Mad 4 Blog

Taking your marketing campaign and putting it out there in the world where your audience can interact with it from a new angle, anywhere, is a very broad definition of out-of-home marketing. We’ve recently seen some neat examples that we wanted to share:

1) To tie together the brand’s new “free shipping” website policy and transportation, L.L. Bean wrapped city buses in Boston with their ad to promote their e-commerce push. Riders who got on board these buses also, of course, got to ride for free for the week. L.L. Bean effectively married a positive experience with a concrete, memorable concept.

2) Bacardi Limon supplies phone-charging stations at select promotional bars, offering several options for phone types so that anyone can recharge while they relax and refuel, marrying convenience in a relevant atmosphere with a specific, accessible brand.

In an ongoing conversation about how your business can and should integrate social media marketing into your complete campaign, this week we continuing discussing the ways to discern how and why to select your social media methodology. Last week, we talked about identifying your goals and assigning a budget. Now that you know what you’re seeking and how much you can spend, you’re ready to select the content:

Consider your media. On the Internet, you have an array of options when it comes to the format of your social media advertising; you are not restricted to stagnant banners and links. Are you interested in principally creating a dialogue with interested individuals? This can be done via discussion forums or posts that invite comments. Or would you rather post a video on the Web to entertain and intrigue viewers, who may also be inclined to share it elsewhere? You may wish to initiate sweepstakes or contests that generate video content as well as conversation and viral success. Different options require differing amounts of work, time and financial commitment on your end, and there’s no single solution that’s best for every business. So be sure to consider your unique needs and availability for operations once the campaign is launched.

Know your audience. Social media marketing is practically expected by a certain demographic; but it may not be for everyone. For example, will patients choose a doctor based on his or her tweets? You need to determine if your target audience will make purchasing decisions based on a strong viral campaign. Or are they more likely to react to a well-placed television commercial or billboard on their commute to work?

Test the waters. Although Mad 4 Marketing believes in integrating diverse campaign tactics to approach prospective buyers from all angles, sometimes you can actually miss the mark by spreading your budget into unfamiliar territory that won’t provide the highest ROI. Accurate, tested, pinpoint marketing is also always valuable. We recommend:

• Have a website up, no matter what
• Get your blog started and encourage visitors to comment
• Track your traffic and the activity of users on your page
• Survey your key demographic to see how social media fits into decision-making
• Start with one effort that you can focus on; if your Facebook Fan Page can get a certain number of “likes,” like 5,000, this may mean you’re ready to expand

Ready to learn more and discuss the best social media marketing for your business? Clearly you already found us on the Web, so Mad 4 Marketing must be doing something right! You’re just a few clicks away, so now all you need to do is Contact Us.

As we discussed last week, many companies are warming up to the idea of incorporating strong social media strategies into their overall marketing campaigns. In some cases, this calls for hiring a team to consult with you and establish your presence on the Web. In others, an Internet-savvy intern may be able to take care of establishing your online agenda and putting your brand on the social media map.

Regardless of your route, if you’ve been considering social media, you may want to first sit down and talk to an advertising specialist about what approaches are best for your business. Many marketers may try to convince you that you need to dive in with an active account in every area of social media; but that’s not necessarily true for everyone. And although social media marketing can be extremely low-cost, it does involve effort and manpower – since the key to this tactic is the human engagement aspect, with regular updates and an ongoing dialogue. To avoid excess costs and be sure your effort is going to have significant payoff, here are a few considerations to get you started:

Identify your goals. Why are you considering social media marketing? Is it because you feel like it’s something you’re supposed to do – or that it’s something that will bring your business to the next level? Consider how your website is currently used by clients or customers. Is this a significant lead for new business or just a way to post your information online? If you have a blog, take into account whether or not you already have an active audience who posts comments and seems engaged with the content.

Assign a budget. Starting a Facebook, YouTube or Twitter account may be free, but operating costs aren’t. If you want to earn trust from those who care about online interactivity, you may need to hire staff to tweet, blog and update throughout the day. If you’re building a first-time Web presence, you may need to buy an AdWords account to drive traffic. You may want to keep up with analytics to determine if you’re garnering the attention you desire. Before getting started, consider what you can afford to invest.

Check back next week for part 2, with even more social media marketing tips from Mad 4 Marketing.

Analysts confirm that small businesses are poised to spend more on marketing in 2011 than in 2010. Although this can be partially attributed to uptick in business as American companies crawl out of the recession of recent years, another giant factor is the growing need for digital and social media. More small businesses are looking to use external marketing specialists to build their websites, begin social media campaigns and engage more thoroughly with online communities.

According to an online poll by VistaPrint.com, 88% of small businesses (ranging in 1-10 employees making less than $100,000 per year) are expanding their marketing efforts in 2011. This is compared with about 29% of small businesses that said they planned to increase their marketing efforts for 2010, according to Ad-ology. About 34% of those expanding their marketing efforts are focusing on social media such as Facebook and Twitter, noted VisaPrint.com; meanwhile, Ad-ology reported that 45% of businesses polled were looking to expand their online video efforts and 35% felt ready to foray into mobile marketing.

Some advertising experts claim that the expenses may either not be warranted or not provide the ROI that a small business may be expecting. In some instances, the appeal of social media is its low overhead and general accessibility. For example, an in-the-know intern who’s ready to actively and smartly engage with a company’s online audience may be able to garner just as much, if not more, success and presence with online marketing efforts as a professionally organized marketing campaign.

The plus side for small businesses that expand their marketing budget and finance professional social media campaigns is greater accountability, measurability and the ability to integrate social media elements with a comprehensive marketing campaign that also factors in traditional media such as local radio, television or print ads, out-of-home engagement and word-of-mouth efforts.

Learn more about the dos and don’ts of social media and online marketing next week. In the meantime, if you’re a small business looking to expand your marketing efforts this year – on the Web or not – don’t hesitate to Contact Us. As a small business that’s been successfully operating in South Florida since 1992, we know a thing or two about your specific, small-business needs.

Your company’s identity is absolutely vital to its success. Its image, reputation and aesthetics are all about as important as services rendered. And the very first point of contact that a prospective client or customer has with your company is the logo.

On “America’s Next Great Restaurant,” contestants vying to open three branches of a brand new food-service chain devoted one episode to putting their logos to the test. They had an objective audience vote on where they’d pay cash to eat based on the look of the logos alone. Contestants learned a fast lesson about how important this sort of choice can be when it comes to starting a new business. Other image-related challenges included designing uniforms, menus and restaurant decor. All of these things, the celeb judges asserted, were just as important to the potential chains’ success as the food, name or location.

As a society, we’re very visually oriented. People are quick to make a decision based on their first, entirely sight-based impression–and then they just as quickly move on. So having a logo that packs a wallop with one solid, clear thought is necessary. Imagine it as your company’s firm handshake. You can convey a sense of sincerity, energy and longevity with the right look.

Think about it: What colors, fonts and symbols represent what you do? More importantly, how can you tie a sense of personality (that’s unique to your brand and “voice”) into a singular image that also stands for your company’s name? Plus, you want to be memorable. If your logo shows up next to a list of your competitors’, you want yours to be the one that stands out.

When designing your logo, Mad 4 Marketing takes into account all of your brand’s key messages. What are the thoughts you want to convey? Although these won’t literally translate into your logo, they can affect its design. Are you all about being modern and edgy? Maybe a chic and bold font is right for you. Are you aiming for a low-key, tropical vibe suitable for South Florida? Perhaps a sea blue is a better choice than boring old white for framing your logo.

Whether you’re handing out pens at a trade show or having individuals step in the front doors of your office (your outside signage and reception area should not be overlooked), any first encounter with your logo can impact your chance of success. Even if you have a logo that’s suited you well, maybe your customers are too used to it; you can grab some new attention with a slightly tweaked, fresher vibe. Retooling your logo is also a wonderful excuse to reach out to colleagues and customers alike to let them know about the change and send over some promotional materials.

Don’t hesitate to ask how Mad 4 Marketing can integrate your brand and business goals into a new logo that really makes your audience stop and take notice.