marketing Advice

Twitter Facts for Internet Marketers

Paul TagentLeave a comment

I recently came across a very interesting article by By Anna Johnson about Twitter based on Twitter’s recent 2010 developer conference, Chirp, the company’s co-founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone revealed some intriguing statistics about the company.

Here are some facts and figures of interest to Internet marketers:

Twitter has 105,779,710 (just under 106 million) users
Twitter is growing by 300,000 users per day
Twitter gets 180 million unique visitors per day
75 percent of Twitter’s traffic is outside Twitter.com i.e. one out of four Twitter users accesses Twitter via a third party like Tweet Deck
Twitter users post 55 million tweets per day
Twitter’s search engine gets 600 million search queries per day and are expected to rise to 1 billion per day by May 2010

If anyone is ever in doubt about the use of Twitter within online marketing, I think these should dispell any negative myths!

My tips on how to make the dreaded cold call

Paul TagentLeave a comment

Like many areas of business, to be successful a great deal is to do with planning. Have you done your homework? Do you know the prospects’ name, job title, role within the organisation, areas of responsibility, business sector, email address and correct phone number – direct line is a bonus? In that case, you are pretty much ready to pick up the phone and dial…


This is not the best way to prepare!

However, before doing so, there are some very beneficial little habits I have included in my routine that I feel give me a better chance of getting that all important meeting. These are confident building steps and little personal elements that I am going to share with you. I know cold calling is a nasty initiative, but I never see cold calling as a numbers game. The people I contact are relevant and I truly believe I can add value to their business. This makes me feel positive before I start! I appreciate that cold calling makes people nervous and rejection rates are high so don’t laugh at the next paragraph!

1) I always make my calls in an empty office or room. This may sound obvious, but you never want to be overheard or have the possibility of being interrupted. If you work from home and have a family, wait for them to go out!
2) I always stand up. This actually makes me more alert and able to move about. Sitting down might seem relaxing, but it is far easier to be aggressive or defensive if you are in one place.
3) Smile. This is pretty much industry standard, but a smile projects the correct mood in your voice and, believe it or not, a good, positive smile can be heard down a telephone!

4) I have been known to play a song from i tunes in the background and sing to it as I dial. This actually makes me happy and feel like the call is going to be a positive one.

My next post will be about the call itself such as, DON’T start with “how are you?” Always say who you are and your role clearly. So many cold calls that I receive just go straight into the sales pitch following a “how are you” opener. The person on the other end of the phone will most likely receive loads of these calls so concentrate on what you can do for them and why.

I hope this little snippet from Bath Marketing Consultancy helps.



What are links?

Paul TagentLeave a comment

(If you are reading this from my Twitter post, well done, this is what link building is all about!)

Basically, a link is a word, phrase or image that people can click on in order to be taken to your website. The more genuine links you have coming into your site, the better, especially if they are one way links. But why should other sites link to you? Perhaps you have great content that their visitors would find of interest or you host a great  video, you are offering some sort of give away or even a free report. Either way, the people most likely to link to you will not be competitors, but more likely businesses that compliment your business in some way. For example, a site about fitness might be linked to a site dedicated to sports or nutrition. If you find a site that links to your competitors, ask the site owner to link to you.

You can also create links yourself – for example in a Blog like this or a directory or maybe even online press release sites. BUT be very careful of Black Hat link building as this will have an adverse effect. For the same reason avoid buying links.

If you need some help with this side of search engine marketing, please get in touch with me via my website…

Don’t ignore ‘old’ media

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Don’t ignore traditional media

I think it is pretty evident that new media gets all the credit in marketing these days; after all, there is something very sexy about having a great website, having your own blog and being on top of social media. However, don’t forget the power of the old guard such as newspapers, trade press, radio, tv or even the really humble media such as posters and leaflets. These are extremely effective marketing tools and the fact that lots of businesses are ignoring them may well provide you and your business with a great opportunity.

In my opinion, employing a mix of old and new media can really boost your marketing and push you ahead of your competitors.

When you have decided on your image and USP, every message you send in any form must reflect these. This includes the way you communication on paper – for instance:

Letterhead
Business cards
Invoices
Mailing labels
Brochures & flyers
Catalogues
Press releases
Compliment slips
Signage

You may not automatically assume that some of the above are marketing tools, but each one creates an impression of your business. Sometimes, a business card can create a lasting impression (I am just re doing mine!) and the logo, style, font, etc must be consistent.

Even if you consider yourself creative, I would always suggest you get a marketing company to do it for you!

Spreading the word.

Paul TagentLeave a comment
There are numerous ways that you can get your message out to potential customers, but the main ones are advertising & PR. I know that online is a huge area, but, in this instance I am grouping advertising together as advertising encompasses TV, radio, magazines, local press, billboards, leaflets, Blogs, podcasts, social media, public speaking, networking etc etc.
In this post, let’s look at getting your message out via advertising. In my opinion, one of the key aims of advertising is to get word of mouth marketing. I posted on Twitter recently that 53% of online traffic at the moment comes via WOM. When your satisfied customers tell others how great you are and suggest that they also use your product or service, that’s pretty much the best kind of publicity you can get!

To get this process started and before anyone can talk about your business, they need to know about it and this is where the initiatives mentioned above come into play. Sometimes, this can come from a YouTube video, sometimes it can come from social media and/or traditional advertising in a local paper or it can even come from giving out samples in the high street. It almost doesn’t matter how it get’s started; it matters that it does get started.
Do you know when people are most motivated to tell others about you? This might shock you, but it is right after they have bought or made a purchase.
Here are just some suggestions on how to spread the word:
Offer customers a reward for doing so; maybe a coupon for the contact details of 3 friends who might have a similar need to them.
Add a ‘tell a friend’ or ‘share’ button to your website or Blog.
Create space for them to talk. i.e. adding some sort of forum to your website.
Maybe introduce some sort of limited edition label to what you do.
Create a club that gives benefits to members.

Whatever you decide to do, people will always talk about the outstanding or unusual!

Advertising. Yes or no?

Paul TagentLeave a comment
Standing out?

Can advertising generate leads? Should it be a part of your marketing activity? What type works? Some quite strong questions for a Monday morning!

I believe that that there are limited numbers of prospects who buy in the professional services arena and, the infrequency of their purchase decision making makes a strong case for not doing any advertising at all. After all, why do so few ad agencies advertise? Maybe there is a message in that!!

Of course, for many years, some professional services were not permitted to advertise for ethical reasons (i.e. the legal sector), but, when these restrictions were lifted, their first impulse was to rush into advertising. But they forgot about below the line activity.

My main interest in advertising is whether it can generate leads; whether it should be taken seriously as a response generator. Do prospective clients come knocking as a result of an advert or does seeing an advert leave them cold? To me, advertising is about ensuring that prospects see the added value working with you brings. However, there are some professional establishments simply advertise to satisfy their egos………….and to annoy their competitors!

There is one obvious situation where advertising would seem an obvious route to market – the launch of a new product or service……or what I like to call “Announcement advertising.” However, for this to be truly effective, the advertising needs to be full of flair and create a buzz around the market. I have tried to do this with my latest Bath Life advert promoting my website/CMS package using a chocolate cake.

Wherever possible try (as written about by a fellow Tweeter Andy from Pro Ipbx), and put a response mechanism in place to allow reactions to get straight back to you. Or, at least ensure that you find some way of viewing effectiveness. Maybe by simply asking enquirers or promoting a particular page on your website that can be viewed via analytics.

Although it is sometimes hard to quantify, I believe advertising does create curiosity. It can also lay the foundation for other marketing initiatives such as e marketing or direct mail. It can also generate real positive feelings internally from your employees by showing real commitment to the business and raising morale. Hmm, but does this answer the question of its use? Tough one.

There will be plenty more on this subject from me tomorrow and later in the week, but, what do you think? Let me know by leaving a comment. Let’s share experiences!

Top 10 Marketing Tips for Success

Paul Tagent4 Comments
1. Slash your advertising budget in half. Use the money you save to test some other simple forms of marketing. Better yet, get on the phone to the media you advertise in and ask them to reduce the prices – in this economy they are really struggling and I can almost guarantee they’ll give you a substantial saving. Use the money you save to test new forms of Marketing and Internet Marketing.

2. PR. Publicity. Expert positioning. Any time your name appears in print, you are automatically an expert. People believe what they read in the papers, see on the TV and hear on the radio. It can be as simple as writing a small column in a local paper — most of these papers are crying out for quality content. They have little money to pay freelancers to write for them and might well welcome material from you.

3. Up selling. If you don’t ask your customers to buy more from you, they’ll rarely come offering. You can build tremendous momentum with a sale if you keep offering add-ons and more “de-luxe” versions. Don’t just sell a sofa – sell it with a full carpet clean, and matching rugs.

4. Go out and meet your top 20 customers. Don’t try to sell them anything, but do ask for referrals. Take them to lunch, or even just a coffee at Starbuck’s. This is a powerful strategy simply because in this modern and hectic world, no one seems to want to do it anymore. If other people aren’t doing something, that’s a good enough reason for you to test it.

5. Networking. Go anywhere people in your target market or in synergistic businesses might hang out. You don’t have to pay to join a Breakfast club – there are lots of trade shows and events you can get in for free. The people at these events are there for the same reason you are: to do business.

6. Public Speaking. Any time you get up in front of an audience to speak about your business, you’re marketing. There are dozens of opportunities to speak to interested, qualified prospects all over the place.

7. Improve your sales skills. There is an incredible amount of top quality, free information out there on sales – you’re reading some NOW! Books aren’t expensive, either, and you can get them from the library if you don’t want to buy them yourself. Knowledge is priceless, and it’s something no one can ever take away from you. Always be prepared to invest heavily in yourself. Becoming great at selling is absolutely fundamental for business success today.

8. Emails. If you’re emailing your customers and clients less than once a week, you are definitely leaving money lying around unclaimed. Make it a habit to mail your list regularly with useful, topical content they can use. They’ll love you for it, and you will make more sales.

9. Joint ventures. Look around you and you’ll see dozens of non-competing businesses whose customers are just like yours. For instance, imagine you deal with, VOIP systems and save your customers money. Now imagine you get local accountants to let you leave your paper newsletter or other marketing piece in their waiting room. Anyone waiting for their accountant has money on their mind and will be a prime target for your “save money” message. It works.

10. Become an expert at Internet Marketing; maybe trial Pay per Click Advertising on Google. Pay per Click is the most powerful breakthrough in Marketing this century – yet very few small business owners truly understand its power.

You do not have to implement all of these, but I guarantee they will make a difference to your business. If you have a specific marketing problem, why not put me to the test by filling out the small contact form on my website?

Want a bigger slice of the SEM pie?

Paul TagentLeave a comment
Big Slice?

It’s not just about driving traffic and conversions. In my opinion, a secondary objective for a large amount of search marketing activity (SEM) should be dedicated to brand awareness and reputation management, yet the results of a study conducted by a company called Epiphany in Leeds show that a lot of well-recognised brands are failing to have a regular presence online leaving space for their competitors.

The study demonstrated that a number of the ‘SuperBrands’ are relying far too much on brand-led terms in search. Epiphany’s Director of Search, Andy Heaps:
“It’s not necessarily that big brands are complacent when it comes to search – it’s more that the potential of search isn’t always understood, so isn’t seen as a priority. Brands are also often blinkered by the comfort that comes from brand traffic they receive.”
In addition, the larger the market, the more competitive the search activity so why not use a slightly different approach?
A very good example of how Bath Marketing Consultancy applies this theory is with our client BLB Solicitors.
BLB have a dedicated Personal Injury website – www.personalinjurysolutions.co.uk. CPC for the term ‘personal injury solicitor’ can be as much as £95per click making it very hard to compete on a national basis. Even regional variations are upwards of £50per click in some areas. Therefore, Bath Marketing looked at organically optimising the website for the regions it has offices in and then targeting specific case studies.
For example, if you had experienced some sort of severe accident that left you in some discomfort. After consulting your GP, there is a good chance that you would be diagnosed with CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). If you then thought about making a claim against the perpetrator or looking for a definition using CRPS Claim as a search term, BLB’s PI website is very likely to be the site that you find organically, via the online Dictionary, on forums etc.
Why not put this to the test by inputting crps claim into Google?

In a crowded market full of very similar competing companies & products, any advantage, regardless of how slight can make a significant difference to sales and essentially, the difference between the market-leader and second place.
If you want to increase your slice of the pie in your market, why not get in touch with Bath Marketing Consultancy?

SME Marketing Tips

Paul TagentLeave a comment

Below is a list of 7 simple tips to help the SME when considering marketing activity. They are simple, low-cost ways for any small business to find customers and generate sales quickly.


1. Don’t Advertise Like a Big Business. Big businesses advertise to create name recognition and future sales. A small business can’t afford to do that. Instead, design your advertising to produce sales …now. One way to accomplish this is to always include an offer in your advertising – and an easy way for prospective customers to respond to it.


2. Offer a Cheaper Version. Some prospective customers are not willing to pay the asking price for your product or service. Others are more interested in paying a low price than in getting the best quality. You can avoid losing sales to many of these customers by offering a smaller or stripped down version of your product or service at a lower price. 
3. Offer a Premium Version. Not all customers are looking for a cheap price. Many are willing to pay a higher price to get a premium product or service. You can boost your average size sale and your total revenue by offering a more comprehensive product or service …or by combining several products or services in a special premium package offer for a higher price. 
4. Try Some Unusual Marketing Methods. Look for some unconventional marketing methods your competitors are overlooking. You may discover some highly profitable ways to generate sales and avoid competition. For example, print your best small ad on a postcard and mail it to prospects in your targeted market. A small ad on a postcard can drive a high volume of traffic to your website or generate a flood of sales leads for a very small cost. 
5. Trim Your Ads. Reduce the size of your ads so you can run more ads for the same cost. You may even be surprised to find that some of your short ads generate a better response than their longer versions. 

6. Set up Joint Promotions with Other Small Businesses. Contact some non-competing small businesses serving customers in your market. Offer to publicize their products or services to your customers in exchange for their publicizing your services to their customers. This usually produces a large number of sales for a very low cost. 
7. Take Advantage of Your Customers. Your customers already know and trust you. It’s easier to get more business from them than to get any business from somebody who never bought from you. Take advantage of this by creating some special deals just for your existing customers …and announce new products and services to them before you announce them to the general market. 


Also, convert your customers into publicity agents for your business. Develop an incentive for them to tell associates and friends about the value of your products or services. An endorsement from them is more effective than any amount of advertising – and it is much cheaper!!

Are you an SME looking for help with your marketing? Why not put Bath Marketing Consultancy to the test?