Because the rules have changed – a LOT.

Let’s go back…oh, let’s say about 5 years or so.

And in this not-so-distant past, a company could simply call the newspaper or the radio and just run a few ads to get more ... read more]]> It’s time to rethink your marketing strategy to include social media as part of your toolkit.

Because the rules have changed – a LOT.

Let’s go back…oh, let’s say about 5 years or so.

And in this not-so-distant past, a company could simply call the newspaper or the radio and just run a few ads to get more business. Basically, you used to be able to spend your dollars to buy more audience. The more you spent, the more customers you would get. That’s why the big businesses stayed big.

But NOW, this throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks approach doesn’t work.

Because NOW, there’s Facebook and ezines and SEO and mobile and viral videos and applications and Twitter…and …and…and…

The way that our customers are looking for information is changing rapidly.

Therefore, marketing via social media is essential if you want your company to stay up with the trends.

Because today, people want to get excited. They want to engage in dialogues with the companies that they support. So, to thrive and grow you must use social media to create exciting ideas and to stimulate conversations and to build online brands with which people have passionate love affairs.

This is a really exciting shift for most companies and organizations. Because new marketing and social media has so many opportunities for small- to mid-sized business to get themselves KNOWN.

Social media allows every business to leverage huge numbers of people by creating online community and generating excitement around its brand.

If you are not using social media, then begin now. Because people are flocking to these online venues in huge numbers. And your business should be marketing itself where your prospects are spending time.

Below is a presentation that I gave recently to a group of marketing professionals explaining more about the power of social media (you can also click here to go to the presentation on SlideShare). I hope it gives you some ideas about ways you can take your brand to the next level:

This is important to remember in web design and also in website copywriting. If you don’t capture their attention and tell them exactly what you want them to do, then – CLICK – and they are on to the next website.

Your ... read more]]> When people are searching the Internet, they often get into a clicking frenzy.

This is important to remember in web design and also in website copywriting. If you don’t capture their attention and tell them exactly what you want them to do, then – CLICK – and they are on to the next website.

Your website’s job is to 1) compel people to stick around and 2) to motivate them to take an action. If your website is REALLY doing a great job, then 3) it also works to capture your visitors name and e-mail.

The key is to have useful information that’s easy to find, link redundancy, compelling calls to action, and a name capture mechanism. Let’s pull each of these apart to see why they will help your marketing:

• Useful information: In addition to an overview of your company, make sure that your copy tells people exactly how you can help them. Let them know about your core offerings and key differentiators. Tell them exactly why they should pick your company and ignore your competitors.You can also create content that makes your site “sticky.” This simply means that your Web site visitors want to stick around and return to look at your content. Create helpful content for your prospects and existing customers. Make it a resource that they can return to again and again.Position your company as a trusted adviser on your Web site. Blogs, articles, podcasts, and videos are all great ways to achieve this goal. Depending on your industry, you can also add design galleries and tools, calculators, product selector guides, and/or glossaries. Think about what your target audience could really use to help them, and then add this information to your Web site.

• Link Redundancy: When designing a website, it’s always a good idea to include link redundancy. This means that you have multiple links on your site for people to find information. You can include links in your navigation, in your body copy, in your footer, on your home page, and you can also have special boxes that call attention to areas of interest on your Web site.That may sound like overkill, but from a usability perspective it makes a lot of sense as long as the web designer isn’t cluttering up the page. Let me explain. Your various site visitors process information in different ways. You want to be able to impact as many people as possible and you want each type of user to quickly find the information they want so that you don’t lose them.The other reason is that people do NOT read a Web site like they read a book or magazine. Imagine instead someone driving down a street at about 35 miles an hour and reading a billboard. They don’t have time for much. Studies have shown that people tend to “scan and scroll” on a Web site. So, you want to catch their attention as they scan your Web site page.

• Calls to Action: According to a recent Neilsen Company study, the average user spends 56 seconds on a web page. This means that you do NOT want to make your visitor spend much time thinking about what to do next. Tell them exactly what they should do by using a call to action. A call to action starts with a verb and can include commands such as Click here, Purchase, Read this, Order now, Sign up, Call today, and so on. Calls to action increase your conversion rates.

• Name Capture Mechanism: People are in a hurry. They scan Web sites quickly. They don’t always make a decision right away. And, studies show it takes multiple touches with a prospect to convert them into a customer. So, armed with all of this information, it’s essential to create a name capture mechanism on your Web site.Make it simple and easy for a person to give you their contact info – A name and e-mail is all you need. Treat their contact info like currency. Your visitor is giving you something of great value. Offer them something of value in return such as a white paper, report, special video, audio recording, private blog, article bundle, etc. Provide your visitors with content that will help them solve a problem and showcase your company’s expertise.As a bonus, you can tell them that you will also sign them up for your free electronic newsletter. Send out this communication out on a regular basis. Make sure you are giving them valuable tips and information – not an ongoing sales pitch. This will not only keep your company on your prospect’s radar screen, but it will also position you as the trusted adviser. So, when they are ready to buy, your company is their number one choice.

If you overhaul your Web site to incorporate the tips I’ve listed in this post, you will create Web site stickiness, increase your sales conversions, and capture the names of prospects who have raised their hand to tell you they are interested in your company. You are building your online brand by developing an information hub that your prospects and customers can return to again and again. Your company becomes differentiated from your competitors and develops into an invaluable, trusted resource.

If you need help implementing any of these strategies, please call Kinesis at 503-922-2289.

Kinesis is a Portland Web Design and Branding Firm. We help our clients reach their marketing and growth goals. Call us at 503.922.2289.

A blog (which stands for web log) is a marketing tool that can further position your company as the expert in your industry. Your prospects and clients want information about your products and services. They are hungry for it! And a blog gives you the opportunity ... read more]]> Are you missing out on the power of a blog?

A blog (which stands for web log) is a marketing tool that can further position your company as the expert in your industry. Your prospects and clients want information about your products and services. They are hungry for it! And a blog gives you the opportunity to share your expertise with people across the globe.

Once they are designed (contact Kinesis for more info about our blog design and Web 2.0 consulting services), blogs are easy for you to update. The typical blog entry is short and informal, making it easy for you to write – and easy for your customers to read.

Because blogs are filled with a bunch of little blurbs, your readers are more likely to visit on a regular basis to read your latest commentaries. Blogs also feature a search function, which your readers can use to easily find blog entries on a specific topic.

Readers can subscribe to your blog so that they get e-mail updates or an RSS feed. In this way, they get ongoing posts from your company, which keeps you well positioned on their radar. Blogs also feature a comments section so you can also get instantaneous feedback on concepts and questions that you post to your readership. This can be extremely useful in refining a new product or service for your target audience.

Another enormous benefit of a blog is its ability to attract new traffic to your website. Because the search engines consider each new post of a blog as a separate website page, these are all indexed under different key phrases. Therefore, be sure to incorporate keywords in your entries to help people find you. For example, an insurance company in San Francisco should incorporate the terms “San Francisco insurance” into their posts with a link back to their website. In this way people can easily get more information. Be sure to include your contact information on your blog so people can get in touch.

Like every form of marketing, a blog requires you to lead it in a strategic direction. Before you start your blog, make a decision about the blog’s theme and “voice.” Once you determine your goals, stick to the topic. You can weave your personality and stories into the blog, but always keep these relevant to your target audience.

A blog that is really a sales pitch or advertisement will NOT garner a wide audience. Make your blog a tool that provides helpful advice, tips, and musings to your readers. Better yet, create compelling posts that engage your readers. You can easily add pictures and videos to enhance your blog entries. Post at least a couple of times a week to keep your readers coming back.

KINESIS TIP: So, ready to start blogging? This week, sit down and decide on your blog strategy including who in your company will write it and how you will schedule regular blog updates. When you are ready, contact Kinesis to customize and set up your blog. Then…Blog away!!!