Whenever something reaches the point of ubiquity, a backlash is sure to ensue. Lately, I’ve noticed this happening with Quick Response (QR) codes – those boxy graphic symbols marketers have been placing on anything and everything in order to create deeper brand engagement with their smartphone-toting audience.

The more articles and blog posts I read on the subject, the more disgruntled voices of frustration I hear railing against this new technology. However, upon further investigation, I’ve realized that it’s not the QR code itself that people find maddening, rather the useless way that unsavvy marketers are employing them.

The offenses range from simply sending people to a company website (gee, thanks), creating a non-user-friendly experience (fill out these 18 text fields to join our mailing list!) to putting them on billboards (Drive Now, Scan Later!). Any way you scan it, marketers seem to be going QR-crazy.

While many companies are using this technology in creative and innovative ways, there are others that could benefit from some QR-code clarity, tips and Best Practice ideas.

To shed a little light on the QR craze, I spoke with Arthur Cronos, author of Marketing Online, Clear and Simple: How Any Local Business Can Harness the Internet to Create More Income. (Replies have been edited for clarity).

Arthur, many companies don’t realize that QR codes necessitate having mobile websites, so let me ask you, how important is it to have a mobile web site when implementing QR codes in your marketing?

“It’s essential. Unfortunately, normal sites display very poorly on smartphones, so [it’s best to] add a mobile site.

People don’t walk down the street carrying their desktop computer, however, every smartphone can become a scanner to visit the web through a QR code. As of right now, almost half of all the people in the world access the internet via smartphones instead of normal desktop or laptop computers. Why would you ignore half the market?”

[Ed. Note: According to the International Data Corporation, by 2015, more people in the U.S. will access the web through mobile devices than through PCs.]

If you don’t have a mobile site, can you still provide mobile-friendly content on your regular website?

“I don’t know of any sensible way to do this.

Because it’s so easy to get a mobile website for your business it makes more sense to simply set up a site that works. Then program your regular site to send them to the mobile site automatically when they arrive riding on a cell phone.”

Do all QR Codes require downloading a special app or reader in order to work on smartphones?

“To the best of my knowledge, yes, but it’s no problem. Just like getting the eBay app, or a Twitter app, it’s free and takes about a minute.”

What are some of the benefits of implementing QR codes into your marketing materials?

“QR codes are a recent evolution, similar to barcodes except that QR codes hold more information, and they’re very forgiving about how they’re oriented when you are scanning them. This makes them more useful than barcodes for the purposes of a marketer, or any small business.

Using a QR code is effectively the same thing as putting a link on your website, except that it’s a link you can place in the physical universe.

So just as your website can have a link to a free report, then so can a postcard you send have a “link” (a QR code) printed so that the person reading the postcard can immediately access that same free report.

Effectively, QR codes can add the Web to any object in the physical universe!”

[Ed. Note: The rules of creating Value and Engagment are important to keep in mind here. Don’t just send people to your site; try to provide deeper, exclusive content, savings or offers to people who engage your brand via your QR codes.]

What common mistakes do you see people making when trying to implement QR codes in their marketing?

“The most common mistake with QR codes is the same mistake made with websites. Business people often advertise their website without giving the potential customer a reason to go there.

Compare these two business cards, each with a web link:

John Jones
John’s Hamburger Stand
www.johnshamburgers.com

VS.

John Jones
John’s Hamburger Stand
Get the best burger in town … FREE ON US!
visit www.johnshamburgers.com/free-burger-offer

When using a QR code, do the smart thing: give them a reason to go to your website, and send them to the exact page that delivers on your promise.”

What 3 Best Practice Tips would you suggest for business owners who want to implement QR codes?

“1) Choose your best offer to get people to visit you, or sign up with your mailing list.

2) Set up a mobile site, since people most often visit with smart phones and normal sites are unreadable or impossible to navigate on a phone.

3) Get a QR code that points directly to the page on your mobile site that delivers on the promise you made.”

Where can business owners create custom QR codes of their own?

“A number of QR code generators are available on the web, so a search for ‘qr generator’ will find those sites. Some are better than others, so be sure to test the QR code with your smart phone before implementing.”

Any key points you would like to add?

“Yes. In many cases, it is very wise to use a ‘redirect’ when setting up your QR codes. That is where you set up one address that will redirect the visitor to another address.

If you were, for example, a real estate agent, and you were making signs that said, ‘Scan this code to see a video of the interior,’ you wouldn’t want to reprint that sign with a new code every time you had a new house to sell. Instead you’d simply reprogram the ‘redirect’ that’s encoded in the QR code to point to the new video they can watch on their smart phone, while standing outside the house for sale.

Or, suppose I want a QR code that takes people to my Amazon page to buy my book. Instead of coding my QR code to send them direct to Amazon, I’ll code it to send them to the redirect. Down the road, Amazon could change the address where it shows my book, or I might come out with a new edition, which has a different address on Amazon.

If all my QR codes are out there in the physical universe, I can’t change them. But I can change the redirect to point to the new Amazon address, so my QR codes will work year after year, even if the Amazon page address changes.

Any web professional should be able to help you with dozens of ways to employ QR codes in online-offline promotional campaigns that deliver a double-whammy to your advertising investment by turbo charging your promotions, tempting your customers, and boosting your income. That’s a good thing, right?”

Arthur Cronos runs CopyDragon Webwriting and Marketing Design. To get Arthur’s free e-course, “How to Sell Online” offering a 17-lesson email course focusing on the simple steps any local business can use to combine internet methods with physical methods, visit this page of his website, and scan the QR code you see there.

***
Mt. Shasta, California – Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen, runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting where he helps small business owners attract more loyal customers and grow their business through creative branding and marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to step in the ring with BAM!, contact Nikolas Allen for your FREE 30-Minute Needs Assessment. Phone: (530) 859-5454 • Email: bamsbc@gmail.com

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Marketing Workshop Dares Artists to Embrace Business Principles

Medford, Oregon, February 7, 2012 – Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen of Mt. Shasta, California, will bring his passionate presentation style to Rogue Gallery and Art Center with a marketing workshop aimed at helping ambitious artists embrace their inner entrepreneur and reach a wider audience with the work they love.

The workshop, “Marketing Your Art For Success: Right Message, Right Audience, Right Tools” is part of the RGAC’s Artist Professional Development Series, which offers educational courses necessary for turning an art hobby into an art career.

“The first step is to know your objectives,” says Allen. “If your art is solely an outlet for creative expression, then sitting in the garage painting all day is perfectly acceptable. However, if you aspire to generate income with your work, you must work equally hard practicing effective business principles as you work perfecting your craft.”

“I wish I found Nikolas 20 years ago when I was done with art school. In all those years of lectures from famous artists there was never a seminar provided by the schools I attended about what he teaches.” –Linda Darger, Fine Art Painter

“Nikolas’ art marketing workshop was very grounding and inspiring. It fully engaged my business brain and view of self as an artist.” –Heidi Gerlitz, Jewelry Designer

This three-hour interactive workshop is jam-packed with essential information that will help artists define their objectives, discover their unique message and formulate an effective art marketing strategy.

Cost is $35 for Members, $45 for Non-Members, with some partial scholarships available.

WHAT:
“Marketing Your Art For Success – Right Tools, Right Audience, Right Message”
Workshop with Nikolas Allen

WHERE:
Rogue Gallery and Art Center
40 S. Bartlett Street
Medford, Oregon 97501

WHEN:
Saturday, March 3rd, 2012
11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

WHY:
To help artists realize that “marketing” is not a dirty word
To teach artists how to best utilize essential marketing principles
To empower and inspire artists to pursue their dreams of success

REGISTER:
Online – roguegallery.org/adult_classes.html
Call – (541) 772.8118
Email – info@roguegallery.org

Nikolas Allen is a contemporary pop artist with a background in advertising design, music and video production. He runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting, where he helps small business owners grow their business through effective branding and marketing strategies.

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It’s official, Pinterest is currently ‘Having a Moment.’

I first heard about Pinterest back in May of 2011, when I was interviewing Anika Burke, owner of Anika Burke’s Eclectic Boutique, about her social media marketing strategy.

Seven months later the blogosphere exploded with post after post about this hot new social photo site. As is the case with many new tech tools, there was the implication that all businesses should be flocking to Pinterest.

While it makes sense to me for a fashion boutique to be on Pinterest, I’m always dubious when anything is heralded as a “one size fits all” solution. Therefore, I wanted to investigate Pinterest further to see whether it made sense for other business categories to be using it as well, and how it might benefit its users.

In addition to my research, I spoke with Burke again to see how her Pinterest activity has progressed, and she offered some enlightening insights that all marketers should here. But first…

Quick Stats

In its own words, Pinterest is an “online pinboard to organize and share things you love.”

The online equivalent of a swipe file or inspiration board, this invitation-only social image bookmarking site allows users to create “boards” on which to “pin” items of interest. Users can Follow other users, Like, Share and Comment on content, as well as Repin other people’s content to their own boards.

Pinterest launched in March 2010, and by June 2011 had a respectable 275,000 visitors. Then, just past the site’s year-and-a-half mark, traffic skyrocketed by 4,000% with 11 million visits during the week ending December 17, 2011.

According to competitive intelligence website Hitwise, over 10% of these visitors were baby boomers and young adults who are heavy web users and who spend time on house and garden, sports and fitness, and family-oriented websites.

Strengths

When asked what she thought Pinterest’s greatest strength was, Anika Burke replied: “I feel Pinterest’s greatest strength is that it does not feel like a huge ad. It feels like a place to go and escape. You have all the fun of looking without the pressure to buy.”

Some of the other strong points of this platform include the following:

SEO Power – All the posted images contain backlinks to their original site, which is great for search engine optimization if, that is, the links are leading back to YOUR site. Otherwise, you’re sending visitors off to explore other sites, which means you are…

Providing Value – Pinning photos that link to helpful sites providing recipes, how-to instructions, or educational resources is a great way to provide value to your audience, which should be a primary objective for any business using social media.

Thought Leadership – Sharing ideas, opinions, news and trends that relate to your industry can build your credibility and establish your brand as a go-to source of expertise.

Build Relationships – Connecting with your audience on any platform is a good way to share common interests, which helps to forge stronger bonds and humanize your business.

Weaknesses

Search – According to Karlie Justus at SocialMediaB2B.com, the Search capabilities are “lagging”, so it’s important to use proper keyword tagging, categorizing and organization in order to improve your chances of being found.

Level of Connection – Many of the comments on peoples ‘pins’ are of the “Yum,” “Cool,” or “I want that!” variety, which make a 140-character tweet seem downright epic by comparison. While eliciting engagement from followers is a good thing, I question the level of connection you are making with someone who posts “I’m hungry” on a picture of your Bacon Cheesy Bread.

Social Media Overload – Let’s face it, you’re probably still trying to get the hang of Google+, and now you’re supposed to bond with your customers over photographic inspiration boards? There are only so many hours in a day, and business owners must be selective when choosing their tools.

Takeaways

Suggesting that every business should be using Pinterest is like saying that every individual should take up scrapbooking as a hobby. Pinterest is dominated by images featuring home décor, crafts, fashion, and food, which are all categories that lend themselves well to strong visuals. If your business falls into these or similar categories, then it may be a good fit.

If your business is in a different, less visual category, you could still do something interesting providing you think outside the box. As with any marketing tool, social media or otherwise, the best reason to use something is because your audience can be found there. Be sure to ask around and see if your customers have expressed an interest in Pinterest.

However, I recommend heeding the words of Burke, who says, “People do not come to Pinterest to be marketed to, they just want to find cool stuff and have fun. I don’t follow brands on Pinterest, I am more interested in finding the amazing random finds. I think of my Pinterest as my ‘Dream Book,’ a place that I put my ideas, inspirations and wants.”

Yes, this is the opinion of one Pinterest user but it’s guaranteed there are many more users who feel the same way. Just like with any social platform, there is a best practice etiquette to adhere if you don’t want to come off as a pushy, self-promotional salesperson who’s crashing the Pin party.

Action Steps

1) Visit the Pinterest website and take a look at what’s happening there. You can browse people’s boards and pins, but you need an invitation to create an account and get in on the action (see #3).

2) Check out this list from The Next Web of 10 Cool Pinterest Accounts You Should Be Following.

3) “Request An Invite” with the big red button on the Home page if you want to dig deeper. Please Note: as of this writing, there is allegedly a one-month waiting list for invitations.

4) Create a strategy. As with any social media endeavor, if you decide to get involved, you need to make a plan as to how you will use it to build your brand. This is an area where Burke admits she has fallen short: “I know with Pinterest exploding that we need to have a laid-out game plan, but for now we are still just having fun with it.”

5) Have Fun! After all, if it ain’t fun, why bother?

Are you using Pinterest for your business? Please chime in with your thoughts in the Comments section.

***

Mt. Shasta, California – Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen, runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting where he helps small business owners attract more loyal customers and grow their business through creative branding and marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to step in the ring with BAM!, contact Nikolas Allen for your FREE 30-Minute Needs Assessment. Phone: (530) 859-5454 • Email: bamsbc@gmail.com

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On Wednesday, December 7, 2011, I delivered a speaking presentation to the Women In Business Network. Since I’m a marketing man who wants to demonstrate the power of marketing, I set out to build maximum buzz for the event.

When all was said and done, the event drew a full-capacity crowd, received no less than eight mentions in the press, earned me two immediate new clients, several hot prospects, and a dozen new names on the mailing list. Not to mention, it spread the Nikolas Allen/BAM! brand to a whole new section of our business community.

The best part is, I didn’t spend a dime on advertising, only a small investment of time and effort. In order to give you some ideas of how to build maximum marketing buzz for your business, I decided to detail the steps I used to market this successful event.

BEFORE THE EVENT
I knew the Women In Business Network featured guest speakers at their monthly meetings, so I contacted them in early October with a speaking proposal. They accepted my proposal and scheduled me to speak at their December meeting, which gave me over two months to promote the event.

My contact told me that the monthly meetings usually draw between 15-20 members. My goal was to double that number and aim for 40 attendees. Did I reach my goal? Read on…

Step 1: Utilize the Power of Video
My first marketing step was to round up my WIB contact, Kelly Samuelson, and shoot a promotional video of us talking about the event. While we were creating the video, we also took a couple promotional stills (photographs) to submit along with all the PR materials.

I posted the promo video in several places:

• The BAM! Website

• The Women In Business Website

• My Personal Facebook Page

• The WIB Facebook Page

• A Facebook Event Page that I created to promote the meeting

Step 2: Write Press Release
In order to get the attention of the press, I had to write a compelling “story” about the event that would pique the interest of the public. I wrote up a press release, and edited it into two versions: A long version for the paper and the website/blog posts, and a short version for the Calendar-style listings and email promotions I would employ. Of course, I included the promotional photo with every submission.

Step 3: Submit, Submit, Submit
I made a list of the local media outlets I could hit with the promotion.

My list included the following:

• Mt. Shasta Herald – Newspaper

• Mt. Shasta Herald – Calendar of Events

• MS Mag Email List – Subscription-based Community-Wide Email List

• Mt. Shasta Connect – Online Community Calendar

• JEDI Email List – Jefferson Economic Development Institute sent to their list.

• BAM! Mailing List – Included in my monthly Enewsletter

• Plus, the BAM! and WIB Websites and Facebook pages mentioned above

All of the above outlets ran the promotion, and in the case of the Mt. Shasta Herald (weekly) newspaper, they mentioned it three weeks in a row leading up to the event, in both the Area News section (see article above) and the Calendar of Events section. Plus, they ran a full follow-up article online and in print after the event.

As the event drew nearer and the marketing machine was in motion, I also used word-of-mouth, and Twitter to promote the event. As for Twitter, it most likely did not directly affect the attendance (like the other platforms did), but it earned me some new #WomenInBusiness followers and helped promote my community activity and thought leadership.

Step 4: Practice Makes…Pretty Darn Good
All the buzz in the world is worthless if I get up in front of a crowd and bomb. Therefore, once I had the final edit of my speech, I ran through it continually.  On the bus, on the street, in my living room, in the shower, whenever I had an extra 20 minutes, I was working the speech.

I even went to the venue two days before the event and videotaped myself giving a speech to the empty room. This helped a couple things: It got me comfortable with the room, and it allowed me to watch and see what I needed to improve or change.

DURING THE EVENT
The multi-channel marketing strategy worked! We drew a full-house, standing-room only crowd of close to 50 female business leaders (3 men even managed to sneak in under the radar – which kinda goes against that whole “Women” in business thing). Remember, getting people to the event is half the battle. The other half is making sure you deliver on your promise once they are there.

Step 5: Know Your Objectives
Speaking engagements are excellent marketing platforms because you are able to reach a large segment of your target audience at once. However, it must be clear that your primary goal is to provide valuable, applicable information to your audience. Your secondary goal is to rustle up some new clients! Therefore, you need to have a lead-capture system in place to grow your list of contacts and hot prospects.

I placed a BAM! Mailing List Signup Sheet at the front desk, plus business cards and postcards for people to take. I also placed a small box for people to leave their business cards in if they didn’t want to take the time to fill out the mailing list.

Step 6: Be Awesome!
As I mingled with attendees before my presentation, I heard several comments like, “whoever promoted this did a great job!” Other people said they, “heard about this event all over the place,” and I even got some light-hearted teasing from a business owner who said, “you better live up to the hype!”

After the presentation, there was positive feedback, rave reviews, an increased mailing list, several hot prospects, and two immediate new clients, which indicates that things went pretty awesome indeed.

Step 7: Capture Your Media
In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget about capturing the event with various forms of media, but for promotional purposes, it’s essential to do so. My philosophy is, “Shoot first, ask questions later.” That means you record your EVERY event with either audio, photography, video, or all of the above, then figure out how you’re going to use the content later. Some options could be podcasts, training programs, photos and videos for your website, social media channels, and follow-up press releases and other promotional vehicles.

Step 8: Work The Room
I like to network and mingle before the event, so I can connect with people who will make up the audience. It’s always nice to have familiar, friendly faces out in the crowd and, if you can work the names, stories or comments of people you know into your speech, it adds a  personal touch. It’s also essential to mingle after the event, because that’s when the hot prospects emerge. Be sure you’re ready to engage them, determine their needs and desires, and schedule an appropriate time to follow up with them.

AFTER THE EVENT
The work is not over just because your event is. Now is the time to maximize the longevity of your message, act on your new contacts and implement your new media.

Step 9: Follow Up
If members of the press were there, contact them to express gratitude for their presence, and offer to answer any questions or clarify any points (The article below, by Skye Kinkade of the Mt. Shasta Herald, ran online the day after my presentation. A longer article with quotes from audience members – and a slightly less awesome headline – ran in the print version a few days later.)

If the press wasn’t there, write and submit a follow-up press release, including images from your event (See Step 7). If you spoke with any new prospects, follow up to see how you can help them with their needs (i.e move them into the sales cycle). As for your new mailing list contacts, start sending them valuable content on a regular basis with your email marketing program.

Step 10: Keep Your Message Alive on the Web
I immediately posted the photo I took of the crowd on Facebook and Twitter and got tons of engagement from people commenting, offering feedback and testimonials and tagging themselves and their friends. I posted the four-minute “highlight” video (see above) on Facebook, the BAM! Website and You Tube Channel, and submitted a written recap of my speech to the Women In Business Website.

Whew! Okay, maybe it takes more than a “small” investment of time and effort that I mentioned earlier, but the truth is, too many small businesses simply send out a press release and call it a day. Then they wonder why their promotions aren’t successful. It takes more effort than that to build a maximum marketing buzz for your small business, but it IS very possible to achieve.

In fact, I heard a comment recently confirming that all my efforts have not been in vain. It was from my mom, no less, who said, “Nikolas, I’m getting sick and tired of seeing you in the paper every week.”

To which I replied, “Maximum marketing mission accomplished!”

***
Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen, runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting, where he helps small business owners attract more loyal customers and grow their business through creative branding and marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to step in the ring with BAM!, contact Nikolas Allen for your FREE 30-Minute Needs Assessment. Phone: (530) 859-5454 • Email: bamsbc@gmail.com

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I recently gave a speaking presentation to the Women In Business Network in Mt. Shasta, California. I spoke about the importance of branding and shared three principles that small business owners can use to create stronger emotional connections with their audience.

Here is a brief recap of some of the key points from my speech.

“Emotional Marketing: Building Small Business Brands That Matter.”

 
Studies have proven that humans make decisions based on emotions, then use their rational mind to justify decisions. In the battle of the heart vs. the mind, the heart often wins, therefore, in order to earn the attention of your audience, you need to hook them emotionally.

When you talk about building small business brands that matter, that means you make a consistent effort to create an emotional engagement at every touchpoint consumers experience related to your company.

The following three principles are easy, yet powerful ways to help you do just that.

Video recap of “Emotional Marketing” presentation by Nikolas Allen

Principle 1) Infuse your company with your own unique personality.

All great companies reflect the passion of their leader. There is nobody who is You-er than YOU! Your passion for your topic is palpable and it’s contagious, and people respond to authenticity.

Too many small business owners settle for weak, shallow, unremarkable, cookie-cutter advertising that doesn’t differentiate, doesn’t intrigue, doesn’t excite.

Instead, aim to infuse your company and your marketing with your own unique personality, and let your remarkable, passionate, brave, strong, intelligent attributes shine.

Principle 2) Appeal to the values of your target audience

Having a strong set of personal values is important, and it’s even more important to know what your target audience values. Ideally, there will be common values shared between you and them, which is a solid building block for any relationship.

There’s a great saying that I try to remember at all times, “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

If you care about your audience, you make the effort to find out what’s important to them, and you appeal to those values. That’s going to attract people of like minds, and it may repel or alienate the rest. But that’s okay, because you’re not trying to appeal to everyone.

Appealing to the values of your target audience ensures that you are attracting the most appropriate customers for your business.

Principle 3) Speak the Language of Results

One of the easiest, most effective ways to improve your marketing message is by articulating the end results customers derive from your offering, YET it’s the most common violation I see with small business advertising.

So many entrepreneurs are marketing the “WHAT” of their business: What they sell, what their product is, what their service is – instead of marketing the “WHY?” As in, why should consumers care?

Your marketing materials need to paint a beautiful picture of how much better your customer’s lives are going to be after purchasing your offering. This is similar to touting the benefits of your product or service, but in our hyper-connected, instant-gratification society, consumers want more than benefits, they want results – and they want ‘em now!

So go beyond the “Stuff” of your business, and speak the language of results. I promise you, this language is music to the ears of your audience.

By implementing these three principles you will create marketing messages that bypass the logic center of the brain, and plant themselves firmly in the soft, squishy landscape of the heart, which is where relationships blossom between consumers and the small business brands that matter to them.

***
Photo by Nikolas Allen. Video shot by Brenda Woods, edited by Nikolas Allen.

Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen, runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting, where he helps small business owners attract more loyal customers and grow their business through creative branding and marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to step in the ring with BAM!, contact Nikolas Allen for your FREE 30-Minute Needs Assessment. Phone: (530) 859-5454 • Email: bamsbc@gmail.com

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While working with clients over the past couple months, at least three of them have made the bold proclamation that, “Newspaper advertising doesn’t work for us.”

These business owners may have made legitimate efforts and discovered that their ideal audience truly can’t be reached via that medium. However, there could also be other factors at play that hampered the effectiveness of their advertisements.

Perhaps their messages simply weren’t compelling enough, maybe their ads lacked a clear call to action, or it’s possible that they just weren’t consistent enough with their print buys.

In this case, the particulars don’t really matter. If a small business owner has made up her mind about something not working, it’s far more prudent to explore other options rather than trying to sway her opinion.

Finding the right marketing mix requires testing different vehicles to determine which ones work and which ones don’t, so you know where you should be investing time and money. You may have a poor experience with more than one medium, but that shouldn’t sour you on the overall marketing process.

And it is a process! If you are inconsistently dabbling with various messages sprinkled through various media, the chances of your efforts being successful are pretty slim. However, if you are sending a strong, consistent message to a clearly defined audience using a strategic mix of marketing vehicles, your efforts WILL yield results.

Lest you find yourself wondering what options are available, I have compiled a list that will get you started in the right direction. The objective is to pick and choose the ones that feel feasible and relevant to your business, and try them out.

Realizing the sheer volume of available options can be overwhelming, but you’re not trying to incorporate all of them. Instead, pick a quantity that feels right and start there. In addition to the first group of “Essentials” below, I suggest testing between 3-6 on the low side, 8-10 on the high side, and 12 or more if you’ve got the resources.

Remember, depending on the medium, it can take up to 12 impressions for your prospects to even notice your marketing. So try to give it 3 to 6 months before declaring something a success or a failure.

Essentials:

1. Company Logo
2. Signage
3. Business Card
4. Letterhead
5. Envelopes
6. Website
7. Email signatures
8. On-Hold Messages
9. Word of Mouth

Content Marketing:

10. E-newsletter
11. Blog
12. Podcasts
13. Articles
14. E-Books
15. Books
16. Video
17. Tip Sheets
18. Sales Sheets/Info Sheets
19. Portfolio
20. Bio/Resume

Event Marketing:

21. Speaking Engagements
22. Workshops
23. Open Houses
24. Trade Shows
25. Business Expos
26. Educational Seminars
27. Daily Deals
28. Flash Sales
29. Pop-Up Locations
30. Contests

Traditional Marketing:

31. Postcards
32. Brochures
33. Direct Mail
34. Cold/Warm Calling
35. Newsletters
36. Coupon Books
37. Yellow Pages Ads
38. Local Magazine Ads
39. Radio Ads
40. Posters
41. Sales Letters
42. Promotional Items

New Media Marketing:

43. Google Maps
44. Google AdWords
45. Facebook Ads
46. Facebook Pages
47. Twitter
48. Promoted Tweets
49. LinkedIn
50. YouTube Channel
51. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
52. Mobile Advertising
53. Text Marketing
54. QR Codes
55. Email Blasts
56. Online Directories
57. Online Review Sites

Public Relations:

58. Media Pitches (Bloggers, Television, Radio)
59. Press Releases
60. Thank You Gifts/Cards
61. Customer Appreciation
62. Loyalty Programs
63. Free Consultations

Partnership Marketing:

64. Networking Groups
65. Business Associations
66. Chambers of Commerce
67. Referral Programs
68. Strategic Alliances
69. Sponsorships

As you can see, there are far more marketing options available than you could possibly utilize for your small business. Some are essential, some are recommended, and others are optional. Many are free, some require a minor investment, and others require a large, dedicated budget.

While many of them may be worth considering, it’s best to pick a manageable number of options to focus your efforts on while you determine which vehicles will prove most effective for your company.

Then, if you find that some are not working for you, as my clients did with their newspaper ads, try something else. After several months of consistent advertising, you will have a good idea of which vehicles are most effective for your business. Once you have determined that, continue to use what works and drop the rest.

Which marketing vehicles would you add to this list?

***

Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen, runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting, where he helps small business owners attract more loyal customers and grow their business through creative branding and marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to step in the ring with BAM!, contact Nikolas Allen for your FREE 30-Minute Needs Assessment. Phone: (530) 859-5454 • Email: bamsbc@gmail.com

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Mt. Shasta, CA, November 7, 2011 – Women In Business Network welcomes Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen of BAM! Small Biz Consulting, to speak at their December 7th members meeting at the Best Western Tree House Inn located in Mt. Shasta.

Nikolas Allen will present, Emotional Marketing – Building Small Business Brands That Matter, which he hopes will inspire entrepreneurs to dig deeper and create meaningful marketing messages that connect with consumers emotionally, rather than just intellectually.

“Studies have shown that consumers make buying decisions based on emotions,” says Allen, “then use rationale to justify their decisions. Therefore, marketers must bypass the logical mind of their audience and aim straight for their hearts.”

Allen promises to impart valuable, actionable insights entrepreneurs can apply to improve the effectiveness of their marketing.

WIB member Stephanie Hoffman, Business Consultant with Small Business Development Center, says “Nikolas Allen’s presentation style is outstanding because he combines wit, intelligence, and creativity with real-world ideas and applications for the serious entrepreneur.”

The meeting takes place on Wednesday, December 7, 8:30am to 10:00am at Best Western Tree House Inn located at 111 Morgan Way in Mt. Shasta. Non-members are invited to attend their first meeting for free, with no obligation to join, providing they are female entrepreneurs, business owners or managers.

What:
Women In Business Network Members Meeting

When:
Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 8:30am – 10:00am

Where:
Best Western Tree House Inn
111 Morgan Way
Mt. Shasta, Ca 96067

Featuring:
Keynote Presentation by Nikolas Allen,
“Emotional Marketing–Building
Small Business Brands That Matter”

Why:
To help small business owners create deeper, more meaningful marketing messages
and connect with their audience on an emotional level.

* * * * * *

To learn how you can get involved in the Women In Business Network, visit wibnetwork.net.

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Despite the rapid growth and popularity of internet marketing techniques, print advertising is still a popular, affordable and effective medium favored by many small businesses. The multitude of available options includes newspapers, weekly periodicals, local magazines, directories, catalogs, and various other forms of consumer-targeted printed matter.

Personally, I enjoy collecting various regional print media, in order to peruse the local business climate, and to see what small business owners are doing right – and wrong – when it comes to marketing their companies with printed advertisements.

I just spent the weekend in Ashland, Oregon, home of the world-famous Shakespeare Theater Festival, where I collected several local rags and mags along the way. Glancing through these papers, it seems that most business owners think a quarter-page print ad is a chance to finally write that novel they’ve been pondering since college!

In paper after paper, tiny ads are jam-packed with more information than the reader could possibly digest in the split second their eye scans the page. From multiple bullet-point product lists to overly-detailed service descriptions, these advertisers presume the only way to make an impression is to over-inform. One restaurant printed their ENTIRE MENU in 6pt. type!

Apparently, most small business owners have yet to realize that, when it comes to advertisements, especially small ones, less truly is more.

Let’s take a look at a few examples, good and bad, and dissect the formula for an effective print ad.

The Problem: Too Many Elements

You need some pretty strong brain muscles to lift all the elements packed into this fitness center advertisement. With its Fall Special promotion, oddly-cropped photo of an unidentified muscle man, mini mission statement, checklist of features, testimonial, employee quote, plus logo and contact info, there are way too many messages competing for attention. In cases like this, the reader ends up taking nothing from the ad.

The Solution: Focus On One Main Message

Let the ad be about the Fall Fitness Special. Keep the info related to the special, and let that take up most of the room. Keep the descriptive text that’s in the green oval (just the text, ditch that amateur oval graphic), because it speaks to the company’s point of difference. Create a strong call to action to drive readers into the facility to sign up, and play up the expiration date in order to create urgency. Obviously, keep the contact info.

Move everything else to the website. If the reader is not ready to come into the facility to sign up, they will visit the website, where they can discover the features, quotes, testimonials, and quite possibly, the identity of that mysterious muscle man.

The Problem: Not Enough Info

While the fitness ad suffered from too much information, this one has the opposite problem. It doesn’t answer the most important question at the forefront of every consumers mind, “What’s in it for me?” Readers need to know why they should care, how they’re going to benefit, and what’s unique about your company’s offering.

This ad answers none of those questions, and assumes that people will be interested in meeting at Munchie’s for the sole reason that they presumably serve food. Well, so do a million other restaurants, and at least the rest of them have the decency to tell us what type of food they specialize in. Heck, this ad doesn’t even bother to include a city in their address, nor do they list a website.

The Solution: Give Us A Reason To Meet You At Munchie’s

One of the more effective restaurant ads I saw touted themselves as “Ashland’s meat-centric restaurant.” Another one specialized in “Casual, contemporary Italian cuisine.” Create a unique tagline that lets people know what your specialty is, and why they should try your offering over everybody else’s. Also, include your city in all of your marketing materials because you never know where they may end up. And, it’s 2011 for goodness sake, get a website!

* * * * * *

Peppered amongst the glut of overly-informative, poorly-designed ads, I did manage to find some that were eye-catching, compelling and effective. The following are a couple examples:

This ad has a quintessential “agency” feel to it. I was an Art Director in Minneapolis for many years, and this was the type of work being created by my colleagues and me. Snappy headline, related image, concise body copy, logo, contact info and lots of white space. Truthfully, that’s all you need.

Of course, clients always wanted less white space and bigger logos, but the eye appreciates a little breathing room. As for logos, they should be used like a signature on a work of art, not a main focal point.

Here’s another good one that manages to include all the right elements. The main focal point is an attractive, fun lifestyle photo that speaks to their target audience, with a vivid color scheme that begs to be noticed.

I also like the ‘three adjective’ headline. When I’m helping clients define their brand, it’s always helpful to have them choose three adjectives that describe their company. In this case, Deja Vu has chosen to use their adjectives as a headline, followed up with a catchy tagline. They tout their “Best Of” credentials, include their logo, contact and Facebook address, and that’s it. Nothing else needed.

* * * * * *

As you can see from this case study, the secret to effective advertising is to achieve the following objectives:

1. Catch their attention
2. Describe your offering
3. Peak their interest
4. Drive them to action

Anything else is simply extraneous information that will muddle your main message and create more obstacles on the road towards gaining a customer.

Do you agree or disagree? What do you feel is the most important element of your small business advertisement?

***
Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen, runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting, where he helps small business owners attract more loyal customers and grow their business through creative branding and marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to step in the ring with BAM!, contact Nikolas Allen for your FREE 30-Minute Needs Assessment. Phone: (530) 859-5454 • Email: bamsbc@gmail.com

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One of the most effective ways to improve your marketing message is by articulating the end results customers derive from your offering.

Humans make decisions based on emotions, then use their rational mind to justify decisions. In the battle of the heart vs. the mind, the heart often wins, therefore, in order to earn the attention of your prospects, you need to hook them emotionally.

Your marketing materials need to paint a beautiful picture of how much better your customer’s lives are going to be after purchasing your offering. This is similar to touting the benefits of your product or service, but in our hyper-connected, instant-gratification society, consumers want more than benefits, they want results – and they want ‘em now!

Emotional engagement is still novel to small business owners who comfortably tout product features, so it may take some time before it feels authentic. That’s why it’s important to build relationships with your customers, so you know what their points of frustration, obstacles, and objections are.

When you have a rapport with your audience, you can ask them important questions like, Why they patronize you, How their lives are better because of it, and What benefits they would highlight when referring your business to friends.

This information is golden when it comes time to write copy for marketing collateral such as website, brochures, advertisements, direct mail pieces and radio spots. You can use it on your sales calls, during your networking and even focus on the results of your offering when managing your social media platforms.

Let’s look at a few case studies from some real-world scenarios:

Study #1: There was a Real Estate team trying to break into a crowded, upscale market outside of their area. They were focusing their message on the combined experience between them, and wondering why they weren’t making much headway.

This reminds me of a saying that goes, “People don’t CARE how much you KNOW, until they KNOW how much you CARE.” Sure, experience is important, but there are higher priorities involved in the challenging process of buying and selling your home.

Instead, we tweaked their message to speak to the alleviation of headaches, obstacles, delays and red tape that first-time home buyers often face, and the joy, excitement and thrill of finally getting the keys to your first home.

Study #2: There’s a Health Club in town that has been showcasing their wide selection of machines and amenities in their marketing. While impressive, people don’t make emotional connections with workout equipment.

Therefore, we are currently in the midst of a major brand overhaul, which will put the focus on the thrill of experiencing the results and the improved quality of life enjoyed by members who are committed to fitness.

Study #3: While consulting with an Insurance Agent, we decided to avoid the fear-based concepts and policy-jargon that plagues most insurance advertising. Instead, this agent felt strongly that her main point of difference was in her simple, easy-to-understand policies.

The next step was to ask, “What are the results enjoyed by simplifying something that’s typically arduous and confusing?”

In order to get you thinking in the right direction, I’ll leave that question for you to answer. As for our answers, we managed to produce an engaging marketing message in the typically humdrum category of insurance.

While touting your experience, equipment and policies may be enough to satisfy the logical mind, it’s the RESULTS of your more unique attributes that pack the emotional punch necessary to break through the cluttered advertising landscape and forge emotional connections with your audience.

Speak the language of results, and you will also be speaking the language of Success!

***
Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen, runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting, where he helps small business owners attract more loyal customers and grow their business through creative branding and marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to step in the ring with BAM!, contact Nikolas Allen for your FREE 30-Minute Needs Assessment. Phone: (530) 859-5454 • Email: bamsbc@gmail.com

Ready To Go a Few More Rounds? Try These Posts:

One of my clients was frustrated recently when she got the monthly bill for email marketing and website management services I provide her company. She felt it was too high, and didn’t quite understand the cost-to-value ratio.

After a long phone conversation, we managed to clarify the confusion and alleviate her frustrations. However, this scenario reminded me that communicating the value of your product or service does not stop once the sale is made.

When we signed the initial contract, my client was excited that she would not have to concern herself with web updates or with planning, compiling, writing, designing, editing, linking, formatting, testing, scheduling, engaging, follow-up, and all the other factors involved in managing a successful email marketing program.

Since she’s a busy professional who travels a lot, I wanted to provide full-service email marketing solutions that would let her focus on what she does best and not even have to think about her email engagement or web maintenance.

I thought I was being helpful by doing things quickly and quietly, hoping my client would notice (which proved to be my mistake) that I was going above and beyond in order to create the most effective online marketing strategies for her business.

In this case, the problem was that I was being too efficient and too stealth. While I thought this was making my client’s life easier, I found it was actually causing her frustration. Since she didn’t realize all I was doing behind the scenes, she had a hard time equating my value with my cost when the monthly invoice arrived.

Let’s examine the steps necessary to keep this from happening to you:

1) Know Your Value – Products are a little easier to put a value on than services, since the client is getting something tangible. However, they both need to be presented to the client as something that will make their lives better or easier, save them time or money, or improve the conditions of their business.

The value of your product or service will be determined by several factors, including the state of the economy, your competition and what the market will bear. Don’t sell yourself short just to get business. Instead, do the necessary research so you know what else is going on in your category and how your offering or solution is BETTER, therefore, worth the cost you’re charging.

2) Communicate Your Value Before The Sale – When you’re pitching your offering to your clients, be sure to focus on the benefits rather than the features. Think about how their lives will be AFTER they buy from you and articulate the feelings, results, outcomes or improvements they will derive from the purchase.

Also, instead of focusing on simply making the sale, put the focus on your true desire to provide the best solutions to their problems, needs or objectives. This way, you are less attached to the results, and operating from the desire to serve always trumps operating from the desire to close a sale.

If your prospects are not quite ready to commit, according to Duct Tape Marketer, John Jantsch, there are only two reasons why that may be:
a) They need more education – That’s your job. Throw them back into the sales cycle and continue to educate them as to the benefits of your offering.

My mom is a real estate agent. Someone in her office just sold a house after working with the buyer for 17 years! Timing is everything, so work with your prospect until they are ready. Unless…

b) They are not qualified – When scouting prospects, make sure they fit the profile of your Ideal Customer. If you don’t have an Ideal Customer Profile, create one. It will save you time and money spent chasing unqualified leads.

3) Do The Work – Congratulations, you made the sale! Now, do what you do best in a timely, friendly and professional manner in the way that you – and only you – can do it. When things get challenging, difficult, frustrating, remind yourself that you are an entrepreneur because you have created an offering that will make a difference in the lives of your customers. So smile as you shine your entrepreneurial light on the world!

Remember Mom The Real Estate Agent I mentioned above? She sold a house recently and went to a local flower shop to drop $200 on floral arrangements for everyone involved in the sale. The sole proprietor was having a busy, rough day and, when my mom showed up, she snapped, “Jessie, I’m not ready for you! I told you the order wouldn’t be ready until this afternoon!” Are you kidding me?! I told my mom that I would disown her if she ever patronized that place again. Yes, we all have bad days, but taking your frustrations out on your customers is inexcusable.

4) Communicate Your Value After The Sale – Here is the lesson I learned from this whole ordeal. Once the work is done – or as it progresses – keep in contact with your clients and let them know exactly what you’re doing and how that is helping them meet the objectives you agreed upon.

As Million-Dollar Consultant, Alan Weiss, puts it, “If you don’t blow your own horn, there is no music!”

You don’t want it to seem like you’re seeking praise or a pat on the back, but rather, you’re keeping them informed out of respect because you care about them achieving their desired outcomes.

Instead of hoping your client notices your excellent, efficient work, it’s better to direct their attention to it in a professional way. By making sure they understand what you’re doing and how it is benefiting them, you are securing their loyalty and making them less eager to search for another vendor, or a better deal, elsewhere.

5) Follow Up – When the original job, sale or assignment is complete, schedule a time to follow up to check in, see how things are working out with your solution and inquire about further needs.

The people you do work for should go into your datatbase and you should continue to engage them via Email newsletters, social media platforms, postcards and even the occasional phone call.

Just because the check has cleared and the work is finished doesn’t mean you forget all about your client. After all, you’re not in business for the sole purpose of closing the deal. You’re in business to build ongoing relationships that are mutually beneficial for yourself and your clients.

By continuing to communicate your value before, during and after the sale, you are reinforcing the quality of your brand and increasing the potential of doing business together in the future.

***
Heavyweight Marketing Champion, Nikolas Allen, runs BAM! Small Biz Consulting, where he helps small business owners attract more loyal customers and grow their business through creative branding and marketing strategies.

If you’re ready to step in the ring with BAM!, contact Nikolas Allen for your FREE 30-Minute Needs Assessment. Phone: (530) 859-5454 • Email: bamsbc@gmail.com

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