Just some stuff that caught my eye recently, and might help you in your marketing efforts! If you have any that you would like to pass on to me… hit me up!
Call To Action Guide For EMail Marketing – Great stuff from the beautiful people at AWeber. Make your “call to action” eye-grabbing and attention-snatching, and position it perfectly… then sit back and watch the responses roll in! PDF Download…
Social Media Image Sizing Cheat Sheet – Recent changes to Facebook pages, Twitter headers, YouTube channels and other social sites has made it difficult to get the size of your images just right. Bookmark this page, and the next time you’re about to post a picture or change your profile image, refer to this handy cheat sheet.
26 Social Stats From 2013 You Should Know – I find myself explaining why social marketing is important to a business. I do this a lot. Here are some great, current tidbits to make your argument… or your next presentation!
3 Copywriting Mistakes Hurting Your Business (and How to Fix Them) – Make your website work harder by correcting these three common copywriting mistakes. If you are like me, writing doesn’t come without a certain amount of agita… so anything helps! This article will certainly correct some mistakes.
One more thing… does anyone else find it interesting that the word “copywriting” gets flagged in some SpellCheck programs? Anyway… I hope these items are helpful! Love to discuss… JL
“The vine bears three kinds of grapes: the first of pleasure, the second of intoxication, the third of disgust.” – Diogenes
In a few days I will be travelling to North Wildwood, NJ for what has become an annual pilgrimage. My high school holds a fundraiser at the shore, inviting close to fifty years worth of graduates to gather for a big party. It’s a hot time, packed with alumni and former teachers reconnecting. The motto of our school is In Vite Mane, Latin for “Remain On The Vine”. It fits… the idea is that everyone who has ever been a part of the school is connected, like grapes on a vine.
A lot of these grapes go to every reunion, planning their vacations so they can attend. But each year I see someone new, someone I haven’t seen for many years. This will be my fourth shore reunion, and it’s always a great night. It is THE summer event.
Old friendships are a funny thing. That common ground we walked over thirty years ago is warm and familiar. And even though that vine of life separated us at some point, we are basically the same people. If you were fun and friendly then, you still are now. And if you were an asshole then, well… “So good to see you!!”
Recent Ryan High School graduates are all still connected through social media, so maybe this event will not be so popular in future years. Some of us older Raiders and Ragdolls are social-active too, and I think that is part of the reason this gathering has grown so much in recent years. While interest and attendance may have peaked, I hope to see this event continue to grow and remain vital. Nothing beats seeing that person, talking face to face, and giving hugs. Yes, I’m a hugger… prepare thyself.
The closest friendships I have today were cemented in that very town of Wildwood. That rite of passage known as Senior Week forged my personal vine after graduation in 1978. While most of us were friendly acquaintances going into that week, it all changed there and then. Now… after marriages, divorces, kids, and – coming soon – kids getting married… the core group is still together. Not as often as we’d like, but as often as we can.
Of the people in the above photo from Senior Week ’78 at the Red Garter (that’s me on the bottom left), I know I will see Ness and Laff this weekend. But I also hope to see Matty, Franny, Novo, Lumpy, Scull, Clifton, Dick, Pomo and the Businessman. To the OCD people who are counting heads… yes, there is one guy whose name escapes me. Not bad recall after 35 years, is it?
Flashing forward, these shore reunions have rekindled relationships that I cherish and know will be with me forever. It must be something about Wildwood. Too much heat, and too much of Diogenes’ first two kinds of grape… from that vine, I guess.
Last year it was great to have my son, and fellow Ryan grad, attend his first shore reunion. I got to meet and hang with a few of his friends and former teachers, and had the great pleasure of introducing him to a few of my Ryan grapes. As a bonus I was “privileged” to pick up his drink tab for the night… not a pittance!
I’m looking forward to a couple of days filled with great conversation and renewals of friendship. Plus some beach time that I sorely need!! As most know… I love to laugh, talk, tell stories… and occasionally I do like to have a cocktail. This weekend will be all of that – times ten! It will be fun, exhausting and probably very hot.
Hot is fine… nothing grows wilder and sweeter in the heat than grapes, on the vine.
“Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises.” – from The Tempest by William Shakespeare.
My first rule of marketing… If you have something great to say, don’t just say it. Shout it from the rooftops!
Those rooftops must include every platform you have at your disposal… website, email, social media, print ads, signage… everything! Whatever the message is – new product announcements, events, etc. If it’s big you’ve got to hit em’ hard, loud and proud!
Creating good content is tough, and so many marketers miss opportunities to make their lives easier. Big news can provide enough content carry you through several marketing cycles. A store Grand Opening is not just a point in time, but an opportunity to bring great, positive information to an audience over a long period. Simply sketched out…
One Week To Our Grand Opening!! – Counting Down… Two More Days!! – GRAND OPENING TODAY!!! We Have The Mummers Here!! – We’re Having So Much Fun, Let’s Make It A Party Weekend!! – All Those Grand Opening Special Discounts? Yeah, We’re Honoring Them All Month Long!!
(I make no apologies for my reckless use of the exclamation marks. I’m excited… and they are free.)
The digital world is prime for a celebration. Email, web and social require the same amount of planning as print ads and signage, but can and should be adjusted on the fly. If things are going better than expected, let everyone know. If it rains, let them know that too… but be positive. “Sorry about the weather, folks, but the party is still going on!!!”
So get yourself together, and make a splash…
Website first… always! This is where you want everyone to go, so start here! Make a landing page with all of the important information about this great thing. Update the page as information changes. This landing page is your audience’s headquarters for this happening!
Have a blast with email! Start getting the word out with a finely worded, visual email – with action items that send them to that website landing page for more information.
Wet whistles with Social! Use Facebook ads, not just posts. Tease with Twitter, and “Live Tweet” from an event. Use all the platforms where your audience resides. If promoting an event, set up a Foursquare location and reward check-ins. Of course… lead everyone back to that awesome landing page!
Listen and Chat! Keep tabs on the buzz you create, and don’t be afraid to join the party and dialogue with your audience.
Rinse, Lather, Repeat! Update frequently on all fronts, until the news isn’t really news anymore. And be aware of that fine line… the one between relevance and being a pain in the tuchas!
Granted, good content makes it all so easy. But you have to recognize and seize these opportunities when they present themselves, and don’t be afeard to make some noise.
*** “Mummers” photo courtesy of fellow blogger – ohwhataworld… check her out! I also make no apologies for being a Philly guy!
I unabashedly love Social Media. Not just for business, but my personal life too. I’m so appreciative of rekindled relationships that I had thought were gone forever. And that Social Media love is not unrequited, either. Social loves me too.
And what’s not to love? Social has made the already incredible world wide web that much more incredible. It has torn down governments, companies, and people… most who actually deserved it. Social reports news faster, and sometimes more accurately.
Social Media will continue to change and evolve as more platforms are created. But it will always be about people sharing and conversing. It is the greatest equalizer, giving everyone a voice in this mad world. Good or bad, the people who use Social correctly will be the influencers in the years ahead.
One of my favorite sayings is, “There is a right way and a wrong way to do things.” I believe this professionally, and personally. No life lessons today, so you can relax. Like everything, as Social evolves it must be done the right way.
Let the record show, this is My Way:
Be Positive! I recently saw a post by my local soccer equipment store, linking to the article about the referee who was killed during a match in Phoenix. Yep… that’s a mistake. Always provide content that reflects positively on your company and the industry you serve. It’s simple, you get nothing from negative.
Engage! Social Media is a giant conversation, so jump in. Give your audience something to think about. Your content should be such that your customer wants to respond. Then you reply, and so on, and so on… Ask questions and provide answers. This will inspire trust and more engagement.
Don’t Hide! No business does things 100% right. Embrace any customers who push back at you, or attack you on SM. Work to solve their problems publicly and show your commitment to getting things right.
Truth Rules! Simply put, don’t lie. Make sure you that what you say is correct. Your customer is not just listening, but they are out there talking about your company, and probably to everyone but you. They may not agree with what you put out there, but you will do a lot better if it is real and accurate.
Push The Envelope! Don’t be afraid to get little bit out of your comfort zone. Be funny. If you don’t think you are, find someone who can help you. Don’t push it all the time, just enough to let your audience know that Robby the Robot isn’t creating your content. So, link to that funny article or post that cartoon… it’s liberating!
Share! Coming up with good content is tough, so don’t be afraid to share relevant content from other sources. And if you want to really push that aforementioned envelope, share something from a competitor. Shows confidence, don’t you think? It will probably freak out your competitor a bit too. Give them credit, of course…
Quality First! Quantity second. If you have something relevent to say or share, do it. If not, keep quiet and listen to the conversation. Posting for the sake of posting can dilute your message. No yapping!
Looking at some of the key terms, it’s sort of “old school”… conversations, trust, talking, truth, quality, etc. Nothing really new or earth shattering here. Social… it’s new? Nope, it’s old… and it’s all about people, people!
Call To Action Guide For EMail Marketing – Great stuff from the beautiful people at AWeber. Make your “call to action” eye-grabbing and attention-snatching, and position it perfectly… then sit back and watch the responses roll in! PDF Download…
“Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises.” – from The Tempest by William Shakespeare.