Wednesday 18 January 2012

Internet Marketing- Why?

I'm often asked especially being in Lincolnshire where the internet and anything that "grandad didn't do" is viewed with suspicion, why internet marketing should be used and how can it benefit local business?

The answer is quite simply that without it your small business will get lost and that you're missing out on a huge target audience.

I usually ask my clients just how much money annually do they spend advertising in local papers such as the Telegraph. Bearing in mind that a credit card advert can cost as much as £45 - £90 per week depending on the publication, some small businesses may be paying up to £4000 per year on this form of advertising alone!
Now taking into consideration the cost of a small CMS well written and SEO competent website and you're talking maybe a quarter of that. 
Your weekly advert may reach your immediate area but your website is global! 
Ok so I'm not suggesting that the local plumber wants jobs all over the UK or world BUT why not all over the county?
The point is, the more people that know of you the more work you will bring in..

How many people still advertise in the yellow directory (you know which one!) simply because they always have and are really happy if when the salesman comes they can get a discount? Yet if you ask someone if they know of a good plumber 9 out of 10 times you'll be pointed to a website or a search in Google...

A few years ago internet marketing was specialised, a bit clunky and cost a whole heap of cash.. today that's not the case.  Website prices have come down, there is a far bigger percentage of people using it and free social media platforms make it a hugely attractive and economic way to advertise your business.

A few facts for you just to show the importance of social media to your business:-

  • If Twitter were a country it would have the 12th largest population in the world..
  • For the first time, in 2010, ending a 23 year run, Pepsi Cola pulled out of advertising in the Super Bowl switching instead to Social Media.
  • Back in January 2010, the site had 350 million active users across the globe, it now has in excess of 640 million – half of which login daily. Based on this figure, Facebook has seen a 40 percent increase in daily usage over the past 12 months.
  • LinkedIn has grown by an impressive 100 percent from last year, it now has over 100 million users across the globe 

Don't let a fear of the unknown hold you back, it's not that scary once you step inside.. come and see for yourself!


If you'd like to know more or would like some help getting started then please drop me a line.. taryn@creativethinkingcdm.co.uk

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Twitter Do's and Don'ts

So by now you will probably have come across Twitter.. unless of course you're one of my clients in which case don't worry it's not that scary!!!
Understandably running several accounts at any one time I find I spend a LOT of time in the world of Tweets, Hashtags, Lists and Dm's and more and more frequently I'm grinding my teeth..
In order to prevent a trip to the dentist with ground down teeth I thought I'd put together this little list of twitter etiquette..

Do:-
  • Pay it forward - RT (or retweet to you newcomers!).  If you read something interesting, helpful or see someone asking for help then RT.  It costs you nothing and increases your own chances of being RT'd.
  • Mix personal in with business.  Proven over and over is that people buy from people NOT companies. It's hard enough online to show that you're a human being funny, caring or intelligent but you wouldn't walk into any networking meeting or party and simply repeat over and over your company strapline - Twitter is no different. Show you're real!
  • Leave enough room to be RT'd!!! PLEASE.  If one thing frustrates me on a daily basis it's this.  I love RTing but I hate cutting off domain links or important info.  Try to only use 120 characters, you are less likely to be RT'd if there aren't enough characters for it.
  • Acknowledge RT's.  Manners maketh man they say and again it costs nothing to be polite.
Don't:-
  • Use every opportunity to promote yourself! Yes I know that sounds like a contradiction but nothing will lose you followers like a Tweet like this "Thanks for the RT if you need new windows/SEO/loft insulation click here.." know when not to!
  • Tell us you're in a coffee shop!  Unless of course there's a brand new flavour, great discount or any other reason for us to visit. Same for buying fishfingers in Tesco the only people that want to know that are Birds Eye and Tesco!
  • Ignore DM's (direct messages) you wouldn't ignore someone saying hello in a corridor why do it here, it could be that opportunity you've been waiting for.
  • Ask for someone to DM you when you're not following them or visa versa. Remember you can only DM if you're both following each other!
  • Give Up.  Sometimes it might feel like you're talking to an empty room but trust me persevere it really is worth it in terms of business online presence.
Twitter is a fantastically powerful tool if used the right way or an incredible waste of time if abused. Hopefully the above will help you make it through the pitfalls.

If you'd like to know more or need help running you campaign then please drop me a line! taryn@creativethinkingcdm.co.uk

Why Didn't I Do This Before?

A few weeks ago I decided to have a look at my own analytics... down 38% not good!!

Well have you ever noticed how the builder that everyone raves about looks like his garage is about to fall down? Or how your mechanic has the most beaten up wreck? That's the answer..

Anyone who's in a trade will say that they're so busy doing their business that the thing they're best at gets neglected within their own lives.. Of course working online is no different! I've spent the last few months building various Twitter and Facebook accounts for clients and managing daily their online campaigns. What tends to happen is that investing so much time writing for others the desire to sit and do the same for yourself starts to wane - the result?  Dropping stats and a larger time investment to rebuild your own online profile.

So of course I've now spent the time and effort on my own site and I'm pleased to see a whopping 122% increase over the last 2 weeks, did it take much?  No it simply took me doing all of the things I routinely nag my clients to do!

So my top tips for this week...
  1. Don't ignore your own business no matter how much work you have on - if you have a sudden quiet period you'll be glad you made the effort.
  2.   Little and often!  Whether that's a diet or a social media tip it's true and it works! You don't have to spend hours once you're up and running.
  3. It's ok to spend time on you - don't feel guilty about investing time in you and your business.
  4. Monitor your progress and deal with issues BEFORE your stats drop and you notice an effect on your customer growth.
For more information or to have me invest in your business please feel free to drop me a line taryn@creativethinkingcdm.co.uk