A Picture Paints a Thousand Words...

If you’re a business owner or manager, you’ve likely faced the difficult decision of whether to invest in professional business photography. Hey, I get it. Professional photography can be expensive and budgets are limited. So why not just take those photos yourself? After all, everyone loved the photos you took on vacation last year.

Here’s the truth. A picture really does paint a thousand words, and if you’re not investing in professional photography, you could be sending the wrong message about your business. There’s a reason professional photographers get paid to do their job. A great image requires an eye for composition, light design, f-stops, apertures, and a whole lot of other things I don’t understand. Customers may not be able to explain why, but they know a mediocre product photo when they see one. It sends a message that your company isn’t professional, or simply isn’t established enough to afford proper photography. In either case, it doesn’t create an enticing call to action for potential customers or media.

So, put those iPhones, Droids, and Canon PowerShots back in the vacation bag. That professional light box kit you purchased online? Unless it came with an experienced photographer, you may want to rethink that as well. The investment in good photography will pay off in the brand image you gain.

"What's In a Name?"

“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I've never been able to believe it. I don't believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.” I believe Anne Shirley was on to something when she called Shakespeare out in L.M. Montgomery’s book, Anne of Green Gables. The name of your business has the power to make or break you – or at least cost a fortune as you work to educate people on what it means, how to pronounce it, and what exactly your business does! So, today, we’ll cover the basics of how great business names are born.

I’m a creative person, and I came up with some fantastic business names before finally settling on Marketing Flexibility. There were various reasons the others didn’t make the final cut. Here are some serious considerations to make as you decide on a name for your new business.

1.    Is the name flexible enough to evolve as your business grows and changes? Sure, the name needs to clearly articulate what you do, but getting too specific creates a risk of outgrowing the name.

2.    Is the name user and search friendly? Special characters, such as parenthesis, or creative spelling may feel unique and on trend, but trust me, it creates confusion for both your target audience and search engines.

3.    What is the connotation? Testing is critical on this one. Take your potential business name on a test drive with family and friends. Ask what the first thing is that comes to mind when they hear it. The answers will likely surprise you. If you plan to go global, make sure your test group represents other cultures as well.

4.    Can people pronounce it (without explanation)? I once worked with a global brand that hired an expensive agency to select a name. After five years in business, they spent tens of thousands of dollars on a campaign to educate people on how to pronounce it!

5.    Does the name clearly articulate what you do? I know that I’ve already said you shouldn’t get too specific, but the same is true for being too vague. There are businesses I’ve passed daily for 10 years, and I’ve just never figured out what they do.

6.    Is the domain name available? Yes, this is critical. If your business name and domain name are not the same, people will be confused. They’ll search for you online and end up on either a competitive website or one that’s unrelated altogether. Either way, they will be frustrated!

7.    Is the name available on major social media channels? Do a quick search on Facebook and Twitter to make sure someone else hasn’t already adopted the name.

8.    Is the name already taken? Make sure the name is available for use in your state of operations and is not registered as someone else’s trademark.

Naming your business can be an emotional roller coaster. There will be names you love that others shoot down (listen to them!), and names everyone loves that are simply not available. But the hard work and time is worth it when all of the pieces come together and you get it right. Sorry, Shakespeare, a rose by any other name may not smell as sweet!

Twitter and Facebook and Pinterest, Oh My!

The world of social media is vast, and it can be tempting to respond in one of two ways. Some businesses ignore social media completely, retreating into denial of how critical a presence is. Other businesses go all in, opening 20 different social media accounts, only to find they can’t possibly manage them effectively. So, what is a small business to do?

There’s no doubt the number of social media channels is overwhelming, even for large businesses and social media experts. My best advice for small to mid-sized businesses is to do your homework. Figure out where your target audience is hanging out online. Likely, the 90/10 rule applies here, with 90% of your target audience engaged with only one or two social media channels. Once you determine which channels those are, you can focus on getting a really great presence there, with effective and timely engagement. After all, social media is all about building relationships, and relationships take time to nurture.

So how do you figure out where your target audience is spending their time? Here’s a list of ideas to get your gears turning.

1.    Ask them! Most people won’t mind sharing which social media channel is their favorite.

2.    Consider their interests. If you’re a wedding photographer, I would bet your brides are hanging out on Pinterest, pouring over dress and décor photos. If your target is a ‘car guy’, I would bet they’re on You Tube, looking for videos on how to repair cars.

3.    Do a little research. Just search “social media demographics” and the results are staggering. The research has already been done for you. If you’re more of a visual learner (like me), search “social media infographic”.

So, now you’ve pinned your target audience down to one or two social media channels. Now what? Manage those channels well! The only thing worse than having no social media presence is to create more channels than you can effectively manage. Consider how bad it looks when a customer finds your Instagram or LinkedIn account, only to see it has been abandoned for two months. Hmm, maybe this business is out of business?

Do some research on the most effective frequency of updates too. For example, studies have shown that businesses that post Twitter updates between two and five times per day get up to 300% more retweets or shares than those who tweet more or less than that. Optimal time per day for tweets? 4:00 p.m., but don’t forget about time zone differences. On Facebook, five to ten posts per week is shown to be optimal. Post less than that, and you lose the connection with your followers. Post more than that and it begins to feel like spam.

Remember, you only have to be a social media expert on the small number of channels your target audience is using. Of course, Marketing Flexibility is here to help if you find yourself retreating into denial!

Demystifying the Marketing Process

At Marketing Flexibility, we believe there are five building blocks to great marketing. Thousands of books have been written on the subject of marketing, making it all feel a little (or a lot!) confusing. Here is all you need to remember to get started: DRASE. Don’t you love a good acronym? Let’s get a little more specific:

Discover

What is your market opportunity? Simply put, this is a market need or desire which is not currently met. Sometimes your discovery is inside-out, meaning you go looking for it. Other times, your discovery is outside-in, meaning it comes looking for you!

Research

What do you know about your opportunity? What do you need to learn? Your research can be primary, meaning you’re the one asking the questions and getting the info firsthand, or secondary, meaning good information already exists, and you simply need to find and read it!

Analyze

Now that you’ve created or found the information you need, it’s time to analyze. In other words, what the heck does it mean?! You’ll need to think critically about how this new intelligence impacts your opportunity and strategy. Sometimes, sadly, you even need to know when to fold ‘em, in the words of Kenny.

Strategize

Strat-e-gy (noun): a careful plan or method. Clear as mud, right? Basically, your strategy is your market attack plan. Your strategic plan will create a road map which details what and who you are targeting, your goals, and a specific and measurable action plan to get there. Be sure to include your full marketing mix in the strategic plan – details about your Product, Price, Place (channel to market), and Promotion – also called the ‘4 Ps’.

Execute 

Now it’s time to execute your strategy. Remember that even the best laid plans are subject to change. It’s essential to have a solid promotional plan (how you’re going to reach and convince your target market to buy), but markets and life are dynamic. Stay flexible. Oh! And make sure you’re committed to the plan before starting. It’s better to not start something than to start and let it fizzle (we’re talking to you, abandoned Facebook and Twitter pages)!

Now that you’re a marketing guru, go forth and conquer! If you need a little more guidance, the Marketing Flexibility team is here to help!

DRASE Building Blocks

 

Welcome to Fresh Marketing!

Welcome to Fresh Marketing, the place where our Marketing Flexibility gurus share, breakdown, and demystify marketing. Why the name Fresh Marketing? We don’t think marketing needs to be quite so serious, stuffy and overdone! So, we’re taking a fresh approach to breaking it down for you with simple, relevant ideas and insight.

Let’s start with an introduction to our Chief Executive Guru (CEG), Kristina Marsh. After 10 years of leading complex marketing programs for a global corporation, Kris was looking for a more satisfying and inspiring outlet for her marketing passion. She had seen small businesses and organizations struggle to grow because they lacked access to affordable, strategic marketing resource. So, she set out on a mission to bring flexible resource within their reach and Marketing Flexibility, LLC was born. After helping two startup businesses establish their brand identity, and another startup launch successfully into the outdoor sport market, Kris was hooked!

Now, we’re taking our mission to the next level by publishing Fresh Marketing. We’re spreading the word about great marketing with tips, tricks and lessons we’ve learned. Stay tuned, as Marketing Flexibility and friends take you along on their journey.

Enjoy!

Your Marketing Flexibility Team