Is your business on Facebook? Do you Tweet? Are we Linked? Can I follow you on Instagram? Fifteen years ago, these questions were not a normal part of anyone’s vernacular. However, in 2019, these questions are often the first questions asked of a business owner after, “What is your website address?” Social media marketing is crucial for a business to survive in today’s marketplace. Putting aside sponsored social media marketing, there is an art to organic social media marketing and a benefit to business that cannot be matched by any other platform.
Read moreShould You Upgrade to LinkedIn Premium?
LinkedIn is becoming the definitive social networking tool for business professionals. As soon as you connect to an individual, you are greeted by a resume that includes an introduction, past employment information, education, interests, and even recommendations. Even people who are not linked directly to one another can typically learn a small amount but each other, professionally, to see if they may be good connections for one another. Things that you will not include on LinkedIn would include pictures of your connection's meals, anecdotes about their children, or political and religious commentary. It is strictly professional. With all this information available at your fingertips, what is the benefit for LinkedIn Premium?
Read more4 Ways to Use Your Content to Market Your Business
No matter the nature of your business, you should be online. In 2018, if you are lacking any type of online presence, you are loosing a large share of the marketplace to your competition. However, simply having a website is not enough. Your online marketing campaigns should be working for you and selling your business even when you are busy doing anything except marketing and selling your business. Here are four ways you should be using content marketing to market your business.
Read moreContent to be Seen
You are a business owner. As a business owner, you have likely made the same resolution most of your peers and competitors have made: Grow your business in the new year. The truth is, I am also a business owner and I made this very resolution when my clock hit 12:01 am on January 1, 2018. I resolved to work at growing my business in 2018. I resolved to get out of the personal space between my ears and let the world know I am ready to help my clients and grow to new heights. Then, as the clock hit 12:15 in the morning, I laid my weary head to rest and looked forward to the next business day.
Read moreContent for a Memorable First Impression
Many times, your company's first impression to the world is a random piece of written content found online. Whether it be a blog, a social media post, or your website, your written word is the first opportunity to capture the attention of your client base. A poorly written website, blog, or social media post can end the opportunity for a second impression for many clients. It is essential that your content speak to your client base, leaving a lasting memory and positive thoughts.
Content for the Intended Audience
Part of art of business content is to speak to your audience without alienating others. This is not as difficult as it seams. The key is to focus on the intended audience without being offensive to others. For instance, using slang may be appropriate for your intended client base, however, certain slang words are never appropriate in any type of content. Maybe your client base would benefit from a jovial tone. Make sure that your jovial tone is tasteful and not criticizing anything that is considered taboo. Alternatively, if your audience needs a more clinical, straight-forward approach, make sure that you include enough layman's terms to keep a general audience interested to read through to the end. Throughout the process, write for your client base, but keep in mind, others may read your content and send someone your way, even if they are not your intended audience.
Content That Inspires
Your content does not have to inspire someone to change the world, unless that is the nature of your business. However, it should inspire people to take action. Your content is your call to action. Upon reading your blog or website, you want people to look for you online. You want them to call you, like you on social media, or share your post with their circle of influence. Therefore, your content should be powerful enough to inspire someone to take action.
content marketing is an art. Making a memorable first impression that will lead people to chose your company over the competition is not as difficult as it sounds if you are a word artist. However, most of us are busy people, working to run a business. If you are interested in expanding your reach online, contact us at the Mighty Pen to help.
Resolve to Evolve
The tagline for 2017 for many is "Resolve to Evolve." How do you evolve in business to keep your integrity while welcoming new connections, culture and ideas? Growth can be frightening, but with a little help, it can make your new year one to remember.
Read moreCompliant Content
Blogging is an amazing tool to help promote your business online, build brand recognition, and boost your SEO. However, depending on your industry, if you are not careful, it can also be a surefire way to make sure you end up with fines, dealing with compliance issues, in court, or even losing your license to practice your business. Therefore, when choosing to educate your customer base about new ideas and tolls that you can offer to help them either personally or in business, make sure you (or your marketing company) know the rules affecting your business industry and use those rules when creating your content.
Read moreThe New Way to Use Email Advertising
Newsletters were once a great way to touch your client base every month, keeping them up to date with the new advances and happenings within your company. However, they became overused and underappreciated, going directly into spam or deleted before they ever reached a person's eyes. This change of attitude towards newsletters does not mean email marketing is no loner a valid option, however, it does mean the way in which email marketing is conducted must be adjusted to fit the way in which people are reading email.
Read moreBack to School/Back to Work
I like to call September the month of "Back to School/Back to Work." This means people, both young and seasoned, are eager to learn and work. it is almost akin to a new year, at least fiscally. Yet, we, as adults in the working world, try to start the new year with the same old stuff. We think our content, that may or may not have worked the year before, will be sufficient for the upcoming year. And while the world around us has grown just a bit older, we choose to remain stagnant. This is not the example we want to set for our children and this is the not the example set for us by those that are successful in business.
Read moreLet's Brand!
When it comes to branding, most people think pens, t-shirts, and brochures. However, if you narrow your thoughts to mostly tangible items, you are missing out on a key part of branding yourself as an expert and the "go-to" person for your services. Web content is an essential piece of your brand.
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