Small Business Marketing Archives - Fast Marketing Minute

Retail clients ask this question a lot. Which platform should I use in my marketing? NextDoor or Alignable?  Here are some thoughts.

NextDoor and Alignable are both local social networks designed for businesses, but they differ in their target audience and features.

NextDoor is a neighborhood-based social network

Residents can connect with one another, and local businesses can reach out to potential customers in their area. It’s a great platform for businesses that serve a specific neighborhood.

Alignable is a professional networking site

It’s geared specifically towards small business owners. It allows businesses to connect with each other, network, and share recommendations, referrals, and advice. Alignable also offers a directory of local businesses and a search function, so it’s easier for customers to find businesses they’re interested in.

So, is NextDoor or Alignable better for your business?

That depends on your goals and target audience. If you’re a small business owner who wants to network with other small business owners and connect with potential customers, Alignable is a good choice. If you’re looking to reach out to a specific neighborhood or community, NextDoor may be a better answer.

The post Is NextDoor or Alignable a Better Marketing Platform appeared first on Fast Marketing Minute.

Wondering what a mobile marketing tour is all about and how it can promote your brand? Listen in.

A mobile marketing tour is a great way to bring your brand directly to your target audience. It’s also a unique way to interact with customers, build brand awareness and create a personal connection. Should you add a mobile tour to your marketing plan?

Here are 5 steps to launch your mobile marketing tour

What’s so great about mobile marketing tours?

Mobile marketing tours allow brands to connect with customers in a personal and memorable way. They can help build brand awareness, generate leads, and provide a fun and unique experience for customers.

What’s not to like about that?

The post Is a Mobile Marketing Tour Right for Your Brand? appeared first on Fast Marketing Minute.

What should be included in a marketing plan? Stay tuned.

A marketing plan is a blueprint to connect your ideal target audience with your products or services, and turn potential prospects into buyers. What should be in your marketing plan?

5 Key Elements of a Marketing Plan

1. Market Research

2. Competition

3. Identify your target audience

4. Form a timeline

5. Create a mission statement

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. I‘m a small business marketing expert and specialize in small business strategies to increase sales. Wondering what marketing and PR can do for your business? Visit me at www.RobinSamora.com then schedule a call.

The post Top 5 Components of a Marketing Plan appeared first on Fast Marketing Minute.

Do you Smile and Dial to bring in business? Here are 5 steps to make phone prospecting more productive.

I joke sometimes when I ask a business owner if they ‘”give good phone.” The truth is, telemarketing is still an effective tool to reach new customers, as long as you have a strategy before making your first call.

1. Have a Game Plan

Don’t just wing it. Have a game plan. How many calls will you make? How much time will you be on the phone? OK, what’s your message? And if someone’s not there? What will you say? Know the answers to these questions before you pick up the phone.

2. Target Your Ideal Customer

Ever hear of ICPs? Those are your “Ideal Customer Profiles” and they can help determine your target audience and what stage of the marketing cycle they’re in. Create that buyer persona and cater your message to them. And, if it’s not working, tweak it!

3. Know Your Talking Points

Show some confidence on the phone, it buys you time and builds trust with the caller. Niceties are important, but staying on message will get you to the closing. Plan your talking points ahead to know how to control the conversation. Create a few scenarios, then rinse and repeat.

4. Overcome Objections

Every call won’t be a slam dunk. After a while, you’ll know which objections are the most common. Work on a rebuttal (and practice your responses) for each “well, I don’t know” to keep the listener engaged.

5. Don’t Forget to Close

The CTA or call-to-action is one of the most important parts of your call. To win a sale, you need to know how to close. Know what your primary and secondary CTAs are, so you can handle any customer at any stage of the sale. Whether it’s setting up an appointment or placing an order, it’s up to you to mention the CTA, so don’t forget. That’s what stickies are for!

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 5 Marketing Tips for Phone Prospecting appeared first on Fast Marketing Minute.

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!

The post 5 Marketing Tips for an Awesome “About Us” Page appeared first on Fast Marketing Minute.

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.

 Want to be successful in sales? Learn the Art of Prospecting and how to overcome prospecting challenges. Here are some tips to up your game.  

 3 Marketing Tips to Overcome Sales Challenges 

 1. What are you looking to do? Sounds like a no-brainer but clarity is key – know what you want and it will be easier to get. And forget about you in the get-to-know-you agenda, it’s all about the prospect, not you. Their problems, their challenges, and their business. Ultimately, how you can help solve their problems.  

2.  Are you targeting the right prospect? Get clear on who your ideal client is and don’t waver. Write a sales plan on paper, not just in your head, and don’t get carried away with super complicated tactics. Marketing will help build like, know, trust, and believability, and support sales – but to close a sale, you have to call or email to connect, and not just once. Block time for sales and make it a habit.  

3. Is yourhead in the game? You’re not going to be on your A-game every day. It’s impossible. When you make prospecting a habit, it becomes almost second nature. Focus, tolerate zero distractions and set aside designated time every day or a few times a week, when prospecting is all you do. And follow-up. Otherwise, as my Dad would say, you’re “Mickey M” 

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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Want to be a guest expert on radio, TV or a podcast show? Listen to these 4 tips. 

Free publicity can save you tens of thousands of dollars, so it’s in your best interest to learn how to pitch a producer or blogger the right way. 

4 Key Elements of a Publicity Pitch  

1. Use a catchy headline. Drab doesn’t get you free publicity. If you’re not a wordsmith, put your title through an headline analyzer. You might be amazed! Here are a few to test drive; there’s one from CoSchedule, SEOPressor blog title generator, and SUMO Kickass headline generator has one too.  You can also get inspiration from tabloids and trendy magazines (and unfortunately the nightly news). The point is to get attention. 

2.  Find the producer or booker. Radio shows with a huge following have a bunch of producers to book talent. For smaller podcasts with less reach, you’ll most likely contact the producer or the host directly. The important thing is to contact the right person, so do your homework.  

3.  Provide value not blah-blah. A producer wants to be impressed and he or she should be. If you look and sound like an expert, and your online credibility says the same, you’re in the game. Producers and advertisers want their show to be interesting and to provide value. It’s not about you – it’s about the audience. What can you bring to the table? 

5.  Get in touch with the producer. Email works and so does social media. But, before you pitch, listen to on-air segments to see if there’s a fit. And don’t pitch a topic that’s just been covered. You’ll look like an amateur. Your job is to make it easy for a producer to say yes. 

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 Tip: 4 Key Elements of a Publicity Pitch  appeared first on Fast Marketing Minute.

Think that marketing is all you need to grow your business? What about adding digital PR to your marketing mix? Here’s what it can do for you.

Marketing Tip: 3 Reasons Why You Need Digital PR 

With all the focus on marketing, sometimes it’s easy to forget about getting PR and free PR is my specialty. How can digital PR help you?

1. Earned media is believable. It’s what other people say about you. It’s not about you tooting your own horn. It’s about third-party mention. You can’t buy that in ads — or least, you shouldn’t. The best kind of PR comes from someone else writing or talking about you. Build a strong brand, be authentic, and stick to your story.

2. Digital PR builds brand authority. When you’re sharing thought leadership, and doing it consistently, you’re building an expert platform that your prospects, clients, and other industry leaders notice. And, the competition notices too. Share your content, opinions, events and published articles or podcasts strategically on social media for to maximize digital PR and influence your audience.

3. Social PR impacts organic search results. Every time you’re mentioned in the press, you’re improving online visibility, organic search ranking, and back links. Use them wisely to promote your business and build credibility. The media pays attention to search results and when your name keeps popping up, that’s a thumbs up for a reporter.

Think big about your outreach strategies. Don’t just send press releases. Take a shot at newsjacking, create a list of podcasts to pitch, upload content to Google My Business, and post on your own media channels, consistently.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. My passion is no-cost and low-cost marketing. Check out my website at RobinSamora.com and let me help you grow your business.  Talk soon!

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