WHY DO I NEED A LOGO?

The most critical aspect of growing your business is branding. Branding allows your business to garner a following. You’ll never have to worry about being recognized if you brand successfully. The most important component of branding is your logo. It serves as your identity; your business image.

Ask any parent of a three-year-old about driving past a favorite fast food restaurant or play spot. We know they can’t read and yet they point and jump for joy at the sight of their beloved burger joint. They recognize the popular logo and associate it with the business.

This happens for adults too. Your logo is the visual component of your marketing and        business-branding and as such must be taken seriously from the moment you open your doors (virtually or otherwise) for business. All of the advertising you do to grow a following will stem from your branding and your logo is the anchor.

Sixty percent of people are visual learners and because of this, your logo, along with the pictures and ads you use to display it, have tremendous impact and value when it comes to customer retention. 

Your customers will remember your logo before your name. It makes you unique in a sea of competitors. Make sure you have a logo that stands out! 

VIDEO MARKETING - Part 3 of 3

Part Two of my series on video marketing listed statistical proof of the effect of video on today’s consumer. I’d like to expand on this. If you missed the first two parts of this series, please go to: http://www.ideagirlblog.com

Building your list of prospects and customers is like currency in today’s economy. If you’ve been in business awhile, I’m sure you’ve heard it said, “Sales is a numbers game.”  It’s true. The more people you maintain contact with, the more you raise your sales quotient. The longer you maintain contact, the more likely you are to convert prospects into customers. Companies that use video to engage potential new customers are rising above those who do not. Simply stated, if you’re not using video, you’re losing customers to those who do.
There are also ways to maximize your use of video. When used in conjunction with email marketing, video is an effective tool for increasing the probability that your contact will open the email message. There’s a higher click through rate when emails contain videos. The more prospects that see your emails, the higher your conversion rate. More customers equal higher profits. I don’t know anyone who would argue with that!

Call me if you'd like to discuss how video marketing can impact your bottom line.   You may reach me toll free at (855) 433-2447, at wendy@theideagirl.com or visit my website at www.IdeaGirlNetwork.com.

VIDEO MARKETING - Part 2 of 3

In part one of my series on video marketing from (www.ideagirlblog.com); I gave a brief overview of just why it’s catching on like wildfire. There’s a lot of compelling evidence supporting the use of video marketing as a major focus of your marketing budget. Here are a few stats:

According to comScore.com, which measures online engagement and Internet use, the average user is exposed to 33.2% videos over a month’s time. An amazing 90% of online shoppers say they find video helpful in making their purchasing decisions. That’s huge!. Plus, video viewership and posting has increased dramatically via mobile phones.  https://www.comscore.com/vCE

I could list more statistics, but instead, I’ll break it down: if you’re not using video, you’remissing out on a huge market opportunity. In a global marketplace, people are interested in learning about what’s out there. Will they find your business? Video keeps them interested. It’s a casual and entertaining way to learn about anything. If you want to be seen, video is the best way to build an audience. And if you’re interested in more sales, be assured, your customers are searching for information and then spending money. Are they spending with you?

Time is limited and video saves time. Video makes it easier to purchase products sight-unseen. Customers can not only search and shop, they can also pay online.

The real payoff for online video marketing is that people often watch more than once and views turn into sales. People recall video content more easily than they recall what they read. Give me a call and let’s talk about what this can mean for your business.    Call me toll free at (855) 433-2447.  Email wendy@TheIdeaGirl.com or visit my website at www.IdeaGirlNetwork.com

VIDEO MARKETING Part 1 of 3

The use of video on the Internet is growing. In fact it’s caught fire among savvy marketers. Video blogs, YouTube videos and video greetings are becoming commonplace. In this three-part series, I’ll shed some light on just how valuable it can be as website ratings soar with the use of video.

The use of video in conjunction with email marketing is by far the most strategic tool for search engine optimization. It’s long been said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. That being said, video is well worth a thousand pictures.

Video marketing offers a clear and colorful, not to mention succinct, method for getting your message across and driving sales. When done right, they’re entertaining and informative. Videos capture and hold the attention of your target audience. There’s no better way to soar beyond the competition and score with Google ranking than with video.  

Are you using video to grow your business? You may want to explore this alluring platform as part of your overall marketing strategy. Contact me to discuss how video marketing can move your business to the forefront of your industry.

For a free consultation call (855) 433-2447 or email me at wendy@theideagirl.com.  For more information visit www.IdeaGirlNetwork.com

PR vs. PAID ADVERTISING

Marketing, a form of promotion, is about getting people to buy something, typically with advertising campaigns. Advertising is essential, and public relations can help stretch your advertising budget and bring more value to the dollars you spend. In fact, there may be times when, by working with the right public relations specialist, you can augment your marketing message without investing additional dollars on advertising.

When I work with clients, my goal is to be as creative as possible when getting publicity. One of my strategies is making the most of what’s called, EARNED MEDIA. These are campaigns that don’t require you to spend more of your dollars in the newspaper, on the radio or even on television.  Instead, you earn coverage.

This can work for you or against you – as some celebrities have seen. The media is lying in wait for interesting stories; good or bad. If you’re on the receiving end of a reporter’s race for a story, how you handle bad news about you or your company is vital. Just think about Beyonce since the Super bowl. The media has been all over the fact that she lip synced her performance. It wasn't a crime, but it sure got attention. 

Anyone who was around during Watergate in the 70's will remember how the media portrayal of that incident brought President Nixon down. It wasn't as much what he did as it was the cover-up. Translated simply: Bad PR.

It’s not worth the risk.  It's better to work with a public relations professional.

Here's a great PR example of a school who ran out of water for their students and needed a positive spin on their dilemma to encourage donations.
http://bit.ly/PeakToPeakCharterSchoolKGET

If you’re wondering how using a professional PR person will help you earn free coverage or deflect bad news, please contact me for a free consultation.   Call (855) 433-2447 or email me at wendy@theideagirl.com.   For more info visit www.IdeaGirlNetwork.com

WHY USE A PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST?

When it comes to the success of your business or special event, getting the word out has always been important. Whether you're the CEO of a large company or the president of the PTA, the same tools help you communicate with the public. The essence of public relations is this: informing and persuading the public through the internet, social media platforms, newspapers, radio, and television.  

Your success is dependent on letting people know what’s going on, with whom and when. In most cases, the secret to getting your story heard in the press, is to add an interesting twist to your press release.  This would be something that has to do with your product or service but also suggests excitement or interest.  

If you can get them to take notice, you are more likely to move them (the press) to take action.

Any organization, however big or small, can use the same methods of communication. Some people, such as elected officials, public figures or celebrities, need a PR person on a regular basic – either to deflect rumors or handle the daily barrage of media requests for information. Most people use PR to get their message out.  The challenge is that most people don’t have the two most important tools for being heard: skills and connections. This is why working with a PR person is vital to the success of your campaign.

In my next blog post, we’ll discuss the difference between public relations and marketing AND I’ll distinguish Earned Media and Paid Media. See you then!

If you want to see how using a professional PR person will make a difference in your business or for your event, please contact me, Wendy Armijo for a free consultation. Toll free (855) 433-2447 or by email at wendy@theideagirl.com.   View more information at www.IdeaGirlNetwork.com