What You Should Consider for Your B2B to Optimize Marketing Strategies Through Social Media

Posted on May 16, 2014 by admin

Social Media 5You know the power of social media in reaching your consumers. With real-time posts, ability to give feedback and mobile availability, it is an obvious choice. But now it is time to consider another way social media is a vital part of your marketing strategies.

Data and feedback from businesses reports that business to business (B2B) communication is increasing due to social media. B2Bs are beginning to capitalize on the fact that connecting with others in their industries in beneficial in creating an overall online persona.

In order to maximize your B2B reach, consider adding the following social media platforms to your marketing strategies:

LinkedIn: It is the number one site for professionals to network. You promote your brand by being a leading source of information about your industry; you showcase assets, awards and capabilities and build relationships. You can also share presentations and links to your blog and website through LinkedIn

Blogs: Not only are blogs the number one source of traffic to your website, but they are customizable platforms where you can create a unique voice for your brand. Blogs give you an opportunity to showcase your expertise, whether by demonstrating a product, giving a review or sharing opinions on news in your industry. Your blog can be used to generate leads, improve your search engine results and give your consumers something to share.

Twitter: Research has shown that Twitter is a viable source for B2Bs, namely because 30 percent of searches by Twitter users are for B2B accounts. It is where companies are going to quickly make connections. Because Twitter messages are in real-time, they provide a fast, timely way to share your message. Tweeting often and actively engaging with other B2Bs is easy and effective.

Your marketing strategy is your best asset and we can help it shine. Let the professionals at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions polish your brand, using the social media tools and tricks we have researched. Contact us today to find out more.

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Social Media Marketing: Never Easier, Never More Complicated

Posted on May 15, 2014 by admin

Social media marketing is growing, more platforms are popping up, and Millennials are truly integrated on all platforms, which regardless of your target market now, they will eventually fit in that market.

On the other hand, there are more platforms popping up and social media marketing is growing faster than ever. Before now, it was easy to post something to Facebook or Twitter and watch the message spread. Now, it takes a strategy and correct implementation to get your message to shine brighter than the rest.

So where should your focus be in 2014; what should direct your strategy? Here are three key focus areas for the next year.

  1. Twitter Twitter has really stepped up their game recently. While they might be17300381_s small in terms of development and financials, they are moving in the correct direction to really take off. They have placed a significance on visual content and have launched several new types of advertising. As a small business, Facebook is a great tool, but don’t forget about Twitter. It is quickly becoming a necessity.
  2. Visual Content As mentioned above, visual content is on the rise. Photos and videos are extremely important to the success of your social media marketing. If you aren’t making visual content a priority in your strategy, you definitely need to.
  3. Blogging Blogging is more important then ever. While it might not seem like it all the time, each social media platform is a blog in a unique form. Make sure to incorporate blogs, in the traditional sense, as well. Providing quality content to your audience is what will help build a strong following.

If you aren’t sure how to create a strategy that will help you achieve your business goals, give Susan J. Campbell a call today. We are ready to create a strategy, build your platforms and following, and begin providing valuable content to your audience.

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Social Media Lessons From a Childhood Friend

Posted on May 14, 2014 by admin

Peter Pan 1There has always been a set of written or unwritten rules for the Internet. With the rise in social media, writing the rules, understanding them, and following them has become even more important. Disney movies are a wealth of information and always contain many great lessons. Some of these lessons were important and vital for children to learn and begin practicing right away; whereas others can be valuable to society today.

Here are four social media lessons from Peter Pan:

  1. Be Sure to Provide a Solution
    Michael and John were faced with the problem that Mr. Darling wanted them to grow up quickly. Peter Pan provided the solution of Neverland. On the various social media platforms, it is vital to actually listen to what the audience is saying. Once you understand what their problem is, you can provide the best possible solution for them. Become a reliable source of information and build up that loyalty and trust.
  2. Be a Leader
    Peter Pan teaches Wendy how to fly by taking her by the hand and showing her. Isn’t it so much better to have someone show you where something is, rather than just pointing in the general direction? Quality customer service extends to social media. Direct your audience to exactly where you want them to end up, through links and keywords. When you begin providing great content consistently, your following will begin to grow. The Lost Boys look up to Peter because he earned their trust. Your audience needs to believe that you know what you’re talking about as you begin directing them and telling them where to go.
  3. Be Captivating
    Don’t bore your audience with information that is old and presented in the same way every single time. Tinkerbell always brought a crowd when she began talking. Be sure to share something different with your audience, whether it is the content or perhaps the method by which you are sharing. This will impress your readers and keep them interested in the information you are providing.
  4. Reflect Your Brand
    Peter Pan always chased after his shadow when it ran off. Why? Because he needed it to reflect his movements. Make sure all content is consistent with your brand. This will continue to build your audience’s trust.

Social media requires patience and dedication; but so does customer service. When in doubt, remember that social media is just an extension of your customer service. If you aren’t sure just how that should look, contact Susan J. Campbell today.

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Building Your Content Marketing Plan From the Base Up

Posted on May 13, 2014 by admin

When you begin your content marketing journey, there are so many possibilities that it can seem overwhelming. First and foremost, you need to develop strong content. The next step is distributing that content to your target audience. But how to you cover all of your bases?

Think of your content marketing plan like an umbrella. You need a plan that has aContent Marketing 5 strong core but also extends and covers other areas at the same time. To start, ask yourself these key questions in order to start building the core purpose of your marketing plan:

Building Your Marketing Plan Base:

  • What is the desired end result of your marketing plan?
  • How can your content generate action from your consumers?
  • What kind of content does your consumer react to?
  • Where are my consumers at?

Once you set a goal for your content marketing plan, it is time to determine what the canopy of your umbrella will consist of. Effective avenues to reach target audience are unique in every marketing plan. It is important to know where your target audience is most likely to engage with your brand. Are they more likely to respond on social media, e-newsletters, press releases or presentations? Here are some of the most effective ways to reach your consumers.

Reach and Engage Your Consumer

  • Blogs increase search engine results. The more you post, the more likely your consumers will find you.
  • Videos give you the opportunity to connect quickly with consumers and give them high value information to explain your brand.
  • Content that is high value for consumers is the best way to curate regular and repeat traffic from consumers. Research keywords related to your industry and capitalize on what topics your consumers are searching for online.

At Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions, we have done the research and know the who, what, when and where of content marketing. Let us help you reap the benefits by building you a strategy for your brand that brings results.

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Monday Morning Coffee With a Great Cup of Coffee at Hazel’s Gourmet Coffee & Tea Company

Posted on May 12, 2014 by admin

Hazels 1Who isn’t on the consistent hunt for the best cup of coffee? We here at SJC are always sipping on coffee; whether it is iced or hot, we love it.

You can drive by Hazel’s Gourmet Coffee & Tea Company all the time and think to yourself, “I need to stop in.” In case you haven’t taken the time to do just that, we think you will find it worth the stop!

The minute you step foot inside Hazel’s, you can imagine some exciting conversations happening or perhaps some late afternoons, spent typing on your laptop and enjoying some delicious coffee. The barista will probably casually say “Hey” from behind the counter and ask what they can make for you.

One of the best things about Hazel’s is how easy going it feels, almost like time stops for you. There can be a line of people, all ready for their morning joe, but it’s busy in a comforting way.

At Hazel’s they are ready to help you find the perfect drink for that day. If you’re looking for something new and healthier to try, ask for a Honey Latte. They make all their coffee drinks with the 100 percent Arabica beans that they roast daily. You can’t beat freshly roasted coffee. Add to that it is made with a smile, and you are sure to start your morning off on the right foot.

So the next time you drive by Hazel’s be sure to stop in, grab a coffee and a seat, and take some time to relax with a friend, a book, or even an SJC blog.

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4 Tips for Successful Customer Engagement

Posted on May 9, 2014 by admin

Customer Engagement 5Customer engagement is key to a successful business for many different reasons, but one of the biggest is that engaged customers result in loyal brand advocates. According to Gartner, there are four key attributes of quality customer engagement. Ethical, active, emotional, and rational when applied together will provide a successful customer engagement campaign.

These four attributes can easily be applied to four simple tips:

  1. Align Your Strategies
    Customer engagement can seem intimidating. It seems like it would take a lot of time, energy, and money to provide quality engagement. However, when there is quality, active engagement, more companies found willing customers; willing to participate in social media, mobile apps, and community involvement. These customers also provided feedback when asked, providing valuable insight to products and service. Creating strategies that foster the ability to provide active engagement through solid social media platforms, communities, and an overall solid customer experience.
  2. Trust Through Transparency
    The best customer engagement is achieved through the use of emotion. Reports have suggested that emotional engagement is far more powerful than rational engagement. Through transparency, companies can gain trust from their customers. This is transparency when it comes to data or even giving customers an inside peek into the inner-workings of your office.
  3. Balanced Use of Rational Engagement
    While emotional engagement is far more powerful, a company cannot provide constant emotional stimuli. Some customers might need the more rational engagement. This means you need to be providing them information about the product or service, which will result in additional knowledge for the customer, making them more loyal to your brand.
  4. Be Fair Previously, customer engagement didn’t necessarily have to take into consideration ethical and social responsibility. In today’s society, customers are looking for brands that are willing to go out into the community and promote their social responsibility actions.

Customer engagement is vital to any business. If you are ready to take your customer engagement game to the next level, contact Susan J. Campbell today. We’ll help give your customers the quality customer engagement they need and you can focus on giving them the awesome products and services you provide.

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Looking to Stand Out Among Social Media Platforms: Facebook Makes Some Changes

Posted on May 8, 2014 by admin

Social Media 9While the hipsters may think Facebook is past its prime the rest of society is happy spending almost a fifth of the time on smartphones scrolling through Facebook. Facebook had a pretty rough initial public offering two years ago, but their financial records prove that everything is still going okay, at least according to their investors.

Yet, when was the last time anyone adored any of the new features Facebook has provided us over the last few years? However, Mark Zuckerberg isn’t worried. He has his sights set on his newest effort within the company called Creative Labs. They have decided that it would be best to break the app into a bunch of different smaller apps.

This social media platform is going to look vastly different, for mobile users especially. They are going to “unbundle the big blue app,” in the words of Zuckerberg, so that each app has a more focused service for the users.

The plan is a pretty different and drastic step for them to take. This social media platform has been trying out separate apps for several years, offering the Messenger app since 2011. In fact, recently Facebook has notified users that in order to continue sending and receiving messages through Facebook, they would need to download the Messenger app.

According to Zuckerberg, this multi-app social media platform will better fit the mobile user experience. According to research, the single-purpose apps run far more quickly than apps that are trying to do multiple things.

The exciting thing about splintering the Facebook app is that it will allow the social media platform to be more creative and try new things. Often times the success of technology and software companies is stifled due to the adverse reactions of customers.

There are some who have concerns about the direction Facebook is moving. A big concern is that these smaller applications will not successfully reach the core Facebook users. However, Zuckerberg does think the different apps will appeal to different people. While it seemed kind of ridiculous from the outside, Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp was actually a very smart business move. On the surface, they appeared to do the same thing, send messages. When taking a closer look, they were able to see that individuals were using the social media platforms in completely different ways.

When creating a social media strategy for a company, Susan J. Campbell takes into consideration the recent changes in social media platforms, while identifying which platforms will work the best for a particular target audience. Contact us today if you want the social media platforms to work for you!

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Boosting Your SEO Means Connecting With Your Consumers

Posted on May 7, 2014 by admin

When you hear the word “Google” what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you are a business owner, there’s a good chance you think search engine optimization or SEO because every business wants to be at the top of consumers’ online search results.

Yes, SEO is very important, but did you know your SEO is not the only thing toSEO 7 think about in the development of your online marketing plan? The days of loading up on keywords that have nothing to do with your web content just to rank high on Google are over. There are much more effective ways to build a viable online presence.

Being an active participant with your consumers builds up much more muscle behind your online presence. Here are some ways you can start conversations with your consumers that will prove to do the heavy lifting of raising your SEO:

  • Evaluate your consumer’s needs and focus on supplying information to meet those needs.
  • Create interesting content that consumers can easily share with friends and family online.
  • Listen to what your consumers are saying and how they react to your content. Answer questions, thank them for their opinions and “like” their activities on your social media pages.
  • Encourage your consumers to share their opinions via polls or product reviews.
  • Share your expertise to establish yourself as an expert in your industry.

Connecting with your consumers will turn your social media and website into an online portal of information and interaction, which will do much more for your SEO than simply filling your content with keywords. When you become a trusted source, you are the professional people trust, which creates a relationship where your consumers will loyally advocate for you.

At Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions, we understand the importance of your online presence. That’s why we are willing to do the heavy lifting so you can be at the top of your marketing game. Call us today to find out ways we can build your business.

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Who is Listening to Your Brand Story?

Posted on May 6, 2014 by admin

Branding Ideas 4Every business person knows the power of a great slogan and a strong story behind a product. Brands can show off their family friendly side like Dave Thomas and his daughter, Wendy, or by making themselves a household name with catchy lines like “The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.”

Today, the Internet has created a place for advertisers to go beyond a clever tag line. Your business’s brand story has many more layers. The question on how to tell your brand story in a way that will be remembered can be answered a number of ways thanks to the extensive analytical tools available online.

With analytic tools you can find out:

  • Basic demographics of your target audience.
  • When your consumers are most active online.
  • What type of content (videos, polls, reviews, etc.) your consumers are most likely to interact with.
  • What keywords consumers are using in search engines to find products like yours.

Because you have a better idea of what your consumers need, it gives you a great opportunity to share your brand story in way that will resonate with them. Use that information to leverage your interaction and anticipate your consumer’s needs. Telling your brand story will be most effective when you know the type of audience you are telling it to.

For example, selling coffee to a wide audience might seem easy but imagine trying to sell a product to two totally different audiences. Told a certain way, your brand story might be very interesting to an audience of 40-60 year old men but are you positive that same story will affect a group of 20 something females?

Analytic tools and research are helpful, but only when paired with an effective brand story that relays a positive message about your business.

The professionals at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions make it their mission to find the best ways to tell your story. Contact us today to find out more.

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Monday Morning Coffee with Rolling Hills Auto: How Blogs Rev Up Website Traffic

Posted on May 5, 2014 by admin

Rolling Hills Auto 1What’s the one thing that can put horsepower behind a website? The secret is a little thing called a blog. Many assume businesses can’t offer enough content to host a blog about a product that keeps consumers interested enough to keeping coming back.

Because blog topics are limited only to creativity and brainstorming, if you know what your target audience is looking for, you can find ways to effectively answer their questions and lead them to your website, which is where your time and investment will pay off.

For businesses like Rolling Hills Auto, which is highly focused on purchasing power, it may be hard to grasp why a blog is so important. No, you can’t buy a car on a blog. All you can do is read about it, right? Wrong. It doesn’t just stop there. Statistics prove that blogs are the number one traffic source to websites. And when your website is what puts you in front of your consumer, you want your blog to be as strong as possible.

Rolling Hills Auto knows the importance of their website. It must not only be eye-catching, they must also offer a wealth of information while enticing consumers to visit the car lot, take a test drive and hopefully, drive off with a new car. The problem is, people know that website is there, but what keeps them coming back? Traffic to that website can be capitalized if Rolling Hills Auto kept fueling the fire behind their consumer’s interest. A content rich blog has the power to do just that.

Rolling Hills Auto sell cars, but their blog topics are limitless. A blog is the perfect place to offer reviews on a new car, discuss various features on different models, address concerns about recalls or discuss the benefits of loan opportunities and rebates. Not only will the target keywords and high value content put Rolling Hills at the top of search engine results, but will also put the dealership in the forefront of consumers’ minds as an expert in the industry.

Another way to tap into the conversation and keep the consumers interested is e-newsletters. A free newsletter that is conveniently in your consumer’s inbox catches their attention when they are mostly likely to visit your site. Sharing updates and giving them a heads up about upcoming deals are all easy things to do with an e-newsletter.

Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions knows the power of a great blog and loves thinking of all of the possibilities a blog would create for Rolling Hills Auto and other businesses with strong websites. Contact us today to put blogs to work for your company.

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