The ALR Marketing Solutions Blog

Combining Digital Strategies With Traditional Marketing

In today’s market, the Internet might seem to be the dominant force when it comes to marketing. However, according to a report in AdWeek, small businesses only spend three percent of their budgets on digital marketing. While the online advertising market is expected to grow 11.54 percent over the next few years, much of this market share is expected to be used by larger corporations. With companies still willing to pay millions for a 30-second ad spot during the Super Bowl, there’s no question that traditional marketing techniques still have value.

 

The AdWeek report also indicates that many small-business owners are still using more traditional methods such as newspaper ads and direct mailers. It’s obvious that many small businesses will never be able to afford any kind of television ad spot but there are ways to integrate traditional and contemporary marketing techniques.

 

Be consistent. One of the most important ways to integrate more traditional marketing assets into your online presence is to ensure brand consistency across all media. From your tagline and logo to your color pallet and social media profiles, make sure the look and feel of your brand creates a memorable and coherent experience.

 

Give it some swag. For businesses that host events or frequently attend trade shows, branded products—aka “swag”—are pretty standard fare. While you want to keep your brand consistent, it can also be beneficial to find ways to include your website or social media profiles on your vanity assets. Even if you don’t find yourself frequenting events, investing in something as simple as T-shirts could be a great way to turn customers into walking billboards.

 

Give them incentive. While direct mailers and weekly circulars might still be favored among local small businesses, it’s important to take it a step further. Give prospects a reason to check out your website or latest promotion. Gamify your latest campaign by offering points toward a product discount. Create a dedicated landing page; use the print assets to pique interest and drive customers to the landing page for more details.

 

Include a QR code. Some might argue that QR codes are dead. However, according to marketing analytics firm KISSmetrics, QR codes work well when included in a direct mailer to provide customers with discounts or send them to your latest Facebook promotion. You can also use a QR code to send customers to a landing page with detailed information on the product that they wouldn’t see in the print advertisement.

 

Include your social media profiles. Including social media profile information on your direct mailers, print ads and even business cards could be a simple way to incorporate your digital profiles into traditional advertising assets. Consider this: according to a recent report, a Facebook Fan could be worth up to $174. This kind of return on investment could make leveraging ad real estate to drive prospects to your Facebook profile a worthwhile expense.

 

Invite a visit. For retailers, getting customers into stores is crucial. According to an article from Social Media Today, a 2010 campaign by Estee Lauder provides a great example of integrated marketing techniques. The beauty retailer used a social media campaign to offer in-store makeovers and professional headshots. Customers were given a new, glamorous look and pictures were taken right at the counter. These pictures were loaded to the social media profiles with the Estee Lauder logo in the background, putting the retailer right at the heart of the customers’ social network. 

 

Ultimately, the idea is to consider every customer touch point—whether traditional or digital—and use every avenue to draw the customer or prospect into your brand experience. With smart application and a little media savvy, the integration of new and traditional media into cohesive advertising campaigns can be accomplished with a few simple strategies.

 

Sources:

AdWeek -- “spend three percent of their budgets”

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/small-businesses-are-slow-digital-party-148029

 

Research and Markets -- “expected to grow”

http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gfszcg/global_online_ad

 

AdAge -- “QR codes are dead”

http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/qr-codes-dead-toppled-easy-apps/240548/

 

KISSMetrics Blog -- “QR codes work well”

http://blog.kissmetrics.com/genius-qr-codes/

 

Mashable -- “Facebook Fan could be worth up to $174”

http://mashable.com/2013/04/17/facebook-fan-value-researcher/

 

Social Media Today -- “great example of integrated marketing techniques”

http://socialmediatoday.com/SMC/167993

 

Special thanks to our guest blogger, Sara Collins.

Sara Collins is a writer for NerdWallet. She works hard to keep business owners and entrepreneurs informed about the best marketing strategies, from coupon codes to social media involvement.

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Tips for Effectively Promoting your Business through Google Plus

Brighter Days

Say hello to the new search optimization social media page for business online. Marketing and publishing businesses on social media websites are now one of the best ways to show off your business and create unique deals online.

Just like Facebook, Google Plus allows you to jump start a campaign, pitch ideas for instant feedback and will even allow customers to rate products and services on a free webpage. The difference is that Google Plus has a much simpler way for promoting businesses, allowing you to serve everything your business is cooked up to be.

Spread the News

One of the best ways for your Google Plus account to be found on the web is to make it so that Google Places can locate you, but please be sure to submit all of your business information correctly. Another way to make your page go viral is to encourage users to check in on their iPhones with Foursquare, a location and business sharing app that highlights prime areas of interest. Try giving away prizes when they check in online to help bring in new customers. Also, be sure that people can easily access all of your information on your webpage with widgets conveniently placed on the side bars for everyone to see.

Another neat tool on Google Plus is called Hang out on Air which allows you to broadcast an online video from You Tube and save it to your You Tube account or your Google Plus page. This hangout is a great way to promote your business and give you maxim exposure by letting you direct the flow of any topic of conversation. It is also a great place to showcase your products and services and it allows your followers to share your video on other social sites as well. You can create a video each week and post online feedback which you’ll get from reviews in a quick tutorial. Just remember to keep the customers point of view in mind.

Sharing interesting information on your page by mentions or shares is another great way to create virality and a broader fan base. Running promotions directly on your Google Plus page has not yet been made available, but link together your Facebook account and blogs for better traffic. Create promotions on your Facebook account so that people become eligible to win prizes but then have to go to your Google Plus page to fill out the actual entry. It is the perfect way to use resources to work together and again creates more inbound traffic.

Another bonus about Google Plus is that unlike Facebook or Twitter, Google Plus creates search results for better search engine optimization. You also can embed followed links directly to your bio so you will increase the amount of followers and shares you’ll receive from your posts.

Build Good Credit

Sharing information goes viral but it can also help build your credibility. Most people like to check into a business first before they’ll buy from them. Quality reviews help boost credibility when starting ongoing relationships with other users and also helps search engine optimization. You can help build and nurture relationships with others by sharing their posts, mentioning them in one of your own posts, or to help add to their contacts circle. A few more suggestions such as sending them an invitation to an update or an event, or even to suggest a profile photo for their page is helpful. There are several ways to introduce yourself and start relationships on social media for the successful promotion of your business.

Testimonials are another way of bringing in traffic and they help to show off a proven track record of your business. Most people are interested in reading a good story and would decide to invest in a product they felt it would make a positive impact in their lives. Sharing how one of your products has changed a customer’s life can be much more influential than sharing generic reviews like most other pages have available.

Make it your Business

Google Plus social media is important for the successful promotion of your business. What Facebook is to family and friends in faraway places, Google Plus is to customers and clients needing updates on new products and services. This is just the beginning of some of the exciting things we are going to see take place in the fascinating world of social media.

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Tips for Integrating Social Media into your Public Relations Strategy

Do you know that the best rule of strategy in the game of chess is to be adaptable? This means that after devising the perfect strategy, your opponent could still change moves at any given time and kill your entire plan. The mastery of public relations then however, is to adapt to any environment or situation and restrategize. Don’t worry about changing everything you know about PR, but find ways to stay current and more cutting edge. Below are some tips that I have found to be helpful when integrating social media into PR strategy.

 

The Buzz on Social Media

The role that public relations plays in the media is a critical one. A company’s success depends on the ability to know and reach a large audience.  It takes more than a press release or a presentation to win the masses, it takes an experience.

One good way to create an experience is to drive people to an entertaining and engaging environment, such as a Facebook or Google Plus account, where they can exchange ideas and share information online. These social media pages should inform the public on your achievements and communicate your goals, which will in turn give you the feedback you need to reach your audience. This is also a good opportunity to search for influencers in the media, make connections and determine how to tailor your next pitch.

When writing press releases, pay special attention to what quotes or headlines you would like to reuse on your posts, along with an interesting and professional looking photo of your event. Make sure that you stay creative and engage people with questions that are intriguing and friendly. We need to keep the conversation going.

 

Rule of Attraction

The rule to attract more visitors to your page is to make your posts look vibrant and exciting. Download an application to your smart phone such as Instagram or Tumblr.  These are online photo sharing and social networking services that allow you to upload your pictures directly to your albums. These apps are especially helpful for professionals on the run who want to take a quick snapshot and have it downloaded to their page. The idea is to create a variety of albums that accentuate your achievements and showcase your talents. Instagram allows you to adjust the lighting and size of any picture, while Tumblr allows to you instantly publish your photos to several other social media sites all at one time.

 

The Connection

Blogging is another useful tool to help produce written material that shows the expertise you have in your field. The main purpose of blogging is to connect with your audience on a more personal level. Be engaging and try to show off your individual style of writing. This is the way people will get to know more of your personality, which also builds on their experience.

Connecting with other bloggers in the media is especially helpful with your public relations strategy. You want to become familiar with what influencers are writing about to personalize your pitch, as well as to break the ice while introducing yourself. Also, make sure it is easy to link your blog back to your website, Facebook page, or any other social media page that you use. Plugins are helpful tools that you will see sprouting up all over blogs with easy access links.

Another quick way to make connections is by using LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a social career networking website great for topic based conversations and will also allow you to add other links. Make sure to write a bio that displays your talents and highlights what you’ve been doing in the press.

There is also Twitter, a social media site and marketing tool that is both made for friends and business. People send friendly “tweets” to one another and make business pitches. This is just another great place to use for finding those media contacts.

Using Twitter also provides the opportunity to take an innovative approach for promoting your business. Many businesses specifically offer special deals and promotions exclusively through Twitter. A big bonus to add is the opportunity to link Twitter to most other social networking sites and direct high traffic to your website.

The Result

When it comes to social media, try to think of it as a press release party. You can “tweet” your headline, post your event and photographs, and pitch your pre-release story. They should all display your skills and talents, draw other pages to your website and give people an award winning experience.

How SEO is Changing and What You Need to Know

Most business owners with a website will tell you that they want to be on the 1^st page of Google (as well as Yahoo and Bing) for the relevant and highly searched keywords related to their business.  For example, if I own a painting company in Atlanta, then I would want to be top ranked for keyword phrases such as “Atlanta Painting Company” and “Painting Companies in Atlanta.”  That way when prospective customers search for a business in my industry, they’ll find my website.

 However, with potentially thousands of websites competing for top rankings for their high-volume keywords, earning that coveted first page spot can often be tough to accomplish.  So, this is where SEO comes into play.

Search engine optimization, a.k.a.  SEO, is the process of getting website traffic from the organic (i.e. free) listings on search engines.  The search engines each have their own algorithms to determine which relevant and authoritative sites should be ranked at the top of the listing for each keyword searched.  When it comes to Google, which controls approximately 80% of the search market, most experts will tell you that the Google algorithm has historically incorporated factors including:

• HTML title tags
• Meta descriptions
• Keyword optimization of site content
• External links to the website

The process of optimizing a website and getting it top ranked for desired keywords can often take awhile to accomplish.  Google doesn’t publish their algorithms and changes their criteria from time to time.  Just because you got your site top ranked doesn’t mean it will stay top ranked long-term.   

 At the SXSW Interactive conference in March 2012, Matt Cutts, head of Google’s Webspam team, announced a release of an algorithm update to target sites with excessive SEO.  Therefore, websites that are “over-optimized” could now be penalized in search results.  Google’s efforts are believed to be designed to encourage quality, useful site content.  This is opposed to rewarding sites that have engaged in keyword stuffing or other unethical Internet marketing practices. 

So, is SEO still relevant?  Absolutely, I believe SEO is still a key component in helping the search engines to identify useful information that is most valuable to the actual searcher.  It aids the search engines in organizing what information is being presented to users.  However, the days of companies getting away with implementing “black-hat” unethical SEO techniques may be over.

Any business interested in achieving top rankings for their site should begin with a comprehensive site analysis to determine the keywords they should be going after.  The commercial intent of the keywords shouldn’t be overlooked.  Next, focus on creating really valuable site content.  I always tell clients that they need good “marketing content” on their website, as opposed to just keyword optimized content.   This is important for converting site visitors into customers.  Also, be sure to generate authoritative, keyword focused anchor text links from external sites.  Finally, make sure you know your audience so you can bring them the information they are seeking when they land on your website. 

Generate Customer Loyalty Through Relationship Marketing Practices

Relationship Marketing is a business strategy designed to promote customer loyalty, interaction, and long-term engagement.  Relationship Marketing is cross-functional marketing that is organized around processes that involve every aspect of the organization.  The customer relationship approach focuses on customer retention to leverage a business advantage on competitors. 

There are many benefits once a company has established an ongoing relationship with customers.  Since regular customers are familiar with products and consistent in order placement, they are less expensive to service.  Long-term customers are likely to purchase additional supporting products.  Satisfied customers with an ongoing relationship with a business tend to bring additions customers to the company.  Customer loyalty makes it difficult for competitors to enter a market or gain market share.  Relationship Marketing enables people, processes, and technology to work together to decrease costs and increase profits.  Relationship Marketing uses retention and satisfaction to develop long-term relationships between customers and businesses. 

Relationship Marketing utilizes retention strategies to encourage customers to continue their relationship with a company and reduce the likelihood of customers switching to a competitor.  One strategy that can be employed is cross selling, where related products are promoted to current customers.   Developing a loyalty program, where customers receive incentives for frequent purchases, has increased sales for many companies.  Another effective tactic is product bundling, where multiple products or services are combined into a single package and offered at a single price.  Cross promotions, when customers are given discounts or other promotional incentives to purchaser related products, have also proved to be valuable. 

Another key approach to Relationship Marketing is increasing customer satisfaction levels for businesses.  Mutually beneficial communication exchanges are utilized to inform businesses of their customers’ needs, as well as to inform customers of the full-extent of what the company can offer them.  Customer satisfaction levels have a significant impact on the amount of sales relative to that of competing companies.  Any company that wishes to foster long-term relationships where both the buyer and seller have a more satisfying exchange can benefit from Relationship Marketing.

Relationship Marketing is designed to develop strong connections with customers by providing them with information directly matched to their needs and interests, and by encouraging open communication.  This approach often results in repeat business, increased word of mouth activity, and higher customer satisfaction. 

If you are interested in learning more about relationship marketing and management solutions designed create ongoing customer loyalty, contact ALR Marketing Solutions, a premier Atlanta Marketing Agency and Atlanta Internet Marketing company for your free solutions consultation.

Interview with Alex Membrillo, successful entrepreneur and co-founder of Cardinal Web Solutions

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with fellow business entrepreneur Alex Membrillo, co-founder of Cardinal Web Solutions, an Interactive marketing and Atlanta SEO Company, for an Interview.         

 Question: Alex, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Alex:  I was born in San Antonio, TX.  As the son of a travel agency owner I had the good fortune of living abroad in Spain and Cyprus before returning to the United States in 1990.  I grew up in Johns Creek, GA, a northern suburb of Atlanta, where I attended elementary through high school.  I’m a 2008 graduate of Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business where, after putting myself through college, I earned a B.B.A. in Managerial Sciences, with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship.

Q: What services does Cardinal Web Solutions (CWS) offer businesses?

Alex:    We offer a full slew of interactive marketing solutions including search engine optimization, pay per click management, social media marketing, email marketing, video marketing, mobile marketing, and web design & development.

Q: With earning over $700,000 in sales from shortly over one year of operation, did you know your business would be a huge success so quickly?

Alex:  Absolutely not!  In the beginning, there were many more days when I was scared than when I was confident.  But I’d build on the little things, like small sales and gains in industry knowledge.  Eventually, smaller clients led to larger clients and big things began to happen.  Two things for sure, I had confidence in what I could accomplish and I never gave up on my focus. 

Q: What types of challenges did you first face after launching CWS?

Alex:  For me the biggest challenge was I had just become a father.  There were a lot of new responsibilities, expenses, and a ton of medical bills to deal with.  Between 14 hour work days and about two hours of sleep each night due to a colicky baby, I was definitely tired.  The challenges of the new work/personal schedule made me that much tougher though.   It prepared me for the difficult days ahead and made becoming successful that much sweeter.  Looking back, I would not have changed a thing.

Q: How did you develop the idea to launch Cardinal Web Solutions last year?

Alex:  After finding a void in the market, my business partner and I developed Cardinal Web Solutions in spring of 2009.  One of the main issues that gave us the imperative to start Cardinal was that clients weren’t being educated on their agency’s processes and activities.  Furthermore, transparency from Internet marketing agencies did not exist - Internet marketing companies were not being held accountable for providing results to their clients.  We knew that we could set the cardinal standard for ethical search engine optimization and all Interactive marketing practices, and so Cardinal Web Solutions was born. 

Q: What led you to strike out on your own?

Alex:  First, it was the desire to work as hard as I wanted and get a return for that effort.  I believe that as an entrepreneur the harder you work the more likely you are to succeed, provided that the business plan is solid.

Second, owning my own business gives me the freedom to make creative decisions.  At the end of the day I really enjoy being my own boss and having the opportunity to grow my company through my hard work and determination.  It is truly inspiring to watch my colleagues take what we do to the next level and bring a great deal of value to our clients.

Q: How, amidst one of the most difficult economic climates in history and with outside funding, were you able to start a company that has quickly become one of the most successful Interactive Marketing agencies in Atlanta, GA and the southeast?

Alex:  Times were definitely tough when we launched Cardinal Web Solutions.  As a result of the economic recession, I lost my job when the company I had previously worked for went under.  It was also about two months before the birth of my first child.  With unemployment on the rise things were definitely unstable and I was down to my last unemployment insurance check.

But I knew that there was a need for what Cardinal Web Solutions was designed to offer.  So with a $750 personal investment, Cardinal Web Solutions opened a home office in my business partner’s small living room where we spent our day’s cold calling companies and taking meetings in Starbucks.   

Our success has come from paying attention to industry best practices and always keeping the customer’s needs close to our hearts. We have always paid close attention to our client’s needs and we strive to pin point their core competencies.  I’ve found you learn more from identifying problems than focusing your attention on one’s successes. 

Q:  At 25 years old, have you found there are additional challenges to being a young entrepreneur?

Alex:  Yes, to begin with you typically don’t have the experience of having worked in a corporate world or managing employees. You are forced to develop your own concepts of how a company should be run and how those that work for it should be treated which can be a wonderful thing.  I also believe that when you are young you have to prove yourself a bit more to potential clients.  No one wants to partner with a potential fly-by-night company so there some definite hurdles in that area.  I found it helped quite a bit to let your confidence in your product/service shine.  Customers find it refreshing when someone really believes in what they are doing.

Q:  Can you tell us about some of the types of clients your company currently works with?

Alex:   We service all industries and work with all types of businesses.  Clients range from local doctors and lawyers to national hotel chains including Hilton, Holiday Inn Express, and Sheraton brand properties throughout the southeast.  We are also pleased to have recently taken on our first international client earlier this year.

Q:  What are some advantages CWS clients gain over your competition?

Alex:  At Cardinal Web Solutions we believe in complete transparency with our clients.  We only operate with ethical and “white hat” internet marketing practices.  Our clients are given access to the same reporting and analytics tools we use when measuring their online presence.   Much of our competition relies on shady business practices which can severely endanger a client’s Internet presence.  Cardinal was founded with the belief that business owners deserve to know and understand each and every internet marketing project that we engage in.

CWS is a full service, turnkey business.  This means our clients can be as involved or uninvolved as they wish to be. Furthermore, our clients also have direct access to the principals of the agency which helps to allay many fears of dealing with a marketing agency. This attention to customer service has given Cardinal Web Solutions a 99% client retention rate.

Q:  What are some of the biggest mistakes companies make when it comes to leveraging their online presence?

Alex:  Well, by not using their online presence properly companies don’t leverage it at all.  Finding prospects through online search means you’ve found them at the end of the sales cycle.  These are qualified leads that are actively searching for what your company offers.  For those reasons I feel that maximizing your marketing and advertising opportunities online is crucial.

Another mistake some businesses make is to put too much focus on Internet marketing and ignore the other effective forms of marketing.  All marketing efforts, from print to Internet, should be integrated together.  Engaging customers at every step of the buying cycle is crucial today – a business has to stay front of mind with its customers at all times.

At Cardinal Web Solutions, not only do we understand Interactive marketing, but we can advise on the client’s overall marketing strategy.  In addition to offering customized Interactive marketing plans, we have the in-house resources and collaborative business partnerships in place to assist with all aspects of a company’s marketing campaign.  Our work processes are seamless and provide complete ease for our clients.   

 Q:  What advice would you offer other new business owners?

Alex:  I always remembered that even if my idea was crazy, there have been much crazier ideas that have succeeded.  There are definitely times when you wonder if the risk you have undertaken is worthwhile, however, you have to remember why you started the company and keep your eye on the future.  If you need a parachute than I would recommend setting a definitive timeline of what your measure of success is and when you would walk away if you don’t achieve that.  At the same time, don’t let people scare you off and don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t do what you know you can accomplish. 

For young entrepreneurs, now is the time to try something “crazy”.  Don’t be afraid to take a risk.

Q: Where do you see Cardinal Web Solutions going in the future?

Alex:  I see Cardinal Web Solutions evolving into a full service advertising agency including print, TV, radio, and Interactive marketing services.  Our focus will be on new and emerging trends in interactive media.  It is our thirst for knowledge that will push us to stay ahead of our competition and develop innovative solutions to the market’s needs. While we have made $700,000 in sales in about a year, I would like for that to be a monthly sales achievement.

 

Interview by Media Contact: 

Allison Reinert

ALR Marketing Solutions

404.890.5817

www.ALRMarketingSolutions.com

Premier Atlanta Marketing Agency       

 

  

Exploring marketing campaigns that generate buzz

Public relations and marketing campaigns can be designed to effectively stimulate positive word-of-mouth buzz, which is an exponential expansion of word of mouth (WOM).   The key to generating buzz is to generate excitement.  There are various techniques that marketers can use to successfully accomplish this.

Buzz marketing has made massive successes of products and brands including Pokémon, Beanie Babies, Tickle-me-Elmo, the Harry Potter books, and Zhu Zhu Pets toy hamsters.  Word can spread exponentially with little or no mass media advertising supporting it. 

Successful National Buzz Marketing Campaigns Include…

During the 2004 Summer Olympics, Dodge launched the Pontiac G6.  In the marketing campaign for the product launch, Dodge aired short “teaser” ads with an edgy rock theme and the G6 logo, but no car!  The idea of this marketing campaign was to create build-up to the launch and generate buzz. 

More recently, ABC crafted a marketing campaign for the premier of the final season of their hit show LOST.  The campaign generated lots of buzz, especially online.  They released trailers and commercials for the new season that did not feature any new footage.  This kept online fan forums buzzing with speculations on what was to come.

Another way a marketing campaign can generate buzz is through product samplings.  During the 2010 Super Bowl Dockers aired a commercial advertising a free pants giveaway.  By the next morning the phrase “Dockers free pants” was the top-trending search term on Google, the leading search engine. 

Using the Internet to Effectively Generate Buzz…

BuzzAgent.com is a Web site based company designed to help marketing campaigns spread buzz.  The site recruits everyday people to actively spread word-of-mouth about products their clients are looking to promote.  Anyone can join Buzz Agent’s WOM marketing network to try new products and spread word of mouth.  Some of their current campaigns include DANON Dan Active, Starbucks Pike Place Roast, and Mrs. Paul’s.

Additional Internet Marketing Techniques for Leveraging Buzz include:

1.     Viral marketing – This is an online “pass it along” strategy.  It uses electronic marketing communications to trigger brand messages throughout a widespread network of buyers.  Viral marketing is often accomplished through Email Marketing Campaigns and the distributions of Electronic Press Releases.  

2.    Social Media – Social media can be used to generate buzz amongst a large network of people.  Companies can create Facebook fan pages for their products or brands, Tweet about the latest news, and much more using social media sites.  Online video distributions on sites like YouTube can also be very effective for product promotion.

3.    Online Guides- These serve as online opinion leaders.  About.com, for example, utilizes online guides to provide original consumer information and advice. 

If you are interested in learning more about marketing campaigns that can be designed to generate buzz, contact ALR Marketing Solutions, a premier Atlanta Marketing Agency and Atlanta Internet Marketing company for your free solutions consultation.  

 

Why Utilizing SEO Tactics is Important for Maximizing PR Campaign Success

 

PR is a vital way for any size business or organization to communicate its message.  It is also typically viewed as highly credible by consumer markets because it is distributed and published by a third party.

World renowned marketing strategists Al, and daughter Laura, Ries give detailed explanation to this position in their 2004 book, The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR.  In it they offer solid arguments on the subject of modern-day brand building.  Al and Laura explain how brands can soar to the top through the savvy use of PR.  This is because advertising has lost credibility among consumers, while PR has not. 

There are two standard ways to distribute/publish a press release:

1.   traditional print publications

2.   electronic publications

When doing electronic PR distribution it is important to understand and utilize search engine optimization (SEO) and Internet marketing tactics.  This leads to a much more visible PR campaign.

 

In 2008 an industry survey by TopRank found that 91% of journalists use standard search to fulfill a component of their job.  This may include researching a story or locating a subject matter expert.  A different market research survey, conducted last year by comSource, found that there were over 14 billion core searches on the Internet done in December 2009.  These market intelligence findings tell us that consumers rely on searches daily to find news and information. 

It is important for any marketing or PR specialist to understand the consumer search behaviors and preferences (keywords) of their client.  They should also be aware of which publications their client wants to be featured in.

Key tactics behind optimizing PR:

SEO makes it easier for various types of search engines to find, index, and rank the PR content.  Optimizing the PR makes it more visible on the Web.  In addition, optimized PR can be mutually beneficial to the client’s Web site if keywords in the piece link back to the site.  This is why many SEO consultants will include PR writing and electronic distribution in their monthly SEO maintenance agreements.

The following types of online content should all be search engine optimized:

· Press Releases

· Online Newsroom

· Media Kit

· Blog posts

· White papers

· E-Newsletters

Key word Research:

Keyword discovery and online competitor research is needed to effectively determine what keyword phrases need to be used in the press release.  The PR should be optimized for at least 2-4 targeted keywords. 

Keep in mind press releases are meant to be read.  So, the writing of the piece should always be optimized for people first, and the search engines second. 

Keyword Placement:

Use keywords in titles, subheadings, and the body of the PR.  Also, embed links in the release to the company sites.  In addition, keyword optimized media can be included in the press releases as an extra way to generate visibility to the news piece.  This may include images, podcasts, and video.

Measuring the Value of the PR:

With electronic PR distribution it is easy to measure the value of each PR piece.  Ways to monitor metrics include:

· Review PR-wire service metrics

· Track Web analytics for Web site

· Create PR landing pages and track conversions

· Observe inbound links

· Continuously check search rankings

Remember…

There is a lot to consider when striving to build your brand and increase revenue through PR and marketing communications campaigns.  Be sure you understand the importance of integrating proven SEO tactics into your press releases. 

If you are interested in using creative PR writing to build your brand, or are looking to optimize your Web presence, contact ALR Marketing Solutions, a premier Atlanta marketing agency for your free solutions consultation.  

  

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying Target Markets

Before beginning a marketing campaign it is important you first identify your target market. 

• Begin by determining why a customer would want to buy your product/service.

• Comprehensive market intelligence and research gathering is required to identify quantitative and qualitative patterns.
  

• Next, segment your overall market.

The process of identifying a target market it called market segmentation.  This is important because once you identify a niche using target segmentation you will be able to concentrate your efforts on targeted marketing to attract a specific consumer group.

 

Why segmentation is so important?

In marketing it is not uncommon to have a target market that would be comprised of various different demographics of people who can be profiled in to various different consumer groups.  For example, I had a client a few years ago that was an online division of a large regional bank.  Their goal was to get new clients to the bank and to have existing clients open up additional accounts.  If I had a saving account, I would have been encouraged to open a checking account and perhaps a certificate of deposit (c.d.) as well.

 

As you could probably imagine the target market for the online bank was a rather large group.  Their identified market was segmented into 5 consumer profiles.  These segments were based on age and income.  This meant that there were five different sets of marketing materials for any given campaign.  While the overall message may have been the same, the copy and images were different depending on who would be receiving the material.

 

Market Intelligence

Market research to gain intelligence on your consumers is vital to accurately determine whom your target is and what the best marketing strategy would be to reach them.  The process of gathering market research includes employing various techniques to collect, analyzes, and report data about potential consumer groups.

 

Segmentation

After the necessary market intelligence has been gathered you can then strategize the best approach to customize your advertising and promotional efforts for the desired result.  The campaign planning should include test market groups and test campaigns.  This is key for not only the long-term success of the marketing, but in order to be as cost effective as possible.  In the test programs the marketer should be able to identify what efforts will be successful and revise the strategy to best reach each consumer group.

 

For more information on identifying your target market contact ALR Marketing Solutions, a premier Atlanta marketing agency, for your free solutions consultation.          

10 Internet Marketing Tips to Enhance your Business’s Online Presence

1. Boost Your Blog Buzz

There are reportedly more than 346 million people worldwide who read blogs (ComScore). But just having a blog doesn’t guarantee people are reading it.

• Register your blog with popular directories
• Have your newest blog posts appear on your LinkedIn Profile and Facebook status with links back to the blog
• Read top blogs in your industry, and then post comments with helpful information and links back to your own blog or Web site.

2. Social Media

Social media can be a great way to get the word out about your company or product. It helps to create exposure and interest from the community.

• Did you know Facebook has more than 200 million users? Facebook allows you to create free fan pages about your business.
• LinkedIn is a professional network that includes allowing companies to create profiles.
• Manage your social networking presence and engage in consistent participation with your connections. Nutshell Mail is a service that brings users a summary of their social network updates to their inbox in a single email delivered to them on their schedule.

3. Monitor Your Cyberspace Presence

We’ve all heard of “Google-ing” someone or something… Keep an active eye on what’s posted on the Internet about you and your business. Assume that your clients and prospects are in the know about what’s out there. Searching your name on Google and Twitter can tell you several important things:

• What people are saying about your business
• Whether your work is being used without your permission
• Whether someone else is using your personal or business name

If your reputation is in trouble and you’re finding negative or false information, you may need professional assistance to fix the problem. Evaluate if you need legal representation or public relations and press release solutions.

4. Be consistent with your online message and branding

Coordinate and integrate marketing communications tools within your business. By doing this, the business’s brand message will be consistent in all possibilities.

• Integrating communications helps eliminate confusion from the consumer and builds brand strength.
• All advertising media selections, creative designs, and public relations efforts should strive to match the message, media, and audience, so the right person sees and/or hears the advertisement or marketing piece and can recognize the business and its brand consistency.

5. Apply Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to your Web site

 SEO is a great way to increase your online revenue stream. SEO allows you to:

• Develop and arrange your site’s content and navigation to be fully optimized
• Drive more traffic to your Web site
• Maximize your Internet exposure

6. Enhance your site’s viewership with Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing

Before implementing your PPC campaign, research traffic patterns for keywords as well as the bid prices for those terms so you can effectively plan and budget your campaign.

• Track your best performing ads to determine what is leading to the highest volume of traffic to your Web site bringing revenue to your business.
• PPC can be an incredibly cost effective tool if properly managed. Consider hiring an expert to manage the campaign, design optimized landing pages for your ads, and track metrics.

7. Stay in front of your customers with Email Marketing Campaigns

Your businesses Email marketing campaigns should be representative of the brand and image of your company.

• Email campaigns allow you to stay in front of your prospects and clients.
• Email marketing solutions create an interactive experience with your customers.

8. Market on the Web

There are a many powerful free online tools that can serve to market your business on the Web. Here are a few to consider:

• Slide share – share presentations Tag your presentations and embed them on your blog or Web site 
• You Tube – share videos Consider filming and uploading your presentations. Post videos of you interviewing industry experts or feature client reviews of your business.
• flickr – share pictures It’s a great way to showcase your portfolio or share photos of your presentations.
• Delicious –share Web pages Social book marking service that allows you to save all your bookmarks online, then share them with other people.
• Amazon.com – share your opinion When you read a book in your field, review it on Amazon.

9. Increase your media exposure with electronic press releases and industry related articles

PR allows you to maximize your exposure in your business’s targeted markets. It also allows you to boost your Internet search rankings. Also, find out what stories reporters and editors are working on by using links like:

• Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
• PitchRate.com

10. Be an Industry Expert

Answer questions you have knowledge in on sites like Yahoo Answers or LinkedIn Answers. Both rank extremely high with search engines and will increase traffic to your Web site.

For more information visit:  www.ALRMarketingSolutions.com