Are You Like a Salmon?

In my former life, I was a purchasing agent for a seafood company.  This time of year reminds me of the salmon runs.  During the summer months, many wild salmon species take the journey back to their birthplace to spawn and ultimately end their lives. 

Their upstream journey is a challenging one, swimming against rugged rapids, leaping over rocky waterfalls, traversing fish ladders, avoiding fishermen nets, and staying clear of hungry bears. When they finally reach their natal stream, they are ready to spawn. This is an amazing and focused journey calling them to do what comes naturally.

Some of us make such a journey to find new clients or maintain those we currently enjoy.  While the economy has kept some businesses from flourishing, others have maintained and grown over the past few years in spite of those pitfalls.

Nowadays we have to think outside the box with our marketing and face the challenges of competition, less disposable income, overcoming objections, and differentiating ourselves by creating benefits clients simply can’t live without.

On the flip side, I’m looking for the clients who are like the salmon – the clients who will go through the upstream battle to find the most professional support, the BEST level of service and technology to create the ‘can’t live without’ message that reaches that ideal client who helps them grow their business during tough economic times.

There are only a few ways to grow a business, no matter what the economic situation:

  • Find new clients
  • Sell more to current clients
  • Raise prices

Finding new clients is probably the most expensive way to grow your business, but one that can certainly yield great results if you have the right plan and consistent implementation. 

Getting involved with social media is a great way to keep costs to a minimum; but expand your exposure to current and targeted clients that can help you grow your business and develop your brand while learning about the challenges and problems you may be able to solve that you hadn’t ever considered doing.

Selling more to current clients is also a low-cost option to grow your business. 

Mention new products or services on your invoices, on an insert inside the envelope with your invoice, on social media, in a monthly e-zine, or create a special promotion to help establish new products and services at little to no cost.

Raising prices, although certainly understandable, may be the most difficult option to consider.  Perhaps it’s best to begin quoting higher prices (if possible) to new incoming clients and wait a few months before raising prices to your entire client base.  This allows you to test to see what the market will bear as it relates to your specific product or service.

So where are you in the life cycle of my salmon story?  Ready to look for those clients who are willing to swim upstream to get to your product or service?  And are you willing to leap over rocky waterfalls and traverse rough waters to find the most professional support you need? 

Whatever you decide, increase your marketing time and investment if you want to grow your business, or take a chance you’ll get left behind.

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]

Three Reasons People Hesitate Using a Virtual Assistant

Although Virtual Assistance has been around for more than 20-years, it’s been an education to help prospects understand the value and benefits of outsourcing their tasks to someone they may never lay eyes upon. 

People still struggle with the concept and with the wide range of options available, from all corners of the world, making it difficult for the industry to provide consistency and overall value because of the wide spectrum of industry offerings.

Here are three reasons why people may hesitate using a Virtual Assistant (VA).

1.  The Do-it-Yourselfer.  Many people believe they can do it better themselves, or with their current in-house staff.  The down economy has opened many doors for VAs, but in many cases, the owners or managers pick-up these tasks as they feel they are menial or can be done with little to no skills.

I think of this as if everyone did their own taxes instead of using a CPA (which in many cases is an independent contractor, like a VA), or had all their IT support handled by someone in their office without much training or advanced knowledge about technology and networks.  This could be disastrous to your company, on many levels, and what almost always happens is they end up spending three to four times as much having to bring someone in, after the disaster, to clean up the mess it’s created.  Smart entrepreneurs don’t run their businesses this way – they get it!

The Do-it-Yourselfer may not know the true value of their own time and how they can best benefit the organization.  Incorporating these tasks into your daily routine, or those of someone else who already has a full plate, simply hurts every aspect of that person’s work, and ultimately the organization.

VAs are trained and skilled in many levels of support and can truly partner with entrepreneurs to keep them abreast of the latest technologies and innovations, while keeping them competitive within the marketplace. 

2.  Letting Price Be Their Guide.  Over the past 20-years, I’ve seen several shifts in thinking.  The importance of price being put above that of quality and service, and then back again to quality and service over price.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m always looking for a good deal, but when it comes to running my business, quality and service definitely take the number one spot over price.

It’s difficult in the VA world when prospects look to compare VAs from all areas of the world, to offshore options that can be found in the $3-10/hour range.  Many times things get lost in the translation or are more difficult to communicate from the start.  This can prove to be much more time consuming in the long run for the client who has to micromanage the VA, or take oodles more time in getting a particular project completed.

I don’t actually consider these providers to be my competition.  The client who is looking for someone in that price range isn’t looking for the type of support I’m able to provide, or the partnership we offer to increase client success.  That’s not a bad thing; it’s nice that there’s something for every budget and need to be found in the VA industry, we just need to be sure we make the right choice for our own business needs and growth.

I also believe that some clients look at the amount of time it takes THEM to complete a project rather than a VA who does this type of thing day-in and day-out at a much quicker pace.  I recall several years ago a prospect indicated that it took him five hours to create an electronic newsletter.  Once I’d gotten him to show me a sample, and he told me he provided almost all the content, I told him I could do it in about 30-45 minutes.  This allowed him to take a look at his cost on a real-time basis, rather than think that he had to pay me for that same five hours that it took him. 

I encourage prospects to look at things from a ‘return on investment’ (ROI) aspect.  Here’s a recent example.  Someone contacted me about creating a database with hundreds of business cards they had collected over the past year at networking events.  They needed them added to two databases, one online (Constant Contact), and one they would use for US Mail pieces.  Based on 800-business cards, and the necessary creation, the total investment would be $675. 

The plan was to drip on these 800 leads twice a month, once electronically (by Constant Contact) and once by US Mail (a postcard).  If done consistently, the minimum return would be 1-2% within 90-120 days.  That would mean that my client would get 8-16 new clients over the next 3-4 months.  We calculated that each new client to her business would generate a minimum of $500 in commissions, meaning that the $675 investment would be easily covered within a short period of time.

We exceeded the 1-2% return over the first four months and she continues to benefit from setting up this valuable data in a format that keeps her marketing consistent and her business growing.

Plus, once the list was established, adding new contacts is much easier and less costly as she moves forward and grows her list.

3.  Having a Bad Experience.  As I mentioned earlier, Virtual Assistance is an emerging industry.  Not unlike just about every industry, you can find good and bad providers.  I believe that because of the ‘virtual’ nature of the business, because some VAs model their businesses based upon up-front payment, and simply because there are scammers everywhere, over the years, clients have not had good experiences with their VAs.  So much so, that they hesitate ever taking another look at this being a viable option for their needs.

Sometimes it’s simply because there wasn’t a good fit between the client and VA that causes the issue.  Like making sure that I have a good fit with my doctor, or car mechanic, you need to make sure that the VA you choose has similar business practices to yours, has the skills and training needed to complete the task, and generally shares a similar personality. 

While it is different than a traditional in-house employee interview, you should have an interview and reference check process in place when looking for a Virtual Assistant for any area of support.

So if you’re on the fence about using a Virtual Assistant (VA), and you fit into any of the three areas above, I hope you will take the time to reconsider finding the talent and expertise you need in order to run a more organized and profitable business.  When the relationship is a good fit, the possibilities are endless, and rewarding.

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]

Can I Get a Second Chance at a First Impression?

The short answer to that question is, ‘no’ – it is what it is.  A first impression is what you project to someone whenever they are first connected to you.

Especially if you’re in a B2B-type business, it’s important to remember that your body language, the words you speak, and the way you present yourself (hair, clothing, if online, through your copy), etc., are what people will immediately judge.

Yes, as humans, no matter what, we do judge.  Some more than others, but we all do it!  I was raised with all those basic ‘golden’ rules, and abide by them faithfully.  In this situation, it’s the ‘do unto others’ rule that helps me stay focused on how I present myself.

Beyond that, and equally as important, my first impression, and those that follow, are a huge part of my personal brand.  Branding within your business is not only the look and feel of your website, or your logo, letterhead and business cards, but in many ways, about how you do business, and your business style and acumen.

Even when I was in phone sales, the tone of my voice, the way I managed and cared for my clients, and even the level of knowledge I shared, were all a part of that first and on-going impression.  When I started my own business, having had so many years in phone sales really allowed me some distinct advantages over my competitors, because I understood this brand and the promise I made when serving them, as well as a real secret that many didn’t even think of in the same situation.

Even though I could have been sitting at my desk working in pajamas, I made myself shower and dress each morning as if I were going to a corporate office.  I remembered to ‘smile’ when I picked up the phone and addressed a caller, and I was continually complimented because people noticed.

But I do believe that we can get a second chance at that first impression, if we handle it properly, and try to be more of a listener when in someone’s company on that second effort.

I know there have been times when someone has not made a good first impression on me, but later, and sometimes it takes multiple ‘later’ connections to happen, I will find that the person is not who I initially thought they were, and have gone on to have a mutually beneficial relationship, whether on a personal or professional  level.

I’d be the first to say that there have been times when I was not at the top of my game, or perhaps was having a bad day, but if the relationship is worth developing, the laws of attraction will find a way to bring you back together, to consider a more positive connection.

To make a great first impression, you need to develop your personal brand and make sure you project it each and every time you’re meeting people for the first time.  Even if you never end up seeing that person again, leaving a good impression is sure to help you grow as a person and a professional.

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]

Brand, Sales, and Balance: Are You Including Social Media with Other Online Marketing?

The 1980s are remembered for their developments in business and technology, particularly computing.

The 1990s for their advances in technology, particularly the growth of the internet and online business opportunities. If the 2000s are to be remembered for anything (although it may still be too early to tell), it will be their developments in communications and online communities, particularly the incredible power of social media.

Social media gives major brands and companies, as well as small business, some seriously big power, but it is rarely used as it should be. Commitments to quality are sometimes overlooked, and opportunities for branding, direct sales, or indirect marketing are often passed over. These missing opportunities do cost businesses.

Social Media for Branding:

A dollar unearned is a dollar lost. Businesses are often questioning the value of social media for their branding efforts, but few take action when they should. Billions of dollars are being left on the table, particularly as major brands move onto social media services, and the value of a social media-friendly brand still is not being recognized.

An experiment is always worth more than not even trying. Discussion on social media’s branding abilities will only take companies so far. With the low cost of social media efforts, an experiment with social media branding can generate huge returns, all with a relatively minimal level of risk.  Develop a simple plan and test your ability to grow and expand your brand.

Social Media for SEO:

SEO consultancy (and in-house efforts) were once the domain of spammy content and low quality link generation efforts. Poorly planned information was setup on low-cost websites, and marketers shot out as many links as were possible. Despite being somewhat effective, the old world of SEO is packed with inefficient models and outright unethical business models.

However, social media has given SEO new life. The old “SEO is spam” cliche is no more, thanks to the development of social media. Each new social media asset is another opportunity for high quality outbound and inbound linking, and every social media conversation is another opportunity to spread links that actually add value.

With Twitter tweets and Youtube videos now regularly appearing in Google’s standard search results, the divide between search and social media is likely to become even smaller. Marketers accustomed to spam-style SEO tactics are in for a new surprise, while businesses that embrace social media receive a well-deserved SEO boost.

Social Media for Sales:

Social media may not be a good sales platform, but it is a good resource for generating future sales. Social media’s ability to generate prospects is one of the most important aspect to the sales process. Marketers that were once dependent on direct lead generation have a new platform available to them, particularly in open social media platforms like Twitter or LinkedIn.

The greatest news is that social media is still ever changing and growing. Businesses that are built on lead-based sales have good things to look forward to. As social media develops further, sales models will be refined, micro-networks offering great sales potential will grow greater, and marketers can look forward to a platform that is refined, sales-friendly, and willing to be marketed to.

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]

Six Simple Tips To Boost Your Business with Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing has become one of the top options for small to medium-sized businesses to get noticed Online. Adding Social Media Marketing to your overall marketing plan can help turn lagging sales around.  Take the time to be proactive and sign-up for social networking sites.

However, unlike some of your competition who may sign up and never use them again, you can easily show positive growth by using this innovative marketing option on a consistent basis.

Use the following six simple social media marketing tips to increase website traffic, grow sales and outshine your competition.

  • Sign up for several of the top free social networking sites, like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. These sites are simple to navigate and user-friendly (even for the technology-challenged!).  And look for connections on these platforms to other people you know or aspire to do business with.  Even connections to your current clients can be beneficial.
  • Fill out your profile – This is important to your success on social media. Include links to your websites and blogs, which helps you get links back to these sites, increasing your search engine optimization (SEO). Include business contact information like email and telephone as you will WANT potential clients to contact you!  To avoid spammers, you may want to use a catch-all type email account – [email protected] rather than your main business email.  Be sure to provide a toll-free number, if your prospects can be outside your local area, and offer a street address only if you have a store front.
  • Keep them coming back for MORE by offering something for free, industry news, valuable information and resources, a Free Report or White Paper, or maybe even a contest to attract a broader following. Analyze your target markets and hone your message accordingly. If you sell organic-cotton baby clothes you would want to target your message to moms, business women perhaps, or owners of baby boutiques. People want VALUE so give them what they want and they’ll keep coming back for MORE!
  • Include a photo of yourself – People want to do business with someone they know, like and trust.  A professional photo, not one of you and your children, aligns you with your business name and company, consider this a great branding opportunity!
  • In this medium, less is more.  Don’t be too salesy with your message, and don’t tweet about what you had for breakfast. You want to reel in potential customers, not scare them away. Get back to the basics of your marketing message and don’t over sell. If your message is perceived to be ‘spam’ you’ll get blocked by the social media sites and prospects. You want a fan base, not an “I Hate Your Business Because You Spam Me Too Much” club.  Talk about your expertise and the value of working with you.  Share results and valuable information and resources that establish your expertise without coming across as someone who is just looking for their next dollar.
  • Keep it simple – Showcase your knowledge but don’t “talk down” to them. Social media is a great way to test what messages work and don’t work for your potential customers. Keep your language/message breezy and friendly (but with a professional edge).

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]

Gain Subscribers for Email Marketing Through Your Website

The task of building a list of subscribers for email marketing isn’t too difficult if you already have a website that has engaging content and decent traffic. However, your visitors won’t sign up just because you asked, you need to optimize your site to build your subscriber list without compromising its current focus or making it look like a sales page. To help you use your website to build your subscriber list for email marketing, consider these tips:

1) Make Your Sign-Up Form Visible

The first step to getting email marketing sign-ups is to let your visitors know the option to subscribe exists. Make it easy for them to find your sign-up form. If possible, you should position it in a way that it is visible no matter which part of your site a visitor is viewing.

2) Provide Incentives to Subscribers

All internet users have become wary of signing up with their email addresses because of the many ways it can be used. This may bring up privacy concerns. To put such privacy concerns to rest, you need to give your website visitors powerful incentives to subscribe.  Statements like “Register to Receive Our Weekly Newsletter” or “Sign Up for More Information” will no longer be enough to gain subscribers for email marketing. Experiment with different statements and incentives in order to find exactly what it is that will work for your specific target audience.

3) Minimize Required Fields

Although getting as much information as you can from your subscribers will allow you to fully customize your email marketing campaign for them, it may not be a good idea to ask for too much information right away. If your subscription form requires too many fields, potential subscribers may easily be turned off and refuse to sign-up at all. Generally, all you really need to ask for is the subscriber’s name and email address.

4) Send an Email at Once

To manage expectations, immediately send emails to all who subscribe. These emails should contain everything new subscribers can expect from you whether it’s a newsletter, free report, or something else. The same email should contain instructions that will allow new subscribers to confirm their email addresses or opt-in if you so desire. This will help you make sure that all the email addresses in your mailing list are valid and all those who subscribed are actually interested in what you have to offer. Doing this will help you avoid statistical nightmares when tracking the results of your email marketing campaign.

Always remember that visitors won’t subscribe to your newsletters or marketing emails just because a sign-up form is available on your site. You need to woo them with incentives, entice them with proper communication strategies, and make it easy for them to sign up. As long as you keep all these in mind, you can make good use of your website to gain subscribers for email marketing.

Share your thoughts and ideas for new ways to gain subscribers by leaving a comment below!

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]

Promoter of Women’s Business Growth Says Women Need to Delegate More!

Through her position as president of Count Me In and CEO of her own company, Merlino has witnessed firsthand the unique challenges that women in business face.

In her experience, the biggest obstacle for women in business has to do with many female business owners’ desire to take on all aspects of the business. Merlino finds she is constantly coaching women on becoming better delegators.

“You can have it all as long as you don’t try to do it all,” Merlino said. “Women can feel like they have to do it for themselves or are the best person for every job, which leads to more time being spent working in their business rather than on their business,” she said.

Merlino said that the first responsibility female business owners need to do, is to start tasking others with the production of goods or the delivery of services. She believes that time is a business owner’s most valuable resource, and is constantly encouraging women to put their time to good use by developing a system of delegation that is as brilliant as the product or service being provided.

“If you’re in the cookie business; that means getting out there and selling your product and looking for opportunities to get you to the next level,” she said. “To grow, you need to hire a strong team to make the cookies. It’s working on your business, not just in it.”

“Too often, Merlino said, business owners view hiring employees as a strain on revenue instead of an opportunity to make more money.” In fact, she said that this lack of critical thinking about money is one of the greatest challenges facing the businesswomen she meets. She encourages them to step out of their comfort zones and take charge of their finances.

“Know and go where the money is,” Merlino said. “Whether it’s your banker, investors, or customers, you need to know where your money’s coming from. You should constantly be developing and deepening these relationships.”

“Women who own businesses also must learn how to make their money work for them,” Merlino said. Though many women believe they need grow their business no further once they’ve made enough money to support themselves and their families, Merlino disagrees. “Such women, she said, while successful, are misguided in the belief that by keeping their businesses small they are able to have more time with their families.”

“This is the fallacy that I think is the worst,” Merlino said. “You believe that keeping the business small will allow you to do everything you want to do. But if you build the business bigger, then you will have more money and more time.”

So Merlino coaches women away from this line of thinking and teaches them how to grow their businesses gradually and logically.

“To grow your business sustainably and increase revenues and profits, you need to have a plan and focus your energy on implementing it effectively and on a clear timeline,” said Merlino. “Commit to a plan, and keep your vision clear and at the forefront.”

Merlino’s years of experience also means that she has seen and heard many ideas for businesses. She said that the best way to know if a business idea will be successful is to ask questions and do research in the field.

“Ask yourself, ‘Is this product needed and wanted? Is there truly money to be made with this idea?’” she stated. “A business that has the potential to appeal to different demographics and can be offered up in a variety of distribution channels and is an indication that there is a potential for the business to grow and thrive.”

Merlino encourages women to be open to the professional feedback and constructive criticism they receive while trying out different business ideas or expanding an existing business, but she also believes that they need to be confident in their abilities in order to be successful.

“Having the right mindset is incredibly important,” Merlino said. “Be confident and don’t let fear of failure get in your way of succeeding.”

Merlino is confident that through programs like the ones offered by Count Me In, more women will become leaders in the world of business and in the world at large.

“I see how the world is changing,” Merlino said, “And I do my part to keep pushing. The women who grow their companies do the same.”

Source:  BusinessNewsDaily.com

The entire article can be found here: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3924-how-female-business-owners-can-get-ahead.html

I spent many years holding myself back by not doing a little delegation of my own.  I now have a professional team in place to help me manage and implement my own marketing (as well as my clients’), my accounting/taxes and other business aspects that I do not have a passion for handling, are being taken care of by experts in those fields.

I have seen steady growth, as much as 25% in the past, and 2021 is already showing positive signs of growth beyond what I achieved just a few years ago. 

Take a close look at where you’re spending your time and whether or not you should be delegating some of those tasks to someone else.

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com/, or contact her at [email protected]

Eight Advantages of Using Email Marketing Software

If you decided to use email marketing to promote your business, you’ve made a very wise decision in growing your business.

You have probably heard or read lots of great reasons on the Internet to use Email marketing in your overall marketing plant, and the buzz that can be created by this type of marketing. I’m also sure I will not be the first to tell you that, “The money is in your list” – which is 100% true.

Even though email marketing is a very powerful way to transform leads into hungry buyers many people are discouraged to use this technique because of the time they need to invest in it. A recent study has showed that about 75 % of people who use email marketing need between 15 and 50 hours per week to handle it.

If you’re like me, then you’re a very busy person who can’t afford to spend that much time just on email marketing. So here are some advantages to using Email marketing and how to minimize the time needed to create them.

Some of our favorite Email Marketing Software includes Constant Contact and MailChimp.  They both provide great options and templates to help make your Email marketing much easier and less time consuming.

1. You can easily create an opt-in form template which comes with full instructions so you can easily add it to your site.

2. It automatically stores every email saving you precious time and headaches.

3. It e-mails new subscribers a welcome message just moments after opting in. No more preparing and sending e-mails to hundreds, even thousands of subscribers manually.

4. They provide you with attractive looking templates to use for your newsletter so that it looks friendlier to your subscribers.

5. It keeps your e-mail safe from spam complaints, blacklists or filters so that it doesn’t get trashed.

6. You can schedule your Email pieces so that you can go on your vacation without worrying about interrupting campaigns.

7. You can use as many auto responders as you need, create as many campaigns, write as many emails as you wish … the sky’s the limit.

8. Manage all of this from a complete user-friendly Internet-based control panel.

Obviously, these are just a few of the advantages of using Email marketing software, and it is a great way to stay connected with and build relationships with your clients and prospects. There are lots of ways to simplify the process and minimize your time in creating each Email marketing piece, such as, creating a branded template to use each time; keeping the number of articles to one or two; repurposing past blog posts to link your list back to your blog page or website for SEO inbound links; and sending out messages once a month in lieu of more often.

Email marketing is a great addition to a successful Internet marketing plan to increase your list, establish your expertise, and stay top-of-mind with clients and prospects.

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]

Creating a Branding Plan

Creating your company’s brand is extremely important to portray a stable, and profitable business. It helps people understand your position within your market, the promises that you make to clients and helps establish your expertise.

There are many parts to creating your brand. Branding is a product of intense planning and conceptualization. To come up with innovative marketing ideas and an effective way to brand your products or services, you need to carefully lay out the steps you need to get there. Doing so will also enable you to take note of the vital aspects involved in the creation of a brand. Brand models have been formulated to create the framework needed to build an effective brand that will be able to withstand market trends and competition.

What is a Branding Model?

There are basic models utilized in the process of brand planning. Each of them will cover different scopes and aspects of the process to create a sound branding strategy. Aside from the ability to postulate methods for arriving at a specific brand idea, these models will also help business people understand the behavior of prospects and clients in terms of their responses to a brand, which is helpful in adjusting old branding strategies or acquiring new ones.

All of these features are key in managing and reviewing brands, which are necessary steps that must be taken by any company in their branding efforts. These models are not directly linked but one does impact another.

Brand Positioning

This model involves your effort to create an image that will have its distinct position in the market. Firmly establishing your brand will help your target market to easily remember and opt for your line of products or services. This is one aspect of your brand planning wherein you must focus on creating superior brands that will eliminate your competition. Here are steps you need to look into:

  • This is the step wherein you begin to identify other brands you are competing against. Then, define the parameters of your own brand against your competition. This will enable you to focus your efforts.
  • Next, your objective is to introduce attributes to your brand that will enable it to stand out from the competition. You must also introduce elements into your brand that will produce in the mind of your target market the perceived quality of your brand.
  • You must establish a slogan for your brand that will aim to reaffirm the position and values of your brand. It aims to articulate the message of the brand and what it promises to deliver to the consumers.

Brand Resonance

Once you’re through the stage of creation and distinction placement in the market, your next step is to protect the loyalty of your clients. To do that, you need to employ an efficient customer relation service and to provide a feedback system. This model follows from the initial steps laid out by the brand positioning methods. Now that you have acquired target clients, your next aim is to strengthen the relationship between them and your brand. After all, the majority of business sales stem from repeat customers.

More than anything, this stage is where you must reinforce the messages initially conveyed by your brand. Hence, clients will remain satisfied with the level of performance and quality delivered by your brand. Are your methods consistent to the identity of the brand and its missions? Take into consideration the feedback of customers on your product or service and how you can build up on that relationship.

Brand Value Chain

This one is more focused on the financial impact of your branding efforts. The basic idea of this model is that the value of the brand consists in the clients, so that is where you should be focusing most of your branding strategies on.

Carefully combining these various models will provide your company a reliable perspective of the different areas involved in this marketing activity. Bringing all these branding elements into the formula will enable you to easily track progress or problem areas in the branding system.

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]

Top Ten Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Without marketing your business could stagnate, or even worse, close.  Identifying and correcting some basic marketing mistakes will help you to promote and grow your business.

Here are my Top Ten Marketing Mistakes

  1. Your message is too general.  While some of you may think that EVERYONE could use your product or service, if you take a step back, you’ll probably notice some common thread to many of the clients you currently serve.  Maybe they’re in the same industry, or have a similar problem you’re able to solve.  Whatever it is, establishing a target market will help you focus your message on those most likely to respond favorably.
  2. Using only one medium.  If you’re only marketing on the Internet, you may be missing an entire segment of prospects.  Consider all your marketing options and mix it up to see if you get better results.
  3. Changing something that IS working.  Sometimes we get bored with our marketing and decide it’s just time for a change.  If you have something that is yielding good returns, don’t change it – instead add something new.
  4. Being  inconsistent.  Nothing says unreliable faster than sending out a ‘monthly’ newsletter in January and then not publishing the next issue until May.  Be prepared and plan to be consistent with your marketing.  Don’t set yourself up to fail.
  5. Spammy message.  Don’t come across like a snake oil salesman, make sure your message speaks to your prospect’s pain, but don’t overdo it.

6.  Your message isn’t clear.  Always test it out on current clients, peers, or family/friends to be sure it’s not confusing or misses the point you’re trying to make.

7.    Untimely message.  If you’re looking to build some business during the holiday season, make sure you’re giving prospects enough time to respond.  Don’t release your holiday special two weeks before the holiday, start building momentum at least two months in advance.

8.    No call to action.  If you’re not giving the prospect a reason to contact you, you’re missing the mark.  Create a sense of urgency with a deadline, or something extra if they respond by this date; anything that engages them and asks them to do something more.

9.    Not marketing to your current clients.  We sometimes forget that our current clients may not know about new services or products we have available, or perhaps they have someone to refer.  Don’t leave them out of your regular marketing efforts.

10.  Not managing/collecting results.  How can you know if something you’re using is yielding a return on investment?  You need to ask every single prospect how they found you; or build in something in your call to action that will tell you exactly how you connected.  Keep track on a simple spreadsheet and check in periodically to get the biggest ROI for your marketing dollars.

So how many of my ten mistakes resonated with you?  Two, four, none?  Take steps now to correct these mistakes and you’ll start seeing more, better qualified, leads, connecting to your business.

Have a few challenges I missed – share them by leaving a comment below!

Jeannine Grich, CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: https://accbizsvc.com, or contact her at [email protected]