In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, you might become convinced that the only things for sale are chocolates, flowers and jewelry. And with the marketing machine that is Valentine’s Day, you can’t blame the companies that sell those products for going on an all-out push to boost sales. With that said, even if you’re not in the ‘love’ business, Valentine’s Day presents a marketing opportunity for you, too. Here are some ways for you to get in on the act.

1. Develop a Loyalty Mailing (hard mail or email) – Business is business. You hear it all the time. What’s inferred by that statement, of course, as that business is impersonal and shouldn’t affect your relationships. But that doesn’t have to be the way you do it. In fact, a no-strings-attached email that simply thanks your clients or customers for their business is a warm gesture to show gratitude, without expecting something in return.

2. ‘Share the Love’ Referral Incentives – This one is also about existing clients. Sure, they enjoy working with you, but imagine how much more they’d feel loved if they got a discount just for telling someone else about you. Use Valentine’s Day as a launch for a ‘Share the Love’ referral program, and even extend it to the new client that is brought on by the referral, too.

3. Valentine’s Day Packages – So you don’t sell chocolates, flowers or jewelry. No big deal. Chances are, the product or service that you offer is of value to someone’s valentine, but they might not be aware of it. The solution? Package it up in a Valentine’s Day special and promote it to your audiences. It’s an opportunity to serve an audience looking to fill a specific need at a specific time. Go for it!

Have you tried any of these before? Have they worked for you? Let us know. And if you have any questions, give us a call at 305-665-8088.

By the nature of the holiday, marketers have some great advantages when Valentine’s
Day comes around. One? Couples are all but legally required to buy each other
gifts at Valentine’s Day. But another reason is something that isn’t discussed
as frequently during the rest of the year – buying on emotion.

When you think about Tiffany’s, what comes to mind? You may think of the words:
sophisticated, brilliance, and love. I bet you, one of the first things you think
about when someone says Tiffany’s is their blue box. In 1878, Tiffany’s Blue
Book catalogue featured its first cover in the shade now known as Tiffany Blue,
and from this the blue box was born.

Whenever a woman sees a blue box, she immediately feels excited and her heart begins to
race because she knows what that blue box stands for – she knows there’s
something that she’s dreamed about since she was a little girl inside. She
thinks this way because of how Tiffany’s has marketed to women over all these
years. The Tiffany Blue Box became an international icon that now, not only signifies
the highest quality in jewelry, but also complete bliss.

Consider this. What is the “blue box” for your business? How can you play on emotion to
better sell your products or services? We’d love to hear your responses!

We talk often about the value of social media to your business, but we also like to get down to the nuts and bolts of how you can enhance your presence. The integration of promotions, visual enhancements and other tools are a few of those ways. If executed properly, they can help you gain valuable information – or even new customers – and you may also be able to do it without spending a fortune. Here are three tips to get you started.

1. Deals/Promotions – Don’t you love a good deal? Well, so do your customers. Even on its own, a deal or promotion is a great way to boost sales or drum up interest in slow moving products or services. If you add social media in to the mix, you can significantly expand the reach of your promotions and generate significant results for your business.

2. Special Events – Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Both are mega shopping events. And both were created by retailers looking to make some extra money. Hey, if they can do it, so can you. Does your business have seasonal slowdowns? A special event, tied into a Facebook event, is a great way to build buzz – and sales – in a time when you’d otherwise be anxiously waiting for the cycle to return in your favor. It gives your fans something to talk about, a reason to actively engage with your page, and maybe even line your pockets.

3. Custom Background/Profile Images – Facebook and Twitter allow you to customize your profile or background image, and guess what? That provides you with more than an opportunity to look pretty. Imagine that your Facebook or Twitter page is a physical store, and that the profile image or background image is the storefront window. Treat it like a billboard, and use it as an opportunity to boost your promotions or special events, or simply bring awareness to a specific product or service. It’s yours, after all. You should use it to your advantage.

What are some ways that you’ve boosted your social media presence? How did it work? We’d love to hear about it. And if you have any questions, give us a call at 305-665-8088.

For many, a New Year represents a chance at a fresh start. And business owners are constantly in search of ways to reinvent themselves; to capture that next edge that will help them grow their business and better serve their clients. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to do it. To get you started, we’ve picked three resolutions you should make for your business in 2012.

1. I’ll only solve problems

It’s a common pitfall among small business owners. You love what you do and you want
to do it all. Well guess what? You can’t – at least not if you plan on being financially
successful. As a business owner, your job is to focus on delivering exactly what your customer wants – not what you think they might want. In 2012, keep that at the forefront of your mind when approaching your work.

2. I’ll meet with clients and prospects in person

Communication has gotten easier, but that doesn’t mean it’s gotten better. From social media to texting and email, we’re communicating all the time, but losing the essence of good communication in the process. Pick up the phone and set-up an in person meeting with a prospect or client. Do it often, in fact. You’ll be amazed by how much more meaningful those relationships become, and how much more you can accomplish by meeting in person, too.

3. I will be seen
Attend networking events. Get serious about email marketing. Stay steady on social
media. Let others know that you exist as often as possible. If you’re not promoting yourself at full throttle, can you expect someone else to?

What are your goals as a business owner in 2012? Share them with us!

No matter the time or day, it’s never too late to start anew and make a positive change for yourself or your business. Sounds inspirational, right? Well, in regards to social media, it’s also true. In fact, to get you started, we’ve got three great tips that will put you on the path to social media success – now, or on any day.

Be consistent – When it comes to marketing our own businesses, we always enter with the best intentions. But let’s face it. When the rigors of day-to-day responsibilities come along, many of those marketing initiatives fall by the wayside. Since social media is still new in the eyes of many business owners, it’s also probably the easiest to drop. Not this year. Instead, embrace its power: Web-based hangouts where your customers talk about you and hope to interact with you. They’ll help you learn about what you’re doing right and where you can improve, and they won’t hesitate to tell you. That’s a priceless benefit.

Keep it simple – One of the biggest reasons that business owners avoid social media is because they think they don’t understand it. But the basics, relatively speaking, are easy to use, and if you’re just getting started, that’s all you need to worry about. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Interact. Enjoy it for what it is – it’s a social tool that engages your audience with your brand. Start there and the rest will fall in line.

Track your progress – Getting in the game and staying in the game is one thing. But if you’re practicing with faulty mechanics, you’re not going to get better. And that’s where analytics tools come in. Facebook has one built right in and Twitter has many free third party sites that show your performance visually and statistically. It’s a great way to see which posts your fans and friends find interesting, and which they don’t, for example. And by using those tools to your benefit, you can not only stay in the game, but get better at it along the way.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions for social media of your own? Share them with us! And if you have any questions about getting in to social media, we’re ready and available to help. Call us at 305-665-8088!