http://capturehits.com/marketing Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:19:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Harnessing the Social Media Revolution http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/harnessing-social-media-revolution/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/harnessing-social-media-revolution/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:43:00 +0000 Anthony Chiaravallo http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=572 Social media has overturned everything we know about marketing and has ushered in a new media paradigm seemingly overnight. Many businesses have been born or even died because of Facebook, and it is now more important than ever to harness the power of social media to have an effective, relevant and successful overall marketing strategy – both personally and professionally.

With the current generation raised on Facebook as an integral part of life, it is crucial that we as individuals and businesses learn to utilize this new medium to its fullest potential. To do this, we must remember that social media is very different than traditional media in that it is a two-way street. Traditional marketing, like a TV commercial for instance, talks at your potential customers while social media engages them in a real-time discussion. And if your social marketing strategy is not executed properly, it can be very detrimental to your businesses. Social media has now made it essential for businesses to practice a greater degree of integrity and transparency because of the increased level of accountability brought about by sites like Facebook.

Social media for business will not drive leads like an effective website, but it will turn satisfied customers into loyal brand advocates who will in turn promote your business on your behalf. Word of mouth and referrals are still one of the most powerful marketing tools, and social media has amplified this effect exponentially. At the same time, it has also amplified any negative experiences your clients may have and post online to share with their social circle. This is why it is more important than ever to maintain a strong relationship with your customers by understanding their needs, communicating with them often, and providing solutions that offer real value. This is the foundation to success in business and life.

Social entrepreneur and Forbes contributor, Naveen Jain, has said that success is not measured by how much money we have in the bank, but rather how many people’s lives we have impacted through it. If we focus on relationship building and providing our partners with win-win solutions to problems, then sustainable success and financial security will follow. Social media allows us to develop these business relationships beyond what is possible offline and tremendously magnify their influence. Social media knows no boundaries – geographical or otherwise – and affords us the opportunity to communicate with our customers like never before. To stay relevant, your business social media pages should be updated often and share important facts, ideas and expert insights from your industry that offer unique value to your target audience.

On an individual level, we must also learn to use social media to promote our own personal brand. By engaging others through social media channels like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, we can begin to create a following, and more importantly, a community/network online. To do this, commit to posting on social media several times a day in which you engage others or ask their opinions on something. We all are experts in something, so also look into starting a blog or contributing to one devoted to your industry or passions.

Reach out to thought leaders in your space and research/report on various best practices of your industry. Use your new connections to network and attend conferences that interest you and are relevant to your business. Send emails to famous people and business leaders who inspire you and be sure to follow/like their pages too. Begin building your life around an industry or movement that you’re passionate about.

Our ability to use this new form of media to become social entrepreneurs is also crucial to address the myriad of problems facing our world today. We must learn to listen to our own passions and make use of the new media to create a sphere of influence and enact meaningful change in the world. Social media is creating a new globally connected subjective reality, and for the first time in history, a space for us to collectively envision a new way forward. Harness the power of social media today to use your gifts to their fullest potential!

Originally posted 2012-01-16 21:01:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Anthony Chiaravallo is an Internet Marketing Consultant for Single Throw and specializes in website design/optimization, social media marketing and growing his clients businesses online. He has been a Marketing Consultant for Fortune 500 companies, contributes for several business blogs, and is also a motivational speaker on topics such as social entrepreneurship, new media marketing and business/sales strategy. His work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Washington Post. Follow Anthony on Twitter or email him at achiaravallo@gmail.com.
]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/harnessing-social-media-revolution/feed/ 0 Social Media Design Dimensions (Cheat Sheet) http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/facebook/social-media-design-dimensions-cheat-sheet/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/facebook/social-media-design-dimensions-cheat-sheet/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:59 +0000 admin http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=778 We’re frequently asked about design dimensions for companies who want to customize branding in social media.  You can download the cheat sheet here.

Originally posted 2012-03-24 23:45:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/facebook/social-media-design-dimensions-cheat-sheet/feed/ 0 5 Tips on How to Drive Employee Engagement http://capturehits.com/marketing/management/5-tips-drive-employee-engagement/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/management/5-tips-drive-employee-engagement/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:59 +0000 Allison Jackson http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=579

Whether you realize it or not, your management style directly impacts your employees’ engagement and productivity at work. The #1 reason employees leave jobs is due to a poor relationship with their immediate supervisor. (The Gallup Organization) So what’s a manager to do? 

It can be helpful to think about managing employees in a way similar to how you would grow a garden. Gardens are a labor of love that must be tended to and supported in order for them to grow and produce. Employees aren’t much different. Here are five tips on how you can ensure your employees are productive and engaged: 

  1. Plant the seeds. Be approachable and get to know your employees. This doesn’t mean becoming best friends with your entire staff. But you should at least know if your team members are married, single, whether they have children and/or pets, and what some of their hobbies are outside of work.

  2. Reap what you sow, and put your best foot forward. A manager’s personal interaction and attitude weighs heavily on employee engagement. If you’re having a bad day, don’t let it show. Employees look to you as a leader and will tend to emulate your attitude – good or bad.

  3. Tend to the garden – take an interest. Perhaps you have some things in common with your staff. Whether it’s playing golf, reading murder mysteries or having a particular type of music in common, you should take the time to view your employees as people with lives outside of the workplace. Most employees do not live to work; they work as a means to an end.

  4. Pull weeds – admit when you’re wrong. No one is perfect; that includes you. Let your employees know that you’re human and you make mistakes. It will help put them at ease, and they’ll feel more comfortable coming to you with problems or issues.

  5. Help fertilize your garden. Understand goals, as well as their concerns. Work-related goals and career aspirations are what tend to keep employees motivated. It’s also helpful to understand the concerns and obstacles they may have in reaching their goals. As a leader, part of your job is helping them overcome obstructions and ensuring they meet their job requirements. 

One of the best ways to manage is to think back to your favorite bosses or leaders. What management styles did they have? Which of those characteristics can you incorporate into how you manage your team?   

At the end of the day, your employees look to you for their lead. Always remember, treat those as you would want to be treated…and things around you will surely bloom.

Originally posted 2012-01-19 02:36:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Allison Jackson is a communications professional and freelance writer who specializes in helping small businesses improve their bottom lines through clear, effective writing and communication in social media, marketing and public relations. Visit http://www.acommunicationsolution.com to learn more, follow Allison on Twitter (@allyjackson) or email her at acommunicationsolution@gmail.com.]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/management/5-tips-drive-employee-engagement/feed/ 0 Facebook Tutorial : Facebook for Business http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/facebook/facebook-tutorial/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/facebook/facebook-tutorial/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:58 +0000 admin http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=589 The following is a list of articles that have been compiled which provide a great overview of marketing using Facebook.    Last updated 3/8/2012

Getting Started — How to Use Facebook

Branding Your Business on Facebook

The following articles  about profile images have some hidden gems in them, but as of 3/30/2012 the layout described in these articles will be replaced with the NEW Facebook Timeline for pages.  Read the articles above for the most current information!

Facebook Landing “Tabs” (also known as the welcome tab)

Reveal Tabs (also known as a “fan gate”) :
As of March 30th, Fangates or Reveal Tabs will no longer work that they did pre-timeline update.  However there are some golden gems in here if you want to dig for them!
Helps you get more people to “LIKE” your Facebook page and become fans!

Getting the LIKE:  Why the LIKE is so important

The Facebook Wall:  Where the money is!

Content and Facebook:  Using Status Updates to Build Your Brand

Photos and Videos:  Getting Attention from your Fans

Using Facebook “Interest Lists”

As of March 8, 2012 Facebook Lists have not yet rolled out universally for all Facebook users.  However, this will be coming…soon!

Using Polls

Getting Engaged :  How to get your fans sharing, commenting and “liking” your content

Examples of Facebook Posts that Get Engagement
Note:  B2C on Facebook is an easier than B2B.  It’s harder to find brands that specifically market to businesses only on Facebook.   While we’re breaking the examples into B2C and B2B, it’s important to note that social media, including Facebook are about relationship marketing, P2P (Person to Person).  Keep this in mind when creating content that gets your audience to engage with you!

Examples of B2C (Business to Consumer) Facebook Pages and Posts

Examples of B2B Facebook Pages and Posts

Facebook Events

EdgeRank

Measuring Facebook Success with Facebook Insights

Advertising on Facebook

House Rules:  What your fan community needs to know

Stop Spam:
Why the Facebook Wall can become Spam Heaven and How to Avoid It

Getting Traffic to Your Website from Facebook

Ebooks (FREE) about Facebook

TRAINING PROGRAMS

Must-Have Books on Facebook Marketing

 

Originally posted 2012-02-12 02:04:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/facebook/facebook-tutorial/feed/ 0 Must-Have WordPress Plugins http://capturehits.com/marketing/blogging/musthave-wordpress-plugins/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/blogging/musthave-wordpress-plugins/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:57 +0000 admin http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=689 WordPress.org is a great way to build websites. But to expand the functionality you need some killer plugins. The following list represents some of my favorite plugins. Please note that not all of the plugins are free. Some are premium plugins, but they are well worth the price! Have fun! 

WARNING:  Installing Plugins can crash your WordPress site.  Back it up BEFORE you install anything so you can get it online quickly!  Use these two tools to help you back it up!!!!

_______________________________________________________

SHORTCODE HELPERS

ADD ADDITIONAL WYSIWYG FUNCTIONS

CMS CONTROL (Assign User Roles and more!)

ADMIN HELPERS

PAGE BUILDING HELPERS (Customize Pages and Permalinks)

REVISION CONTROL

SALES HELPERS

SPLASH PAGE BUILDERS

IMAGES, GALLERIES and ROTATING ADS/TESTIMONIALS

CHANGE THE ORDER OF POSTS/PAGES

MISC. PLUGINS

CUSTOM LOGIN and MEMBERSHIP PLUGINS

CREATE SOCIAL NETWORK LIKE NING

COMMENTS and POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

BUILD FACEBOOK PAGES or ADD FACEBOOK ‘TABS’

CONVERSION TRACKING/OPTIMIZATION FOR LEADS

VIDEO GALLERIES

PREMIUM (PAID) PLUGINS

SHOPPING CARTS

BACK UP or MOVE WORDPRESS

ELIMINATE WORDPRESS COMMENT SPAM

Originally posted 2012-01-05 23:10:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/blogging/musthave-wordpress-plugins/feed/ 0 Knowing Your Audience: Why Market Research Matters http://capturehits.com/marketing/marketing-strategy/knowing-audience-market-research-matters/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/marketing-strategy/knowing-audience-market-research-matters/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:57 +0000 admin http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=680 Successful (and profitable) marketing requires detailed knowledge of where your audience(s) hang out online. These tools can help you learn more about your audience, including where you can find them both online and in traditional media, what messages will resonate with them, and more! 


Zeroing in On Your Target Market

What is Market Research & Why It Matters to Your Business

The Basics of Market Research

How to Conduct Market Research

B2C: Business to Consumer Research

B2B: Business to Business Research

Market Research Tools

Other Websites for Market Research Tools

  • BizStats.com
    A wealth of data including financial ratios, business statistics, and benchmarks, on a wide range of industries.
  • CorpTech Technology Company Information
    CorpTech publishes public and private business information on technology companies that make, develop and provide services related to everything from lasers to computers, and from biotech products to advanced materials.
  • Free Data from Economy.com
    A cheaper version of Economy.com– it’s free! Database includes economic, demographic, income and labor market information.
  • SEC Info
    “Securities Information from the SEC EDGAR® database for sophisticated business professionals. We simply publish SEC/CSA Filings, filed by companies, institutions and individuals…”
  • Small Business Indicators
    “Small Business Indicators reports bring together monthly and quarterly data from a wide variety of sources. Use the information-packed two page reports to learn more about what is driving the small business economy in the United States.” Each quarterly report covers trends affecting small business, economic indicators over the last five years and the last five quarters, and macroeconomic statistics.
  • Smallbusiness.com State Profiles
    Presents statistics by state for companies considering entrance into the B-2-B market.
  • Social Science Data Services
    A variety of social science, government, and geographic data.
  • TheInfoPro (TIP)
    TheInfoPro (TIP) is an independent research network and leading supplier of market intelligence for the Information Technology (IT) industry. Created by alumni of Gartner, EMC, Giga and Bell Labs, TIP produces fundamental, objective, analyst–free research on: markets, vendors, issues, future adoption plans, and investor confidence.
  • U.S. Census Bureau
    Access the results of the 2000 Census, 2007 Economic Census and other household and economic indicators.
  • ZoomProspector
    “ZoomProspector speeds up and simplifies the process of site selection analysis so that companies can quickly identify the optimal location for their business start-up, expansion or relocation. Businesses define the community and property characteristics that are important to them.

Originally posted 2012-02-13 19:53:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/marketing-strategy/knowing-audience-market-research-matters/feed/ 0 Ducks in a Row: How Marketing Wins Sales http://capturehits.com/marketing/marketing-strategy/ducks-row-marketing-wins-sales/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/marketing-strategy/ducks-row-marketing-wins-sales/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:56 +0000 admin http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=649 Marketing can only be effective if you have the skills to close the sale. These resources and articles can help you become better educated so you close more sales without high pressure techniques.  

Buyer Persona Profiles

Buyer Personality Types (And How to Handle Each of Them)

Value-Based Selling (B2B Sales)

Sales Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Writing Winning Proposals

Aligning Sales and Marketing

Industry Benchmarking/Best Practices Resources

Resources and Thought Leaders

Must-Have Sales Books

 

Originally posted 2012-02-13 02:01:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/marketing-strategy/ducks-row-marketing-wins-sales/feed/ 0 Blogging for Business http://capturehits.com/marketing/blogging/blogging-business/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/blogging/blogging-business/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:56 +0000 admin http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=597  

Getting ranked in the search engines, being found online is all about content. In fact, content rules — it’s king. Creating a blog is one of the best methods you can use to get exposure, showcase your expertise and get people coming to you! 

To Blog or Not to Blog — Why Smart Companies Are Blogging

Tips for Writing Blog Articles that Get Noticed

Content Inspiration: What Topics to Write About

Tools to Help with Blog Topic Inspiration or Content Creation

Creating an Editorial Calendar

Blog Traffic:  Promoting Your Blog Online (and off!)

Being Found in the Search Engines:  SEO for Bloggers

RSS Feed:  How to Get Blog Subscribers

Feedback:  How to Get More Comments on Your Blog Content

What Do You Want Them To Do:  Creating Calls to Action

Blogger Outreach:  Connections That Drive Visitors to You

Becoming a Guest Blogger on Someone Else’s Blog

Finding Guest Bloggers for YOUR Blog

Rookie Mistakes that Can Kill Your Blog

Measuring the Success of Your Blog


Originally posted 2012-02-12 02:21:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/blogging/blogging-business/feed/ 0 Design Like a Pro: Graphic Design Tools & Resources http://capturehits.com/marketing/tools-resources/design-pro-graphic-design-tools-resources/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/tools-resources/design-pro-graphic-design-tools-resources/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:55 +0000 admin http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=665 Some of my favorite design and font tools!  

  • Aviary
    This is by far the best and most valuable to anyone who wants to create images, audio, etc. and look like a pro!
  • WhatTheFont!
    Have you seen a font on a website, publication, etc. and want to know what it is?  Just submit an image to the WhatTheFont database and it will find the closest match in their database.
  • Free Fonts
    Over 1000 fonts to choose from to give the average design an extraordinary pop!
  • Designers Toolbox
    Great sizing templates for pretty much any printable design from envelopes to annual reports.  Also a great “greeking” tool to fill in where text would appear in mock up designs.
  • Professional lorem ipsum Generator
    Creating a website or other marketing collateral but still don’t have the text finalized?  This handy tool creates “greeking” text to fill in where text will appear in your design!
  • eCoverCreator – One Click 3D Cover Graphics
    Easy to use.  Create stunning 3D images (DVD, CD, Workbooks, Ebooks, etc.) to use on websites.
  • Web Diner’s Hexcode Color Chart
    Trying to find the best colors for your website?  Wish you could tell your designer just what colors you want?  This is a great chat for RGB designs.
  • PMS (Print Matching System) Color Chart (PDF)
    If you are going to have your documents printed, help your designs have a specific color with this great “ink color” chart.
  • Color Wizard
    Having difficulty finding color combinations that work well together on the web (or even in print)?  This great tool quickly displays colors so you can see what works…and what doesn’t before starting a design!
  • Dynamic Drive: Gradient Image Maker
    Gradient images make great web backgrounds but can be hard to create.  This tool will create them easily for you.
  • Favicon Maker
    Want to create a favicon for your website from scratch.  Free tool allows you to create and generate one easily.
  • Icon Creator
    Convert any image (JPG, GIF,  or PNG.) into an icon or favicon.
  • Flash Banners
    Create fast and easy Flash banners with no programming skills.  100% free!

Originally posted 2012-01-13 02:59:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

]]> http://capturehits.com/marketing/tools-resources/design-pro-graphic-design-tools-resources/feed/ 0 Twitter Tutorial: Using Twitter to Find Customers & Build a Network http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/twitter/twitter-tutorial-twitter-find-customers-build-network/ http://capturehits.com/marketing/social-media/twitter/twitter-tutorial-twitter-find-customers-build-network/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:42:54 +0000 admin http://capturehits.com/marketing/?p=607 Twitter can be a powerful tool to connect with potential and current customers. It’s often misunderstood because few people truly understand how to use it and gain a following. These are some articles, tools and resources that will make Twitter a power tool for building your business network! 

Why Businesses Should Be Using Twitter

Getting Started on Twitter

Branding Your Presence on Twitter:  Avatars and Custom Backgrounds

Building Your Followers

Tools to Build Followers

  • Step One:  Sign up for an account on JustUnfollow.  (It’s cheap — $8 a YEAR!)
  • Step Two:  Link it to your Twitter account
  • Step Three:  Click on “home” on JustUnfollow.  Click on “Unfollow” and unfollow anyone who isn’t following you.   (Do this only 1-2 times a WEEK.  Anymore than this might get your account flagged by Twitter.)
  • Step Four:  Click on “home” on JustUnfollow.  Click on “find followers”.  Follow back anyone listed there that matches your industry or target audience.
  • Step Five: Use the tool (JustUnfollow.com) to “copy follower”.  It’s as easy as adding the follower.  Personally, I give a brief overview before following people to make sure that they match my audience or someone in my industry.
  • Lather/Rinse/Repeat Daily: That’s it!  See how easy it is?  I do this every day.  Takes me less than 10 minutes per account and I can gain anywhere from 100 to 500 new followers a day!

Twitter Success:  Building Your Twitter Strategy

Twitter Chats: Building Your Following and Network

List of Twitter Chat Resources

Re-Tweets:  The Key to Spreading Your Message

#Hashtags:  How Power Users Sort through Twitter Noise

Automating and Scheduling Tweets

Tools for scheduling tweets and managing Twitter

Get Insights into Twitter, Your Followers and People They Follow

 

Originally posted 2012-02-13 03:38:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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