Grab Your Brand 2

Posted on October 29, 2013 by admin

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Monday Morning Coffee with “Cards For Caleb”: Printery House Hosts “Card Party”

Posted on October 28, 2013 by admin

Br.MichaelMarcotteIn many ways, social media combines the best of classic ideas with new tools.

This week we look at an example from The Printery House, an apostolic work of the monks of Conception Abbey, a Benedictine monastery set in the rolling hills of northwest Missouri. Cards created on-site and a variety of religious gift items help share the gospel mission of The Printery House. 

Even as the monks and artists at The Printery House work diligently over hand-lettering, sketches and painted drawings (delightfully old-school style) they’re using social media to communicate in very modern ways with consumers.  For the past 18 months, monks and staff at The Printery House have worked to boost their audience connection with social media, offering a new tagline: “Send something you believe in.” 

In contrast to lightning-fast texts and Skype messaging, The Printery House is promoting something over social media you just can’t replace: a handwritten message of hope or encouragement. Audience members are encouraged to use social media to share experiences they’ve had with cards or to talk about ways they celebrate special moments with friends and family. They can connect with the monks and artists through pictures of them working behind the scenes, or by a regular email newsletter. These efforts and a catalog publication help build an audience around the nation for The Printery House cards and gifts.

Recently a new promotion is drawing attention to the ways this 60-year-old business continues to encourage and inspire with the written word. Called Cards For Caleb, The Printery House is asking its audience to send a card to Caleb Adwell, a teen from northwest Missouri who is battling a rare type of cancer. The goal is to flood Caleb’s mailbox with cards from all over, hoping to bring a smile to his face to let him know so many thoughts and prayers are with him as he continues to fight the disease. The Printery House plans to promote a “Card Party” event regularly to those needing encouragement, which we think is an outstanding way to meld the classic traditions of greeting cards with modern online tools.

Today, we invite you to “Send something you believe in” to Caleb: a cheerful card made by the monks and artists at The Printery House. Every card is designed and printed on-site, and every card makes a difference. Now that’s a valuable Monday morning activity.

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Keeping up With the Changes at Google is Imperative in Maintaining Relevance and Ranking With SEO

Posted on October 25, 2013 by admin

10983732_mStaying on top of Google’s rules and frequently changing algorithms is key to companies that use SEO writing to boost their page views. Falling behind could lead to wasting valuable resources.

For example, did you know that Google now has a section on the first page of search results that include in-depth articles only? If you’re producing SEO writing that is less than 2,000 words, you may not be landing on that first page. In many cases, Google is putting the well known publishers on that page, but search results are pulling up those that are not so well known.

Google is also getting more in-depth with its Google + accounts. People with these accounts now being tracked not only by location and what they’re searching, Google is also in on everything you do on Google products. Google sees who you are interacting with, where you’re writing your articles and what communities you’ve joined.

It’s all about personalization, and Google is getting more personal by directing your search results toward pages that you interact with most frequently. For instance, if you’re interacting with an SEO writer quite often, their results will come up more often and on the first page in searches that use keywords that have anything to do with what they’re writing.

Companies that deal a lot in SEO writing had better have a lot of relationships built up and have the quality articles that Google demands if they want to survive these changes. Socializing with the right people and building quality relationships with these people is crucial.

The folks at Susan J Campbell Copywriting Solutions track every change Google makes and tailors copywriting to give our clients the best possible chance to get noticed online. The writers create quality content that relies on research and accuracy.

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Effective Tips For a Great Elevator Pitch

Posted on October 24, 2013 by admin

A succinct and persuasive sales pitch: words that every marketer should remember. It’s what many in the industry call an “elevator pitch.” The elevator pitch is meant to last the duration of a short elevator ride. It needs to be interesting enough to get the other party (who had never met you before sharing the same elevator car) to continue the conversation later.

What are the keys to a good elevator pitch? First off, you’ve got to have a product or service that is truly interesting. That’s the hard part. The next step is to think of ways that best convey how that product or service can be hard to live without.11474234_m

You’ve got to know your customer and know their problems. In as little as two sentences, describe the problem during your pitch and how your product or service can solve that problem.

Always keep an eye on the competition so you’ll know how to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack. Are you able to offer better services at price point below your competition? Are you offering a solution where others can’t? These are points that can definitely be made a simple sentence.

Be sure to push the fact that you’ve got a team working toward the solution. The expertise within the team can sometimes be the selling point; so don’t be afraid to tout the credentials a couple of the folks working with you.

After you’ve relayed what it is you do, how you do it and who you do it with, let them know how they’ll benefit financially. Sales forecasts during pitches don’t have to be detailed and prolonged, but have a general idea put together so that they’ll know what ballpark they’ll be in once the start doing business with you.

Creating a good pitch comes with much practice, which is something the experts at Susan J Campbell Copywriting Solutions are uniquely suited to do.

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Customer Service and Social Media

Posted on October 23, 2013 by admin

Does being on and engaged in a social media platform mean a company has great customer service? The answer is a bit complicated, but easier to understand when we pull it apart.

Social media can provide a number of solutions to so many problems. It provides better customer service through engaging customers and followers and provides more personalized responses from an online environment.

Peter Shankman, three-time author and entrepreneur, did some research into customer service and found that 80 percent of businesses believe they offer “superior” customer service. When it came down to it, only eight percent of consumers have received the superior customer service from those companies.

Amazing and outstanding customer service is crucial to a successful business, but is social media the best way to provide it?

14825657_sThere are many positives to social media and here are just a few of them. It creates a better relationship with customers since there is a direct line of communication. Engaging on a public forum can allow current and potential customers to see that the business wants to solve problems. Social media can provide a creative outlet. There are fewer rules in social media than any other medium of customer communication which allows businesses to do what they want in order to provide a more unique and better customer service experience for their consumers. Through all social media platforms, questions can get answered quickly and efficiently and there is no need to worry about time zones.

If you weren’t convinced that it is necessary, check out some of these numbers:

–          24 percent of upset consumers used social media as an outlet to communicate about their experience.

–          80 percent of consumers heard back within 12 hours after contacting a brand through a social media platform.

–          59 percent of businesses take more than a day to respond. 10 percent of businesses answer within an hour on social media.

On the flip side, that old-school-in-person-customer-service approach can be great too. It’s stated that 46 percent of customers would rather talk with a real person when it comes to extremely difficult questions. When online transactions raise concerns and they aren’t addressed quickly, 45 percent will abandon the transaction altogether. Friendly employees and great customer service makes 73 percent of customers fall in love with the brand.

Online customer service is necessary these days, yes. However, don’t give up on that face-to-face customer service. Unless the entire society gives up on the importance of inter-human interaction, we will always need that human-to-human, face-to-face interaction.

Contact Susan J. Campbell today to learn how we can help you provide excellent customer service using social media platforms.

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Revive Your Blog

Posted on October 22, 2013 by admin

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Monday Morning Coffee With Harris Kemper

Posted on October 21, 2013 by admin

harris logoIt takes a neighborhood to preserve and protect a neighborhood.

It also takes a lot of neighbors willing to come together, dress up and share stories. Today we recognize the second successful fall walking tour event hosted by the Harris-Kemper Historic District Neighborhood Association and the example it sets forth of cooperation around a shared goal.

St. Joseph has some of the Midwest’s most interesting architecture scattered throughout the city, with several National Register neighborhoods. One of these is the historic and intriguing Harris-Kemper Neighborhood, located from 18th to 20th streets and bordered by Francis Street. Not only are there stunning examples of late 19th century architecture – and many even older than that – there’s a movement there to collectively share the stories of the home’s original owners and to keep the community interested in preserving these tales.

For October, the tales take a spooky twist, with homeowners sharing their own unexplained experiences. Ticket holders stroll along and listen to the tales in small groups, but also get details and a chance to study the intricate work that went into each home’s design and construction. Kicking off at the majestic and mysterious Whiskey Mansion, guests enjoy treats, a chance to mingle with neighborhood residents and to see a variety of late 1800s-inspired costumes. Proceeds go right back into preservation efforts.

Across the neighborhood tour, which is all coordinated by a volunteer effort, guests truly get the feeling that these people whose lives reflect a diversity of ages, professions and interests truly are a neighborhood. They’ve placed professionally-designed street signs to denote their neighborhood, and many know the story of various homes from participating in preservation efforts both locally and at the state level. There’s a sense that you’re welcome to join this eclectic group and they’d be happy to have you.

Using Facebook and lots of colorful photos, the Harris-Kemper Historic District Neighborhood Association has booked the event solid two years straight, with plans to continue sharing these tales each year. Sure, it’s spooky fun, but learning about the early business and community leaders who make our city great is also very entertaining. Some early residents were friends with Albert Einstein; others invented Aunt Jemima pancake mix; others were Civil War generals or legends in the whiskey business and went on to found the national organization still thriving today, Big Brothers Big Sisters.  harris kemper

From a snapshot view, the use of high-quality signage with a repeated neighborhood name has become an official logo for the area. The stories are repeated across several formats and laced with historical fact. Neighbors are encouraged door-to-door to participate in the event, and they are mindful and courteous of the dozens of walkers one evening each year. Social media helps sell the tickets, boost the brand and keep the interest alive.

And ultimately, this is storytelling demonstrated in fine style, utilizing volunteers creatively to help others appreciate and understand the grand history we have in this part of town. Thank you Harris-Kemper Neighborhood residents – both current and past.

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Reaching Out to Potential Blog Subscribers

Posted on October 18, 2013 by admin

You have a sharply designed blog page and well-written, worthwhile blog content.18138253_s Now all you need are blog subscribers. After asking everyone on your Christmas card list to subscribe to your blog, you hit a wall. That is because even though blogging is exploding in popularity, the sheer number of blog spots is so overwhelming that readers find it wearying to sift through them all.  Your list of subscribers won’t grow without some strategy on your end.

You already know that you need to make it easy for your readers to find and view your blog and you probably know that an RSS feed is the simplest way to help that happen. So subscribing to your RSS should also be easy. Here are some tips for reaching out to potential blog subscribers with an easy to find and use RSS feed.

  • Place your RSS icon in a highly visible location on every blog page and at the footer of all postings
  • Guide your readers to use your RSS by placing bold text that says Subscribe beside the RSS icon
  • No multiple steps for subscribing allowed. It’s not as easy as 1-2-3, more like as easy as 1. A single click should be all it takes
  • Use similar content blogs to cross-promote. Readers of a quality blog that covers related topics will be more apt to take a look at yours (and the reverse) when it is recommended to them from a trusted source
  • Make some content available only to those who subscribe. It should be something that appeals strongly to your readers. It could be a recipe, a contest, access to research – there should be a carrot on the other end of the subscribe stick
  • Stay active. There is no substitute for site content that is witty, informative and up-to-date.

Some blog subscribers won’t be up to speed on RSS feeds so you will want to offer them email subscription.

Looking for other ideas about how to boost your subscription rates? Contact the social media marketing experts at SJC Copywriting Solutions.

 

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Fresh vs. Stale Branding Strategies Are What’s Needed

Posted on October 17, 2013 by admin

If you’ve reached a certain level of success with your brand, it may be time to sit down and take a hard look at your current branding strategy. You don’t have to only dance with the date that brought you. In fact, it may be time to find a new partner even while things seem to be going okay. Staleness feels safe, but it won’t keep your brand appealing. To do that, you will need to let go of comfort-level ideas and be willing to chart some new territory.

The trick is finding the sweet spot where you are not afraid to let go of what worked well in the past in pursuit of what customers want today and into the future. In other words, what is core and what can be changed without abandoning the core? Finding ways to break away from a stale branding strategy can be challenging so here are some ways to help you think outside your current marketing box.

1. List your brand’s successes. Take those successes one by one and discuss with your leadership team how each one could be improved upon.14955477_m

2. Look for new customer encounters. Does your brand still live at the same address it always has? If so, you will only be found by the same old customers in the same old places. Find fresh, new locations to engage the attention of new customers. Without question your new branding strategy will need to include new online channels. You need to be where new customers are looking and that means the Internet.

3. Link your brand to a strategy that works effectively for something completely unlike you. For example, what are successful strategies for clothing marketers and how could those be applied to promoting a restaurant? Come up with several marketing comparisons and see how it revitalizes a stale branding strategy that no longer piques customer interest.

4. Listen to those who aren’t currently on board. There’s a customer niche you aren’t connecting with today. Who are they and what needs to change in order to attract them?

At SJC Copywriting Solutions we enjoy helping clients think outside their current box. We specialize in finding fresh marketing strategies that will breathe new life into once-successful but now-tired efforts. Find us online at https://sjccopywritingsolutions.com/.

 

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Twitter Has the Power

Posted on October 16, 2013 by admin

11305475_mSometimes we look at Twitter and think it is only filled with communication about who did what and when it happened. However, Twitter has an immense amount of potential when it comes to eCommerce, and that’s been looked over lately.

It’s becoming increasingly more common to purchase clothing and other like items online; it’s even becoming quite common to purchase groceries online. The next natural and potential progression is to be able to shop directly through social media platforms like Twitter. Already there are startups (like a company named Chirpify) allowing followers to simply “#buy” certain items – giving them an “in-stream payment” on Twitter.

It is still growing, but already 30 percent of eCommerce buyers were influenced by social media and the content posted by friends in 2013. Consumers are also using Twitter to reach out to the brand for customer service, hearing about sales and new deals, and engaging with the brand itself.

Previously brands were dependent on celebrities for endorsements and finding other unique ways to promote their products. Now, brands can employ Twitter followers to up the exposure among followers and their target market. As always, recommendations from friends have one of the biggest impacts on purchases. A Market Force survey tells us that 81 percent of the consumers asked stated that social networks, like Twitter, had a direct impact on their purchase decisions.

One of the biggest issues for eCommerce is the mobile consumer. Twitter is used as a mobile app more often (60 percent of Twitter users accessed the app and site through their cell phones) and the use of Tweet-Sales sounds appealing to those mobile consumers. It’s important for brands to ensure that they are accessible through all sorts of mobile devices; it can be seen as even more important to be connected and grab hold of the opportunities in the mobile social media area.

Don’t get too concerned about Twitter overtaking the eCommerce website, however. If anything, Twitter will begin sending even more traffic to the website, extending the brand’s reach and exposure. If it seems a little daunting to get involved in Twitter and other social media platforms, contact Susan J. Campbell to get some assistance. We’re always happy to help find what will work best for you and your brand.

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