Fast Marketing Minute

Looking for ways to build your business organically?

If you’re in business and have a limited budget, there are plenty of marketing strategies you can use to grow your business organically.

5 Ways to Grow Your Business Organically

* Build on what you already have. Talk to your current customers and get feedback on what they like and what could be better. Build their suggestions into planning new products and services.

* Engage with industry experts. The more involved you are in your industry, the more you’ll get noticed. Being engaged shows that you’re real and have something to say.

* Create a loyalty program. Offer incentives to people who share your Facebook page or are loyal followers on Instagram. Reward fans who show their love. Who doesn’t love free stuff or discounts?

* Don’t wait for customers to come to you. Be part of their community and join events online and offline. Offer virtual networking, host an Ask Me Anything session or pop-up office hours. You might even have some fun.

* Finally, don’t scare your customers away. Explain your service in a way they can understand and relate to. You want to appeal to the majority and not just a select few. Be human and show it. That’s why video is so powerful.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. If you like no-cost and low-cost marketing, download a copy 52 Marketing and PR Ideas to Get Attention. It’s at https://RobinSamora.com/52tips. Talk tomorrow!

Want to make your marketing more effective in the new normal?

If you’re in business or in charge of marketing for your brand, it’s a tough time right now figuring out what to do, what works, and to what extent you should market your brand. Helping is the new selling and it’s a strategy that will always work, especially during the pandemic.

Here are 4 Marketing Thoughts for the New Normal 

* Adjust to the new reality. You might think you know what your audience is looking for but priorities shift during a pandemic. Your usual marketing and SEO content may not work right now. Don’t dig your heels in. We’re in unusual times. Listen to your customers and give them what they want.

* Don’t throw your money at paid ads either, though pricing may be attractive. If your customers are being scared off by the virus, chasing after them with paid ads won’t help. It could actually hurt your brand. Rely more on email and social media. And make sure to gear your content toward helping people rather than selling them. You don’t want to come across as taking advantage of your audience during a hard time.

* Look at your messaging. Mirror your industry. If you’re in wellness or have a healthcare brand, consumers will want to hear about business updates and products that could be useful. If you're in the fitness or entertainment industry, you might want a more light-hearted approach.

* Definitely no quid pro quos. Be truly helpful by making all of your COVID-19 related information completely ungated. This might go against every instinct you have, but being truly helpful right now will give readers a reason to remember you in the future.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. If I can help you in any way please reach out. You can find me at https://RobinSamora.com.  Talk tomorrow!

Do you know the tell-tale signs of a phony marketer, someone who wants to fake their expert authority?  Fake marketers are out there, but how do you spot them?

3 Ways to Spot a Fake Marketer

* Fake marketers trade free work for endorsements or positive reviews. They also pay for mentions in business publications to build credibility and expert authority. You can call yourself an expert, but really, it's about what people say about you in testimonials and reviews, and also on social media.  Be careful to check an expert’s background and credentials before buying or partnering with them.

* It’s one thing to be an expert at self-promotion, and that’s a skill that many would envy. But you have to be able to back that up. You can ‘pay to play’ as many speakers to get on a big stage, but you also have to ‘walk the talk.’ Earned media usually can’t be denied. That’s what someone writes about you. Not advertorials, actual press. Free press takes effort and is worth its weight in gold. I teach my clients how to do that every day.

* Just because someone calls themselves an “expert” doesn’t necessarily mean they really are an expert. Are they building their brand or yours? Do they have the education, experience, track-record and legitimate endorsements of a professional? A little digging might uncover a phony or confirm a true marketing professional.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Are you looking to build your expert status -- your real expert status? I’d love to help you. Check out my Google Reviews and testimonials from clients who’ve worked with me. Then, let’s set up a call. Check me out at RobinSamora.com. Talk tomorrow!

Want some local lead generation tips?

If you’re in business you need leads, and you can get them a number of ways whether it’s networking, speaking, word of mouth, or meeting someone in a grocery line. They all work. But leads should also come through your online marketing efforts. The key is to turn those leads into customers.

3 Local Lead Generation Tips to Grow Your Business 

* Local SEO can help you expand your visibility and increase your SERP ranking, that’s your position on a search engine results page. The higher you are on the list, the more likely people will visit your website. Once they land on your site, your job is to capture their information. They’ve already expressed interest in checking you out.

* Local search engine marketing or SEM puts your business at or near the top of a results page -- for a price. The price is an auction of sorts for keywords that appear in people’s searches in your area. You’ll find these results at the very top of a Google search that says “Ad.”

* The third local lead generation tip is to create landing pages. They’re usually single website pages designed to turn visitors into leads. They often include a compelling offer, report, or must-have information that’s important to the visitor. That offer is usually free. It could be a report, white paper, video, any kind of download in exchange for contact information.

Local companies typically benefit by offering a discount, a 2-for-1, or a free consultation in exchange for a prospect’s phone number or email address. What's key to remember is that a well-designed landing page needs a compelling offer. That's how it turns an interested website visitor into a bona fide lead -- someone who genuinely has interest in learning more and potentially buying.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. It doesn’t matter if you want to promote your business on a local, regional or national platform. A marketing plan can help you get there. Have a question on how to make your marketing plan more effective? Reach out at [email protected]. Talk tomorrow

Spending money on a social media ad campaign? Don't make these 3 common mistakes.

3 Major Pitfalls of Social Ad Campaigns

* Be careful with your spending. Don’t front load your ad money without testing your audience. Facebook makes it easy to find your ideal audience with a split testing feature that allows you to test up to five ads at the same time. If you're using Twitter, TikTok or Pinterest, start with a small test budget and adjust accordingly. Keep the ad consistent, but change key factors in the audience. Just be sure to track results.

* Develop a process of dealing with negative comments. You’re bound to get a cranky person who says something unflattering. And this can lead to not just a loss of sales, but a string of negativity for everyone to see. Monitor online feedback carefully and plan how you’ll deal with unhappy customers. Ignoring them could be costly.

* Have a clear call to action. And please, not too many. Visitors should never have to think about what to do next. Be clear and tell them what you want them to do. “Visit our website”, “buy now.” “Sign up for my 3-part video series.”  Call to actions can be through a button or web link, but they need to be prominent on the page and easy to understand.

Global Web Index reported that 13 percent of social media users say that a “buy” button increased their likelihood of buying something they see in a social ad. So make your button colorful so it’s easy to find, click, and buy. I never thought I'd write about social button strategy but if it makes your business grow, I’m all for it.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. If you liked this podcast, check out another one I recorded earlier. Write a call -to-action that works. Need some inspiration on what your call-to-action might be?  Let me know. Email me at [email protected]. Talk tomorrow!

Are you concerned about cash flow during this economic downturn?

I don't know any business owner who’s not concerned with maximizing their company’s cash flow. In times like this, it may seem difficult, but it’s not impossible. Here are some ways to keep revenue flowing.

Marketers: Here’s How to Keep Cash Flowing When Times are Tough 

* Be generous with your warranties and return policies. With an uncertain future, customers are nervous today about making purchases. Reassure them and close sales by rethinking your policies. Let’s look at an example. Apple typically has a 14-day return window but has expanded that due to its store closures. They will now accept returns within 14 days after they reopen.

* Introduce new revenue and pricing models. Look to your “super-consumers” for help with this. They’ll jump at the chance to buy something today that they’ll need in the future. Offer gift cards and subscriptions to help boost the bottom line for now. That allows you to collect payment now before delivering the product or service.

* Review marketing spending in detail. Determine what’s working in this new environment and what’s not. Knowing what works makes it easier to make decisions where to invest your cash and your time, because we all know, time is money. And don’t shy away from cutting sacred cows.

I also suggest that you resist the temptation to stay hunkered down. Instead, become even more visible to potential clients. While it might be tempting to just ride it out or focus on just staying afloat, it’s critical to stay in front of your customers and to be fully prepared for the future and what comes next.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Helping is the new selling. How can I help you? You can reach me at [email protected].  Talk tomorrow!

Want to know about a new feature on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn recently created a “Featured” section that lives right on your personal profile page. Think of it as an online brag book where you can show the world the work you’re most proud of. LinkedIn hasn’t rolled it out to everyone yet, but it’s a feature you should know about.

 Here are 4 Amazing Ways to Use the New LinkedIn Featured Section  

* Highlight posts you’ve created or re-shared. Look for posts that have the highest number of likes or comments. By featuring them, you’re giving these posts new life. And if they’re popular, they’ll probably continue to receive comments weeks later.

* Showcase articles you’ve published. There are a few rules here. You must have already written a post or article on LinkedIn to feature it. Find ones that have performed especially well or that you’re proud of, and that they represent your brand and what you stand for.

* Feature a link to external websites. These could be to your personal blog or portfolio. This can also help increase brand awareness if you want to showcase specific products or services. Other things you can link to? A video, YouTube Channel, or a podcast. What do you want to feature?

* Show, don’t tell. If you’ve never displayed media links on the top of your profile, now is a great time to change that. If you’re a photographer or videographer, the Featured section can be a ready-made portfolio. If you’re a writer, link to your published work.

The New LinkedIn Featured Section shows people what you do, why you’re an expert, and what your company is all about.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Is your LinkedIn profile working for you? Let me help you power it up. Reach out on LinkedIn for a complimentary assessment of your profile. I’m at LinkedIn.com/in/RobinSamora. Talk tomorrow!

Have a product you’re selling? Want to make your customers happier?

85% of marketers are using video to market to their customers, and more people are using video than any other media. So it makes perfect sense to not only sell your products with video, but also tell them all about your products and services. Take advantage of the video craze and create a product videos that they’ll love!

5 Product Video Ideas that Make Happier Customers 

* Show your product or service in action. Focus on a specific feature, highlight a problem and its solution, or teach people how to use the product. Look for interesting angles and keep your video brief and to the point. This isn’t The Irishman!

* Create a video FAQ page. People love FAQs and they’re more likely to remember what they see versus what they read. Keep your video clear, precise and make sure that you actually answer your customers’ questions. If you have any questions, check out my blog about FAQs.

* Support videos work wonders, too. Figure out the most common problems your customers have and make a series of short videos resolving them. Give them the tools they need to solve their own problems. You score there, and so does your customer service team.

* Personalize your videos. You can create a unique video for each situation or take a standard video you’ve already recorded and personalize it by adding comments in various segments or by adding a custom intro.

* And lastly, don’t forget to say thanks! Thank your customers by name in the video. It lets them know how much they mean to your business. And it’s really pretty cool.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Did you know that a well-written FAQ page on your website is an important part of your voice marketing strategy? People are asking Siri and Google all kinds of questions. Can you make your FAQ page better? Let me show you how. Email me and let's set up a Zoom call. I’m at [email protected].  Talk tomorrow!

Want to make a good impression on Facebook Messenger?

Connecting with your customers on the Facebook Messenger app?  If you’re doing that now, or want to in the near future, the timing is right. Facebook Messenger is trending to grow to 2.4 billion users by 2021 and more than 20 billion messages are exchanged between business and users monthly.  I’m sure you’d agree that it’s in your best interest to make a great first impression.

Here are 4 Facebook Messenger Tips to Make a Great First Impression 

* Set up an automatic instant reply. You can use it to say that you got someone’s message, when you’ll reply, or even just thanks for writing. They’ll be able to see when you read their message, so don’t open it until you’re ready to respond live.

* Show that you actually “heard” your customer. Personalize your response as much as possible. Little things, like using their name and reflecting back the reason they wrote can make a big difference.

* Avoid using sarcasm too frequently. Being as straightforward as possible will make sure no one can misinterpret your message. And be careful not to flood anyone’s inbox. You don’t want to lose their business.

* Keep your message short and sweet. Limit your response to two or three short sentences, and stay on point. Also, before you hit “send,” edit, once, twice, and then again. Check for typos, missing words, and misplaced punctuation. And please not too many exclamation points!!!

Remember that with Facebook Messenger, you’re delivering a private message, so be sensitive about your tone and being too salesy. Although Messenger bots can be a great tool for sending quick replies, relying on them too heavily can upset consumers who would rather deal with real people. (That would be me).

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Want me to take a look at your Facebook business page? Happy to give it a quick review. Reach out by email. I’m at [email protected]  Talk tomorrow!

Until recently, the only way for your brand to be picked up in a Google search knowledge panel was to have a page on Wikipedia. But that’s no longer true. Google has expanded its sources for “trusted” information. Your brand can appear in a knowledge box, but it’s going to take some leg work.

* Make sure you have a prominent “About Us” page on your website that lists factual information. Be clear on who you are and what you do. Plus, your content should be useful and engaging, and the page itself should be easy to navigate and accessible on any device.

* Next, add schema markup and include as much detail as possible. Basically, schema tells the search engines what your data means, not just what it says. By adding Schema markup, search engines can almost instantly figure out what every piece of your content means. Tools like Yoast can help you with this, and with creating snippets.

* When Google builds a knowledge panel, they pull from and cross-reference a wide variety of sources; LinkedIn, Google My Business, Bloomberg, and Crunchbase which you can get for free. They’ll also look at news sites and industry sites where you have been mentioned to review your expert authority. It helps if you’ve been writing content on a regular basis, promoting your brand, and have earned media, from third parties.

Also be sure to register your site with Google Search Console and of course with Google My Business. One thing to always remember, Google loves Google.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Having a Google Knowledge Panel is just one of hundreds of ways to build brand authority. To get there, you need a plan. Let’s talk about building you a marketing and PR plan to up level your business. Find me at RobinSamora.com. Talk tomorrow!