by IMC | Jul 1, 2013 | Blog, Digital Communications
Based on what’s going on out there, many companies are deciding to use social media to promote their businesses. They take a giant leap to get a presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other platforms—and then, inexplicably, forget about it. They don’t take the time to add new posts and news to their pages. Many experts say that it’s better to have no social media business page at all if you’re going to end up having one that’s essentially empty.
If you’re going to make the move to social media marketing, before you start:
- Discuss with your team whether or not you’ll have enough content and ideas to update it at least every few days.
- Study some of the business sites out there analogous to yours and see what attracts the most attention (likes, comments, etc.)
- Determine who in your organization can adequately devote several hours a week to the effort, or, in lieu of that, commit to hiring a social media expert or marketing firm to do it for you.
- Don’t let up. Keep it going. It’s still a relatively new marketing method with a lot of unknowns—but what is known is that inactivity leads to disinterest.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to complimentary consultation on your marketing, public relations, partnership, special events, and social media needs kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Apr 17, 2013 | Blog, Branding, Digital Communications, Marketing Mix, Partnership, Tactics
There are trends and there are fads. In your business you have to hedge your bets that your popular product or service will turn out to be a mere fad, like $4.50 gourmet cupcakes, and not a trend like nonfat milk.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that the bubble has burst on cupcakes, with Crumbs Bake Shop stock sinking from $13 per share to about $1.70. Not only is the Crumbs chain but also bakeries across the nation are experiencing significantly depressed demand.
That’s why Image Marketing Consultants warns about the risks involved in niche marketing. Sure, specializing in a one product or service has been profitable and a tactic to establish a strong brand identity. However, given the rapid changes in the marketplace, especially consumer preferences, businesses shouldn’t bet the ranch. They can introduce complimentary products and services, as has PepsiCo. They can also, under another brand, diversify, keeping the brands separate, as has News Corp.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation for your marketing, public relations, partnership, special events, and social media needs kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Mar 27, 2013 | Blog, Digital Communications, Marketing Mix
Newsletters remain a low-cost way to highlight what’s going on in your business or a message that can resonate with almost an infinite number of constituencies, ranging from prospects to the media. Thanks to current technology, you can format it for any way you want to deliver it, including mobile. Here are 4 tips from Image Marketing Consultants.
Choose the right template. The look is everything. Invest the time in reviewing templates, compare what you assess as appropriate to what your competition is doing, then determine how you can differentiate yourself from your competition.
Focus on content. What you present should not be easily available in other contexts. For example, if a new bill is pending in Congress and all your competitors are presenting their analysis of it, you can add value by interviewing a variety of experts, ranging from those in law to those in recruiting. If the value is high enough, the media could be interested. Flag them on your approach and tell them why their own readers would find the content useful.
Create a community. People, even no-nonsense professionals, crave belonging, especially as part of groups important to their work. The group process is a means of exchanging information and insight and networking. Find out through direct contact, surveys, or focus groups what your audience needs to become a community, then provide it. That might be a mechanism, such as on LinkedIn, to facilitate presenting an issue, then opening the conversaton for input.
Be consistent. When launching your newsletter, establish a schedule you can maintain. Your objective is to have your readers look forward to receiving the newsletter. Your credibility will be hurt if you disappoint them.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, is available for complimenatary consultations on marketing, public relations, partnerships, special events, and social media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Mar 23, 2013 | Blog, Branding, Celebrations, Digital Communications, Marketing Mix, Media Relations, Online Video, Partnership, Short Form, Tactics
Even though here along the Northeast Corridor the weather for Easter probably will be chilly, those we at Image Marketing Consultants talk with plan to do something special outdoors. Yes, it has been a harsh fall and winter, Sandy followed by Nemo.
Your customers or, if you are a professional services firm, your clients want a fresh start. This is an opportunity for you to resonate with them emotionally by highlighting messaging, providing promotions, and sponsoring special events that assure them that the world is a good place to be and full of joy and opportunity.
The most simple way to do that, of course, is through your decorations. The impact of that could be profound if you invite the community to participate through volunteer work for fundraising or a contest. For example, a bakery in Central Connecticut can donate its window for those in the neighborhood to showcase their renditions of renewal and those enjoying the display can make contributions to the United Way.
More complex is to design promotions which help clients not only save on their fee with you but also improve their business operations. For example, the graphics firm will not only create a logo with a spring discount but also give a complimentary tutorial on the most effective designs for communicating your unique branding.
This season also aligns with your passing on your own good news. Send out a press release on how much your boutique has grown since the recession ended or the 10 new products you have launched. Create a video of a walk-through of your facility, explaining what the equipment does. Then you can place that in your Media Center on your website, Facebook, and as a link on your blog and Twitter account.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation for your marketing, public relations, partnership, special events, and social media needs kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Mar 14, 2013 | Blog, Digital Communications, Marketing Mix, Media Relations, Partnership
Social media is a powerful commercial tool for marketing, advocacy, fundraising, sponsoring special events, and selling. However, too often it doesn’t generate the expected outcomes.
One major reason is that the content, be it the landing page on the website or the text on a video for YouTube, has no call to action. You present your message but you do not follow that with what the audience should do next. That’s why even the most well-done content in social media isn’t converting to results.
That call of action could be to click or pick up the phone for a complimentary consultation. It could be to place an order for gold-plated earrings for which there is free shipping. It could be to scroll through the contact information to find your government representatives and then create your own email to tell them how you feel about a certain piece of legislation. It could be to donate $10 to the victims of a natural disaster.
When you don’t have a clear call to action, you leave your target markets hanging. They have no direction as to what to do next. And you have wasted this opportunity.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation for your marketing, public relations, partnership, special events, and social media needs kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Mar 10, 2013 | Blog, Branding, Credibility, Digital Communications, Marketing Mix, Media Relations, Mission Statement, Partnership, Tactics
“Passion.” That’s exactly what a growing number of young women and men have for animals.
Therefore, as THE NEW YORK TIMES reports, they work very hard to prepare for veterinary school, which is difficult to get into. Those who are admitted take on six-figure student loan debt. At the end of three years not many are the lucky ones to be hired for the few jobs out there. And, most of those few jobs hardly pay enough to justify the loan debt.
Professional tragedies like that one as well as those happening among the passionate in journalism and law schools have more and more people considering what “passion” means. Could it simply denote love of something and that’s about all? Passion doesn’t necessarily translate into professional career success.
More importantly, what does “passion” indicate about the professional? Would you dare have your wedding dress produced by someone who ad reads “Passionate About Your Special Day” or the one whose ad reads “Produced 200 wedding dresses for Brides Whose Testimonials Are Framed In Our Shop?”
In short, what message are you sending when you use the term “passion?” Not a clear one. Therefore, businesses and nonprofits might rethink leveraging “passion” in marketing communications and public relations. In addition to not really meaning much as a message about your product or service, it is overused.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you for a complimentary consultation on your marketing, public relations, partnership, special events, and social media needs kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
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