Fast Marketing Minute

If you’ve ever been in the midst of a PR scandal, you know that there’s a right way and a wrong way to handle it. Here’s what to do.

Communication is key especially in a PR crisis. What you have to remember is that you have to react order strategically and soundly, and follow these 4 steps.

1. Assess the situation

Ask all the right questions before you react. Know what you’re dealing with by gathering all pertinent information, not just bits and pieces. It’s also important to separate the emotional drama from facts, and focus on the affected parties and assess the risks before planning a resolution. From team members to legal counsel, everyone must understand the scandal from every angle before reacting.

2. Organize your messaging

If a public statement is necessary, adapt your message to the specific audiences involved and speak to the facts, not speculation. Your team may decide that pulling ads is a good idea to take your company out of the spotlight or, that’s it’s best to apologize and keep a low profile. Trust the experts, not your emotions.

3. Keep an eye on the media

Once you’re organized and launched your response, keep an eye on the reaction from the media – and that includes traditional media to social media. Monitoring tools help with this to see what’s being said about you.

4. Learn from what happened

After surviving the scandal, analyze your response. How effective was it? Was the outcome what you wanted? Learn what worked and use it to your advantage in upcoming campaigns to show a more positive side of your brand.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

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 Ready to email a pitch to a busy journalist? Here are 3 marketing tips that can help you stand out before you hit “send.”

If you’ve spent the time writing a PR pitch, you want to make sure it’s perfect. Double check that you’ve included these three key elements:

1. Write Eye-Catching Subject Lines

A solid subject line hooks the reader. If you’re emailing a writer, reference their subject matter to show that you’re interested in their work. Similar to Buzzfeed’s approach to catchy headlines, use numbers in your subject line to simplify your message and make it more tempting to open.

 2. Front Load the Essentials First

OK, so your subject line hooked the reader, now it’s time to reel them in. Start your email with the most important part of your message. This isn’t a place for small talk, that just loses their interest and your opportunity. Save the small talk for face-to-face meetings.

3. Include a Call-to-Action at the End

The best way to end an introductory email is by being confident, positive and assertive — not aggressive. Close strong with a question that will lead to an action. “Can I send you the details about my proposal?” Or, would you be interested in telling your readers about marketing grants that are 100% reimbursable by the government?

And, just to remind you, you aren’t the only person on the planet sending a PR pitch. Be mindful and polite with your follow up.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

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Struggling to come up with topics for your next writing piece? Here are some tips to get your creative juices flowing.

If you’re a marketer, sometimes you come up empty handed in the idea department, especially if you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed or just blah. Here are 3 strategies to keep ideas flowing:

1. Write What You Know

To get the creative juices flowing, start with your experiences of what you’re good at, like running a business. Talk about mistakes you’ve made and learned from, or business wins you’d like to share.  Do you continuously answer the same questions to customers? Use those FAQs as individual topics and as upcoming videos. They all achieve the same goal: they give helpful information about your business and point them to you.

2. Keep a List

Even good ideas can be forgotten, so keep a notebook with you. Better yet, keep a running list of ideas on your phone. Use an app like Evernote to log and organize your thoughts. Or send memos to yourself. Some of the best ideas come in the middle of the night, so keep a notebook on your nightstand too. Just make sure you can read your scribble.

3. Find an Outlet that Fits Your Idea

Don’t pigeonhole yourself into writing something you’re not passionate about.  Your best writing comes from your interests, what’s in your heart, and what you believe in. I’m not saying not to research, because that’s important. But start writing, first. You can always tweak your copy to fit a particular blog or publication.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

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How do find out if your business idea is marketable? Here’s some insight to help you decide.

Although businesses are facing unprecedented challenges and adapting to survive, the ways to identify a great business idea remain the same. Ask yourself these 4 key questions to see whether your idea is worth investing your time, money and efforts.

1. Do People Want It? The simplest way to test whether your idea is viable is to simply ask around. Friends and family (or even an unbiased test group) can give you feedback and help fine tune it. Be open to hear what they have to say, that’s the whole point of a focus group – whether it’s casual or paid.

2. Does It Solve a Problem? As you’re thinking of business ideas, ask yourself if you solve a new problem or maybe an old one with new solutions? If there’s competition in your space, can you solve a problem better than they do? If the answer is “yes,” you’re on the right track. Go to the next step.

3. Can It Be Scaled? Can your business model grow to become even more profitable and flexible to succeed in various business environments? Are you trading dollars for hours, can you think of ways to take your knowledge or product or service, and serve the masses instead of just one to one? Scalability will help you reach your financial goals quicker and more efficiently.

4. How Confident Are you? Sometimes a business idea feels like a light bulb is going off, but if there’s lingering doubt during the development process, weigh the pros and cons. You can always rework your idea, ask your trusted circle, and do more research so it feels right before taking the next step.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

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On Instagram and want to hide your number of likes? Here’s how to do it and some insight why they’re making the change.

Why Instagram is Hiding Likes and How to Do it 

It’s official. Instagram is now giving you the ability to hide “likes” so users can concentrate on feeling good about creating content instead of feeling anxious when a post isn’t popular. Why the change?

I think it’s about both. Improving the user experience, keeping people on the platform longer, and have them engage, without feeling bad or judged for their content. What’s bad to one is perfectly acceptable to another.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

The post Marketing Insight – How to Hide Instagram Likes appeared first on Fast Marketing Minute.

 Buzzfeed is synonymous with the “listicle” blog, a hybrid of a blog and easy-to-read list. Want to master their formula? Listen in.

You can learn so much from mastering Buzzfeed’s formula for breaking down practically any topic into fun bullet points. Here’s how they do it.

5 Buzzfeed Marketing Tips for Easy Reading

1. The Listicle. A listicle allows readers to digest information succinctly. Using the number in the title, like “5 Signs That Show Your Cat Loves You”, or “5 Buzzfeed Marketing Tips for Easy Reading” gives readers an idea of how long the piece is before they dive in. Pro tip: keep the list short!

2. Play to the Reader’s Heartstrings. Writing about memories or stories can draw an emotional response from your readers, which makes it more likely they’ll comment, like, or share your piece.

3. Write About Intriguing Topics. Covering subjects that many readers don’t know about will draw curiosity and encourage them to share an article with their friends.

4. Make Your Headline Attractive. Using an engaging title will make your piece stand out. Get creative and brainstorm multiple options before you post. And you can run it through a title generator, too.

5. Quality Content and Quantity Matters. Deliver high quality, entertaining blogs or press releases regularly to ensure your readers stay subscribed. And consider using a content calendar so readers know when to expect your next writing piece.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

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Is your device overloaded with clutter, making you feel unorganized and overwhelmed? I know the feeling! Here are some tips that will help you improve productivity and give you some marketing time back.

5 Tips to Improve Marketing Productivity

1. Delete old files. If you think you might need them again, store them on an external hard drive.

2. Uninstall old apps. When you delete an icon, you might think the app is gone. But usually, the program is still stored in your device. Uninstall to really get rid of it and free up space.

3. Organize your desktop. When your screen is covered in icons, it’s hard to find anything! Delete icons you don’t need and move important files into folders.

4. Clean out your inbox. Hundreds of unread emails can be overwhelming and make it easy to miss important messages. Delete spam mail, and unsubscribe from lists you don’t need. Also, set a time to check your inbox every day, even if you don’t want to.

5. Use a cleanup tool. Tools like MyCleanPC or MacKeeper will delete your browsing history, cache, cookies, downloads, and all of the unnecessary clutter on your device.

Schedule time on your calendar, just like posting to social media, and it won’t be a chore.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

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Your “About Us” page can be a customer’s first impression of your business. Here are some marketing tips to make it great.

1. It’s not “about” you, it’s about your customers. This might seem ironic, but it’s key. People want to know how they can benefit from your business. So, tell them about the great things they can gain and accomplish, with your help.

2. Know your target audience. Seems like a no-brainer, but understand who you’re trying to reach, what they want, what their goal is, and what they value. In the end, you’re a problem solver.

3. Share your values. Consumers want to support companies that share their beliefs. So, let them know what they are. Include a mission statement or an environmental statement, or your viewpoint on diversity and inclusion—something your target audience will appreciate.

4. Keep it brief. Don’t ramble about your backstory. If it’s too lengthy, people will get bored and stop reading. A little bit of boring is good for downtime, but not on your ‘About page’.

5. Keep your user in mind. Key things to remember, branding, appearance and organization are important on your website. If your ‘About page’ is hard to navigate, people might hit the delete button, before they even start to read.

You don’t want that to happen, do you?

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

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You can’t even get out of bed without being bombarded by social media. Mobile phones, iPads, retargeting and all those notifications… So how can you make the most of it, listen in.

1. Connect with your audience. Social media is a great place for people to connect, which is why it’s so popular. Like, react, and reply to comments. Give people opportunities to participate in polls, chats, and live streams. Connecting is what it’s all about.

2. Focus on customer care. When you respond to what people want, it shows that you’re listening and tells them you care; that you’re not just in it for the money.

3. Build a community. Use social media to create a sense of trust and belonging with your community – or whoever your audience may be. Trust builds loyalty and believability.

4. Don’t invest too much money into marketing. This last tip may seem counterproductive, but it’s true. Most people follow brands they already like, know and trust, so social media may not be the perfect platform for reaching new clients quickly. Instead, focus on building a strong community of supporters.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

The post How to Make the Most of Social Media Marketing appeared first on Fast Marketing Minute.

Bet you didn’t know July is “Wild about Wildlife” month! Here are some ways your marketing team can take advantage of it!

1. Pets are good for business. Really! They make employees happier, and customers love it when you welcome their furry friends. You can allow pets inside, offer pet-safe snacks (like Starbuck’s “pup cups”), or hand out dog treats.

2. Offer vegan, vegetarian, and cruelty-free food options. Plant-based diets have become very popular these last few years. In fact, 2019 was even nicked-named the “Year of the Vegan.” If you offer food at your business, have options for the millions of vegetations and vegans in the U.S.

 3. Support a wildlife protection program or animal shelter. “Wild about Wildlife” month is all about conservation and protecting animals and the earth. People are happy to support environmentally friendly businesses.

4. Go green! There are lots of way to be more environmentally friendly; go paperless to save trees, use renewable energy like solar power, recycle, and limit waste.

Show your audience that you care. And let them know what you’re doing.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is low-cost marketing to help you grow your business. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com, then schedule a call. Talk soon!

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