Depending on the nature of your business, your customers may spend a lot of time on the phone talking to sales reps, customer service, customer support, etc. If you're looking for a great way to add a personal touch to these interactions, consider posting photos of your sales or support staff on your website, business cards, and other marketing materials.
Employee photos are a compelling way to capture your visitors' attention on your website. More importantly, though, conversion rates increase when people can connect emotionally. Photos are a great way to foster this kind of connection between your customers and staff.
Because people buy from people, they are often curious about who they are speaking with. Photos increase interest in day-to-day interactions and help customers and prospects recognize and remember the members of your team, making them more likely to approach your staff at trade shows or other social events.
In addition to posting individual photos, group photos and candid shots of employees at work are great ways to show off your facility, the various skills you can offer in-house, and the potential bulk of your workforce.
In marketing, perception is reality. In the mid-1970s, health concerns arose over the use of the dye amaranth, commonly known as FD&C Red #2. Studies linked the popular food coloring with cancer. Mars Inc., makers of M&M's, decided in 1976 to replace red M&M candies with orange ones. Did the candymaker eliminate red M&M's because they contained the dye in question? No. In fact, the candies contained a different (and safe) red dye. Instead, the company decided to remove the red candies to allay the fears of consumers who worried about anything with red dye in it.
Mars understood the power of perception. Although its product was perfectly safe, the company knew that consumers were concerned. Sure, it could have stuck with the red candies and focused its marketing on explaining that the red dye it used was safe. After all, that was the truth, and many people would surely have believed it. But Mars knew that not everyone would feel comfortable with that explanation. The brand might have been hurt by this negative perception. So, even though the truth was on its side, Mars decided to make a fairly significant change. In the process, it generated a lot of goodwill and got the added bonus (and buzz) of introducing a new color to the M&M's fold. How do people perceive your products, services, and brand? Are there any misconceptions that could be adversely affecting you? If so, what changes can you make to alleviate those concerns and improve your image? And what extra value can you get from making those changes? There's one final chapter to the red M&M's story worth noting. Eleven years after pulling red M&M's off the market, Mars reintroduced the color in 1987. It proved a popular addition at the time and remains so today.
Joe Gass @ Printing & Graphics _ 5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Suite G, Charlotte, NC 28269 * 704-551-0700 _ www.heritageprinting.com _ 22725 Washington St., Leonardtown, MD 20650 * 301-475-1700 _ Wide Format signs, banners & banner stands, displays, posters, wall and window graphics, vehicle and floor graphics, decals, backlit signs, point of purchase, end caps and toppers, on-site installation and fulfillment Offset and Digital newsletters, magazines, publications, catalogs, conference and meeting materials, brochures, rack cards, presentation folders and direct mail Veteran Owned and Operated
As business owners, we're all looking for new and innovative ways to connect with customers. NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" managed to do just that with a well-placed QR code held up during last Friday's broadcast. On the show, host Jimmy Fallon, guest Stephen Colbert, former "American Idol" Taylor Hicks, and a bevy of others (including house band, The Roots) sang an over-the-top rendition of "Friday," a song which came to fame recently in a viral video by Rebecca Black. Near the end of the performance, a staffer held up a card containing a QR code.
QR (quick response) codes are special barcodes you can print anywhere that "translate" from a simple block pattern to a predetermined website address when photographed (or scanned) and "read" by QR-code-enabled devices, such as many smartphones. They're kind of like a graphic version of a bit.ly or tinyurl.com link. Anyway, observant viewers, who photographed the QR code on their smartphones, were treated to a video in which Fallon thanked fans for helping raise money for the charity DonorsChoice.org. But it didn't end there. At the beginning of this "hidden" video, Fallon held up a QR code, which he led fans to believe was the same QR code his staffer had held up during the show. However, it wasn't the same code, and those who photographed that second QR code were treated to another video, in which Fallon provided a quick "tour" of the contents of his desk. A third QR code (held up by Fallon in the second bonus video) led to a final video, again featuring Fallon at his desk. In this video, Fallon offered a sneak preview of some upcoming features on the show and thanked viewers for their loyalty. So, could you or I recreate this kind of elaborate media campaign for our own brands or companies? Probably not to the same extent Fallon was able to. After all, we don't have the funding of a major media company (NBC) at our disposal. But that doesn't mean we can't find equally innovative ways to use technology to our own advantage. All of the basic tools Fallon used -- QR codes, video, and social media -- are available to us, as well. We just need to find ways to use those tools to reach our own "audience" and grow our brands.
Joe Gass @ Printing & Graphics _ 5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Suite G, Charlotte, NC 28269 * 704-551-0700 _ www.heritageprinting.com _ 22725 Washington St., Leonardtown, MD 20650 * 301-475-1700 _ Wide Format signs, banners & banner stands, displays, posters, wall and window graphics, vehicle and floor graphics, decals, backlit signs, point of purchase, end caps and toppers, on-site installation and fulfillment Offset and Digital newsletters, magazines, publications, catalogs, conference and meeting materials, brochures, rack cards, presentation folders and direct mail Veteran Owned and Operated
Being first to market is no guarantee you'll succeed. The business annals are littered with tales of cutting-edge companies that eventually lost out to newcomers who built a better mousetrap that redefined the game.
Google is a great case in point. By 1998, when Google burst on the scene, search engines and directories such as Yahoo!, AltaVista, Excite, Lycos, and AskJeeves were already firmly entrenched. Many people wondered why a new search engine was even necessary.
Then they tried Google. Using a proprietary algorithm to generate its search results, Google quickly gained a foothold and the loyalty of users frustrated by the other brands. Word spread, Google's popularity grew, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, Google powers more than two-thirds of all U.S. searches, according to the latest data from Experian Hitwise (February 2011). Yahoo! Search accounts for just a 15% market share, and many of the other search providers in existence when Google began have gone the way of the dinosaur.
Sure, many factors went into the success of Google as a brand, and Internet search is now just a part of what the company does.
But, generally speaking, what are some basic lessons we can all learn from Google and other Johnny-come-latelies who now dominate their fields (Facebook vs. MySpace, anyone)? Lots of things, really, but three really stick out in my mind....
1. Don't underestimate the competition.
2. Don't rest on your laurels.
3. Don't ignore the ever-evolving needs of your customers.
That's pretty sage advice for any company, no matter how big or small you might be.
22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, Maryland  20650 *     301-475-1700     * www.heritageprinting.com
Wide Format â?? signs, banners & banner stands, displays, posters, wall and window graphics, vehicle and floor graphics, decals, backlit signs, point of purchase, end caps and toppers, on-site installation and fulfillment
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 Veteran Owned and Operated
Many businesses create a Facebook profile (often referred to as a "fan page") and expect immediate results. While the potential for social media is great, it can't work magic by itself. Here are a few tips on how to optimize your Facebook marketing:
Give out coupons promoting an incentive for becoming a fan, such as an exclusive discount or free product. Continue to provide discounts and special offers available to fans only.
Run a contest to create interest. For example, post an intriguing question relevant to your business, and the first 10 people to respond receive a free gift card or desirable product.
Take photos during any live events you sponsor, load them to your Facebook page and encourage fans to tag themselves, which pushes out into their wall and friends' news feeds.
Offer a discussion-oriented approach where fans can ask questions and get answers from employees and other fans.
Manage your online reputation by professionally acknowledging and answering all comment posts â?? good or bad.
Secure a unique username (or vanity URL) that is short and memorable by using your brand name, company name, etc.
Promote your Facebook presence on your e-mail signature, business cards, brochures, letterhead, newsletters, postcards, at the bottom of receipts, etc.
Create Friend Lists to filter news feed stories and control who sees what information you publish. This may be useful to spread information to separate groups, including customers, prospects, colleagues, employees, competition, etc.
Embed Facebook social plug-ins on your website and blog with a title encouraging visitors to click the "like" button and become a Facebook fan.
Use Facebook Events to promote upcoming events and activities quickly without being intrusive.
Keep your site up to date by posting interesting industry news and announcements, questions, surveys, relevant informational links, etc. Just be careful not to post too frequently.
If you're looking for other ways to creatively promote your business, stop by anytime. Our creative experts are eager to help your business succeed!
Joe Gass @ Heritage Print & Visual
5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Ste G, Charlotte, NC 28269 * 704-551-0700 * www.hpvisual.com
 22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650 * 301-475-1700 * www.heritageprinting.comWide Format â?? signs, banners & banner stands, displays, posters, wall and window graphics, vehicle and floor graphics, decals, backlit signs, point of purchase, end caps and toppers, on-site installation and fulfillment
Offset and Digital â?? newsletters, magazines, publications, catalogs, conference and meeting materials, brochures, rack cards, presentation folders and direct mail
 Veteran Owned and Operated
Gotta question? Or maybe an answer? It seems more and more social media sites are listening. LinkedIn has long had a LinkedIn Answers feature, where people can ask business-related questions and get answers from experts in the community. Facebook added Facebook Questions late last year, and Quora, a relatively new kid on the block, is based entirely on questions and answers from members of its growing community.
Question and answer features provide an excellent opportunity for finding information and for setting yourself apart as an expert in your field. On Quora, for example, members can view questions based on topic, follow specific topics that interest them to see what others are asking, follow specific questions to see new answers as they appear, and rate answers, so the best answers work their way to the top of the heap. The Quora website is built on a structure similar to Wikipedia and uses moderators to ensure content is appropriate.
Starting out on any new social site can be a bit daunting. Before asking a new question on Quora, Facebook Questions, or a similar website, look for similar questions that have already been posted. With thousands of questions in place on virtually every topic under the sun, don't be surprised if your question has already been asked and answered. As you become more familiar with the site, start answering questions that fit your area of expertise. Engage with other users who share your interests, and stay involved.
For more information about Quora, visit http://www.quora.com. To learn more about Facebook Questions, visit http://www.facebook.com/questions/. And to join the conversation at LinkedIn, go to http://www.LinkedIn.com/answers/.
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Joe Gass @ Heritage Print & Visual
5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Ste G, Charlotte, NC 28269 * 704-551-0700 * www.hpvisual.com
 22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650 * 301-475-1700 * www.heritageprinting.comWide Format â?? signs, banners & banner stands, displays, posters, wall and window graphics, vehicle and floor graphics, decals, backlit signs, point of purchase, end caps and toppers, on-site installation and fulfillment
Offset and Digital â?? newsletters, magazines, publications, catalogs, conference and meeting materials, brochures, rack cards, presentation folders and direct mail
 Veteran Owned and Operated
Social media marketing is becoming an important cog in the wheel of many companies' overall marketing plans. According to HubSpot.com, U.S. advertisers spent $1.7 billion (that's billion with a "b") in 2010 on social media marketing. Of that, 53% was spent advertising on Facebook. Globally, companies spent $3.4 billion on social media marketing in 2010.
Pepsi -- a staple of Super Bowl ads for decades -- has announced that it will not run any ads in this year's game. Instead, the company will invest more heavily in social media campaigns.
So what are the most popular social media channels for large companies? HubSpot reports that 65% of Fortune Global 100 companies maintain a corporate Twitter account, 54% host a Facebook page, 50% have a company YouTube channel, and 33% run a company blog.
Having a Facebook page, Twitter account, or blog is one thing. Keeping it active is something else entirely. Of the companies cited earlier who use Twitter, 82% post multiple tweets per week. Among corporate YouTube users, 68% upload at least one new video per month. On Facebook, 59% post at least once per week. And 36% of corporations with blogs update those blogs at least once every month.
While HubSpot focused its research on larger corporations, social media marketing is ideally suited for small businesses, too. The cost of getting started is minimal, and commitment can grow and scale over time.
If you aren't using social media marketing, I recommend you start. If you can't commit too much time, that's ok. Start small, and build your efforts as time allows. Begin with a Facebook page for your company, a blog (like this one), or a Twitter account. Make a plan for adding new content regularly. And engage with customers who engage with you online.
Once you're started, include the address for each of your social media channels on your website. Add your Twitter name to your business cards. And begin to engage with your customers and prospective customers through social media. You'll be glad you did.
If you'd like to see more from the HubSpot study referenced in this post, visit:
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/8594/Social-Media-Marketing-By-The-Numbers-Infographic.aspx
Joe Gass @ Heritage Print & Visual
5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Ste G, Charlotte, NC 28269 * 704-551-0700 * www.hpvisual.com
 22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650 * 301-475-1700 * www.heritageprinting.comWide Format â?? signs, banners & banner stands, displays, posters, wall and window graphics, vehicle and floor graphics, decals, backlit signs, point of purchase, end caps and toppers, on-site installation and fulfillment
Offset and Digital â?? newsletters, magazines, publications, catalogs, conference and meeting materials, brochures, rack cards, presentation folders and direct mail
 Veteran Owned and Operated
