Sometimes business users are at a loss as to what to post to their Twitter pages. Twitter used to prompt you with the question, “What are you doing?”, but that led to people posting such statements as, “I am eating a grilled cheese sandwich.” Hardly riveting information.
Recently Twitter switched its prompt question to “What’s happening?” perhaps in an attempt to guide users to broader posts. Below are my guidelines to the four main topic areas I recommend to my business clients who use Twitter.
1. Quotes and inspiring thoughts – Because of its limit to 140 characters, Twitter is the perfect place to post memes, or short ideas that transmit easily from one person to another. It can be a good practice to boil an idea down to its essence, and share the main point without any fluff.
2. Retweets and links to helpful resources – One of Twitter’s main applications is as a resource for all sorts of useful information you would not come across any other way. When you retweet other users’ posts, you validate them and help pass along good information. When people retweet your posts it showcases you to all of their followers, which in turn attracts more people to follow you. If you do nothing else but post relevant, useful information to your Twitter page you will be adding value to Twitter, your followers and your brand as well.
3. Messages to other users – Twitter is a social media, and as such it tends to attract people who are interested and open to other people. Answering questions, posting direct comments and interacting with other users is a wonderful way to build relationships and get the most out of Twitter.
4. Self-promotion and news about what you’re doing – If you’re using Twitter for business reasons, you definitely should be letting people know more about you. Just make sure it isn’t more than around 20% of your content. Too much is a turn-off because Twitter is not an advertising vehicle, it’s a community. Be on the lookout for third-party information that supports your brand – so instead of you posting, “Hey we are a great company,” you can post a link to an online testimonial one of your customers provided, letting him or her tell everyone how great you are.
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Your Business Cards – Top 10 Blunders
They’re the most important marketing tools for any professional, yet many people continue to miss the boat when it comes to getting the most out of them. Business cards are often a company’s number one means of contact, follow-up and advertising, but they won’t work well if you are making any of these top errors with them. Run down this checklist and see if any of these apply to you.
Top 10 Business Card Blunders
1. Flimsy paper – If you can bend your card into a curving s-shape the paper stock is too thin. Business cards need to hold up well. They can’t do that if the stock is like a piece of copy paper. Invest in a more substantial card stock to be taken seriously. If your product or service is high-end or in a luxury niche, this advice goes double.
2. Lack of design or poor design – Just because you can do it yourself doesn’t mean you should when it comes to the look of your card. This small piece of paper is going to represent your business 24/7 with every prospect and client you ever have. Their impression will be based on how the card looks. Even if you have to work with a recent graphic design graduate, investing in quality design is well worth it.
3. Too small type – Does the recipient need to take out their bifocals to read the words on your card? If you’re any smaller than 8 point font you’re hurting people’s eyes. Stop it.
4. No social media listed, or critical info missing – It’s 2010, so if you’re using Twitter or LinkedIn for business, get that on your card. Don’t make people hunt to connect with you online. If you don’t have room on the front of your card, put this information on the back. Nowadays you are likely to have more interaction with people via your computer than in person, so make it easy on everybody. Also, have your snail mail full address somewhere on the card too. It is annoying to have to hunt that down when someone wants to send you a press clipping or a check.
5. Scissor edges – Scissor edges on business cards scream “amateur.” They’re unprofessional and make it seem like you don’t take your business seriously. If you have business cards with scissor edges, throw them away. Or at least clean up the edges with a paper cutter.
6. Obvious home printing – Obvious home printing sends the message that quality is something that doesn’t matter to you, which would make me think twice about doing business with you.
7. Vague about what you do – Does your card say you’re the Vice President of Red Run Corp? That’s great, but it doesn’t give the slightest clue what that even means. Make sure your card lets people know what industry you’re in and how your firm is different.
8. One card for multiple businesses – If you’re involved in multiple businesses have a separate card for each. There isn’t space on a business card to promote two businesses effectively. Multi-use single cards make you seem like you lack focus.
9. Inaccurate or crossed out information – If your cards are out of date, reprint them. Do not take out a pen and handwrite in new information. That is like sending your best sales rep out into the field with laryngitis.
10. Cheap – says “Vistaprint” on the back – If you’re not willing to invest $9.95 to have your card not promote Vistaprint, then why should I be willing to invest in your product or service? If spending a few hundred dollars on quality business cards that you are proud to hand out to others is not possible, then you might want to rethink your business idea.
Great business cards are the foundation of professional success. When you hand your card to people, listen to what they say. If it’s not “Wow, what a great card,” know you have room for improvement.
© 2010 BlueTree Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
Top 10 Business Card Blunders
1. Flimsy paper – If you can bend your card into a curving s-shape the paper stock is too thin. Business cards need to hold up well. They can’t do that if the stock is like a piece of copy paper. Invest in a more substantial card stock to be taken seriously. If your product or service is high-end or in a luxury niche, this advice goes double.
2. Lack of design or poor design – Just because you can do it yourself doesn’t mean you should when it comes to the look of your card. This small piece of paper is going to represent your business 24/7 with every prospect and client you ever have. Their impression will be based on how the card looks. Even if you have to work with a recent graphic design graduate, investing in quality design is well worth it.
3. Too small type – Does the recipient need to take out their bifocals to read the words on your card? If you’re any smaller than 8 point font you’re hurting people’s eyes. Stop it.
4. No social media listed, or critical info missing – It’s 2010, so if you’re using Twitter or LinkedIn for business, get that on your card. Don’t make people hunt to connect with you online. If you don’t have room on the front of your card, put this information on the back. Nowadays you are likely to have more interaction with people via your computer than in person, so make it easy on everybody. Also, have your snail mail full address somewhere on the card too. It is annoying to have to hunt that down when someone wants to send you a press clipping or a check.
5. Scissor edges – Scissor edges on business cards scream “amateur.” They’re unprofessional and make it seem like you don’t take your business seriously. If you have business cards with scissor edges, throw them away. Or at least clean up the edges with a paper cutter.
6. Obvious home printing – Obvious home printing sends the message that quality is something that doesn’t matter to you, which would make me think twice about doing business with you.
7. Vague about what you do – Does your card say you’re the Vice President of Red Run Corp? That’s great, but it doesn’t give the slightest clue what that even means. Make sure your card lets people know what industry you’re in and how your firm is different.
8. One card for multiple businesses – If you’re involved in multiple businesses have a separate card for each. There isn’t space on a business card to promote two businesses effectively. Multi-use single cards make you seem like you lack focus.
9. Inaccurate or crossed out information – If your cards are out of date, reprint them. Do not take out a pen and handwrite in new information. That is like sending your best sales rep out into the field with laryngitis.
10. Cheap – says “Vistaprint” on the back – If you’re not willing to invest $9.95 to have your card not promote Vistaprint, then why should I be willing to invest in your product or service? If spending a few hundred dollars on quality business cards that you are proud to hand out to others is not possible, then you might want to rethink your business idea.
Great business cards are the foundation of professional success. When you hand your card to people, listen to what they say. If it’s not “Wow, what a great card,” know you have room for improvement.
© 2010 BlueTree Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Why You Need a Marketing Plan for 2010
"Good plans shape good decisions."
--Lester R. Bittel
By now I'm sure you've noticed what an amazing habit planning is. It's hard to accomplish things when we aren't exactly sure what we're doing or what success is going to look like. We are all much faster and efficient at doing tasks when we've set aside some time at the outset to think about the exact outcome we want.
Even if you've never worked with a marketing or PR plan, or even if you've never seen one, the same principle applies. Taking some time at the outset to decide what your business goals will be this year and how marketing can help you achieve them can be a very wise investment in your success.
In fact, after over 15 years of doing marketing work I'd say the number one mistake I see business people making with their marketing is failing to have a plan of any kind. I see people putting attention on their sales, on their team, on their facilities and on their customers, but not envisioning their marketing as an engine that drives it all. As a result they constantly make important decisions on the fly. This can be a huge time waster because as you have probably experienced, business owners receive a lot of unsolicited phone calls and emails related to marketing and advertising.
If you have no plan and an advertising representative calls you with an opportunity, you have no way to judge whether this opportunity will serve your business. Then tomorrow another rep calls with a different opportunity. Which one should you choose? The absence of a plan can create a lot of busy work and distraction in your day when really, if you were to sit down and write up even a basic description of your target customer, you'd be easily able to hold that up to the demographics of each opportunity and see right away if it is a fit for you.
That's why I always recommend my clients start with a strategic plan. It will save you time, money and effort as well as get you to your goal more seamlessly and more enjoyably.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
--Lester R. Bittel
By now I'm sure you've noticed what an amazing habit planning is. It's hard to accomplish things when we aren't exactly sure what we're doing or what success is going to look like. We are all much faster and efficient at doing tasks when we've set aside some time at the outset to think about the exact outcome we want.
Even if you've never worked with a marketing or PR plan, or even if you've never seen one, the same principle applies. Taking some time at the outset to decide what your business goals will be this year and how marketing can help you achieve them can be a very wise investment in your success.
In fact, after over 15 years of doing marketing work I'd say the number one mistake I see business people making with their marketing is failing to have a plan of any kind. I see people putting attention on their sales, on their team, on their facilities and on their customers, but not envisioning their marketing as an engine that drives it all. As a result they constantly make important decisions on the fly. This can be a huge time waster because as you have probably experienced, business owners receive a lot of unsolicited phone calls and emails related to marketing and advertising.
If you have no plan and an advertising representative calls you with an opportunity, you have no way to judge whether this opportunity will serve your business. Then tomorrow another rep calls with a different opportunity. Which one should you choose? The absence of a plan can create a lot of busy work and distraction in your day when really, if you were to sit down and write up even a basic description of your target customer, you'd be easily able to hold that up to the demographics of each opportunity and see right away if it is a fit for you.
That's why I always recommend my clients start with a strategic plan. It will save you time, money and effort as well as get you to your goal more seamlessly and more enjoyably.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
What Can Businesses Do on Facebook?
“Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand.”
--Putt’s Law
It’s here: the new age of social media. By now you probably know that you can use Facebook to reconnect with old friends from high school, post photos and catch up on what your friends are doing, but did you know there are a lot of business goals you can accomplish on Facebook as well?
Here are my top four things businesses can do on Facebook:
1. Prospect for clients – People can be searched and segmented by narrow topic areas on social media, making it efficient to prospect for clients who may already have an interest in your product or service. Because in social media people opt in to join your group or become a fan of your company, you also have the benefit of a more motivated, interested audience than you might have in the offline world.
2. Listen to what people are saying/thinking about your company, industry and brand – You can use that information to develop new products and services that will appeal to your customers or to refine the products and services you currently have.
3. Develop better customer relations – By engaging more frequently with your customers in a way they enjoy and prefer, you strengthen the bonds between you.
4. Build your credibility and expertise – By being visible and active on social media, you increase the likelihood that when people think of your industry they think of you first.
Notice one thing I didn’t say was SELL, SELL, SELL. Social media has the potential to reach a huge potential market, but that doesn’t mean you immediately should sell to everyone in your network. That can be a real turn off and lead to people disconnecting from you online because it is so self-serving.
It’s like if you went to a party or networking event and you met some new people. You wouldn’t immediately whip out your product and ask them to buy it, right? Instead you might chat with them to get a better idea of their areas of interest and their needs, and if there seemed to be an overlap with what you were offering, you might give them your card and suggest they visit your company. It’s the same thing online. You need to build the relationships before people want to buy from you.
Facebook is great for building the know, like and trust factor that is so important for long-term success. Because since social media is so new there are people out there pushing their products in a very aggressive way, and it might make you think that’s an appropriate strategy. It’s not.
That doesn’t mean social media won’t help you sell your services, you just need to think of it with a longer timeline and in a more subtle way, compared to, “Okay I’ve set up my Facebook page so now I expect to see a 20% boost in sales this month.”
Facebook can be an important marketing tool for businesses when it is used effectively with reasonable goals.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
--Putt’s Law
It’s here: the new age of social media. By now you probably know that you can use Facebook to reconnect with old friends from high school, post photos and catch up on what your friends are doing, but did you know there are a lot of business goals you can accomplish on Facebook as well?
Here are my top four things businesses can do on Facebook:
1. Prospect for clients – People can be searched and segmented by narrow topic areas on social media, making it efficient to prospect for clients who may already have an interest in your product or service. Because in social media people opt in to join your group or become a fan of your company, you also have the benefit of a more motivated, interested audience than you might have in the offline world.
2. Listen to what people are saying/thinking about your company, industry and brand – You can use that information to develop new products and services that will appeal to your customers or to refine the products and services you currently have.
3. Develop better customer relations – By engaging more frequently with your customers in a way they enjoy and prefer, you strengthen the bonds between you.
4. Build your credibility and expertise – By being visible and active on social media, you increase the likelihood that when people think of your industry they think of you first.
Notice one thing I didn’t say was SELL, SELL, SELL. Social media has the potential to reach a huge potential market, but that doesn’t mean you immediately should sell to everyone in your network. That can be a real turn off and lead to people disconnecting from you online because it is so self-serving.
It’s like if you went to a party or networking event and you met some new people. You wouldn’t immediately whip out your product and ask them to buy it, right? Instead you might chat with them to get a better idea of their areas of interest and their needs, and if there seemed to be an overlap with what you were offering, you might give them your card and suggest they visit your company. It’s the same thing online. You need to build the relationships before people want to buy from you.
Facebook is great for building the know, like and trust factor that is so important for long-term success. Because since social media is so new there are people out there pushing their products in a very aggressive way, and it might make you think that’s an appropriate strategy. It’s not.
That doesn’t mean social media won’t help you sell your services, you just need to think of it with a longer timeline and in a more subtle way, compared to, “Okay I’ve set up my Facebook page so now I expect to see a 20% boost in sales this month.”
Facebook can be an important marketing tool for businesses when it is used effectively with reasonable goals.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The Smartest Thing I Did Last Year
“The highest reward for a man’s toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it.” --John Ruskin
The rugged individualist, bravely doing it all by himself – it’s a familiar theme from Hollywood but not the best way to run a business. The smartest thing I did last year was make a commitment to get help and support in many different forms.
In addition to a crack team of web designers and programmers, a graphic artist, accountant, IT specialist, lawyer, assistant and virtual assistant, Team BlueTree also includes mentors and a board of advisors. You may be surprised to learn that some of my advisors I have never met. Some are not even living.
This is an idea I picked up from self-help author Napoleon Hill. He created an imaginary board of personal advisors made from great figures of history. He chose people like Napoleon, Lincoln, Jesus and Alexander the Great and held imaginary conversations with them whenever he had an important decision to make. Because he had studied their lives, he gained new viewpoints into the insights, observations and advice his advisors would give.
This is habit that anyone can do – identify and learn from the best in your industry, your hobby, in politics, culture or the arts. My imaginary board of advisors includes many successful women entrepreneurs who have blazed a trail for me to follow. Just because I don’t happen to personally know them doesn’t stop me from following in their footsteps and being inspired by them every day.
• TIP: Make a list of people you especially admire. The next time you have a decision to make or you’re just ruminating on some initial thoughts, ask yourself, what would so-and-so say about this situation? Note what new insights and observations come to your mind.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
The rugged individualist, bravely doing it all by himself – it’s a familiar theme from Hollywood but not the best way to run a business. The smartest thing I did last year was make a commitment to get help and support in many different forms.
In addition to a crack team of web designers and programmers, a graphic artist, accountant, IT specialist, lawyer, assistant and virtual assistant, Team BlueTree also includes mentors and a board of advisors. You may be surprised to learn that some of my advisors I have never met. Some are not even living.
This is an idea I picked up from self-help author Napoleon Hill. He created an imaginary board of personal advisors made from great figures of history. He chose people like Napoleon, Lincoln, Jesus and Alexander the Great and held imaginary conversations with them whenever he had an important decision to make. Because he had studied their lives, he gained new viewpoints into the insights, observations and advice his advisors would give.
This is habit that anyone can do – identify and learn from the best in your industry, your hobby, in politics, culture or the arts. My imaginary board of advisors includes many successful women entrepreneurs who have blazed a trail for me to follow. Just because I don’t happen to personally know them doesn’t stop me from following in their footsteps and being inspired by them every day.
• TIP: Make a list of people you especially admire. The next time you have a decision to make or you’re just ruminating on some initial thoughts, ask yourself, what would so-and-so say about this situation? Note what new insights and observations come to your mind.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Two Reasons To Be On Twitter
By now I'm sure you're hearing about Twitter every time you turn around. My second "Two For Tuesday" video shares my top two reasons why you might want to participate in this new social media trend.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Mission (Not Impossible) Statements
I'm working on mission statements for a client today and it has me thinking about how we summarize our company's mission. Can you state why your company exists in just one sentence? The best mission statements are short, clear and powerful. Nelson Mandela's is "End Apartheid." Abraham Lincoln's was "Preserve the Union." A great mission statement has a certain energy to it - it draws you in and makes you almost want to be a part of what the company is trying to do. I can say I sit at a desk and write about PR, but that doesn't exactly fire anyone up. But if I focus on the outcome of what I do, I might say something like "my mission is to empower entrepreneurs to share their companies' stories with power and grace." Better.
If your mission statement is too lengthy to be memorable, or if you don't have a mission statement, consider scheduling some time to play around with it. When you hit the right combination of words that makes you feel excited, you're on to something.
If your mission statement is too lengthy to be memorable, or if you don't have a mission statement, consider scheduling some time to play around with it. When you hit the right combination of words that makes you feel excited, you're on to something.
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