Mobile Marketing

Is It A Good Idea To Try To Be Your Own Marketing Expert?

April 26, 2013 by Profits Marketing Group • digital marketing, featured, lead generation, local business marketing, marketing, marketing strategy, Mobile Marketing, restaurant marketing, san diego business, san diego marketing • Tags: digital marketing, local business marketing, marketing strategy, restaurant marketing, san diego marketing, Video Marketing • 0 Comment

Most business owners, even smaller, local businesses, realize the crucial need for online or digital marketing as a key part of their strategy. The problem often lies in how much of their marketing budget they have to allocate to this ever-growing component. Some local business owners mistakenly think either that: A) they can’t afford it in their budget, or B) it isn’t that important yet. We will wait until later. In this post, I am going to address the first group because, honestly, the 2nd group may not learn until it is too late and their competitors have driven them out of business.

A very important digital marketing reality is that it doesn’t have to be incredibly expensive to grow your business online. Another is that just because a business owner may have a Facebook page or Twitter account of their own, doesn’t make them very good at marketing. In fact, some businesses seem to think that simply creating a Facebook page or YouTube channel will automatically drive hundreds of new fans to their business. You must entice them to visit your website, social media channel, etc. and then, more importantly you must engage them to keep them coming back and, ultimately buying something. Remember that a standard marketing adage is that people buy from someone that they “know, like, and trust”. Unless you do a good job at building that relationship (whether digitally or in person), the most beautiful website or social media channel will be simply window dressing.

So, back to the original question. Do you think it is a good idea to be your own marketing expert? Given the risks associated with doing it wrong, it would seem that this question answers itself. As for the expense, one consideration to evaluate is how much are you budgeting for your current marketing (direct mail, fliers, ads, etc.) and just how much bang are you getting for that buck? Often, businesses naive to digital marketing will perceive a campaign such as this to be an additional expense. It doesn’t have to be. How about re-allocating some of your current budget toward the digital side? The beauty of digital marketing is that it is quite easy to measure and track your return on investment or ROI, which is the key to knowing if your marketing is working. Not only are you driving more visits and “clicks” to you website or Facebook page but are you driving more customers to your business?

Our suggestions would be to shop around and find a reputable marketing firm who not only specializes in digital campaigns but also is small enough to specialize in local businesses or at least in your particular business niche. You don’t want to get lost by becoming a tiny fish in their enormous ocean. Second, remember that it doesn’t have to break the marketing bank to produce results. Give it a try before your competitors make you wish that you had.

Video Marketing: Connect with your market and grow your business

March 14, 2013 by Profits Marketing Group • lead generation, local business marketing, marketing, Mobile Marketing, restaurant marketing, san diego marketing, Video Marketing • Tags: digital marketing, local business marketing, marketing strategy, san diego business, Video Marketing • 0 Comment

* For more coaching on how video marketing can grow your business, we will be presenting at the April SCORE Networking event in San Diego, CA.

As a digital marketer, I understand the apprehension that business owners have when considering video marketing. It requires that you get in front of a camera, try to be interesting or at least informative while not stammering and looking like a complete idiot. What interests me though, is the complete misunderstanding of what video marketing is and is not.

Rule #1: Video marketing is not a Hollywood production. What I mean by that is that is that you don’t have to use actors and amazing video equipment and lighting. In fact, your audience wants to see the real you. Someone they can understand and relate to who is genuine. As for the equipment, high-quality HD video cams have become both significantly smaller and less expensive than ever. You can start a fairly professional quality video studio for as little as $300 which includes a great camera, a high quality lapel microphone, and even some nice lighting thrown in.

Rule #2: You don’t need to hire a professional speaker or actor. Remember that in your business niche, you are an expert at something, right? So, without the use of cue cards or a teleprompter, you can probably speak pretty well on that topic. Keep in mind that the audience wants you to appear “human” to them, so a little pause or “um” here or there is not only normal, it is better. Now, I am not suggesting that you shouldn’t practice the topic a little first so that you feel comfortable with what you will say, but PLEASE do not read your talking points on video. Remember that as the expert, you likely know a lot more about your topic than your audience does. That’s why they sought you out in the first place.

Rule #3: Have fun with it! Again, it not only makes you appear more approachable and real but also makes the video more likely to be enjoyed and shared by your audience. Some marketers or companies will even go so far as to produce “blooper” videos which are compilations of mistakes and “screw-ups” on video.

Think of your video content as the next best thing to sitting across the table from your potential client or customer. The power of video is its visual nature which allows a stronger connection that a Tweet, Facebook post, or blog article. By seeing you and hearing your description of your topic, they build a relationship of sorts with you. It is well-proven that people are more likely to do business with someone they have a relationship with.

Have Mobile Apps Hit Critical Mass?

March 4, 2013 by Profits Marketing Group • marketing, mobile devices, Mobile Marketing • Tags: digital marketing, mobile devices, mobile marketing • 0 Comment

O.k., we know that everyone on the planet seemingly has a smart phone and is literally tethered to it day and night. Regrettably, this is not always business-related but is often just our cultural obsession to always be connected and never “miss out” on news, events, random text messages, etc.

Although I could easily spend the remainder of this article debating the merits of that mobile-dependency we suffer from, my question is just how many apps do we need on our phones? Aside from the “necessary” apps such as Facebook, email, text messaging, and possibly our GPS navigation, most of us (and yes, I am guilty also) of having dozens or more simply time-wasting apps that we rarely use and really aren’t that useful to begin with. Really, do we need movie rental apps, calorie counting apps, and digital thermometers on our iPhones or Androids?

One could argue that too many apps render our smart phones not that smart anymore. Not only do our overly-bloated phones become increasingly slow to load and respond because they are running too many apps in the background, but it basically forces the issue of upgrading your device as soon as that pesky contract is up (even earlier for the impatient one willing to pay big money to exit their contract). Our smart phones are becoming much like our computers were 5-10 years ago where after a year or two, they became sooooo slow due both to the slower processors but equally all of the “junk” that we downloaded and installed. But let’s say that you are one of the lucky ones that always has the latest and greatest (and fastest) device out there regardless of the cost. With so many apps installed on our devices, we still take incredible amounts of time just to find the app that we want. I mean, come on!

As a digital marketer with a 2.5 year old dinosaur of an Android phone, I ask when does it all stop? I have made a commitment to stop downloading any new apps (no matter how amazingly cool they look) at least until I get another phone. I guess sharing the latest video of a dog playing basketball or my cookbook recipe for Baklava will have to wait for awhile. I need to get some work done.

Are You Still Using Print Ads and Direct Mail?

February 18, 2013 by Profits Marketing Group • email marketing, lead capture, lead generation, local business marketing, Mobile Marketing • Tags: digital marketing, lead capture, lead generation, local business marketing, marketing strategy, mobile marketing • 0 Comment

Business owners, are you still using print ads and direct mail to reach your potential clients? As for marketers, are your clients still using this method? Sometimes the tried-and-true methods are also those that are terribly outdated. What’s next, will you call clients on your rotary phone or send them a telegram? Admittedly, technology is not always the answer to business problems but relying on print media is very inefficient and time consuming. Do you know that industry statistics bear out that the average print ad has a “life” of between 3-8 seconds before it is discarded? Think about it from a consumer point of view. How many pieces of direct mail do you get every day that you glance at and then relegate it to your trash can or recycling bin at home? Why is that?

For many of us, the fact is that print ads and direct mail are something that we grew up with and are very familiar with. Concepts like digital marketing, mobile, text and SMS campaigns, etc. may seem to foreign and even intimidating to learn and implement. Ready for some reality statistics? The average text message has an open rate of 93% in the first 5 minutes of being received and the average person is within 2-3 feet of their cell phones at all times (come on, you know where yours is right now).

So, does that mean that we have to start over with this new marketing concept? Not necessarily. There are programs that can essentially re-create your old print ad or direct mail piece into an interactive text or mobile ad that will not only engage a greater percentage of your potential clients or customers but also create a lead capture mechanism. What this means is that you will be able to collect all of the names, email addresses, and other critical information and build a list of clients that you can market to in the future. What makes this possible and also significantly reduces “spam” is the fact that these prospects must first “opt-in” or agree to receive your text messages, ads, etc. Not only does this collect their information but also saves you the time of mailing things out to hundreds or even thousands of people who don’t want your stuff in the first place. You win and the client wins. Also, the message can contain cool features like mobile coupons that can be downloaded (no more scissors needed), a direct link to your website, and even a GPS map so that they can find you easily.

Just in case you think that mobile is a passing fad, in 2012 more than 65% of cell phone users said they used their phone or tablet to find a business or make a purchase. Even more impressive is that startling statistic that 90% of mobile searches for a business resulted in an action, such as making a purchase! Isn’t that what business owners want? Not browsers or shoppers but BUYERS!

If you aren’t mobile yet, it is time to start the transition. It’s not too late but if you don’t act soon, your competitors will. Happy texting.

Your Online Marketing Presence: Are You Doing Enough?

January 16, 2013 by Profits Marketing Group • lead generation, local business, local business marketing, marketing, Mobile Marketing, reputation management, restaurant marketing, san diego business, san diego dental marketing, san diego medical marketing • Tags: digital marketing, local business marketing, marketing strategy, mobile marketing, restaurant marketing, san diego dental marketing, san diego marketing, san diego medical marketing • 0 Comment

It is safe to assume by now that most successful business owners recognize that digital marketing and having a strong online presence is critical and will continue to grow. Print ads, networking meetings, etc. are all important but most of your potential customers or clients are looking for you online, not in phone books or their mailboxes anymore. Some business owners mistakenly think this marketing approach applies only to national or international companies but, in fact upwards of 70% of local searches now take place online and on mobile devices (smart phones, tablets, etc.).

So, what does this mean for the local dentist, realtor, or restaurant owner? It means that you must have more than just a traditional website to attract business. A traditional static website not only is not eye-catching at all but will not display on a mobile device very well. To be competitive, current websites need to be mobile-friendly with large buttons that are easy to spot and click on, along with having minimal extraneous content. In other words, get to the point. There should be a main or home page, an “About Us” page, and possibly one additional page and that’s it. There should also be a “click to call” or “email us” link that can easily be managed on a smart phone or tablet since when potential customers are on the go, they do not want to write your phone number down so they can call it later. They will move on to the next site; your competitor’s site.

Beyond that, having a Google+ Local page claimed for your business is a good start but that is not enough. I encounter local businesses who created a G+ Local account and stopped there. Where are the reviews? Where are the comments? What will entice a consumer to want to go to your website? Meanwhile, your successful competitors have dozens (if not more) positive reviews along with pictures and live links to their website, social media channels, GPS maps, etc. Which one do you think the average searching consumer is likely to choose?

Once this “ground work” has been established, the real work begins. Simply putting it in place and assuming that all of this will run on auto-pilot is also a huge mistake. The only thing on par with a business with no reviews on their Google +, Yelp, or other local directory sites is a business with poor reviews that haven’t been addressed or corrected.

Remember that as a business owner, your expertise is running your business. There are many companies skilled in handling digital marketing who can assist you with these other tasks so that you can focus on what you do best.

What Does Your Ideal Marketing Client Look Like?

December 11, 2012 by Profits Marketing Group • lead generation, local business marketing, marketing, Mobile Marketing, restaurant marketing, san diego business, san diego marketing, san diego medical marketing • Tags: digital marketing, local business, local business marketing, marketing, restaurant marketing, san diego business, san diego marketing, san diego medical marketing • 0 Comment

For business owners in a traditional brick-and-mortar type business which either sells products or provides services, generally one cannot pick and choose their customers or clients. You take them as they come and accept that it is simply part of doing business. For those of us in the marketing or other similar industries, we often can select which clients we would like to work with. Now, this is not to say that we aren’t happy to get any clients, because in this economy we are perhaps less selective. Given the choice, however, there are clearly some clients who would be more preferable than others. So, we need to ask ourselves “what does our ideal client look like?”

Some who are newer to this business and are still eagerly growing their companies may answer “well, the clients who are willing to spend the most money”. Although it is tempting to examine this purely from a bottom-line standpoint, I would assert that some of the bigger budget companies are often the most difficult to manage and stay on top of. Instead, I would prefer to work with those potential clients who, whether large or small budget companies, see the value in what the services that you offer. For instance, the last potential client that you should pursue are what I call the “bargain shoppers” and, trust me when I tell you that even the bigger budgets out there sometimes have the decision makers asking “what can we do for $X per month?” or “is that the best price package you offer?” When you encounter a prospective client such as this (and sooner or later, you will), you should politely run for the hills. Clients like these who want bargain-basement prices rarely see the value in what you provide and, if hired, will generally micro-manage every step of the marketing process despite knowing very little about it.

Of course, business owners want and are entitled to accountability for how their marketing budgets are being implemented. The best way to provide this is by providing full transparency via analytics, tracking reports, call/email/text logs, etc. If you are doing your job well as a digital marketer, it is fairly easy to show progress and return on investment (business owners love ROI) by tracking these statistics and knowing a little bit about your client’s business. For example, a dentist who is netting 10 new patients per month at an approximate value of $200-500 (arbitrary value, you can find the actual value), has a net revenue gain of $2000-5000 per month. If this has happened since your company came on the scene and your fees are less than that arbitrary $2000-5000 per month, chances are the client will see the value. Not to mention that your expertise is taking care of it for the client in a much more efficient and time-saving manner. Most business owners who see the value have no desire to try to learn digital marketing themselves and try to build and maintain their company websites, social media channels, mobile marketing, and all of the other things that come with that.

Your bottom line should be to seek out those clients who value what you provide and are in a niche or area that you enjoy working with. Avoid appearing desperate by taking on the bargain-shopper clients as it will make you miserable and you will build a reputation as an undervalued marketing firm.

Having a Speciality Niche in Business Marketing- Is It Necessary and How Do You Choose One?

November 9, 2012 by Profits Marketing Group • lead generation, local business, local business marketing, Mobile Marketing, restaurant marketing, san diego business, san diego marketing • Tags: digital marketing, local business marketing, mobile marketing, restaurant marketing, san diego business, san diego dental marketing, san diego marketing • 0 Comment

For those of us in the digital marketing business, one dilemma that we wrestle with is identifying our target audience. In other words, who exactly are we trying to attract? Often, new marketing companies or those who are still in developmental stages will decide that they intend to be marketing generalists. Theoretically by doing this, they don’t eliminate any potential clients and thereby have a larger “pool” to draw from increasing their odds of getting clients. As most marketers fine-tune their skills and approach, we realize that the theory sounds nice but doesn’t really apply.

Generalists in any profession are rarely experts at any particular area or skill set, rather they are pretty good at just about every thing. Now, ask yourself this question. When was the last time that you or someone that you love had a significant specific health issue? When faced with that scenario, did you say to yourself “I should find a doctor who is a family practitioner and can handle anything” or instead did you say “I need to find the best specialist I can for this_____ condition to treat my loved one”. Now, this may be an extreme example but my guess is that nearly all of us would choose the latter. If we use an example that is less life-threatening, how about the last time that you went to buy a new TV. Did you go to a generic, big box store (e.g. Costco, Walmart, etc.) and hope to ask questions of the staff about features and components of the TV before you purchased? Conversely, did you go to an electronics store that specializes in this area to do your research? In some cases, the big box stores win out (mainly in terms of price), but most who aren’t sure exactly what to buy would rather talk to someone who knows a lot about the products.

So, back to our marketing question. If a potential restaurant client is contacted by the following two marketing companies: 1) Company A that simply does general marketing and PR for various clients (doctors, real estate agents, hair salons, etc.); and 2) Company B who specializes in marketing for restaurants; who are they likely to hire? Now, I am not saying that marketing companies can’t or shouldn’t have a diverse portfolio of clients. In fact, that often shows being well established and even well-rounded by understanding the entire marketing genre. What I am suggesting, however, is that a potential client wants someone who knows their niche or field like the back of their hand and has ample experience marketing that niche.

The logical next question then is “how do I know which niche to choose for my company?” You need to ask yourself a few questions and do a little homework. First, do you plan to market to local, smaller businesses primarily or are you aiming for bigger, national companies? Second, is there an over-abundance of companies in Niche A in your area or are you the Lone Ranger? Finally, what niche do you already have a strong background in or passion for? This last question is critical as the potential clients can sniff out whether or not you are excited and passionate about marketing their company. This last piece will often give an upper hand to a smaller local marketing company over a much larger, more experienced “chain” company. Clients want to feel as though they are a priority to you and not simply another client they can add to their portfolio and another check they can deposit.

Your Reputation: What Is the Big Deal About Reviews?

November 2, 2012 by Profits Marketing Group • featured, local business marketing, Mobile Marketing, reputation management, san diego business, san diego marketing • Tags: digital marketing, local business marketing, reputation management, san diego marketing • 0 Comment

Do reviews really matter that much to your business? Most of us are familiar with reviews for movies or restaurants but those are usually written or posted by professional reviewers or critics. Did you know that virtually all businesses who have an online presence rely on reviews too? These aren’t written by paid professionals but rather by customers, clients, and/or patients; some happy and some not-so-much.

In a previous blog post, I talked about the significance of customer reviews to restaurant owners or managers but these reviews are equally important for dentists, health clubs, home remodelers, attorneys, etc. When a potential customer searches for your business niche in your local area, first they see a list of websites (hopefully yours is among them) and tons of review or directory sites. These sites contain customer reviews, comments, tips, etc. and major search engines like Google adore them! Links to these sites will commonly appear very high on page 1 or 2 which is really where most potential customers will end their searching.

Two obvious questions arise: 1) Is your business there? Remember, they can’t find you on review sites if you aren’t listed; and 2) What are they (reviews) saying about your business? Getting listed on these major directory sites such as Yelp, Kudzu, Merchant Circle, City Search, etc. is a great start but if your reviews are not very good, the searcher will likely keep looking. Often times, the only thing worse for a business than having bad reviews is having no reviews. I speak with clients and business owners all the time who say “Oh yeah, we’re on Yelp, Google + Local, etc.” but when I look them up, I see a ghost town with very little information about the business and no reviews at all. Is it likely that page will help their ranking for page 1 of Google? Not much.

So, what is a business owner to do? First, make sure reputation management is a significant part of your digital marketing strategy. Second, seek reviews from your happy, satisfied customers. The most common way of achieving this is by simply asking. A dentist office or any other business can give a form to the customer on completion of their visit simply asking them to leave a review on the following website (s) and they provide their link. No, not all customers will take the time but many will, especially if they are happy with the service.

Give it a try and again, remember that if you get in over your head, always consult with a company who specializes in this area of marketing. A little effort can pay off huge dividends for your business.

Mobile Marketing Strategies Are Critical for Local Business Now

October 26, 2012 by Profits Marketing Group • email marketing, featured, Follow-up, lead capture, lead generation, List building, local business, local business marketing, Mobile Marketing, reputation management, restaurant marketing, san diego business, san diego marketing • Tags: digital marketing, lead capture, lead generation, local business marketing, mobile marketing, restaurant marketing, san diego business, san diego marketing • 0 Comment

Most of you have read the statistics. 65% of smartphone users have made a mobile purchase this year. The mobile retail industry will exceed 12 billion dollars by 2014 (a little more than a year away). You can’t go anywhere without seeing everyone on their iPhone, Android, or tablet and trust me, they aren’t all texting. Shoppers or potential shoppers are researching your business not only before they arrive (whether they choose your business or another), but also even while in the store. Price comparison is easily done on-the-go with a mobile device so business owners need to be competitive.

So, what is a business owner or manager to do? Ignore this trend as a fad that will soon die off? Not a good strategy as the projections are astronomical. If you do not have a strong mobile presence and are actively engaging your customers, you have competitors who will be glad to do so. This phenomenon isn’t unique to particular industries such as electronics or clothing stores but it is in all business niches. Customers can search for your business, compare it to others, make a purchase, and even review your business all at the same time on their smartphone or tablet.

What kind of strategy should a business owner strive for in this mobile economy? Most importantly, your website should be at least mobile-friendly, if not a dedicated mobile site. Again, stats show that mobile searches are rapidly approaching those done on desktop and laptop computers. If your site doesn’t display on a smartphone or is difficult to view and navigate, shoppers will look elsewhere.

Secondly, a strong presence on directory and review sites, such as Yelp, Merchant Circle, City Search, etc. is a must. Your customers search for and review your business on these sites and they can’t find you if you aren’t there. Additionally, Google and other major search engines like content from directory sites and will list a business higher who shows up regularly via reviews and engagement.

Finally, your business needs to be capturing leads and marketing to that list of leads. For example, if your restaurant has a “VIP Club” and offers discount coupons to diners who opt-in (they register their name and contact info), they benefit by getting discounts and other valuable info but you benefit as well by being able to market new items or programs to them in the future. Remember, it isn’t spam if they gave you permission by registering first.

It may sound like a lot of stuff for a local business or restaurant owner to manage but there are many companies who specialize in mobile and directory site optimization. Give it a try yourself and if you hit a snag, contact a pro.

Online Marketing: How and Why You Need To Engage Your Customers Online

October 20, 2012 by Profits Marketing Group • Follow-up, List building, local business, local business marketing, Mobile Marketing, reputation management, san diego dental marketing, san diego marketing, san diego medical marketing, Video Marketing • Tags: digital marketing, lead generation, local business, marketing, mobile marketing, reputation management, san diego business, san diego dental marketing, san diego marketing, san diego medical marketing, Video Marketing • 0 Comment

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