What You Need to Know About Digital Marketing

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Digital marketing offers businesses of all sizes the opportunity to advertise their products and services on the Internet. While the two words ‘digital marketing’ may seem relatively simple and straightforward, digital marketing campaigns are made up of multiple different marketing tactics to engage potential customers on their preferred platform.

A successful digital marketing campaign is effective at reaching your target market and increasing sales and conversions across the board.

Your Website

Before launching a Digital Marketing campaign, it’s important to note that your site serves as the ‘hub’ for all of your other marketing activities.

For this reason, you’ll want to be sure that you offer your site visitors a pleasant user experience when they browse your site. These days, more people access the Internet using mobile devices such as Smartphones and Tablet computers, so it’s critical that business owners offer these visitors a mobile-friendly version–commonly referred to as a “Responsive Design” that automatically formats to accommodate their screen size. By doing so, you’re making your site easier to navigate for an improved user experience.

In addition to being mobile-friendly, optimizing your site to meet other technical requirements such as faster response time, secure browsing sessions, E-mail Opt-In Forms, and E-Commerce integrations helps you derive more value and success from the investment you’ve made in your site.

Stay in Touch with E-mail Marketing Campaigns

E-mail marketing is a cost-effective way for companies to market to individuals who have signed up for their e-Mail list online or in person. E-mail marketing gives business owners the opportunity to connect with clients and potential customers directly in their E-mail inboxes. E-mail marketing isn’t’ reserved for major corporations. E-mail marketing companies including AWeber, Constant Contact, MailChimp, and others make it easy for businesses to send periodic newsletters and updates.

Additionally, e-mail marketing is the ideal way to follow up with people by setting up an Autoresponder series that’s designed to engage the reader with free information or to encourage them to take action by making an inquiry or buying the product or services offered

Stay Social and Get Connected!

In the last five years, the use of popular Social Media websites like Facebook and Twitter have skyrocketed! Companies that neglect the importance of representing their brands on these high traffic platforms are missing out on connecting with more people. Your potential customers are already there, so providing your audience with helpful and timely updates strengthens your overall branding message.

Most social media platforms have direct messaging available, so these outlets give small and medium businesses an additional way to communicate with both existing and potential new clients seamlessly. Instead of having to make a phone call to ask a quick question or two, they can send a secure message from their app to get an answer. Communications via these platforms help remove friction and time by connecting with your potential customer directly.

Your social media profile is a digital asset that works as an extension of your website. Furthermore, since these platforms are often easy to integrate with other widgets and apps, such as Live Chat support, appointment setting, and E-Commerce functionality, you can use these outlets as another way to market your goods or services. With over 2.3 Billion users, it’s easy to understand how having a presence on these platforms matters.

Content Marketing

Another critical aspect of every digital marketing campaign is putting a content marketing strategy in place. These days, content comes in many forms including text-based content, image-based content, and video content. If possible, it is always a smart idea to use a combination of content types to engage with your audience. Image and video content are appealing for making regular updates on both your website and your social media channels.

In most cases, text-based content focuses on updating business website blogs, often with image or video based content that complements the topic matter getting discussed. By creating compelling and informative content, that’s customized to speak to your audience you are making the right moves to build trust, to improve your customer relationships, and establish your brand effectively.

Additional Digital Marketing Assets

Creating a successful digital marketing campaign takes a great deal of careful planning and precise implementation. Additionally, the plan must be consistently monitored and tweaked to keep delivering the most favorable results.

Other digital marketing assets include Landing pages that are designed to encourage website visitors to take a very specific action on the web page they’re visiting, whether it is to sign up for a free newsletter or to take advantage of a free offer or another type of promotion. Landing pages work hand in hand with paid advertising campaigns to maximize the ROI of the ad campaign.

Since Landing Pages usually lack web site navigation, people who “land” on the page are left with very few options to click on other pages on the site, so they stay focused on the offer and can respond quickly. By removing a lot of the “noise” and unnecessary navigation, your website visitors have little choice but to decide whether or not they’re interested in your deal or promotion.

Companies that overlook the importance of having Landing Pages to help steer visitors into a sale, or a conversion can easily be squandering thousands of dollars of valuable traffic by sending them to pages that contain a lot of information, but just not the information that’s needed to convert that visit into a sale successfully.

The Devil Is In the Details!

Constructing a results-oriented digital marketing campaign involves a lot of technical details and fine-tuning to make sure you have everything just right. If you don’t have the time to learn how everything fits together when it comes to a digital marketing campaign, that’s OK! There are many well-qualified companies and individuals who specialize in this line of work so you can specialize in whatever it is that you do best!

An Effective Digital Marketing Campaign Requires Thought and Planning

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Regardless of whether you are just starting a new business or you have an existing business that has to modernize your approach to marketing, an effective digital marketing campaign is one of the best ways to launch and promote your business.

The one thing to keep in mind is that an effective Digital Marketing Campaign isn’t about doing one or two things right. It’s about getting everything right and fusing all of these things together to build a finely-tuned lead generation, conversion, and sales machine!

These days, this means that small and medium-sized business owners can’t afford to overlook the importance of representing their brand on numerous online platforms and channels.

Get Moving on Social Media!

Social networking sites provide people with a broad range of benefits. Businesses, no matter how big or small they are, have access to a platform to target their ideal audience and connect with them.

By establishing social profiles and keeping your business page updated with pertinent information, you have a direct way to sell products and introduce promotions quickly to your target market. It’s not surprising that so many small business owners love these platforms, merely for the fact that they can get their messages out to their audience with just a few keystrokes!

Further, most Social Media platforms also tend to offer affordable advertising to help extend the reach of these types of posts for increased engagement. With multiple types of advertising options available, business owners have the ability to customize their advertising specifically for the kind of results they want from the digital marketing campaign.

Why Hiring a Digital Marketing Company Makes a Lot of Sense

The issue that many small and medium-sized businesses have is that a truly successful digital marketing campaign isn’t about updating a time or two a month on one platform. For the best results, it is always a smart idea to maintain a presence on multiple platforms.

But this takes time and consistent effort every day. Even business owners with the best intentions can have a difficult time keeping up with the demands of making updates and managing ad campaigns, especially when you have multiple ad campaigns running across multiple social platforms.

When time is of the essence, and you need to focus on the side of the business that you do best, a digital advertising agency is better positioned to handle this aspect of your business. Because they specialize in this type of technical work and have employees that understand the complexity and consistency, that’s required to run a successful digital marketing campaign. This allows you to rest easy knowing this part of your job is getting done.

Digital Marketing Agencies Offer Keen Insights

Another advantage of working with an experienced digital marketing agency is the fact they use tools and technology to evaluate data and offer insight about your web presence and digital marketing campaign. By using tools, digital marketing companies can easily extract and sort information that most business owners don’t have the time to collect on their own.

A well-orchestrated digital strategy is a wise investment in your business. Results are measurable and available nearly in real-time. The best digital marketing agencies know how to identify trends in your analytics and make adjustments as needed for a maximum return on your marketing budget.

Stay Competitive and Build Your Brand Online

The most successful business owners know that marketing strategies are not an option; they are a necessity. Think about it. You wouldn’t know many of today’s famous companies had they not invested in branding and advertising campaigns to help with positioning in their market segment.

While you probably won’t be able to spend millions of dollars on your digital marketing campaigns like the big corporations do, you still have the opportunity to build brand awareness and recognition within your local or target market. Depending on the platform that your digital agency is using to advertise on your behalf, they can set tight parameters for targeting the ideal potential audience. In larger ad networks like Google, run of network and retargeted ads are helpful for display purposes and overall branding efforts.

Ads are shown on millions of websites, including properties such as YouTube, mobile devices, and favorite sites that participate in the Google ad program. If you want your brand name to get in front of people when they’re visiting high-profile sites, Google ads are one way to do it.

If you prefer to have your digital marketing agency run a campaign that is more finely-tuned, Facebook offers advertisers the ability to drill down and select who sees your ad based on demographics you choose. These demographics could include by Zip code, interests, age group, marital status, and even shopping habits.

As you can imagine, having this type of tight control over who sees your ad optimizes it for higher returns and better results. For instance, if you’re selling a product for women, such as a beauty cream or cosmetics, showing your ad to men who are unlikely to be interested in your offer is bad targeting. There is never a good excuse for bad targeting when you have all the controls you need to skip running a poorly targeted ad campaign.

Talk to a Professional!

If you have questions about what you need to do to strengthen your web presence and build your digital marketing campaign, don’t be afraid to talk with a professional digital marketer about your concerns.

Professional digital marketing companies are happy to answer any questions you have and offer solutions to help you get your business to where you want it to be.

It’s worth noting that most digital strategies take time and consistent effort for them to unfold, so you should be willing to make a commitment of a minimum of 12 months for all of the foundational work to come together cohesively. By staying on course and following through on a long-term digital marketing campaign strategy, your business is certain to reap the rewards of sales and conversions.

Extraordinary Business Branding Is Easy!

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One of the greatest things about launching your business is having the opportunity to build your very own business branding from the ground up! For many entrepreneurs, this means that creativity plays a critical part, especially in the case when the new business is getting built on a bootstrap budget.

Despite what you might think, working within a bootstrap budget doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice any of the branding elements that the big companies have!

Custom Logos and Slogans

Once you have an idea, product, or a service offering in mind, one of the first steps in establishing your company brand is creating a custom logo and a supporting slogan. Your logo is the tie that represents your entire business entity, so getting a logo that’s clear, concise, and easy to read is essential to your overall success. It’s what makes your product or service offerings different from everyone else in your industry, so getting a print ready logo takes you on the road to success! Powerful branding does amazing things for your business operation, and your logo should get added to everything from your custom letterhead, business cards, website and social media assets, product packaging, and promotional items.

Your business Slogan helps reinforce your logo and may also get used in creating more brand clarity in your small business or startup. Typically, brand slogans tend to be relatively short with an aim for being memorable. Slogans that may ring a bell with you include “Eat Fresh!” (Subway) “I’m Lovin’ It” (McDonald’s) “Be Your Way” (Burger King.) All of these slogans are part of an overall larger marketing campaign to build brand loyalty and recognition.

By combining both your Logo and Slogan together in a cohesive design, you are taking the necessary steps to create a brand that’s destined for success!

Clever Business Branding No Matter Where You Are!

These days, entrepreneurs work more fluidly than ever before. Access to wireless Internet has enabled business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers with the ability to work from nearly anywhere, regardless of whether it’s their home office, their favorite coffee shop, a public library, or another preferred location. When working from these places, here are a few smart ways to help build your brand with the people who see you.

Put a Decal With Your Logo On Your Laptop Computer – If you are working in a public space where people are passing through or mingling, a custom Laptop Skin is an ideal way to turn your laptop workstation into a valuable piece of marketing material!

One thing that you can be sure of is that your notebook will stand out just because it looks nothing like all the run of the mill laptop computers that everyone else is using, and it couldn’t be easier to customize your laptop skin with your logo or other custom creative for your notebook computer. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly start gaining more clients and inquiries just by showing off your logo when working remotely from your home or office.

Turn Your Vehicle Into a Mobile Marketing Machine – If you’re like most people, the chances are good that you spend a significant amount of time driving to run errands, to meet with clients and for personal reasons.

Did you know that you could turn these trips into a valuable marketing campaign by investing in a customized vehicle wrap or a door magnet that boosts your brand name and your contact details? Both of these business branding options are cost-effective and offer tax incentives for their role in your business use.

Information that you should try to have printed on your vehicle wrap or marketing magnet include your business phone number, your website address, your company logo, and a QR code. Anytime that you’re out, you’ll have the opportunity to advertise your brand seamlessly, and the next traffic jam you’re stuck in could offer the chance for you to connect directly with potential clients while they, too, are stuck in traffic.

Embroidered Shirts – While the chances are good that you’ve put your days of wearing another company uniform to work behind you, as a small business owner or a startup company, there are a lot of advantages in investing in embroidered shirts or other types of apparel for yourself and others in your Organization. Depending on your product or service line, custom printed or embroidered shirts, hats, aprons, and other garments help identify your staff and help build brand awareness. For service oriented businesses, customized shirts help your clients recognize who your employees and staff members are which is of particular importance if your business entails you visiting or going into the homes of existing or potential customers.

Business Branding Done Right!

You and your employees are an extension of your brand. Leaving a positive business impression is one of the secrets to success. Several things must be done to put your best foot forward when it comes time to create the most effective branding strategies. Never before in history have consumers had to sort through endless offers, marketing messages, and other incentives to purchase products, for everything they need. Most people today value simplicity and information that’s easy to comprehend, so the more straightforward your marketing efforts are, generally the better your results are likely to be. People are always looking for products and services that make their life easier and better, so if you can deliver such products and services – and do it well – a creative and comprehensive branding and marketing campaign pays off in spades!

If you have more questions about setting up a business branding campaign for your new, existing, or startup business, discussing your project with a branding expert like Colleen Eakins puts your business on track for higher visibility and greater returns on the investment in your business. Fill out the form here to start the discussion today!

4 Ways Printed Marketing Materials Can Add Value

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Over the last decade, quite a bit has changed in media, marketing, and advertising. However the more that things change, the more things stay the same. Print advertising remains a stalwart for businesses of all sizes to connect with the people who are key to their business success. This makes printed marketing material still very relevant.

Here are some of the ways that printed marketing material offers business people value when they’re evaluating how to allocate their marketing budget:

Multiple Distribution Methods Available – One of the biggest advantages of using Print as a component in your overall marketing strategy is that Printed materials, in their many forms, are something that clients or potential new customers can hang onto until the time they’re ready to buy or start a discussion with you. In today’s digital age, many traditional Print Media Outlets such as Newspapers and Magazines have adapted to the changing advertising environment and offer their print advertisers a corresponding online ad as part of their ad spend.

Even though newspapers and periodicals have witnessed a decline in subscribers and readers, the people who still rely on these mediums for local, regional, and national news are more engaged with the material presented in them.

Direct Mail is also a straightforward and tested way to get into the consciousness of the client, especially if the material that you are sending to the consumer offers a compelling offer or promotion to give them an incentive to buy from you. All you need to do is think of how many times you’ve clipped a coupon from one of your local mailers to see how powerful this type of print ad can be for your company.

Personal and Professional Networking – If you’ve spent any time doing personal or professional networking, the chances are good that you already understand just how important it is to have an attractive and professional business card to hand out to everyone you meet.

While the digital world travels at the speed of light, a traditional business card stays rooted as a standard in the business community and provides essential contact information to the people who you meet in personal or professional settings. Your business card can be as unique as you are and provide everything from your address to a QR code – as well as where people can find you online, such as your website address and your social media profiles. By offering as much information as possible anyone who has it can connect with you on the platform they are most comfortable.

Sponsorships – As part of a Sponsorship Agreement, many local Organizations offer their sponsors’ recognition by way of print advertising. These print ads could include putting their logo on the player’s uniforms, publishing an ad in the Yearbook, or mentioning the business names sponsors on the brochure or leaflet. Not only does print advertising by way of Sponsorship help build brand awareness, but it also associates your name with an activity or causes the entire community embraces, which is always mutually beneficial for all parties involved!

Sponsorships worth considering include Non-Profit sponsorships, Corporate Sponsorships, and Special Event Sponsorships that help you connect with people who could benefit from your product or service offerings. By supporting community members, you are not only helping people in your community to do what they love, but you are extending your brand to everyone who is involved in the Organizations, whether it’s the local little league baseball team or a charity event which is excellent for your business reputation.

Industry Events and Conventions – Industry events and conventions are a great venue to connect with potential new clients, business partners, and vendors and printed marketing material assure that anyone who stopped and took the time to talk to you has something they can reference back to once they’ve left the venue. Depending on your marketing budget and the niche your business serves, it is always a smart idea to have printed material for people as they walk past or stop to talk. Ideas for products that you can give away include printed flyers, product brochures, magnets, Bluetooth devices, printed tote bags, water bottles imprinted with your business logo, Branded USB sticks, pens, or stylus’ or even T-Shirts that proudly tout your business branding on them.

Everyone loves a giveaway, so there is almost no way that you can go wrong with a product giveaway at these types of gatherings. Since the chances are good that consumers will meet and talk with numerous suppliers and vendors throughout the course of the day, your investment in these promotional materials gives them a way to remember your brand later. While there are upfront costs associated with buying customized promotional products, these costs can be offset quickly by the sales and return on investment when someone buys from you immediately or at a later time. For best results, select promotional items that are more likely to resonate with your target audience.

For example, if you are exhibiting at a health and wellness event, giving away items such as Antibacterial Gel Packets, Lip Balms with Sunscreen, Hand Sanitizers, Sleep Masks, or other related products make perfect sense. Business owners who exhibit at home and garden shows might be better served to offer items such as branded tape measures, paint stirrers, yard sticks, or levels to appeal to their target audience of customers who are in the market for home improvements or renovations at some time in the future. When these clients hang on to these useful items, it reminds the potential customer about your business and increases the chances that they’ll call you when the time comes to start the project. By selecting the most related promotional items for your event, you can be sure that the items you give away work as cost-effective marketing material when they call you to do their next job!

These are just a handful of ways that printed marketing materials can help your business brand and reach new audiences!

So…I was a #startup co-founder

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It’s been awhile since a new post was added to my site and it’s because a lot has been going on. Business has been good. A partnership fell apart. Pivots happened and plans changed. Essentially, the normal ups and downs of being an entrepreneur are to blame, but I’m not complaining. I can honestly say that things have been good overall.

This past April, I wrote and scheduled the below italicized text. I had just joined an exciting startup as a co-founder and I was giddy about entering the tech startup space. I wrote this post initially to make the announcement to everyone as well as use the post as a way to cross promote the startup across my networks.

Life, in its usual fashion, decided to disrupt my plans. I had to make an exit from my new exciting startup life because I just didn’t have the time available to devote to the startup’s needs and proposed timeline to launch. I just didn’t have the bandwidth to do it all–run Colleen Eakins Design and help build the startup.

The startup had to go on without me and although I’m sad I was unable to take the ride with them, I still want to publish what I had written then:

Back at the beginning of the year I listed three goals for 2016 and I am seeing progress towards those goals. One of those goals was to plan and execute on another revenue source besides the ones I currently have.

It looks like this is going to be realized through the most recent development in my business life–I was asked to be a co-founder for Mully Lingua. Mully Lingua will be a web and mobile platform to allow parents to find, book and partake in cultural and language activities for their children. I had previously done work to create the logo for Mully Lingua (currently in my portfolio) by a client that I have worked with for several years, Tami Garcia.

Mully Lingua was born from the definition “necessity is the mother of invention;” because she wanted better cultural experiences, opportunities and language exposure for her daughter. She wanted to create the experiences that would aide in her being a well-rounded and highly skilled global citizen. After speaking with other parents in the Washington, D.C. area, she realized they shared her same frustration of finding affordable and convenient options to meet this need.

It was that need that brought her to me and started the brand. Since it’s inception, she and I have been meeting to discus branding and what the technical and design needs would be for the service itself, as well as the marketing for the service. A couple weeks ago, she asked me to come on as a co-founder.

Yay! I must say, I’m pretty excited about this venture and I’m excited to be on track to meet another goal I set for this year.

We are currently in the planning, designing and development stages of the project and that means my blog posting is probably going to be a bit more sporadic than it had already become. For now, I am planning to try to post at least once a month and it may very well mean that most of my postings will encompass the high’s, low’s and woe’s of start-up life.

While we are slaving away, you can stop by Mully Lingua online, to see what we are up to!

Although I am no longer involved, I still want you guys to go check them out and sign-up to Become A Mully Lingua Beta Tester.