Tag Archives: marketing

• Saturday, October 5th, 2013

  Preparing Your Business for the Holidays

  Your business should be in the final countdown plans for the holiday season. Since most businesses can capitalize on the lift in spending, what can you do to end the year strong? Planning ahead is so important, so if you have not started a holiday marketing plan yet, then now is the time to get started.  Here’s how: Make Your Lists. Santa isn’t the only one with holiday lists! If you did not make a list at the end of your last holiday season, then do that first and put on the list to definitely end the holiday season with it this year. List what worked and what didn’t work. Brainstorm ideas and be as specific as possible. 2.       Set your goals. Hiring extra staff. …

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• Thursday, September 26th, 2013

  How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

  LinkedIn is the social network for business professionals and an excellent way to make connections with other business professionals. LinkedIn is great to have optimized because it can help you whether you are looking for a new career change or if you are looking to make connections to benefit your current position. However, it is important that your LinkedIn profile is optimized properly so that it can assist you in connecting with all of the top professionals in your industry and related industries with individuals whom meeting would be mutually beneficial. Here are 10 pointers on optimizing your profile to meet the right connections. Make sure all aspects of your profile are fully filled out. LinkedIn will let you know what percentage of your profile …

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• Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

  Trade Show Marketing for the 5 Senses:

  For most trade show exhibitors, the trade show gives you the chance to interact with your customers, so make sure that your marketing tactics appeal to all of the 5 senses. Sight: Of course, sight might be the most obvious of the senses to appeal to at a trade show. Make sure that your trade show booth is visually appealing and informative. Smell: Scent is a great way to communicate and influence emotion as well. Here are some details on scents and their emotional effects from the Scent Marketing Institute. SCENTS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED EFFECTS Safety, security and nostalgia: Talcum powder Increased alertness: Peppermint, citrus Relaxation: Lavender, vanilla, chamomile Perceiving a room as smaller: Barbecue smoke Perceiving a room as bigger: Apple, cucumber Be more open to buying expensive furniture: Leather, …

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• Saturday, August 3rd, 2013

  LinkedIn Adds Sponsored Posts to Member Feeds

  LinkedIn recently rolled out sponsored posts that now appear inside member’s feeds along with updates from the people they follow on the professional social network. This presents a great opportunity for businesses to reach targeted individuals in a focused way since they are already engaged and reading updates. The sponsored posts appear in desktop and mobile versions of LinkedIn. The reason they are highly targeted is because they are based on content, so they blend into the LinkedIn stream. Matt Tindale, director, marketing solutions in Australia and New Zealand for LinkedIn explains, “Our goal is to develop a definitive professional publishing platform and create opportunities for marketers to drive business results by sharing relevant content with our members.” To give you a better idea of …

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• Saturday, July 20th, 2013

  Buzz Words for Business Success by the Numbers

  It is no secret that using the right words at the right time can convince others to give you what you want. We found some interesting studies that show which words you should use to achieve specific results in business.   5 Words to Use in Every Business Meeting New research has found that employees who used the words “yeah,” “give,” “start,” “meeting” and “discuss” ended up with more accepted proposals in meetings. This research was conducted by MIT professor and student and put things into prospective by emphasizing how important this study is considering that 11 million meetings take place daily.   7 Words Successful People Use When striving for success, here are 7 words that you should regularly incorporate into your professional vocabulary. …

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• Wednesday, July 3rd, 2013

  How to Make Guests Feel Comfortable at Networking Mixers

  Networking events are a great way to make connections and meet new colleagues or potential clients. Connecting with other businesses at local networking events can help you get that much needed exposure for your business, however walking into a room full of strangers is often daunting for most people. If you host events that include networking, in order to successfully help your attendees achieve their networking goals, there are different networking activities that you can do to help facilitate those connections. Here are some ideas: Speed Networking: Similar to the concept of speed dating, this activity insures that everyone gets to meet everyone else at the event, just for a couple minutes. This quick meeting is long enough just for introductions and a business card …

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• Saturday, June 29th, 2013

  Thinking out of the Box Can Get Much Needed Attention for Your Ad Campaigns

  In many cases being a little strange or having a tendency to go off the beaten path can get people into trouble in the work place. However, in the case of marketing and advertising, creativity can be rewarded. Ads should stick out and be memorable, finding a balance between cutting edge and over the top. In many cases, ad campaigns do not even have to focus on pushing what the company sells. Some branding and building awareness is always a good thing, especially when the campaign drives attention. Take, for example this outdoor billboard campaign for an Irish Restaurant in America called Garcia’s. Their campaign received national attention and drove business to the restaurant. Notice how the advertisement didn’t have to mention anything about the …

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• Friday, May 10th, 2013

  Surge in Mobile Searches Increases Need for Responsive Website Design

  Mobile search is increasing exponentially. With tablets and smartphones becoming more popular by the day, it means that more searches are conducted on these mobile devices, and that is where the responsive design comes in. Responsive design is the style of design that ensures that your website will show up on any size phone or tablet. The days of websites being accessed only on a desk top computer or laptop are gone. New studies predict that tablets will outsell desktops  this year. In the e-commerce space, “mobile commerce is a super big deal,” asserted First Round Capital Partner Chris Fralic. In the fourth quarter of 2012, he said, 13% of all e-commerce was mobile commerce. A Google study  on mobile search reveals how the mobile …

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• Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

  Retailers Focusing on a Complete Customer Experience in Store to “Win Back” Online Shoppers

  

  Retail businesses in Australia have been struggling as of late. Between the high Aussie dollar and growth in the internet shopping sector, the Australian retail market has seen a substantial decline in recent years. In an attempt to recover online shoppers, retailers have been focusing on improving the entire shopping experience for customers in every aspect from the shopping selection to the look, feel and design of the retail floor. Then they take it a step further, stretching the boundaries of traditional retail to include children’s play spaces and upscale eateries. A recent Marketing.com.au  article focused on retailer Brandsmart, as the latest retailer to make these types of changes in an effort to bring back retail sales in the centre it is located in with …

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• Saturday, April 27th, 2013

  Ways to Enhance Your Email Signature to Grab Attention

  How do you make your emails stand out? When you use these applications to add flair to your email, it changes the impression and makes it much more likely that the recipient will pay attention and click on those links and social features you have in your closing. Here are some apps to help you achieve success with your email connections and increase branding. SigBuzz SigBuzz allows you to integrate social posts, blog posts and widgets into your email. WiseStamp Also allow you to include various social posts in your email signature such as Twitter, Pinterest, or a QR Code. ANTVibes This is a unique email signature that lets you truly personalise your message with an audio recording. Hancock.it Is unique from the other applications …

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