Integrated Marketing
November 29, 2018
5 Tips for Giving Holiday Business Gifts
For B2B companies, particularly those in the services industry, deciding whether to send a gift during the holidays can be a difficult decision. Once the precedent has been set, it’s probably necessary to make it a tradition. Deciding what to give can be a pretty challenging endeavor as well. The following are five tips for giving holiday business gifts: Decide the goal for giving a gift. Is it simply to say “thanks for your business?” Do you see it as an opportunity to reinforce or remind clients (or potential customers) about your company? Sometimes it’s simply because all your competitors provide gifts. Whatever the reason, make sure you know what you want to achieve. Simple thank you items don’t have to be expensive or even that memorable. Something that needs to reinforce the brand should be a bit more carefully designed. Determine the recipients of the gift. Are you providing something for the entire office, or is this a memorable gift for an important buyer? Do you need to order 100 or 1000? Understanding the quantities that you need to deliver can help make that decision, as logistics can be tricky with heavier or fragile items, or those that need […]
Digital Marketing , Social Media
November 27, 2018
How Data-Driven Facebook Marketing Can Future Proof Businesses
When marketing is done, it’s not a matter of randomly coming up with campaigns out of the blue. It requires a strategy that works best when driven by supporting data. The same is true if you intend to do Facebook marketing. Facebook has proven that it has evolved from a mere social networking platform, but to an effective marketing platform as well. This is not only because of the large user base that Facebook has, but also because of the multiple tools that are geared to help make marketing in it more systematic, and more capable of achieving your goals. With that, data-driven Facebook marketing can help you achieve your desired results more efficiently. What is data-driven marketing? Data-driven marketing is making use of relevant data to craft winning marketing strategies. Doing data-driven marketing involves the collection of data from your marketing campaigns, analyzing them, and using them to aid the creation of better campaigns in the future. The data you’ll collect not only involves the demographics of your target market but also how they reacted to your previous campaigns so that you will know how you will design your new marketing campaigns. When done correctly, data-driven marketing can allow […]
Content Marketing , Digital Marketing
October 26, 2018
The Power of Ephemeral Content
At first glance, ephemeral content appears to be yet another buzzworthy trend making rounds throughout the marketing industry. But after making a disparaging remark at PRSA ICON recently, I was schooled by a few marketers who helped me explain why this type of content is so engaging. I’m not alone. ntroduced by Snapchat in 2011 these kinds of stories were met with overwhelming skepticism, as marketers struggled to make sense of this new type of temporarily available content. Traditionally, marketers have always focused on long-lasting, reusable content. Investing valuable resources into a medium that is available only for 24 hours seemed very counter-intuitive to me. However, the growing popularity of social media platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram meant that traditional strategies also had to evolve in order to remain effective, and more importantly, relevant. Ephemeral content has become a crucial part of any well-thought-out marketing strategy. What is ephemeral content?
Integrated Marketing , Social Media , Uncategorized
October 11, 2018
Twitter for Marketing – A Refresher
Twitter has been one of the biggest social media platforms for more than half a decade now, which means some of your potential customers are using it. 69 million people in the US are on Twitter, but what’s more interesting is that nearly half use the social network every day. While this is a known fact, very few people know how to use Twitter for marketing a brand, product or service. You may have already realized that shooting out tweets about your business every five minutes brings nothing at the end of the day. But is that a reason to rule out the platform as an impracticable marketing channel? The point with Twitter is to gain influence and grow awareness but it can’t be done by blatantly selling. You may have let your Twitter accounts languish in favor of Instagram or LinkedIn. But it’s well worth your time to dive back in and take another look. In case you’ve forgotten, here is a refresher on how to use Twitter for marketing your brand and grow your influence. Showcase your brand Your profile is the face of your business on Twitter. It is the first thing anyone scrutinizes whenever they bump into […]
Digital Marketing , Integrated Marketing
October 8, 2018
Bridging the Gap with Integrated Marketing Concepts
PRSA ICON is an appropriate name for what has become a truly iconic event in the world of communications. For the past four years, I’ve had the honor of presenting integrated marketing concepts at the conference. Each year, I’m amazed at how rapidly communicators are embracing integration and using it to their best advantage. This year’s presentation covers a bit of theory along with some pragmatic tips. In this post, I’ll cover some of the points I’ll be making here in Austin today. Here’s a link to the slideshare version of the presentation as well. Some people ask me why learn integration? Frankly, I think communicators need at least an awareness of integrated marketing concepts to remain relevant. Beyond that, using an integrated mindset creates more influence for the communications department within the organization while also providing a broader toolkit for the communicator themselves. Finally, making the jump (which really won’t be a jump soon once the silos start breaking down) into a marketing leadership position can’t be done without a strong knowledge of integrated marketing. Many of us aren’t working at a strategic level yet – so how do we introduce integration into our own work? Basically, integration doesn’t […]
Digital Marketing , Mobile Marketing , Social Media
October 2, 2018
4 Big Ways to Use Livestream Marketing
Livestream Marketing and Your Integrated Marketing Plan Livestream marketing is growing in popularity in all different areas. Sports teams can now broadcast their games across the internet, bands can reach a bigger crowd online and companies can market to their unique audiences. Multiple social media platforms now offer users livestreaming marketing capabilities too. Whether you want to use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or even Twitch, there’s a platform for everyone. Due to the multi-channel accessibility lives streaming provides, businesses can reach bigger audiences than ever before. According to Marketing Week, livestream marketing is the key to building authenticity with younger generations. Sara Carter, an experienced tech expert at Enlightened Digital, agrees. “Livestream marketing is going to be most efficient when trying to reach millennials and Generation Z,” Carter says. “With the ever-growing importance of finding ways to differentiate your brand, live stream marketing just might be a good strategy to add when trying to reach these demographics.” 4 Big Ways to Use Livestream Marketing Livestream Interviews Customers want the inside scoop that’s happening NOW. Conducting “get to know me” interviews with different employees and creators can be a great way to do that. It will give your business relatability and give prospective […]
Digital Marketing , Ecommerce , Mobile Marketing
September 20, 2018
E-commerce Hacks: 6 Best Ways to Drive Sales in 2018
There’s never a shortage of tips and advice – e-commerce hacks – on improving e-commerce sales. And while some are indeed valuable, others are just outdated suggestions that produce little to no results. And with every year introducing a new wave of marketing trends and technological advances, it becomes obvious how adaptability plays a crucial role in keeping businesses afloat. In this post, we’re offering the latest emerging trends within the field of e-commerce that every forward-thinking marketer should be aware of. 1. Create and identify your ideal buyer persona. A buyer persona lets you create a marketing strategy that resonates more with your target customer, as opposed to generic marketing tactics that can hit or miss.
Digital Marketing , Social Media
September 18, 2018
How to Measure Social Media ROI: A 4-Step Plan for Marketers [Infographic]
Social media may seem pretty cut and dry, but using it to market your brand effectively is no walk in the park. Not only is it difficult to keep up with social media’s constant changes and updates but it can also be hard for businesses to decipher their returns on investments. Most companies have the same goals of increased sales and brand awareness, but how can one quantitatively calculate how their company’s social media is accomplishing those goals. While 44% of CMOs say that they haven’t been able to measure the impact of social media on their business, it’s entirely achievable for firms of all types. MDG Advertising has the perfect set of steps to help you figure out if your likes and retweets are actually paying off. Check out this infographic for an easy, 4-step plan to determine your company’s social media ROI. Infographic by MDG Advertising
Ecommerce , Mobile Marketing , Uncategorized
September 13, 2018
How to Use Predictive Analysis to Improve Customer Retention
For any business to succeed, you need to retain your customers. Once you win your customers’ loyalty, you can expect a good amount of revenue from repeat purchases. However, if you fail to retain your customers, your sales and profit margins are likely to suffer. It is more cost-effective to retain your existing customers than to acquire new ones. Acquiring a new customer can be five times more expensive than retaining existing customers. Customer retention strategies differ from industry to industry. However, regardless of the industry, data, artificial intelligence, and predictive analysis can help you improve customer retention. Here are a few ways to use predictive analysis to retain your existing customers. 1. Personalize Offers for Your Customers
Content Marketing , Digital Marketing , Social Media
August 17, 2018
Influencer Marketing: Q & A with Hilary Topper
Hilary Topper, President of HJMT Public Relations and author of Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Social Media gives us the inside scoop on conducting successful influencer marketing campaigns. Along with her successful PR practice, Topper teaches Media Studies, Journalism, and Public Relations at Hofstra University. A prolific content marketer, she also curates two successful blogs – NY Lifestyle and A Triathlete’s Diary – and records her podcast “Hilary Topper on Air”. In the latest Wax Q&A, Hilary providers her insights on one of the hottest marketing trends right now: influencer marketing. Wax: Why do you think influencer marketing has become so popular in the last couple of years? HT: Influencer Marketing has always been popular. In recent years, the phrase has been coined but since the earliest public relations campaigns, PR professionals have used celebrities, experts, sports figures, etc. to build brand awareness. Just recently, the “average” person who has lots of followers have been targeted to help in the mission.
