Tuesday, April 29, 2014

How to Surf the Changing Tides of Social Media

It is a confusing time for social media. It seems like every day, new and conflicting reports come out about the future of different platforms. Is Facebook a sinking ship? Or is it simply being used by a new demographic? Is Instagram the new thing? Or should you be using Snapchat? In addition to all of the ever-changing buzz, Facebook has recently switched up their algorithms. If you’ve been watching your business’s page, you’ve probably noticed a big decline in the number of people your posts are reaching. So how do you navigate the tricky waters of social media marketing? These three rules will help you stay afloat: 1. No matter where you’re posting, make sure what you’re posting is worthwhile. The changed Facebook algorithm punishes posts that simply recirculate content or ask for likes. On all platforms, think about what would be valuable to your customer and consistent with your brand. Try to create interesting and original content whenever possible. 2. Pay attention to numbers and followers. The number of “likes” or followers you have isn’t the end all be all, but you should know who you’re reaching and how often. Analyze the success (or failure) of each post and tweak accordingly. This will also help you be more responsive to user engagement. 3. Diversify. Rather than abandoning Facebook for Instagram or devoting all of your time to Vine, try to build community on multiple platforms in a way that makes sense for your brand. This requires you to really get to know each platform, its capabilities, and who it reaches. If you don’t put all of your eggs in the Facebook basket, your marketing won’t die if the platform suddenly goes the way of MySpace

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

5 Ways to Make Your Business Greener

Happy Earth Day!It’s the perfect occasion to take a step back and see how you can make your business more environmentally-friendly. It might not seem like going green should be a big priority for a small business, but there are actually several benefits. Demonstrating a commitment to your community and environment shows that you care about more than making a profit, and it will make you competitive with other companies that are going green. If that doesn’t have you sold, reducing wasteful practices will also save you a ton of money. Here are some ways that you can start greening up your company: Reduce energy consumption. We all know that unplugging things when they aren’t in use is a good way to conserve energy, but this can be a big hassle when you have countless electronics and appliances plugged in at one time. Invest in some smart power strips that sense when energy isn’t being used and shut it off until it’s needed again. You’ll be amazed at how much energy (and money) you save. Go green with your printing. It’s great to go paperless when you can, but don’t feel like you have to go print-free to be green. Talk to your local printer to see what environmentally-friendly methods they offer. There are countless kinds of recycled papers, efficient inks, and energy-conserving printing processes available. Bring lunch. It might not seem like a big deal to drive 10 minutes to your favorite fast food place every day, but when you add it up over a period of time (and factor in how many of your coworkers are doing it too) it can seem like a big waste of time and energy. Start bringing your lunch or create a lunch program for your employees so they don’t have to worry about leaving the office at noon. Give employees water bottles. Bottled water is an incredibly harmful environmental product. Americans throw out nearly 40 million plastic bottles each year, and it requires millions of gallons of oil to produce all of the bottles that are bought in the first place. Consider giving your employees personalized water bottles. They’ll be grateful for the thoughtful gift, and you’ll rest easy knowing that you’re reducing unnecessary plastic bottle usage. Reward employees for using alternative methods of transportation. Encourage your coworkers to ditch their cars by rewarding those who carpool, take public transportation, walk or ride their bikes to work every day. The reward can be as simple as a shout out during a staff meeting or as elaborate as being entered into a drawing for a fabulous vacation package. No matter what you do, recognizing people who are going green will boost company morale and reduce your carbon footprint.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

How to Use Micro-Nostalgia in Your Marketing

“Nostalgia...it’s delicate, but potent.” If you’re a Mad Men fan, you’re likely familiar with this quote from Don Draper’s poignant speech about the power of nostalgia in marketing. Brands using a nostalgic approach have found great success (Volkswagen’s famous “The Force” commercial is just one example), and the tactic is an excellent way to establish brand loyalty with Millennials. A quick scan of BuzzFeed’s articles demonstrates this age demographic’s love of reminiscing with articles like “12 Toys All 90’s Kids Loved” and “The Best Snacks From Your Childhood.” But infusing your marketing with nostalgia doesn’t necessarily mean that you should be looking back several decades. With social media has come the rise of micro-nostalgia. The faster pace of the social media world has expedited the development of fondness for past events. Facebook and Twitter have both recently tried to capitalize on this, with Facebook’s “look back” videos and Twitter’s recent stunt that allowed users to find the first tweets from any Twitter handle. So why is micro-nostalgia so successful? Its real strength lies in personalization. In a selfie-filled culture, being able to review recent personal achievements, important moments and even clever musings is valuable. Online personas are carefully cultivated, so seeing the highlights from an already polished version of your life is rewarding in a self-involved way. Though this idea fits well with social media’s purpose, it can easily be translated to businesses in two steps: 1. Keep track of your customers. What item or service did they purchase the last time they interacted with your business? Were they seeking out your business because of a special event? Track as many details as possible (without being creepy) so that you have good information to draw from. 2. Take the time to personalize your marketing. Did someone rent party supplies from you a year ago on their birthday? Wish them an early happy birthday and offer your services again. Did you create invitations for someone’s wedding? Send them a card with a high-quality photo of their invitations the week after they’re married. The occasions can be big or small, but if you can find a way to connect your business to micro-nostalgia, you’ll create effective marketing.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Tips for an Awesome Handshake

This is it. The big moment. The crucial first impression. The introduction that could close the deal. You extend your arm and suddenly feel very self-conscious about your handshake. Was it too hard? Too weak? Did you do that weird thing where you awkwardly grip fingers instead? Have you always done a three-pump shake? A confident and excellent handshake is something that every business person should have. The simple customary act instantly conveys a lot about your sincerity and competence. These tips will help you ace the handshake every time: Make eye contact and smile. If you’re looking around, you’ll seem distracted and aloof. If you’re staring at your hands, you’ll come off as insecure. Eye contact and a warm smile is exactly what you need. Get the positioning right. The lower joint of your thumb (the tissue between your thumb and forefinger) should be nestled into the lower joint of their thumb. Then make sure the rest of your hand is wrapped around theirs. An easy way to remember this is “bump and squeeze.” Bump the joints, squeeze the hand. Be the first to engage and disengage. You never know the style of your handshake partner until you’re actually shaking hands. Will they be aggressive or timid? Brief or lingering? You can eliminate the guessing by being the first to initiate and the first to release. Don’t go crazy with the shaking. One pump is plenty, and never exceed more than two. Everyone has had those handshakes that make you feel like your arm is experiencing an earthquake. They aren’t fun. Try not to get competitive. If you feel like you need to assert dominance or compensate for your status by crushing the other person’s hand, stop it. It doesn’t make you seem powerful. It makes you seem impolite. But whatever you do, don’t be a “dead fish.” This is the lowest of lows when it comes to handshakes. If you’ve dealt with a cringe-inducing limp handshake, you’ll understand why. If you need to, ask a friend or coworker to shake your hand and rate your level of firmness.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

4 Key Questions to Ask Yourself When Developing a Logo

For logistically minded folks, a logo might not really seem all that important. You’ve got a great business plan and excellent customer service, so why worry about a silly little graphic, right? Wrong. Think of your logo as the first thing that greets a potential customer. It’s supposed to encompass your brand and plays a huge role in whether or not people feel an instant connection to your business. If your logo looks almost exactly the same as your competition’s, you’ve lost your first shot at standing out. Think about it. When most people (of the non-sommelier variety) are shopping for wine, what’s the deciding factor? The label. Your logo functions in the exact same way. It gives customers something to judge your company on before they really know what you’re capable of. If you have no idea where to start when it comes to designing a logo, ask yourself these key questions: Do you have a professional designer who can help you? Head to your local printer to find a designer who can develop a fantastic logo for you. They’ll work with you to develop something that represents your brand well, and their vast knowledge will ensure that the logo is ideal for different kinds of media. What do you want to customers to associate your business with? Are there certain values or feelings that are at the core of your company? Make them the central theme of your logo. What makes you different from the competition? This can be in terms of service or, more simply, design. If you offer something unique, try to figure out a way to incorporate it into the logo. And if everyone in your market is using the same items/colors/typefaces in their logos, make sure you do something totally different. Just because it’s used often doesn’t mean that it’s effective. What do you want customers to remember about your business? Logos are more likely to stick in people’s minds than a longform educational pamphlet on your services. If all they can remember about your brand is your logo, what does that visual need to convey?