Blog Author Mellissah Smith - Page 76

If you are finding it hard to keep up to the latest in marketing techniques, you are not alone.

Most marketers, let alone small business owners, are struggling to keep abreast of the new developments in technology, buzz words, Google algorithm changes, content trends and more. Why? Innovation has been put on steriods and every technology guru is hoping to become the next Mark Zuckerberg and bank a few billion or at the very least, get their faces on the cover of Forbes.

Social media has hit a new high. It no longer is something that businesses can think about including as part of their marketing strategy. It now is something NO BUSINESS can afford to not include.

During the week, I had a conversation with another provider for one of our clients. They are basically graphic designers who have done the odd website development. From my conversations with them, I am almost certain that the website developer is either a freelancer or a graphic designer who has learned to use Wordpress. There are some things that are really obvious in the work they have just completed.

Today is my birthday. I have finally turned 39, a number that I have been using for quite some time, just to get use to it.

I woke up unexpectantly at 3am and have stayed awake ever since. Instead of going back to sleep, I looked out my window and soaked up the view of the parkland. I don't think I have ever seen it at 3am before. It was beautiful, peaceful and the perfect setting to the start of a new year in my life.

Today, I learnt that I am not average. No, seriously. Really, I am not average. Well, at least on Twitter I am not average because the average Twitter user has only 126 followers. In total, Marketing Eye has 14, 061 with two accounts. One that focuses on the Australian market and the other that focuses on the US market with an emphasis on Atlanta, Georgia.

There is nothing wrong with being average may I add, but as a business that is focused on helping other small businesses grow, it is important that Marketing Eye stand out from the crowd. Average is not an option. The same as everyone else, is also not applicable. For Marketing Eye, we have to be outstanding at everything.

I am not sure about today. You know, when you wake up and your sleep wasn't particularly restful, then you go to work and for a second, you have to remember why you are actually there.

A company has a problem. They don't like their accountant. Their financial planner just got hit by a bus. The business just got a lot bigger and now they need some HR advice. They don't have a marketing person per se and the owner knows that they are not going anywhere without someone focusing on the company's brand and lead generation campaigns to support their sales team.

The problem has been identified. It now needs a solution. So, what's next? They look for one.

How?

First, they think about who they know. It use to be a case of people they have met or friends of friends, but now there is a not so new revolution to add to the equation. Social media.

Social Media

In the past two weeks we have made almost $200,000 from our social media accounts. It's because companies that we may not have met face to face, but know us through social media and in particular, twitter, linkedin and the company blog, have a problem and the first person they have made contact with is the person they "know" online. You know the one. The person that continually reinforces their expertise in a particular field through showcasing their knowledge, case studies, influence and opinions.

Social media is likened to the old-fashion term "farming" because it takes time, but the investment is worth it in the end if you do all the right things. Farming makes it easier for clients to find you and relate to you and your business. Social media has provided a short-cut in the farming process  but be assured that "farming" is not "prospecting". It is relationship building and you have to be willing to give more than you get.

So, remember next time you go to write on your twitter account that you went out and got totally trashed, but the next day want to be the consumate professional accountant who is looking for new business opportunities that your lifestyle choices may not be what your clients are looking for in a service provider.

Qantas is running an international campaign "you are the reason we fly" and I am quite impressed by their agency's work on this campaign.

I don't know about you, but egomaniacs scare the 'b'jesus out of me'. I am terrified of them, but still I find myself sucked into their web of soul destroying destruction.

As much as they are charming, good at 'selling a story' and surrounded by people, they are manipulative, obsessive and bullies.

There are many studies out there that confirm that there is a direct correlation between how successful a company is and how well they use social media.

We also know that brands can profit dramatically from a well executed social media strategy backed by a campaign that is creative and has the audience in mind.

So, why then do marketers continue to ignore the fact that certain days of the week and times of the day, are not as effective as others when it comes to executing a social media campaign.

How many famous people have you heard started out as entrepreneurs selling lemonade or doing the local newspaper run?

I have heard hundreds of stories over the years about how some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs started out as children, making first few dollars when they were still in primary school.