How do I Start a Conversation on a Social Media Platform?

Posted on February 6, 2014 by admin

Social media platforms are supposed to stir up social interaction, right? It doesn’t always look like that though. A lot of brands choose to use social media to send out messages rather than to be social with loyal and potential customers. You can definitely choose to just publish the great content and wait for your audience to provide the opportunity for quality engagement. However, there are several different ways that you can take a more proactive approach.

1. Leave Comments: There isn’t a single reason why you can’t get involved in conversations. Find out where your audience is spending their time and begin making contributions.

2. Answer Questions: With hashtags and other search functions, it is easy to 13276610_sfind different conversations on social media platforms. Take some time to help people by answering any questions that concern your industry.

3. Ask a Question: Give your audience something they can contribute to. Create questions that aren’t too difficult to answer.

4. Create Conversation-Content: Conversations that happen organically on social media platforms depend on what is trending and recent events. If it is relevant to your industry or brand, consider creating content that will lead individuals to add to what is already going on.

5. Learn, optimize on lessons, and be persistent: Try different techniques, be adventurous, and learn something from each interaction. Don’t give up quickly; social media takes time and patience to succeed.

These days it is especially important to actually be social on social media platforms. Susan J. Campbell is always following these steps when it comes to our clients, especially number five. If you want to make sure you are engaging in conversations that are relevant to your industry, contact us today.

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Mobile Marketing: A Powerful Trend That You Should Dive Into

Posted on February 5, 2014 by admin

Mobile Marketing 2There are some amazing opportunities for you and your company when considering mobile marketing. Most individuals are always on the move, making great use of their mobile devices. Customers don’t ignore ads as much on their cell phones as they do online. When ads come up on phones, it can be far more targeted, which is beneficial to your company.

Here are four simple ways to target customers through mobile marketing:

1. Mobile Banner Ads

Banner ads have been around a long time and it seems, even within mobile marketing, it isn’t going anywhere. Currently, there isn’t much competition with mobile banner ads. Since it is still such a new field, a lot of competitors haven’t gotten on board yet. Take the opportunity now!

2. Marketing Messages via SMS Messages

SMS (text message) marketing has actually been going on for a while now. It seems to be working, which is why it is picking up steam. Since it is text only, your copywriting must be at the top of its game.

3. Mobile Surveys

Sometimes the best kinds of advertisements don’t look like an ad. Surveys can be useful because it is a way to gather information, as well as provide information without sounding too “sales-y.”

4. Pull Marketing

A great example of pull marketing is Pandora. They offer a service (for free), provide you with great music with advertising and limited features. There is, of course, the option to upgrade, which some might take advantage of this after they grow tired of their music being interrupted by ads.

Smartphone growth has been outstanding and is only going to continue. Thus, mobile marketing is going to see a continued growth. It isn’t hard to see why Susan J. Campbell is a fan of mobile marketing. We want the best for you. If you’re interested in mobile marketing for your company, contact us today!

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Press Play On Social Media Videos

Posted on February 4, 2014 by admin

If you are in the loop of the social media world, chances are you have noticed that social media videos are the new kid on the block.Video 1

From funny cat videos to quick product demonstrations, videos are popping up everywhere. But how effective can a six second video actually be? According to a recent study by Google, apparently, they’re plenty powerful. Social media videos are a fairly new trend that gained popularity with the release of Vine, an app owned by Twitter, which allows users to upload, edit and share short videos within minutes. Instagram joined the craze when it added its own video option as well.

Instagram alone has 150 million monthly users. Combined with the 40 million registered users on Vine, the potential for businesses to reach consumers is an opportunity that is hard to pass up. The increase in mobile audiences, plus the astronomical amount of time users are spending online makes social media the ultimate consumer outreach portal.

According to surveys, brands are paying attention to the trend of social media videos. A study by Google found that advertisers increased their spending on mobile videos last year by 1,300 percent.

So why are videos jumping ahead in the game so quickly? The most noticeable advantage that social media videos have over television is time. On average, a typical television campaign could take months to finalize and digital campaigns take weeks to execute. But thanks to the practically real-time convenience of apps like Vine, brands can shoot, edit and share a video about their product in minutes. Not only can they share their own specialized content quickly, they are also seconds away from engaging with their followers’ content as well.

The professionals at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions make it their mission to stay in the loop on social media trends. Let us help your business reap the benefits of an effective social media strategy by calling us today.

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Monday Morning Coffee: Windy Wine Co. & How We Know They Have Great Wine.

Posted on February 3, 2014 by admin

windywineThe Chamber’s 94th Annual Banquet was held a few weeks ago; it was a wonderful event with a fun 1920’s theme. From the SJC Team, Susan, Rachel, Jen, and Rebekah attended, ready for an evening of quality information about the Chamber and the community. It was a cherry on top to know that there would be good food and great conversations.

The minute we found our table, Jen discovered a bottle of Windy Wine Co. wine was sitting at our table. According to her, it was “the best wine ever!” We began chatting with friends and acquaintances, before we knew it the event was starting. As we made our way back to our table, we see a girl swapping wines with our table. You guessed it, the Windy Wine Co. bottle that was replaced with another wine!

As we began chatting with those at our table, it was discovered that someone knew the wine-thief and went over to tell her “we know what you did.” There was a lot of laughter, apologies from everyone, and sharing of the “stolen” wine. A few minutes later, we had another surprise: Kraig and Becky Keesaman were sitting at our table!

Kraig and Becky are the owners of Windy Wine Co. and we began to gush about their wonderful wine. It wasn’t only the taste that was impressive. It was the packaging. It was the fact that someone would switch bottles, just to have their wine that evening. It was the kindness and humility displayed by Kraig and Becky. And it was their outstanding knowledge and desire to produce a unique and delicious product to their customers.

We went to the Chamber event expecting one thing and came away with a whole new knowledge about Windy Wine Co., wine, and vinology. We also realized that it was amazing that this small wine company in St. Joseph, Missouri could have the reputation they do. The Keesaman’s are committed to producing an excellent product, and their fans know it. This is an important lesson to learn from Windy Wine. Produce excellence and you will have people coming to you.

It was great meeting you, Kraig and Becky! And it was great getting the opportunity to try your seriously delicious wine. If you haven’t tried it yet, try some soon.

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The Importance of Blogging: Creating More Buzz About Your Brand

Posted on January 31, 2014 by admin

Many businesses are embracing social media as an outlet to draw more interest to their brand. Maintaining an active social media presence is important for your business growth, but have you entertained blogging? The importance of blogging18140769_m can not be said enough.

Social media channels can only add so much value in regards to the information you have to share with your online audience, which is why establishing a blog is important to get more in-depth information out to your audience. Who has better insights into your industry and how you impact it than you? Sharing your thoughts along with links to trusted media sources is an excellent way to generate discussion among your audience and attention to your web presence.

When you invest yourself in a blog, you’re establishing a voice for your company. From this blog, where you’ll have the opportunity to entertain people as well as educate and inform them, you are putting an engaging personality in front of your brand. Most importantly, you’ll also be generating interest from potential new clients.

The importance of blogging is stressed by nearly everyone who has attempted it because it helps to give your reputation the push it needs to shine above others in your industry. Your timely contributions won’t go unnoticed. And remember, your blog doesn’t have to be about products you’re offering for sale – in fact, it shouldn’t be so focused on your company that you begin to turn off your audience. Your content should be industry specific, but keep the conversation flowing by offering helpful tips that your readers will appreciate. Ask them for feedback or their opinions about what you’re bringing up in your blog.

Not everyone is comfortable behind the computer keyboard. If you want quality copy that attracts more views to your brand, check out Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions. The writers here know the importance of blogging and will give you regular contributions that generate a buzz about your company.

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Trend 2014: The Heat is On the Video

Posted on January 30, 2014 by admin

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Your Brand Strategy: Protection in a Digital Society

Posted on January 29, 2014 by admin

Trust 1Target took a massive hit to their brand when they announced that hackers gained access to close to 40 million customers’ credit and debit card information. While Target has taken every effort to make sure their customers feel safe and secure while continuing to shop at their stores, their Buzz score (developed by polling site YouGov to measure a brand’s popularity) dropped from 26 to -9.

YouGov BrandIndex’s Buzz score ranges from 100 to -100 and are compiled by subtracting negative feedback from positive. A zero score means equal positive and negative feedback.

It’s a digital society and these things are going to happen. Not only has Target had to deal with the media outlets telling this story, social media has been a whirlwind of negative comments. Additionally, late-night comedians were pushing Target into the center of several jokes. Target has taken to social media in an effort to curb the negativity, but how are they making sure their responses are the best they can be?

Target created a brand strategy and stuck to it. Their website tells us, “Our mission is to make Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional guest experiences by consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less.® brand promise.”

Obviously when something out of their control effects their ability to “deliver outstanding value” and an “exceptional guest experience,” it can be hard to bounce back from this. By getting a clear message, one that lines up perfectly with their brand strategy, they are more likely to come back from this black mark on the record. Companies with brand strategies that are created properly will be able to quickly (and more easily) generate messages than those without a brand strategy at all.

Are you not sure if you have a brand strategy? Maybe it is just time to look through it and make some updates. Contact Susan J. Campbell today and make sure you’re prepared to generate any kind of message needed, no matter what the situation is.

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Mobile Marketing Has a Solid Position in Every Marketing Strategy

Posted on January 28, 2014 by admin

What does every marketing campaign include these days? A focus on social media. How do most people access their social media? Through their mobile devices, which means mobile marketing is here to stay.

The rate of mobile phone and smartphone adoption is staggering – some 56 percent of American adults have smartphones while 91 percent are carrying mobile phones, according to Pew Research. Even on the basic mobile phone, consumers are in reach of marketers using SMS. According to a Mobile Marketing Watch, mobile marketing via social media channels will grow even more in 2014.

Sure, there are still some skeptics out there who don’t believe mobile marketing efforts belong in the social media space. However, skeptics need to consider that whenever their Facebook page gets 1,000 “likes,” they are probably averaging around 1,400 views a day. Around half of these views are coming from a mobile device.

Many mobile marketing strategists believe that investing six hours a week on social media is what it takes to begin seeing positive outcomes. Facebook isn’t the only social media that consumers are using on their mobile devices – Twitter, Instagram, and Vine are quite popular, and the up and coming Google+ is gaining ground. About half of the consumers with experience using social media have signed up for a Google+ account.

8436334_mPinterest is also another channel that deserves some thought. It’s currently the fastest growing social media channel, which is something mobile marketing strategists need to include if they want to connect with the growing Pinterest crowd.

Need help with your mobile marketing campaign? Call Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions where the professionals in mobile marketing can help you build an excellent plan that will drive more traffic to your site.

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Monday Morning Coffee with Specialty Industries of St. Joseph

Posted on January 27, 2014 by admin

specialty 2You could say Specialty Industries of St. Joseph, Inc., “has it all together” (the pun is fully intended). Like many area businesses, there’s more than one story to tell about this outstanding local company and the hands that work there.

Specialty Industries provides shrink wrapping, contract packaging, product component assembly, sleeving, sealing, bagging and banding – to name a few. Customers nationwide use Specialty Industries to package or repackage a range of goods for both consumers and businesses, including beverages, pet food packs, stationary, office items, gift items, cleaning supplies and many other items. When a palette of beverages or pet food items is repackaged for distribution, customers may only know they got what they wanted in the quantity they were looking for — but there’s much more to the story.

specialty1The rest of the story is that the hands that carried out the quality work belong to adults with intellectual or development disabilities, working on the job at Specialty Industries, gaining valuable work skills and employment opportunities in an upbeat environment.

The team’s ability to work with the precise customer packaging needs, in both large and small batches, truly sets Specialty Industries apart. The 115+plus employees are experienced and dedicated, and many stay with Specialty Industries for employment. The website and information provided on community tours reveals that versatility is a highlight, with requests to call and talk for any packaging need.

This ability to carry out unique packaging needs for customers quickly, and with strong attention to quality, cuts lead time for businesses and reduces their overall production costs. Specialty Industries also calls themselves the “911 team” for unexpected packaging/production problems a business might experience – and they carry through with that promise. Locally-based Hillyard Industries has shared their testimony, saying that “it doesn’t matter how challenging the order is, they seem to always meet the customers delivery demands.”  Their location also positions the company for success, being near major interstate highways to easily reach four states.

The business has been serving customers for nearly five decades, opening in 1966. Today they offer a square footage of more than 92,000 feet. As with many northwest Missouri businesses, being an active partner in the community is part of the bigger success story. Specialty Industries is part of a legacy of quality sheltered workshops in Missouri, called the Missouri Association of Sheltered Workshops, established in the 1960s. More than 8,000 individuals with disabilities are employed by sheltered workshops across the state, providing countless economic impacts and services to businesses. Parents whose children participate in sheltered workshop employment continue to say how meaningful the work and the job skills are, and that the impact on their loved one of having employment is truly significant.

Specialty Industries is also a Partner Agency of the United Way of Greater St. Joseph, and plays an active role in helping make northwest Missouri a great place to live and work for people of all abilities. Through membership with the St. Joseph Metro Chamber, Specialty Industries can share its services with area businesses and help grow the economic strength of the region.

Today, the team at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions thanks Specialty Industries for all the hands that continue to meet the needs of customers nationwide – and for all the ways they provide quality work opportunities to an enthusiastic, dedicated workforce.

Posted in Content Creation, Monday Morning Coffee, Storytelling, Success Stories, Support Local, Teamwork, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Marketing Strategy Lessons From an Unlikely Source

Posted on January 24, 2014 by admin

You use this every day, probably twice a day. If you’re a rule-follower and very meticulous, you might even use this three times a day. Have you guessed what it is yet?

Toothbrush 1It is a toothbrush – and you can learn quite a bit from this amazing and simple tool. According to Robert Faletti, there are three things you can learn about marketing from the toothbrush.

1. Perception of the Product:
How many times do you actually make a decision based on the new technology Colgate or Crest created for their latest toothbrush? Probably not very often. We make our decisions on how they market the latest bristle setup (or even based on the pretty colors, right?).

You can do the same within your own marketing. Perhaps you have made a few minor adjustments to your product or service, maybe you added three new people to your staff in a year, or even won an exciting award, talk about it in a way that speaks highly of your brand. Use your exciting news to reinforce loyalty and the value you offer your clients. Creating a solid marketing strategy can help get this message out.

Target Market:
Did you know that marketing surrounding the toothbrush began in the early 1900s and soared to new heights around World War II? During this time they were targeting wealthy women. Today the target market hits nearly every single person in every single demographic.

Can you expand your target markets? Maybe you missed a section of the population the first time; maybe with the new perception of your product or service, you have new target markets.

3. Use All Channels:
Toothbrushes can be found several different places: dentist office, local drug store, and even online. They are marketing on the Internet (via social media, even), TV, radio, and print ads. Are you making every effort to get your product or service into the hands of the consumers? You should be.

Think outside the box. Be creative. There might be an option you haven’t thought of yet. Marketing strategies are one of the best places to start when considering these three lessons. While toothbrushes are pretty amazing, they can’t create a marketing strategy quite like the team at SJC can. Contact us today and find out how we can put these lessons to good use for you!

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