Purple Diamond Marketing Blog

OK, so that is probably a strange title for today’s Purple Diamond Marketing Blog, but as I listened to the news talk about Groundhog Day and if the Groundhog will see his shadow to help us know if winter will soon be over I laughed and realized it is much like the trends in marketing.  In the past couple of years, small business owners have scrambled to keep up with ALL the latest and greatest marketing tools to promote their business.  My clients and many business owners continue to struggle to know what works and what doesn’t and how to spend their time and money.  The questions are constant…“What is social media, have you heard about Facebook, do I really have to “tweet”, why do I have to have a listing on Linkedin?  How about Blogging, will it really help my business? I just heard about Google+ and what is that new thing on Facebook? Should I be doing video and posting on YouTube? By the way, how many sites on the internet do I need to list my website? Hey, my web designer said my site is not coming up on searches so he suggested I use some Word Press format and add content daily so I guess I now need to sink more money in to doing a new website? By the way, do you really think that QR Codes are the latest and greatest and helping my print marketing?” These are just a handful of the barrage of questions I get from small business owners who have no time to research the trends in marketing, but really just want to know if they sink time and money in to these that it will result in sales.

Much like Groundhog Day and the old belief that if the little critter sees his shadow there will be 6 more weeks of winter, business owners are trying these new marketing trends hoping they will lead to more clients.  But, for a small business or sole proprietor testing these new trends can exhaust resources quickly.  Ten minutes on Facebook leads to hours and the cost to maintain Blogs and other social media sites with creative content that supports your brand and brings customers closer can be challenging.  So, do you refuse to participate and hope that the reports about companies growing their business with the help of these trends is all a crazy superstition like Groundhog Day? Or, do you join in the fun and get some help from professionals who can help you to decide the best way for YOUR business to use the tools without wasting time or additional money?

Well, I just heard on the news that the Groundhog saw his shadow and we will now have 6 more weeks of winter.  Hard to believe with the mild weather we have had in Massachusetts this year, but that is what they predict.  And, the prediction about the latest and greatest marketing trends is also that this is how businesses will continue to gain customer loyalty and sales.  So, if you are reading this Blog and you still haven’t created a strategy for how to work all of this in to your marketing portfolio, please contact Purple Diamond or another marketing/social media specialist.  Purple Diamond specializes with small businesses and helping them make some sense of all the new things that come their way.

All my best to your success!~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

1.)  Maintain a customer data base and enter all customers and prospects in this system and continue to update with notes about their birthday, hobbies, family, their likes and dislikes, etc.

2.) Make a list of topics for future press releases to use during the year and go beyond sending them to just the newspaper.  Pitch them to a radio or TV station and self-promote them on-line with social media.

3.) Have regular brainstorm sessions on new products and services; advertising concepts; taglines; social campaigns for on-line marketing; contest ideas and sales promotions; and review of what your competitors are doing and what you offer that is different from them!           [note: if you do not have anyone to brainstorm with be sure to consider hiring a marketing coach like Purple Diamond!]

4.) Set-up strategic alliances and partnerships.

5.) Set stretch goals and action items to achieve them for each month, quarter, year, 5 year and beyond.  Be sure you create an overall marketing plan, but be organized and disciplined to have a weekly plan of meetings and action items written down prior to the start of your week! PLAN for success!

6.) Update website on a regular basis and maintain an on-line strong social media campaign to drive traffic to your site. Consider launching a thoughtful email marketing campaign that draws attention and offers useful information so that you have a greater open click rate.

7.) Be sure to THANK your customers and offer excellent customer support. Consider having a special customer service fun event to invite your clients and top prospects to as a way to show them that they are appreciated! If your budget is small and does not allow for this be sure to at least take the time to send a hand-written note thanking them for their business.

8.) Attend networking groups, join the local chamber and participate in charitable organizations that give back to the community that your business belongs to.

9.) Know your numbers, measure results and ASK other business owners what they have used that has had a significant impact on their business.

10.) Work with a Marketing Coach who understands your market and what challenges you face and how to get you the results you need today!

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

Social Media Marketing is a key concern for most businesses today.  As social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and many others continue to grow, businesses scramble to use these sites to gain the eyes of their target audience.  But, what happens to the small business who has under 5 employees or no resources [time or money] to devote to this form of marketing?  Or, maybe they lack a strategy for their campaign or content to post each day, what happens then?  Their social media marketing ends up being less “social” and often falls to the bottom of the list of “To Do’s” which is the pitfall of social media marketing and why many businesses are not getting the results they had hoped for.

Should a business ditch the social media marketing campaign because they are not getting the results they had hoped for?  Not if they want to attract the next generation of consumers! The solution isn’t to ignore the problem, but to get the help you need to handle your social media marketing.  If your company does not have the resources to outsource your a social media marketing to a marketing specialist or to hire a person to handle your campaign in-house, consider hiring a marketing consultant to come in and brainstorm with you about a strategy and content that will work for your business. You can also attend seminars and training on how to use social media for your business. Research what is available in your area and take action. The more time you delay on adopting a sound plan for your business, the less chance you have to reach your desired marketing goals.

All my best to your success ~ Charlene.

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

If you own your own business and your marketing and sales efforts this year are just “OK”, do you want more? Seems like a silly question, but it might be the reason you are not getting the results today that you want for your business.  During tough economic times there is always a large percentage of companies that have no growth or fail, but there is also the ones that seem to gain large market share and thrive.   So why are some businesses doing well and others are living with “just OK”, much depends on attitude and the willingness to step out of their comfort zone and try new things. But sometimes it can be that the owner of the small to mid-size business is at a loss for knowing what else they can do. There is a blind spot that they do not even know exists and that blind spot has been created from working year after year in a better economy and never having to look for new ways and ideas to help grow their business.

Business owners who want more are getting help today for their business by hiring marketing coaches and business consultants who are able to bring a fresh view to what can bring your company from OK to great.  Purple Diamond has helped over 50 local businesses in the past couple of years with affordable and effective marketing coaching and services with the emphasis on “success”.   The coaching service was created after a year of hearing local business owners say that they were overwhelmed with the sluggish economy, decline in their business and the confusion of what really works for advertising today.  Most of these owners were sole proprietors who didn’t want to take their worry home to their family, but really needed someone to share their frustrations with and to brainstorm new and innovative ideas.  So, Purple Diamond created a marketing coaching service that allowed businesses to hire a coach for a couple hours a month.

If you are OK with “OK” or really don’t want to have better sales, then this solution is not the right one for you.  However, if you want your business to be better than good consider hiring a marketing coach or business consultant to work with you today!

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

The Northeast got hit with a major snowstorm this past week that impacted travel and the ability for businesses to remain open as snow emergency declarations and road condition warnings kept people in their homes and off the streets.  During the 2 days of this winter storm and long list of cancellations some businesses thrived while others suffered from their slow to adopt approach to how they utilize the internet and position their businesses for success with e-commerce optimized websites, active blogs and effective social media marketing with Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter.

Still not convinced that your business needs to have a page on Facebook and the other social media sites? According to a recent report, as of 2011,  there were 500,000,000 active Facebook users and at least half of them are logged in on any given day and that includes snow days as I discovered this week.  Wednesday morning, at the height of the storm,  I logged in to my Facebook page as  I do every morning before I even have coffee and I saw numerous posts from family and friends who were without power, but still found their way to post and be on Facebook via their smart phones.  As I quickly made my coffee before I lost power, I was thankful for making sure that all my marketing clients used social media and were actively posting during this high volume day on-line. If you own a business and you are still struggling with social media please get the assistance you need.  Had you included a social media marketing plan in 2009 and 2010 as part of your marketing strategy you would not have been frustrated and suffering from cabin fever, but thrilled with how easy it was to connect with key people and potential clients.  Though I am an advocate for traditional advertising like TV, radio and billboards, many of my clients have seen profits from being early adopters to Facebook and other sites.  And this past December one of my TV advertising clients who has always spent significant money with traditional advertising was thrilled that I helped them with their Facebook and Twitter accounts in 2010 since they ended December with the best sales they have had in years and they directly attribute this to their social media marketing campaign and email newsletters.

This winter is just beginning and 2011 has great opportunity for business owners who want to be successful.  The key to success with social media marketing is “doing it” and “doing it well”.  If you are not sure if your business is getting the most from the sites you currently have set-up or you still do not know how to create a profile for these sites, be sure to contact a specialist in this field or call in a consultant like Purple Diamond.

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

This past year when I attended a business networking event in October the host requested we wear costumes and I was voted to have the “Most Original Costume” that night.  Though I was flattered to have been voted “Most Original”, only a handful of attendees at that event dressed in costumes. The room was filled with business owners who came to the event to network with other business owners and help their businesses stand out, but only 5% actually dressed in costumes.  What does this have to do with having the most original marketing for your business? EVERYTHING!  If you want to have the “Most Original Marketing” you have to participate 100% and be willing to standout and be noticed. You can’t be voted “Most Original” if you choose to do nothing.

Not all business owners like to have the spotlight shined on them, but they do know that in today’s competitive market your business depends on having creative marketing that gets you noticed in a positive way.  If you were the person in high school who rarely raised your hand in class and always wanted to blend in with the crowd, you will have to hire a top marketing specialist or work with a consultant to help your business get noticed in a positive way that leads to exceptional sales.   You will also need to be ready to listen to their ideas and empower them to take actions on behalf of your business.  “Original” marketing is called that because it is not something that your competitors are currently doing so it requires stepping outside your comfort zone and trying new ideas that may feel strange and awkward.   The key to success is to do something extraordinary and if you never try anything new with your business you will not discover what real potential your business has.

Beyond hiring specialists in the field of marketing, another tip to help you on your way to having effective marketing and advertising is to spend an hour a day reading marketing books, articles,  and blogs and attending seminars that will help you to stay current on what the trends are now and what forecasters are seeing for the future in your field.  Knowledge has always been key and one of the many reasons why the most successful companies require employees to attend educational trainings every year in their field so that they remain current in the tools and technology available to them.  Start the New Year off with a great marketing team that will help you create the most original marketing campaigns  and achieve the success you need right now!

All my best to your success~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

How do small businesses compete with the larger box stores during the holiday season? Easy….create a “Shop Local” campaign in your community and enlist the local  Chamber of Commerce and surrounding businesses to work together to help promote the positive side of shopping locally in your community! Finding a common message among businesses so that resources can be joined is a smart marketing strategy.  If you are in a community that does not have a strong Chamber to help you promote the message for the entire city, consider working with the other businesses in your business complex or neighborhood.  Years ago, I created a TV campaign for several businesses in the small town of Rockport, MA. These business owners knew that this coastal tourist community was not a place that locals shopped regularly so they joined their advertising dollars and did a TV campaign to reach out to the local area and get more than just the tourist traffic to shop in Rockport.

In addition to sharing in the cost of creating a TV campaign and/or video to share out via YouTube and other on-line sites, local merchants can create their own “One Stop Local Shop Event”.  Much like  a “Trunk Sale” or “Trade Show”, the merchants secure a location that is centrally located in their community with plenty of parking like a Hotel or Banquet Facility in which they welcome the community to one location to shop for the holidays.  They each have a table or booth and share in the costs of rental space and advertisement for the one day sale event.  Adding entertainment like the high school band or chorus to perform, along with refreshments, babysitting service and a gift wrapping will help to make the event a success.

Holiday sales are often what makes or breaks small businesses so do not sit quietly in your store and think that business will magically follow.  Use creative ideas  to reach your potential clients, price your products or services in-line with your market, and be sure that you are creating a marketing message that clearly states why your product is the perfect gift! Finally, be sure to reach out to a marketing professional or advertising agency to help guide you to create the most effective marketing campaign and secure the best rates for your advertising dollars!

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

Thanksgiving is over and businesses are in the home stretch for additional sales to end the year with their best effort for 2010, but this is also the time you need to review your marketing and advertising efforts and consider what you need to change and what efforts will be repeated and or improved.  Do you know your numbers? Have you looked closely at your existing client list and determined which ones are your top 20% key accounts? Do you know which clients are using up the most man hours with the least gain? Have you created a strong marketing strategy for the New Year which will assist you in reaching at least 50% of your 2011 annual sales goals by April 1st?

A successful year in sales depends on you  knowing where you have been, what worked or didn’t work, who your key accounts are, and what plan you need to launch to get you to the goal you desire.  This task is easy if you have kept detailed records of your business with active and inactive client accounts, detailed records of your marketing and advertising costs and performance, and continued to read blogs and published white papers about your industry and where it is trending towards.  If you are not using a business CRM system to help you keep this essential sales information for your business up to date and easily accessible, it is time to invest in the tools to help you be successful with your business.  And, if you are constantly losing files or wasting time looking for things in your office consider hiring a professional organizer to get your office space ready for the New Year!

After you have gathered all your information it is time to put it on paper so that it is easier to map-out a strategy for the New Year. Consider the core values and beliefs of your company and list these at the top of the  paper so that you do not lose the focus of why you are in business.   After that, start with a SWOT analysis. List 3-5 of your businesses strengths, weaknesses, opportunities  and threats in 2010? After that, list your client accounts based on revenue generated starting from the top key account to the ones that produce very little return, but require the most time invested to service. Finally, look at the marketing efforts and actions your company employed in 2010 and list which months these were applied and rate each on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest in terms of generating results that led to sales.  After you have everything down on paper spend a few days really with your marketing and sales team analyzing what worked and didn’t work in 2010 and if the time you spent with lower level clients might have been better served with your key accounts.  Creating a successful strategic plan for  2011 will be easier after you have completed this annual review and really have a complete knowledge of what you did right and what could have changed in 2010.  Do you need to add a blog or expand your social media marketing? Have you considered if it is time to spend more of your advertising budget with a visual form of advertising like TV or the use of video on your website and on YouTube? Are you being seen as a leader in your field and getting regular speaking engagements to talk about your industry? Are you offering the best customer service to your clients and getting regular referrals from them?  Have you considered additional revenue sources that could come from adding additional products or services?  Do you have strong strategic alliances in place that will bring you growth in the future? And, have you hired a marketing coach or advertising agency to help your business get the best ROI.  Make sure that by the New Year your business is positioned for success!

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

We have all heard of personal trainers, life coaches, career coach specialists , real estate agents who coach you on buying or selling your home, and business consultant/coaches, but do you understand what a  marketing coach is and if you need one?  First, a marketing coach will offer help in key areas of marketing.  They will help to establish realistic marketing and sales objectives for your company’s future, help to establish the identity of your company, coach you in determining your target market and point out possible threats along the way to making you more profitable.  The coach helps you to create a strategic marketing plan on the level that works best for your business, but beyond the plan, a marketing coach helps you to stay focused, on task, and to achieve success for your business.  So, how do you know if you need a marketing coach? The answer to that is if your company is growing at the pace you have set as a goal.  Are your sales strong and are you comfortable that you are using the marketing tools that best suits your business to achieve the most success?

When I first approached a local business with the idea of hiring me as their marketing coach I spent more time helping them to understand what a marketing coach was and how we differ from a business coach.  The economy had cut away at so many marketing departments and many local business owners were left to juggle a long list of responsibilities and marketing was one of the first to be neglected.  When I would start to talk about Facebook, Twitter or Blogging they would shake their heads and say they just didn’t have the time or desire to know more.  That was a couple of years ago, but today I am paid to speak to various business groups about social media and I work one-on-one with CEO’s who have seen their competitors using this marketing tool to gain more exposure, increase sales and reduce expenses for marketing and now they want to know more.  Seeing the landscape of what is working for marketing in real time and what your business should be focusing on is part of what a good marketing coach will offer.

There are so many great reasons to have your own Marketing Coach, but the biggest reason is that it will help you to maximize your potential and keep you motivated towards achieving the success you desire!

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

Today, I attended a business seminar in Salem, MA. that addressed the financial challenges of new businesses and what they needed for a business plan to receive funding from a bank or other financial source.  In the audience there were mostly people looking to start new businesses that had never owned a business before and a few of us who have established businesses that were looking for new information. As various attendees asked several questions about how they were suppose to start a business with no money and how would they pay themselves in the first couple of years, I realized why so many businesses fail within 3-5 years.  The idea of investing in your own business or using your home as a way to secure a bank loan seemed like an outrageous request to some of these people sitting in the room. And, as a marketing coach/advertising agency, the reaction in the room pointed out one of the key reasons why so many businesses fail….if you are not willing to invest in your own business, then do you really believe in your success?

If you start a business and your first thought when you receive your first payment from a client is to pay yourself out of that check you are hurting the foundation of your business.  Cash is essential to the operations of your business and marketing and advertising costs are something business owners hate to spend money on, but they are the driving force to helping you make sales.  If you cannot go without drawing a paycheck for at least a year or two so that you can build a reserve of cash for your new business and use the money from your sales to generate more sales with a marketing strategy and an advertising campaign, then chances are you will never get your business off the ground.  No matter your great ideas, if you do not have the cash flow and the belief in your company to invest in your business,  your company will probably be one of those statistics that you hear in the news about the percentage of businesses that fail within the first few years.

So, as you are reviewing your business plan, do you have a marketing strategy and a real budget for advertising your business? If I called you today would you know how many items you have to sell or services you need to provide in a week, a month, or a year to hit a break even point in your business so that you could actually know when you are making a profit? Do you have set sales goals in place and a sound marketing plan to help you reach these goals? Do you have money in the budget for advertising? In short, do you truly believe in your own business and are you willing to make positive steps to building a strong foundation to grow on?

If you are still not working with a marketing coach or an advertising agency, perhaps it is time to invest in an area that is key to your success!

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”