all levels, and make sure that any policies about speaking to the media are understood throughout the organization.

    Inventory your marketing materials. 
    From your website to business contracts and company letterhead, minimize confusion or inconvenience for your customers. Don’t forget about social media profiles and email signature lines. Any collateral in use needs to be reexamined and rebranded.

    Announce the name change publicly, with a multichannel approach. 
    If you are notifying customers by email, follow up with a letter mailed to their place of business. Reach out to relevant media with a press release and consider placing an ad in key publications, if the name change is a significant one. Use your website to host the press release, FAQs, a video and a letter from the CEO. Explain the rationale behind the name change, but in less detail than you did with employees.

    Announce it again, in another way. 
    There is no such thing as overcommunication when announcing a business name change. Remember three to seven times for the average person to acknowledge and remember the message.

    Flip the switch. 
    Pick a day for your switchover and ensure that your customers, partners and suppliers see your new name, not the old one, on all marketing materials. Many organizations have a transition period in which materials have a message along the lines of “new name, same excellent service,” or a temporary logo that incorporates the old and the new, but all materials and communications should switch over to the new name at the same time.

    Go big. 
    Don’t miss an opportunity to connect with customers and get out in front of new ones. Consider hosting an event to celebrate the launch, such as a happy hour or meet and greet. Or perhaps offer a promotion or discount aligned with the announcement. Don’t forget to reach out to industry and local media to not only announce the name change but also invite them to any events or offer any promotions.

    Applying Your Changes to Your Website
    Start redesigning the other aspects of your website, such as fonts, color schemes, and even the site’s functionality and usability. Make sure the new site is just as (or more) attractive and usable as the old site. Your goal is to keep attracting leads and maintaining existing customers, so don’t lose your website’s appeal, ease of use, and readability.

    Applying Your New Brand to Your Social Media
    After your website has been overhauled with your new brand, apply the rebranding to your LinkedIn page, Facebook Page, Twitter, YouTube Channel, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest. But be careful. When a company is well established within its industry and market, the social-media rebranding process needs to be done with care and intelligent timing. Applying the new brand to every social channel all at once will leave no trace of the familiar brand, which will create frustration and confusion for most customers. On the other hand, introducing the new branding too slowly will make it difficult for customers to differentiate between the new brand and the old. So create a timing strategy that’s neither too abrupt nor too slow.

    Digital Footprint.
    Ensure that all your business listings such as Google My Business are all switched over on the same date as your social media profiles.

    Applying Your New Brand to Your Printed Materials
    Even in this digital age, sell sheets and other sales tools play an important role. To reduce the number of customers that need to be informed of your new brand, it’s important to introduce the brand to your prospects and leads via printed materials. Be sure to focus on all collateral used by your sales force, such as business cards and any brochures and stationary they may carry. From major changes like your new logo, down to the small aspects such as rounded corners, treat every detail as important. Customers and leads will notice it all.

    Applying Your New Brand to Your Company Uniforms
    In many ways, your company’s uniforms are an effective means of communicating your new brand. Simple aspects such as the new logo and updated colors stand out significantly on new company uniforms. Remember, it’s important to tell your staff to reflect your company’s new brand with pride by being in full uniform and wearing it neatly.

    Applying Your New Brand to Your Company Vehicles
    Professionally designed vehicle wraps are effective platforms for displaying your new brand. Local businesses reach large numbers of people through the advertising on company cars and vans. By conspicuously placing the new colors, logo, and other design elements onto your vehicles, you instantly gain affordable marketing. For the maximum effectiveness, apply wraps to your entire fleet of company vehicles. This will provide the highest impact for your new brand as your cars and vans are seen throughout your local areas of operation. If your business’ vehicles already display messaging with your old brand, consider removing the old and replacing it with new wraps. Or, if your company will soon be replacing its cars and vans with new vehicles, you might decide to wait until you can apply your brand to the updated fleet.

    Applying Your New Brand to Your Company Signage
    Don’t neglect to rebrand your signage! And don’t cheat. Your customers will notice if you force a different logo onto an old, existing sign at your storefront. So if necessary, order a new sign that’s designed specifically to fit the new logo. And, as always, make sure the sign is attractive and minimalistic. Don’t cram too much information into too small of a space.

    Enjoy the Process!
    Yes, a name change or rebranding is a laborious process with a lot of moving parts. You’re sure to feel overwhelmed at times. In moments of stress, remember that the change is there to help your business grow and with careful planning and smart work, it will be a success. Remember to enjoy the process, and look forward to the benefits your company will enjoy once the dust has settled and your work is done.

    As always if you feel you need support or guidance with any aspect of growing your business please reach out and connect.

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  • Email Marketing in a Pandemic

    Email Marketing in a Pandemic

    Email Marketing in a Pandemic
    By Paul Mycroft, Market 2 All

    As an expert in Email Marketing Paul has kindly written the following article to share his understanding of how email marketing works within the current climate of the pandemic. Personally, I am a huge advocate of email marketing to grow a business and as a tool to improve customer relationships.

    Back in March 2020, we were scheduling our email news deliveries for 10 a.m., we were sending targeted campaigns using segments, had multiple automated email journeys on auto-pilot, and thought we had our email content calendar locked down for the next few months. Our lists were growing and everything was on track.

    Then Covid-19 came along. And everything changed. Everything.

    According to Statista, in 2019, the number of global email users amounted to 3.9 billion and is set to grow to 4.48 billion users in 2024. Add in mobile email users and it still proves to be the best way to communicate with each other and with customers.

    One year on and has this changed and, more importantly, has our behaviour changed? Do we go about our everyday lives and behave the same way as we did pre-Covid? No, we now have to deal with physical- and social-distancing, working from home, mask-wearing, and looking for new ways to keep earning a crust.

    How does email marketing now fit into this new world?

    Looking Back… Briefly

    A recent study of Covid-19 email benchmarks indicates that the amount of email hasn’t significantly increased this past year but open rates have while click rates remain the same.

    “[People] want to know how the brands they follow are changing their business plans or responding to the crisis, and the increase in opens shows that email is still where consumers go to hear from brands.”

    Stay-at-home orders around the world forced many businesses without a digital storefront to quickly create one. And people who’ve never shopped online before did so for the first time.

    So email remained the best way for companies to communicate with their customers. As a result, email revenue is up pretty significantly, especially in ecommerce.

    Source: https://acoustic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Acoustic-2020-COVID-Benchmark-Report.pdf

    Making Email Marketing Work Better

    So what can you do to make the same tool work better? Here are a number of techniques to consider.

    Change the Delivery Time

    Knowing that more people are now working from home, consider sending at 9 a.m. rather than 7 a.m. so your email arrives in their inboxes when they are more likely to open and be ready to engage.

    Be Respectful of Inboxes

    Sending more email will likely not get the reaction you are looking for. More likely is an unsubscribe or worse, your email is flagged as spam and your online reputation takes a nosedive. Look at your content with the highest engagement and focus on that.

    Know your Audience

    Past email benchmarks reports consistently show that there’s no clear winner for which day is the best to send. Brands should test and see what their audience acclimates to then continue with that pattern. In March 2020, we saw the highest engagement metrics on days other than Tuesday (highest volume for that month) and weekends (lowest volume).

    If you have better open rates on a Saturday for a surfboard company, send on that day. For restaurants, it may be Thursday before the weekend. Knowing your customers if vital to sustainable success.

    A/B Testing and Other Cool Tools

    A great tool to use is the A/B subject line tester. Try out the best subject lines then send using the subject line more likely to trigger an open rate.

    You may also like to use time zone optimization to have your email delivered at the same time across every time zone.

    Send time optimization will dive a little deeper and send an email when the subscriber is most likely to open based on their past behaviour.

    Show Empathy, Don’t Keep Selling

    A year is a long time to be in some sort of restriction and many people have suffered. You don’t know what is going on in other people’s lives so show some empathy for the global situation.

    Tell a story about how you are helping people in your local community and working with local charities, or give your resources and contractors some exposure.

    Lastly, mention that you have something to sell. Shift that focus down until you feel people are ready then shift it back up above the fold.

    Review your Subscription Options

    Soften the signup language, be transparent about what it will be about and how often you will send. Be honest then stick to a schedule. Protect your online reputation.

    An inconsistent schedule is one way to “go dark” and have your customers unsubscribe when you come back to life. Stay in front of customers, be consistent, be kind, be respectful.

    In the long run, people will remember that you supported them and gave them what they signed up for in a gentle and respectful way.

    A huge thanks to Paul for sharing his knowledge and understanding to make email marketing an integrated tool within your business growth strategies.

    Paul Mycroft

    Market2all Link

  • Your logo is too important to get wrong

    Your logo is too important to get wrong

    Your logo is often the first marketing communication your customers see.

    Your logo says everything about who you are, why you do what you do, and how you provide solutions to your customers. Even if you have a long-established business, it will have evolved, have your logo and message evolved with it?

    Are you considering starting a new business or changing the direction of an existing one? Maybe you have identified that your business name is a barrier to business growth? Apple was originally called Apple computers.

    The following applies to a new start up business or any business evolving and considering a new direction.

    All businesses benefit from a well thought out logo! As mentioned, it may evolve over time. However, if you are not an artist and do not have a lot of extra resources at your disposal, logo design might seem overwhelming. With the long standing trend that less is more, here are some logo design tips to get you started!

    Logo Design Tips To Get You Started

    Where can you get started? You don’t need to have a background in design, and even if you do the following will help shape your logo.

    Look at Competitors

    Chances are that many others in your niche already have logos. Take a look at the logos that others in your area have already created. Study them closely. Come up with a list of 5 logos that you like and 5 logos that you dislike. Figure out what is about them that either draws you in or repels you.

    Do you find certain colors appealing? Or, do you really hate certain fonts? Do the logos that you like tend to be more minimal and cleaner, or elaborate and loud? Do you find bright colors attractive and fun or tacky and immature? Look at the websites and social media profiles of your competitors. Really think about what works for you and what does not. Consider the psychological impacts of why you choose certain colors, this will probably reflect in your business values.

    One of the biggest logo design tips is just to figure out what you like!

    Remember, you do not only want to apply this strategy to logos. It is important to be aware of what your competitors are doing across the board in many different areas. Note where they are successful and where you think they could improve things. You can learn a lot this way.

    Consider Your Own Business and Brand

    Whether you have a background in design or not, you definitely know your own business inside and out. This is an incredible strength when it comes to creating the perfect logo for your brand. If you feel stuck, it may be time to write it out.

    Writing it out is one of the key logo design tips. Write down what you are selling or what services you are offering. Then, write down the descriptive words that are tied to it that you want to be a part of your branding. For example, say you are selling handmade bridal veils. The descriptive words you would choose for your branding might include:

    • Elegant
    • Luxurious
    • One-of-a-kind
    • Romantic
    • Feminine

    Based on the words you choose, you will be able to create a brand persona bible. A brand persona is a combination of personality traits, attitudes, and values that a business consistently portrays through its branding.

    It is where your logo and all of the visual and written elements of your branding will come from.

    Understanding Logo Design Elements

    When it comes to logo design, it is important to get specific. A simple “I just want it to look good” or “I want it to look cool” really will not cut it. Statements like these mean many different things to many different people.

    To start on practical logo design tips, let’s break down the different types of logos that you can have.

    Pictorial Mark

    Pictorial logos are entirely image-based. Many of the world’s largest companies use pictorial logos. For example, now Apple keeps things simple with its minimal and world-famous bitten apple logo.

    This type of logo has its pros and cons. Eventually, if you plan to go global, this is a very smart choice. Graphic images and symbols transcend language barriers and can be recognizable around the world.

    However, a pictorial mark can be a tricky choice for a brand new business. While brands like Apple, Target, and Twitter are world-famous entities that are instantly recognizable by their pictorial logos, the same does not apply to a new small business.

    Ultimately, when choosing an image logo, you want to use something deeply relevant that will stick throughout your company’s entire existence. This can be simple, but it can also be complex. While brands like Apple and Target take this literally by having their logo be an apple and a target, you do not have to be literal.

    For example, did you ever wonder why Snapchat’s logo is a ghost? It’s because the messages you send on the app vanish, much like a ghost.

    Lettermark And Wordmark

    Monogram logos or lettermark logos consist of a few letters. These are usually brand initials. One example of this is NASA, which stands for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. They used this simple and effective “worm logo” from 1975 until 1992.

    If your business has a lengthy name, this may be a good choice. However, as a new business, you may want to add the full name of your company below the lettermark, so people can begin to recognize it right away. However, as this type of logo relies largely on color and font, you have to take extra care to make sure they are just right.

    Wordmark

    A wordmark or a logotype is a font-based logo that contains an entire company name. Coca-Cola, for example, has perhaps one of the most recognizable wordmarks on the planet.

    This type of logo is ideal for companies with short and snappy names, like Coca-Cola or Google. While you may be tempted to choose a wordmark logo just to get your name out there, this can backfire if your company name is exceptionally long.

    Remember, your logo needs to be adaptable across marketing material. It needs to look great online, on printed materials, and maybe even on things like vehicles and merchandise marketing materials such as t-shirts. If your wordmark logo is too long it will look cluttered and unappealing.

    Typography

    When it comes to lettermark and wordmark logos, everything is resting on the typography you choose, so you want to make sure to choose a color and font that makes sense. If you are having trouble choosing, refer to your brand persona bible.

    For example, say you have included words like professional and authoritative as key brand traits. Would a neon yellow letter mark in a curly font portray that? Or would something in muted colors in a heavier and more traditional font get the job done? Never underestimate the power of color.

    If you like, you can even make your own font. However, you do not have to.

    Abstract Logo Mark

    Abstract logo marks are a type of pictorial logo. While pictorial logos feature recognizable real-world images, such as Apple’s apple logo or Twitter’s bird logo, abstract logo marks feature shapes. Adidas has several famous abstract logo marks that often appear with their company name or alone.

    This type of logo allows you to condense your brand to an image without worrying about any of the possible negative connotations that pre-existing icons or ideas carry. Geometric shapes are generally non-inflammatory and non-controversial.

    However, if you are just starting out, it may take a long time to get people to associate this shape with your business. It can be a smart long-term move, however. These types of logos also lend themselves well to global commerce as they transcend language barriers and do not require translation.

    Mascot

    A mascot is an illustrated character that represents your company. Their look, voice, personality, and even their catchphrase should all make sense with your brand persona. While they can be fully realized characters, like Disney’s Mickey Mouse, they do not necessarily have to be.

    If you feel like you are out of your league when it comes to creating a mascot, keep this in mind: one of the most iconic logos of all time, Planters’ Mr. Peanut, was created by schoolboy Antonio Gentile back in 1916.

    One important logo design tip is to consider your audience. You might want to choose this type of logo if your brand caters to children. There is a reason that so many things that are branded for children feature different types of cartoonish logos. These include Cheetos’ Chester Cheetah and McDonald’s famous Ronald McDonald.

    Mr Peanuts logo

    However, this type of logo can have its limitations. Highly detailed logos are not universal when it comes to marketing applications. For example, what looks beautiful in an animated ad might not translate well onto a business card.

    Combination Mark

    A combination mark combines any of the logotypes. The Adidas t-shirts pictured above actually feature combination marks as they include both an abstract logo and a wordmark. Many of the word’s largest companies opt for this type of logo.

    AT &T logo

    This is a great option for businesses that are just starting out. It puts your business name front and center and allows people to start to associate it with your logo right away.

    Louis Vuitton logo

    In the future, you might want to remove your name and rely on the pictorial logo only. Also, keep in mind that combinations of symbols and text create a distinct image that may be easier to trademark.

    Emblem

    An emblem is a font inside of a symbol or icon. These logos are commonly used by schools, universities, and organizations. However, they are also some of the most recognizable logos in the world.

    starbucks logo

    Emblems can be highly recognizable, but depending on the intricacy of their designs, they might not translate well across all branding materials.

    Common Logo Mistakes To Avoid

    Having an effective logo can work wonders for your brand. Having some logo design tips up your sleeve is important. However, you also need to know what to not do. Avoid these common beginner mistakes to ensure yours is a perfect fit for your new business.

    Doing Too Much

    Of course, you want your logo to say a lot. However, if it is too busy, it will likely confuse people. Also, if it is jam-packed with too much detail, it will not translate well across marketing and branding materials. You want something that looks just as good on your social media pages as it does on a mug or a business card.

    You want it to be memorable. If there is too much going on, it will not make an impactful and clear first impression.

    One of the biggest logo design tips? Less is more.

    Copycat

    While you want to study the logos of other brands to find elements of them you like, you do not want to copy them too closely.

    For one, if you get caught stealing another company’s logo, they are within their rights to make you stop using it and take legal action against you. Also, you do not want your brand to become known as the brand that steals other people’s work. This is a terrible reputation to have.

    Of course, you cannot check the design of every logo in the world. However, take a look at the logos of your closest competitors. You do not want your logo to appear to be direct theft. You also do not want it to be so similar that it causes confusion between your brands.

    Too Trendy

    It can seem like a no-brainer to capitalize on trends to get your business noticed. However, trends shift quickly. Ideally, you want a logo that can stay with you throughout the entire lifespan of your business. If you opt for something too trendy, your logo may appear outdated in a matter of weeks.

    Losing Focus

    You want your logo to be visually appealing. However, it must also align with your products or services, the rest of your digital branding, and your brand persona. Your logo might look amazing, but if it clashes with the rest of your branding, then it is not the right one for you.

    You want to present a unified personality that is consistent and engaging through branding. Your logo is just one part of that puzzle.

    Final Thoughts On Logo Design Tips

    Starting a small business and creating a brand to showcase and grow it is a complex process that requires a lot of careful work. Your logo is just one important piece of this overall journey. As the creator of your small business and brand, you know them best. This is why, with some logo design tips and some helpful tools, you are in a great position to create your logo.

    Would you like some support and guidance with creating your brand and subsequent logo? We have a simple program to help identify all the values of your brand and business.

    Reach out for an initial chat.

  • Importance of online reputation management

    Importance of online reputation management

    How important are online reviews and recommendations for your business? In terms of sustainability and growth immensely important. When you consider all the various digital platforms that allow for reviews and or recommendations, this is a huge influence on your business whether you like it or not. The process cannot be ignored and must be managed effectively to have a positive impact on your enterprise.

    If you want to see a visual representation of this information please scroll to the bottom.

    Lets take a brief look at some of the statistics as of 2019.

    • 90% of consumers used the internet to find a local business in the last year, with 33% looking every day.
    • 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, with 52% of 18-54-year-olds saying they ‘always’ read reviews.
    • The average consumer reads 10 reviews before feeling able to trust a business, more when the buying decision is complicated.
    • Only 53% of people would consider using a business with less than 4 stars, however, all 5 stars can raise red flags.
    • The average consumer spends 13 minutes and 45 seconds reading reviews and or recommendations before making a buying decision.
    • Among consumers that read reviews, 97% read businesses’ responses to reviews. It is all about the thank you culture. It also allows for review management.
    • 67% of consumers have now been asked to leave a review for a local business – with 24% of these being offered a discount, gift, or cash in return.
    • Read on for more knowledge on how reviews and recommendations will grow your business.

    As the stats have clearly shown that online reviews is an ever-more-common part of consumers’ purchasing decisions. But, with reviews now being a huge part of online search results, a poor star rating or the feedback of unhappy customers can be hard to miss. However it can be managed and turned into a positive reflection of your business or brand.

    Let’s look at some key trends in 2019.

    In 2018, consumers aged 18-34 were leading the charge for reviews and consistently coming out on top in terms of their review-reading and activity. However, the demographic has widened. It is worth noting that the younger age group becoming less likely to research a local business online and directly look for reviews and recommendations.

    Across every age group, those that do read reviews are doing so far more regularly – with one-third of consumers searching for a business or solution every signal day. With two-thirds of consumers always researching reviews and recommendations prior to making a buying decision,  including a huge 93% of consumers aged 35-54.

    Reviews will have a colossal impact on the behavior of consumers, and it’s clear to see that a business’s online reputation strongly affects whether customers choose to use a company. Positive comments about a business will influence 91% of consumers. While 82% will be put off by a poorly managed negative review. As mentioned earlier an average consumer will read at least ten reviews before feeling able to trust a business, so businesses with lower review counts or negative feedback within their top reviews risk losing a significant proportion of potential customers to competitors with better online reputations.

    The report finds that trustworthiness is crucial to consumers – but how can this be the case when fake reviews are becoming more and more common. Human beings are the most dominant species on the planet as we learn quickly. Consumers are already knowledgably on how to identify the authenticity of reviews. It would be nice if they felt able to trust that reviews were accurate and legitimate.

    97% of consumers not only read the reviews but any conversations between the reviewer and the business, making it extremely important for businesses to ensure they are monitoring their reputation across every review site, and responding quickly and professionally to any feedback. Have you identified which sites you need to be on?

    The number of consumers writing reviews is growing, with businesses reporting that two thirds of their consumers have written reviews. With the average consumer now leaving 6-8 reviews a year.

    Need help with a strategy to encouraging your customers to review and recommend?

    Book a Free Consultation

    Many businesses are incentivizing, bribing consumers to leave a review. Be cautious with this strategy as many platforms will remove these or all your reviews if this is against their policies.  

    How do you track the multitude of ways for consumers to find information about local businesses online?

    It’s important to consider how behavior differs among different segments of consumers. 75% of 18-34 and 35-54-year-olds search for a local business on a weekly basis, with the younger age group a little more likely to look every day. Over 55s are far less likely to search for nearby businesses regularly.

    However, it’s not as simple as saying that younger consumers search for local businesses more than over 55s. In fact, consumers aged 18-34 are less likely to have made a local search in the past year – with 15% saying they’d never searched. Could this indicate that some younger consumers are interacting with businesses in a different way – perhaps opting for online-only businesses, or finding nearby businesses through recommendations, and discoveries on platforms such as Instagram or Facebook?

    Top Devices for Reading Reviews.

    1. PC or Mac
    2. Mobile internet browser such as safari
    3. Tablet
    4. Mobile app.

    After reading a positive review, consumers are most likely to go on to visit local businesses’ websites. While this has declined compared to the 2018 report, local businesses’ websites remain a critical part of the journey for consumers. This could be a direct influence of Google’s objective of providing all the information for the viewer without having to leave their search engine.

    Negative reviews can happen to anyone. But, how you deal with them can help consumers understand what your business stands for, and what they should expect by choosing you. While you may receive a poor review for a customer that doesn’t like your service, always stay polite, and respond quickly to provide further details and a clear solution to anyone who may be reading. A bad review doesn’t need to be a disaster.

    Online reviews are undoubtedly a critical tool, but with the growth of recommendations on Facebook, as well as the growth of Nextdoor, and the normality of influencer recommendations, online reviews could be losing their place on the pedestal.

    But remember, it’s not enough to focus your attention on just one review site. 70% of consumers look at multiple review sites when choosing a local business.

    Unsure of how to strategically manage your online reputation, please get in touch for a free initial consultation.

  • The Power of the Blog to grow your brand

    The Power of the Blog to grow your brand

    Discover How Blogging Can Boost Your Business

    Did you know that businesses that use audience related blogs generate over 67% more leads than those who ignore the importance of communicating via a blog?

    A blog generates so many opportunities for creating quality touch points with your various customer segments. However, it is important to note that blogging needs to be researched and used correctly to have a positive impact on your brand. A blog can achieve many marketing objectives such as: increased brand awareness, improve your creditability, retain customers, pull in customers, improve your websites rankings in the search engines, launch new products, customer research.

    Through experimenting and analysing your blog content you will be able to fine tune your blogs to meet your audience and your business needs. Where else can you potentially block out all other marketing noise, whilst your audience engages in a quality touch point with your brand?

    Improve your website’s SEO

    Know your keyword search terms, then without devaluing your blog you can manifest a great blog that also appeases the search engines. Not only will you keep your current audience happy, any potential new audiences might then find you on search engines such as Google, Bing and Safari.

    Create credibility with your clients

    A fantastic way of improving your creditbility is via a blog, especially if it is written in a way to encourage comments and discussions. You can showcase your niche and why you differ from the others in your industry, without going over the top. Show that you have your finger on the pulse of your industry and write about hot topics, that are relevant to your audience. Showcase how your offerings provide a solution to any potential customers. All of this will improve brand reputation, trust and credibility.

    Create great posts for your social media pages

    Generating constant interesting content for social media can be a challenge, especially when you want to add value to your audience to encourage engagement, no point just making a noise, there is enough noise already out there. However, as a means to leveraging your time and maximising your voice, maintaining an active presence is essential. If you generate your own blog content for this purpose, dry spells in posting can be eased, alleviating the struggle when searching for content. There is no shame is reusing some of your blog post to gain a new perspective on a topic or to revisit an important issue.

    Creating researched, relevant blog posts will also help boost engagement on your social media profiles and website.

    Showcase how your product (or service) is useful to clients

    You can write your blogs based on ways to use your products and best practices your company takes. While these are often searched topics, they also give you a chance to share information and comment on it.

    Show your potential clients that you value being educated in your field. You can think outside the box and use the opportunity to engage with your audience.

    Help establish brand voice

    This is an area where many small businesses fail, either due to lack of research, funding or knowledge. Whether your business has a fun-filled tone or a conservative one, you can use your blog to express that. It brings life to your company and helps you create a consistent branding that can help draw in more leads from people who respond to your business’s style. Use your digital presence to send out a unified brand voice.

    Keep Google happy

    Google loves a busy website, part of the algorithm measures traffic and bounces to and from your website. The more activity you have on your website, the higher it’s likely to rank in searches. If you have a couple of blog entries per month on your page, you’ll have enough activity to keep Google’s crawlers coming back to your page regularly, ideally helping to increase and maintain your search engine rankings. A point to note, where possible have related links within your blog so visitors explore more than one page of your website.

    Give you a chance to write a call to action (CTA)

    Throughout the blog pose questions, encourage comments, you want actions other than just reading the blog. You want people to express their thoughts and opinions on the blog topic. At the end of your blog, add a call to action: please comment, get in touch, add your email for more helpful tips, sign up for our latest offers, email us your specific questions.

    These are the basic blog rules, as your voice and blogs develop you will be able to tune your content to keep your audiences engaged and looking forward to future blogs. Pull in any potential leads through the quality of your blogs.

    What are your thoughts on blogs?

    If you need help with your blog marketing or any other aspect of marketing, then please feel free to email us and we can identify how we would be able to support you.

  • Instagram’s change how will it impact on businesses

    Instagram’s change how will it impact on businesses

    Instagram’s change how will it impact on businesses?

    For some time, we have all been guessing how Instagram actually works, with some of us, using data to justify our estimations.

    However, now Instagram has finally explained the inner-workings of its algorithm-based feed. It was two years ago that the photo-sharing platform shifted to a machine-learning approach from reverse chronological order, keeping it in line with its current owners Facebook. Of course, many do not like change and complained about the change, yet Instagram stayed with the change and is now sharing how its algorithm ranking works.

    Similar to Facebook, the algorithm uses the past behaviour of its user to generate a personalized feed, thus it is claimed a better experience for the user. To simplify matters three criteria, influence your feed: interest, recency, and relationship.

    Interest, looks at your previous behaviour on a particular post and the content of said post, the more you like and comment on a particular subject, the more of that subject it will show you. It could mean that hash tagging becomes less important to the viewer and more so to the algorithm, depending on how it identifies the content of posts.

    Recency, relates to the time frame of your shared post. What users will see are recent posts, say a few minutes or days ago, and not something shared weeks before.

    Relationship is based on the user’s prior interaction with the account posting the content. If you have been commenting on posts or being tagged in photos, you will see more of them in your feed. For business users it is now even more vital to keep your audience engaging with your content.

    Alas it is not that simple, the above looks at the core criteria, the algorithm also looks these additional patterns when considering ranking and feed content: frequency, following, and usage.

    If the user opens the app frequently, Instagram will refresh the feed based on the above factors for relevant content. If a user follows several accounts, Instagram will try to diversify feed content, so they won’t miss out on posts of interest. Lastly, your average time spent on the app increases the likelihood that you’ll only see the most relevant content. Browsing for more prolonged periods allows you to explore a wider variety of feed content. This makes knowing your target markets browsing behaviour vital when it comes to your business keeping on their screens and engaged, and keeping them browsing through your content for longer, IGTV could be the answer.

    Instagram claims it does not hide content on purpose nor downrank users with successive, separate posts or due to other behaviours. Instagram also stated that it does not prioritize business accounts over personal ones.

    Make use of Stories, Live, and other features of the app, but don’t expect higher feed ranking since Instagram is not playing favourites.

    To summarise for those that will just skip to this part.

    Interest: How much Instagram predicts you’ll care about a post, with higher ranking for what matters to you, determined by past behaviour on similar content and potentially machine vision analysing the actual content of the post.

    Recency: How recently the post was shared, with prioritization for timely posts over weeks-old ones.

    Relationship: How close you are to the person who shared it, with higher ranking for people you’ve interacted with a lot in the past on Instagram, such as by commenting on their posts or being tagged together in photos.

    Frequency: How often you open Instagram, as it will try to show you the best posts since your last visit.

    Following: If you follow a lot of people, Instagram will be picking from a wider breadth of authors, so you might see less of any specific person.

    Usage: How long you spend on Instagram determines if you’re just seeing the best posts during short sessions, or it’s digging deeper into its catalog if you spend more total time browsing.

    Instagram myth busting

    • Feed ranking does not favour the photo or video format universally, but people’s feeds are tuned based on what kind of content they engage with, so if you never stop to watch videos you might see fewer of them.
    • Instagram’s feed doesn’t favour users who use Stories, Live, or other special features of the app.
    • Instagram doesn’t downrank users for posting too frequently or for other specific behaviours, but it might swap in other content in between someone’s if they rapid-fire separate posts.

    As more users and businesses join Instagram and post more often, but feed browsing time stays stable per user, the average post will get drowned out and receive fewer views. People will inevitably complain that Instagram is trying to force them to buy ads, but it’s a natural and inevitable consequence of increasingly popular algorithmic feeds.

  • A simple guide to social media marketing

    A simple guide to social media marketing

    Social media basics is not difficult or complicated for most businesses. However finding the right content that your audience will relate to and engage with is vital and normaly takes time and practice. Social media is about people and people like to be treated with respect. If you approach your social media marketing activities with people in mind then you should be OK. Treat people as individuals, be friendly and personal. When the crisis hits stay neutral and address the situation. Concentrate on what you can change, work to find the solution not the scapegoat.

    What to keep in mind when dealing with negative feedback in your social media marketing:

    • Avoid broadcasting, it’s not another advertising channel. Engage in conversation.
    • Monitor your brand’s entire social media presence. Social media channels, blogs, forums and news feeds.
    • Don’t think in campaign terms. There’s no end date on your social media activities. Social media is long term.
    • Being too “corporate”. People like people and we get it really fast when we are fed another load of crafted marketing messages.
    • Make sure that your employee cannot accidentally post personal messages on brand channels.
    • Do not lie! Doh!
    • Don’t bad mouth others. There are enough trolls out there to do it.
    • Do not censor user content. This could make a trivial matter into a huge crisis.
    • Do not use legal threats to silence customers.
    • Be real. Faking customer interaction by hiring an agency (or employee) to pretend to be a brand advocate is not a great way to success. What is the benefit?
    • Create clear social media policy. What gets deleted? Foul and abusive language, threats against individuals, hate speech, flame comments about products/services
    • Create guidelines, what actions to take in case of a wave of negative conversations in social media. Attack against your brand, customer service gone bad, negative rumor.
    • How you’ll respond to negative content. In many cases you can use this to your advantage, depending on the reason for the comment.
    • Who decides what to do with negative comments.
    • What’s the worst that can happen? How to respond?
    • What should the response times be in different situations?
    • Who is the person publicly available and accountable for crisis resolution?
    • Do not ignore negative conversations. Watch and be ready to react. You don’t have to respond to every negative mention. Negative product reviews and comparisons with other brands will always be there.

    When a negative event occurs keep your emotions in check. Most situations can be solved reasonably. Let the other side know that you understand how they feel and you are going to fix the situation. Never blame others and deal with the problem instead. If your ego is the only thing that gets bruised, let it go.

  • Humour makes you stand out.

    Humour makes you stand out.

    I am betting that your inbox is similar to mine and you manage most of it from the subject box and snippet on your mobile device. I know if I read every single email in my inbox once, the majority would follow similar templates and formats. I subscribe to a couple of newsletters that after opening the first couple I could now not tell you what they sell as it is easier to delete than unsubscribe.

    Yes, if I had more time I could plan an hour or two to unsubscribe to the many that I do not now open and read. Why do I not open these emails? They lack the human touch and personality. They almost read like they were autogenerated by an algorithm. All brands have a quirky side, have an element of cheeky to them, that little something that makes me want to read the next campaign that they send. It is not always about selling selling selling. It is about knowing your target audience and having the same quirkiness and cheek as they do. Matching your brands sense of humour to them. Now most small businesses the owner is the brand and should reflect their personality. Look at what the major successful brands are doing are most are trying to be human.

    Many people say humour is a dangerous thing when it comes to marketing as it can offend as quickly as it makes people laugh. I say with the correct research and staying with certain boundaries humour will make you more memorable than a generic info email.

    A mentioned you need to research where the line lies with your audience and do not cross it. You can go too far, and when you go to far, you can offend someone. If you offend them, you alienate them. If you alienate your customers, they buy from somewhere else, and some of them make sure to put in a nice lengthy complaint before they leave.

    Those that oppose humour within marketing will argue that humour is not a ‘one size fits all’ endeavour. Facetious subtlety or satire may go over some heads, and direct scatological farce might seem inappropriate to others. The last thing an email marketer wants to do is come across as though he is “trying” to be funny, particularly if they are already unsure about their customer’s sense of humour. You can understand their reticence really. Why put yourself through that?

    Well because humour is funny.

    Those writing email marketing campaigns with a few sly witticisms aren’t script-writing for a comedian, they are not trying to make you roll around your office with laughter. They are going for a smile, moderate recognition that an email had a humorous moment that might just be worth sharing, which is one of the objectives of email marketing free seeding, at the very least you want it to be memorable, once you have done a couple then the subconscious will do the rest. I can think of many good reasons that an email marketing content writer should begin using humour, but here are just a coupe to get you started after all it is your humour not mine.

    WHO DOESN’T LAUGH AT THE INTERNET?

    Let’s be honest, we like the internet because it makes us laugh. The internet is that box of tricks where you can share a meme, after posting a GIF, directly after splitting your sides with a cat video on YouTube. Not that I am making any judgment, but the average social media user is a part time satirist, and almost everyone’s feed is littered with humour. The internet is the place to go when you are looking for some light relief.

    Be supportive to your customers share some humour they may have missed, use your email to get them to share their humour with you.

    JUST WHAT US HUMANS DO!

    There is nothing more Human than the ability to craft humour. That’s not to say that humour isn’t random either. We laugh at the antics of our pets, tears stream down our faces at the laws of gravity, but to intentionally craft humour is very Human. This is what a little light hearted chuckle brings to email marketing campaigns. It humanises your company, makes them seem more approachable. As I said before look at what brands like amazon are doing to humanise their brands.

    How to stand out from the other 50 emails? Do not commit the crime of mediocrity, these companies have lost out on potential sales.

    CONNECTION AND RECOLLECTION

    There’s some good science behind this point, illustrated quite eloquently in Kieth A. Carlson’s ‘The impact of humor on memory’ found in the International Journal of Humor Research. A publication I am sure exists on everyone’s coffee table. However, his article contains the results of a study arguing that “humorous material tends to be recalled at higher rates than non-humorous material “.

    There is something folkloric about humour. It stays in our memory, and we pass it to our friends and children, and the stories we tell are often remembered most when they are funny. It is the very way that jokes and limericks work. As well as remembering what makes us laugh, we also remember who made us laugh. It is natural for us to connect humour to the source, and to form a connection with the person who made us laugh. We like to laugh, and we like people who can make us laugh.

    WRAPPING UP

    I am not saying your email campaigns have to be outrageous. I am not suggesting you turn your marketing department into a circus looking for cheap laughs – you still have a company to represent and you must remain professional. There are three golden rules when you connect to your customers through humour.

    1) Keep it clean.

    2) Give the widest berth possible to Politics, Religion, or any social prejudices that could cause offence.

    3) Humour is better used in moderation. Overuse might just make you annoying to some readers.