Branding Marketing Guide

By Richard Dennis

In order to really get the value, attraction, and recognition of branding, you need to understand exactly what it means to spotlight your brand. It's a different consumer effect and response than regular advertising, and it's important to have a firm picture of what makes it so visible and unique.

Maybe the easiest way to clarify is to ask: What is the first thing you think of?

What is your first thought or awareness when I say, "Walmart"?

For me, I think of the short mission statement motto that has engraved recognition into my brain: "Save money. Live better." Second, I feel the presence of the smiling greeter when you walk into the store. You can depend on that Walmart tradition - someone is always there to welcome you. And third is the phrase, "everyday low price." Lots of stores use that positioning now ... but to me, it will always mean Walmart. That is a stand-out promotion for them, when I see those words in some competitor store, but still think of Walmart.

The second example that comes quickly to mind of a brand that has really creates an impression is Scott Ginsberg. You can find Scott at the website, HellomynameisScott.com. Several years ago, Scott decided to brand himself as the owner of the word "approachability." His goal was that anytime someone wanted to learn to be more approachable, they'd think of him ... or find him. The Wall Street Journal did a front-page article on approachability and featured Scott. If you Google "approachability," the #1 listing is a signature EzineArticles.com article written by ... Scott Ginsberg. And the article, of course, leads to his unforgettable website.

So branding is actually owning an idea in people's minds. Once you understand that, you can then work out a targeted plan to achieve it for your own business, online or offline.

Only results count. Richard Dennis submitted 20 short articles in 10 days. Result? Google lists 18 of the 20 articles in its top 4 search results. In fact, 14 articles are #1 ... against many millions of competing pages. See the proof at http://ArticlesByRichard.com, and get your free step-by-step plan for how you can do the same. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Dennis

Meaningful Business Goals

By Nicole St-Aubin

Goals have a very strong motivational effect. They provide direction and focus to our work and a means of measuring success. To have a positive impact, the goal must be meaningful to the business owner; they must be continually reviewed and used when making business decisions.

A meaningful goal is one that is set after research and analysis. It involves looking at the product, target market and then determining the potential results. In some cases, this is a difficult process because an owner is eager to start working on their dream and may fear that the dream will not produce the business results they desire. It is important to have a realistic understanding of the business. Once an honest assessment has been completed, meaningful goals can be set and worked towards.

Once the goals has been set, they need to be reviewed and updated based on the company's results and the external environment. As the business matures, it becomes easier to predict future results and therefore easier to set meaningful goals but the external environment constantly changes. Developments in credit availability, supplier relationships and even personal commitments affect the business. A periodic review and update of goals is important to ensure the appropriate focus.

A meaningful goal is a decision making tool. New opportunities will always present themselves and sometimes it can be difficult to determine if these new opportunities will be a valuable addition to the business or a distraction. When you have set goals, you can evaluate the opportunity to determine how they can be exploited to bring the company closer to achieving their goals. If they do not bring a company closer to their goals, then they are a distraction and should not be pursued. The clearer the goals are, the easier it will be to make decisions.

Meaningful goals are goals that are set after careful analysis. Goals need to be updated as the business progresses and with changes in the environment. Once the goals are clearly set, they become a valuable decision making tool. Goal setting is an important, continual process that allows business owners focus their efforts on the areas that contribute to the long-term success of a business.

Statements and opinions expressed in article are those of the author. Nicole St-Aubin is a Certified Managerial Accountant (CMA) and a consultant with Aim Business Consulting. Aim Business Consulting specializes in helping businesses make informed business decisions and offers a variety of solutions to improve business reporting and operations. Nicole St-Aubin is located in Eastern Ontario and can be reached through http://aimconsulting.ca Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicole_St-Aubin

Four Ways to Market Your Business in 2009

By Bill Tamminga

Your success as a business owner or executive will be largely determined by how many high quality clients you can attract and retain. Following is a detailed discussion about how to use different sales and marketing techniques to draw attention to your business. The key to all of these marketing strategies is to provide good information to a targeted group of people. To see how large your target market is, simply google "consumer demographics" or "direct mail target market" and you will find several companies who will provide this service for you. These companies should be able to tell you how large your target market is and other helpful information including where your prospects live by zip code, how much income they earn, and more. You can use this service as a tool to gauge how large your market is and, if you buy the list, you can use it to fill your pipeline with the right kind of leads.

Now let's move on to four proven ways to market your business in the first quarter.

Seminars and Workshops

Seminars and workshops that offer quality information about your business, market, or industry, are becoming popular ways to build a client base. You can differentiate yourself by showing how clients how to use your services and how you fill a need that your competitors cannot. Do not be discouraged if your first seminars do not draw a crowd. If you find a systematic way to incorporate them into your marketing plan, people will show up over time.

Mailers

Some service business owners have done well marketing their businesses through direct mail. Others I have talked to aren't fans of it at all. If you are going to do it, make sure you take the time to do it well. Your mailer needs to be eye-catching and to-the-point. Here are some pointers on direct mail advertising.

• Use a targeted list.
• Set an objective. Do you want prospects to call for a free consultation? Do you want them to R.S.V.P. for your next seminar? What type of action do you want them to take?
• Write a good headline. Try to strike an emotion (pain and fear are often used) from the start.
• Include a specific call to action. "The first 10 callers will receive...". "Call (555) 555-5555 now for your free consultation." Those are the types of words you'll want to use.
• Test your mailing before sending it out to thousands of prospects. A random sample of 500 postcards or letters should give you a good feel for how the market will respond to that particular mailing.

Several companies have samples of quality direct mail pieces on their website. Google "direct mail sample" and a list will come up.

Radio Shows and Podcasts

Several top service business owners create regular podcasts or even host their own radio show. If you want to see what one of the best in the business is doing, visit John Dvorak's site called crankygeeks.com, click on "Episodes" on the left-hand navigation bar, and download the podcasts. Podcasts can be a great alternative if you don't want to go through the process of starting your own show.

Write Articles

If starting a radio show or podcast isn't your cup of tea, maybe article writing is more for you. Local business journals or newspapers are almost always looking for expert writers on a regular basis. If those channels don't work, you can publish your articles at a number of online submission companies.

Get a jump start on your marketing in 2009 by implementing at least one of these strategies into your business plan.

Bill is the creator of the GR Business Growth System and the author of Advanced Business Triage, a set of white papers that explain Bill's systematic business assessment and growth plan for service business owners and managers, high end sales professionals, and independent financial planners. GR corporate training offers reasonably priced leadership, management, sales, and marketing courses. The course texts come from leading institutions including Harvard Business School, the University of Southern California, the Gallup Organization, and others. Visit http://www.GoalRevolution.com for more information and to order your FREE subscription to the GR Newsletter. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Tamminga

Market Research For Small Businesses

By David G Johnston

If you are considering starting your own business then you need to have a good plan in place to how you will position yourself in the market and how you will operate. These factors are crucial for ensuring your long term success in the business. If you are planning to go to your bank manager for finance to launch your business then he is going to want a detailed business plan from you to be certain that you can pay back your loan in the long run. It is therefore vital that you carry out some market research to determine the viability of your business.

For a small firm or individual starting out you will not have the budget to pay a market research company to do the work for you, but you have an alternative. The most basic form of market research is to create a survey and there is no reason why you can't do this yourself.

Start out by creating a list of key points that relate to your business. If for example you were a car mechanic and decided to go it alone and run your own autoshop you may want to ask people questions like how far they have to travel for autoshop work, how much are they prepared to pay for an oil change, what is the best deal they have found on tyres, what problems they have encountered in the past whilst dealing with garages, how long they typically have to wait for a service, and so on.

If you want to cover more ground then you may want to consider contacting a university or college in your area of a youth group who may be willing to provide researchers for you to carry out your survey for a small fee on the basis that they get some educational value out of it also.

The main reasons you are carrying out the survey is to firstly figure out if there is a need for your particular business in the area and where best to set it up. You need to figure out if you can offer something new or different that people are looking for or would be willing to come to you for. In the above example, lets say you were a female mechanic. Your unique selling position may simply be that you find women car owners are reluctant to go to the autoshop because they don't like dealing with mechanics or they feel that they are being talked down to because the tendency is to believe that women don't understand the mechanics of a car. By offering your services you should be able to secure a good deal of the market in your area.

In your survey, try to have as many open-ended questions as you can. This way you can let your participants provide a much broader set of data and information and you may get both inspiration and a direction for your business from their responses.

If you are a small business and are interested in more ways you can carry out your own market research then perhaps you should consider paying a visit to our business directory where we have many similar tips and advice for business owners. Simply pop along to http://www.businessbuilderdirectory.com/market-research/ for more information. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_G_Johnston

First Impressions - Make Sure Your Website Follows These 10 Things

By Kimberly Reddington

When someone first visits your website, you have 10 seconds to WOW them. It is in those first 10 seconds when someone decides to either leave or look around. Here are ten things to think about when analyzing your website:

1. Your website should appear professional, clean and simple.

When you walk into a physical store, you are more apt to buy from a store that is clean, easy to walk around the aisles, sells quality products that are neatly placed on shelves or racks, and has a friendly yet well-established feel. Your website should have a similar look and feel. Avoid clutter, allow for white space around items and make it easy for the visitor to move around.

2. Your navigation should be easy and simple.

If your visitors are having trouble finding what they are looking for immediately, it is much too easy for them to return to their search and find a competitor with easier navigation. Keep navigation in a prominent location with simple to use tabs and links.

3. Select an attractive and comfortable color palette.

Learn what colors your audience prefers, as well as the impression you are trying to set off. If you want to relax your visitors, then use subtle and light colors. If you want to excite your visitors, then use vibrant colors. Stick to colors and shades that work well together. Use a color wheel to see which colors complement each other.

4. Create a branding statement and utilize that statement throughout the whole website.

Your business should have a special brand that makes you stand out from competitors. Your brand is your unique look that grabs your visitor's attention. Place your brand prominently near the top of your home page or landing page. Make sure to keep you brand throughout the whole site to give everything a consistent look and feel.

5. Display what your business is all about.

Your visitors will only spend 10 seconds perusing your site before deciding to move on. Make sure that they learn what your business is all about within those first 10 seconds. If your url or business name doesn't easily explain your business purpose, then make sure to create a tagline and use that as part of your branding statement.

6. Make sure that important "calls to action" are in places where the user can see them.

Most visitors will not read your entire home page. People tend to peruse a web page quickly. The use of colors and bolding can make important words and phrases stand out more and catch the reader's attention. Make sure that important links or buttons are easy to see, stand out, and are not too far down the page.

7. Prominently display quality graphics and images.

Graphics and other images on your website will grab your visitor's attention much more than text. Make sure that your images are high quality graphics and are optimized for fast loading.

8. Use photos to display the quality of your products.

Since visitors cannot pick up your products to look at them, they rely on images and graphics. Use attractive images and photos that are large enough to show important details.

9. Use stand-alone web pages.

Unlike a magazine or catalog, you cannot predict which web pages your visitor will read first, next, or last. Avoid having content in your pages that is dependent on your visitor having seen another page first. Make sure each page can stand on its own.

10. Test your navigation and links.

Test your completed design by showing it around to others. See how they navigate. Asking your testers open-ended questions will help you to get a feel for how they are perceiving your look and the navigation. Are they having trouble finding certain features of your site?

Your website may be your visitor's first impression of you and your business. Colors, images, fonts, text and other visuals will bring out certain feelings and thoughts the second a visitor views their first web page of your site. You want to be sure you are sending out the right messages that are inline with what your niche is expecting.

Kimberly Reddington, Moms in Business Thoughtleader for CereusWomen.com, teaches moms how to turn their skills and talents into a successful home-based service business and to find a balance between their business and their family. Discover Kim's popular special report by visiting http://www.CereusWomen.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberly_Reddington

The Media Runs on News, PR Advice - How to Stay Newsworthy

By CR Ransom

One good thing is that media outlets are scramming for news stories to capture and keep their audiences. What this means is that right now is an excellent opportunity to receive some free publicity and almost everyone could use a freebie in this economy.

So just how do you impress the media today? Well, one thing for sure you better not be wasting their time. Virtually, every media outlet from television, radio, magazines, even blogs etc. are operating with fewer staff. They still have the same deadlines and massive work to do, but without as much help.

Your pitch has to be of relevance and importance. If not you will surely find yourself on a blackball list and believe me these days it will take even more than a phone call from President Obama to get you off.

There are some reasonable measurements to take to remain newsworthy. Following these steps will help to stay on the media's good side and off the blackball list.

1. Reality Check - Are you aware of what is going on in the news? Seriously, have you done a self reality check to make sure that you are up to date on the latest news happenings? You can't make the news if you don't understand what is going on surrounding the news. Trust me most reporters and producers know when you are out of check with reality.

2. Win-Win Match - In order to receive free publicity from a media outlet you need to offer win-win match solutions to cover news about you. Pitching a storyline that does not match a media outlet's target audience is the fastest way to land on a blackball list. Also make sure that you are pitching reporters who cover news related to your pitch. Reporters don't pass on news to other reporters because it fits their category better; they simply toss your bad pitch.

3. Create News - There are so many social media resources to create news buzz. Try starting a company blog, put some videos on YouTube, or connect with others on Stumbleupon or Twitter.

4. Promote News - Most story ideas in the media are created from a press release. Make sure that you actively promote news to attract the media to cover stories on you.

5. Monitor News - Staying on the pulse of rising news stories is an entry to pitch and promote news to receive coverage. When it comes to breaking news stories the media always seek topics on related subjects to add to the story.

Remember the media runs on news and you have to stay newsworthy to be of benefit. Keep pitching!

Receive FREE Public Relations Tips: http://mosnarcommunications.blogspot.com "CR" Cataunya Ransom is the Co-founder of Mosnar Communications, INC. She developed a niche for Luxury PR & Global Marketing. Guiding clients on how to brand, market, and promote luxury products, events, and services. http://www.mosnarcommunications.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=CR_Ransom

Blog Success - Are You Addressing These 5 Critical Areas For Blog Success?

By Bill Underwood

There are five important components that have to fall into place and be addressed in order to have a prosperous blog.

Every single one of these are critical to your blog success because if you neglect any, then you might as well not even bother to get started. That may sound harsh but without a comprehensive plan, you'll just be so very unproductive for a long time to come.

Many, many, people who start a blog have little idea how to get traffic, attention, get into the search engines, or start making money and achieve blog success with their blogs if they have to figure it out by themselves.

Here are the 5 principle areas that are addressed by a winning blogger and blog:

1. The Right Mindset: Learn how to be a successful blogger from people.

2. Unique, Useful Content: You must learn how to develop appealing content for your blog that gets people talking, linking to you, and forces the search engines rank your blog highly in the searches.

3. Getting Traffic: It is important to learn all the latest techniques for getting listed in the search engines, building links to your site, web 2.0 marketing, social networking and a lot more. These are the techniques the professionals use and so can you, no matter what your blogging about.

4. Making Money: It is certainly in your best interest to learn the best ways to make the most money with your site, again, from people who are running many profitable blog sites.

5. Technical Guidance: Find a way to learn how to use how to sign up for hosting, blogging software, choose a domain name, and everything else it takes to start and maintain blog using the latest technology available.

Of course we have just seen the first steps, there is so much more to be revealed. There is more to running a successful blog than either technical or marketing know-how. There is some super comprehensive training available, the best is yet to be revealed.

At Blog Success Review, we invite you to access our free award winning blog authority black book and software. We have a behind the scenes video review of the best blog training system available at: http://Blog-Success-Review.com Thank you from Bill Underwood and the Blog Success Network Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Underwood