Can Blogging a Blog Bump Up Your Business?

What the bloggity blog is going on with blogging a blog these days? Does blogging even matter anymore? Well, according to the SEO and marketing mavens at HubSpot – if you want to bump up your business in the new year – heck yeah!

Let’s begin with a couple of ideas about why blogging matters: first, more than anything, marketing your business is about educating your audience about what’s possible. Second, being an expert in one area may not translate to others. And yes, that can include writing valuable blog posts.

Now, one of the most common frustrations we hear from clients who dislike blogging is that they can’t come up with subjects to write about. (This happens with other content marketing too, like vlogging, for example.) Turns out, developing ideas for your blog is one of the easier challenges to overcome as we shared here.

Before we go there though, concerns like that beg the question of what you want to teach your audience! After all, if you don’t know what your goal in writing a post is, how can you address a subject effectively? (Simple answer is, you can’t!)

There are many types of blog posts, including a “How to” type, a “Newsy” type (also known as “Newsjacking”), an “Interview with an Expert” type, the tried and true “Infographic” post, the definitive “Final Authority” type of post, the Google-friendly “What is… [insert subject]” post, and more. (What? More? Yep!)

However, those are merely different kinds of blog posts; that is, the various ways you can approach a certain class of subjects that will (hopefully) capture the interest of your target audience.

3 Classes of Blog Posts to Work On

Essentially, there are just three things you can teach your audience, despite the many ways you can teach them. In other words, whether you choose the “How to” or “What is” approach to an individual blog post, they must address your industry, your brand, or your products or services.

This does not mean that these three categories cannot overlap in one post but, best practices suggest that maximum clarity is best achieved through a narrower focus on your subject. Doing this will also allow you to address the same issue in alternate ways.

If you want to bump up your business through blogging, think about these three classes of blog posts:

Big Picture or Industry Info – It is very often the case that prospects simply don’t know what they don’t know. This frequently includes a Big Picture view of your industry or niche. An example of this might be a dining room remodel.

What’s possible? Well, there’s career coaching, business start-up coaching, and profitability coaching. Or, your audience might be curious about coaches who specialize in online marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, and/or messaging.

There could be a myriad of choices here, including entertaining business associates, clients, or even the boss! Or the dining room might be reserved for important family occasions and holidays. These differences will determine how casual or formal the new dining area should be.

You can literally define your niche, as well as yourself, using any type of blog post you choose. And, if you're creative, you can do it over and over again! (BTW… Creating an informative Infographic is a great way to approach the Big Picture post.)

Brand Comparison – How do you match up against your competition? Why do you deserve their business over another interior designer or furnishings dealer, when you all seem to offer the same things, at least to them? Where do you excel, and how?

These are all important questions to answer for prospective clients and they too can be approached in a variety of ways. You can display your expert status by writing a comprehensive “Final Authority” post on subjects that address any pain points that are common among your clients. You can offer real-world solutions to those pain points with a well-crafted “How to” blog post. Or, you can offer the latest information from studies on those solutions with a thoroughly researched “Newsy” post.

These are all brand-building steps that are possible with blogging because they can clearly set you apart from your competition. (BTW… You can do this without naming names. Simply say that, while others do it this way, my clients feel/are better off doing it like this!)

Products and/or Services – OK, it’s no brainer time here. Your business either offers products or services – or both. What are they? How are they better? How much do they cost? Why are they worth it?

The book you wrote and are selling about how to do or be better at something clearly lends itself to a “Final Authority” post. However, it may also be a fantastic opportunity for an “Interview with an Expert” post with another recognized authority who’s willing to praise your unique approach. Have you and your book been in the news? Well…

Because you offer some such personal services, answering the most popular search engine query about it should generate both traffic and a bump in business. Oh yeah, that would be the “What is… [insert subject or service]” question.

Think about it. How often do you find yourself sitting around and typing “What is [this, that, the other thing]” into a Google, Bing, or Yahoo! search? Weekly? Daily? Hourly? (Minutely? Can we write that? It’s our blog, so yeah. We can!)

Well, this is a pretty long blog post so, we’d like to ask you this question: What type of post is this and which class does it fall into? We have our own ideas on this but would love to get your impressions either as a comment here or by getting in touch with us directly. (Truly. We would love to hear from you. Please?)

If you’d to discuss the things we’ve shared about blogging a blog to bump up your business, feel free to… Contact TD Fall today.

Business Growth and Change – Lessons Learned from Both

A couple of interesting articles at the IandS.Design website recently caught our eye(s). From managing client expectations in our recently changed world to lessons we might learn from the past (where else could they be from?), we began pondering just how much these changes might affect business growth.

Not to get too philosophical here but, the Universe has managed to once again remind us that change is the only constant in our lives. How we respond to it, and the lessons we learn from it, will largely dictate our success in both life and business. And, not to get too pedantic about it but, acceptance is the key to adapting to the changes recently wrought upon our world.

Business Lessons Learned – Design Client Needs

Many designers like to declare themselves a “boutique house”, with all that implies. Too often, such houses are more than happy to sign just about any client who comes along, contradicting their claims of a customized, intimate feeling that makes their clients seem special. Rather, growing the business is their true priority, often beyond their ability to control.

This type of business philosophy is counter to what the average homeowner wants their interior designer to offer.

For author Michael Thomas, business growth is no longer a priority: “The first lesson is to keep a small, manageable number of clients – where quality services can be consistently provided. In times past, it seems that growth was added for the sake of growth – taking advantage of abundant numbers of clients and seemingly lucrative projects. It was the ‘bigger is better’ mentality that overtook a number of us. Adding more projects often meant the need to add more staff, additional workspace and with those, the increasing costs associated with such overhead.”

Further, many of today’s homeowners feel the need for increased emphasis on mental well-being. As explained by Pierluca Roccheggiani, U.S. design director and vice president of luis vidal + architects in another context, folks are "increasingly looking for specific areas dedicated to relaxation and calmness, like yoga rooms and meditation areas. Bringing natural light and open buildings to exterior views plays an important role … Another design aspect that has been increasingly sought-after post-pandemic is access to outdoor space. It’s becoming a vital component for comfort and well-being.”

Naturally, the first concept, that of keeping one’s client list smaller and more manageable, makes the second concept much easier to follow, that is, knowing your clients well enough to offer them the well-being they’re seeking.

Business Lessons Learned – Designer Needs

Perhaps one of the most difficult lessons for interior designers and even furnishing dealers to learn is again expressed by Mr. Thomas: “The next lesson is to become much more ‘choosy’ about which clients to take on.”

After all, when someone is offering hard cash for your products or services, it seems exceptionally counterproductive to refuse their business. Yet, one must keep in mind that not all clients are created equal and that too many of them are more trouble than they’re worth. Running a business (and a life) is difficult enough without the hassle of a bad client.

“Next, build strong alliances with others who have the same or similar profiles of clients. Collaborate with professionals whose expertise is complementary (not competing) with your own. Develop ways to share common workspaces, as well as marketing and operational expenses such as administrative staff.”

In other words, shared values, a similar business philosophy, and acceptance of the fact that finding business allies with whom we can engage will make all of us stronger and more adaptable to change.

Finally, feel free to display your expertise in a niche that matches your talents and training. Clearly, doing this will increase your comfort level and should help you to find the business growth you need to succeed without overtaxing your ability to keep your business running smoothly.

If any of these ideas resonate with you but you’re having trouble implementing them, Ted’s 25-plus years in the trade makes him an excellent business consultant for both interior designers and luxury furnishing dealers. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Being an Expert Can Interfere with Your Messaging

While it’s not especially flattering to admit, we all tend to seek approval from others. Being an expert in a particular niche, that sort of confirmation will most commonly come from others in your field. Yeah, so?

So, it should come as no surprise that those with similar interests find comfort and support by associating with each other. Educators tend to associate with educators; online coaches tend to hang together; website designers and marketers are often most comfortable with others of a like mind and profession. Whole industries can become exclusive and the subjects of discussion among experts can frequently climb to higher and higher levels.

In fact, this is the very reason industry-related associations exist.

The danger with such insular relationships is two-fold: first, that our view of the world can become dangerously narrow, and second, that we may forget who butters our bread – those with less knowledge.

Why Messaging is So Critical to Online Marketing Success

We’ve written about this before, but it seems important enough to mention it again. The reason for this redundancy in our messaging should be obvious by now. It is that not everyone “gets it” the first time around (or maybe even the second). That is precisely why well-crafted messaging is so critical to your online marketing success.

Receiving support from other experts is rewarding, but what happens when you're thrown together with a group of laypeople; or just one, a potential client?

Both clients and prospects will commonly voice a desire but, because they lack the base of knowledge to make it happen, they search for an expert. In the “information age”, they’ll jump online to search for solutions but will surely need more.

That is where you come in. And that is where your experience, your respect for them, and their efforts to learn, will enable you to deliver a message that will resonate with them – and help you close more clients.

While you obviously can’t “know too much” about your area of expertise, you must always be mindful that most of your clients and prospects will know far less than you. It’s your job to help them learn what they need to make an informed buying decision.

When you're able to use being an expert to help them, the fact that you're the one who did so should take care of the rest. (That is, closing the sale.)

Need Help with Your Expert Messaging?

If you still have questions, we can help with that too. Well, Ted can. With more than 25 years of experience in the trade, he offers business consulting that includes messaging for designers and dealers. For more… Contact TD Fall today.

Content Marketing Tip – The 5-Minute Content Plan

Are you a list-maker, in your head, on paper, or digitally? Then this post is definitely for you. On the other hand, for those of you who dislike listing to-do stuff and feel like lists are somehow limiting, it’s time for us to set you free with this content marketing tip!

We hope that, by now, you know we believe strongly in the power of content marketing as the key to growing your business online. However, once you get your head wrapped around that little gem, a new challenge rears its head: what should you write about?

Well, you need to create a content plan.

And so, you ask, “Just where do all these fantastic ideas for creating content come from?”

Take it as a given that you're not alone in wondering. We get that. We also get that it’s vital for you to also understand that, in the highly competitive world of online marketing, you simply cannot “wing it” with your content.

As with everything that has to do with online marketing, you need to take a strategic approach. You need to make a plan for creating high-value content that attracts both the search engines and your target audience. Believe it – without a solid content plan, you will continue to struggle to create something that has value, engages your audience, and converts.

But, hey. Once again, we’re here to help and support you by letting you know that there is a very simple way to create a solid content plan that you can complete in 5-10 minutes – literally!

The 5-Minute Content Plan

If you're willing to invest just 5 minutes of your time and energy, your new content plan can be completed in five minutes. Then it will become the foundation for all of the content that you produce, for three months, or six months, even up to a year. Here is a step-by-step process for creating a fresh content plan:

1. Grab a blank piece of paper – landscape not portrait (Wait! Did we say “paper”? Who uses paper anymore?)

2. At the top, write your topic title – “Interior Design Content Plan” (as just one example)

3. Below that, list 5-7 category topics – broad subject areas that matter to your prospects or clients, and you!

4. Next, give yourself five minutes to list as many related sub-topics as you can think of – specific issues or pain points you or your clients may deal with regularly

5. After five minutes – stop and check your list (You can expand on it whenever you need to)

6. Keep it close at all times, in a place where you see it every day – tape it to the wall near your desk or pin it to your dog’s tail. (NOT! LOL). Just make sure you have easy and regular access to your new content plan.

Wonder of wonders, you now have more than a dozen clearly defined subject ideas! And yes, this works for all types of content: blog posts, videos, social media content, emails and newsletters, articles, opt-in freebies – even ideas for products and services!

Tada! No more saying, “I don’t know what to write about!” Because you will!

Content Plan Example

Need a little clarification? Check out the content plan example below.

Easy peasy, right?

It should go without saying that the categories and subject ideas for each will vary from designer to designer and business to business.  (Which is great, BTW.) This is just an example. But, it should be clear just how you can use your areas of interest, training, experience with past clients, and even market forces to determine what each will be.

Two of the best things about this approach are: 1) none of it is etched in stone and it can be revised at any time; 2) you now have a plan of action in place. You can finally stop trying to improvise your content and hope for the best!

And finally, while the details of your content plan will be different, the basics of this approach are the same everywhere and this exercise can work – and has worked – for thousands of entrepreneurs and online business owners.

What would your categories and sub-topics be after investing five minutes in this content plan exercise? Feel free to share a few ideas with us by commenting below.

Of course, if you still have questions about this content marketing tip that we didn’t answer in this post, Ted has more than 25 years of experience helping designers and furnishing dealers market their businesses successfully. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Building Trust Online – The Ultimate Challenge

Apparently, it’s not at all uncommon for contemporary Americans to have trust issues these days. (Pew Research) Whether we distrust each other, our government, or corporations, trust is on the decline. This makes building trust online difficult at best, and always challenging.

And, as with any relationship, once trust is lost – it’s likely gone forever. So, be careful. Not only is building trust with prospects difficult in the world of internet marketing, but keeping their trust is just as challenging.

The internet is an impersonal environment for shopping (or most anything else). It cares not for your needs and wants, or for those of potential clients. It simply sits there, always waiting and seeming omnipotent when, without our active participation, it’s impotent.

What does this mean for the typical online marketer? It means that you must actively seek the trust of visitors to your business website. You must create valuable content for them and build your reputation as an expert. You must be active on social media. You must show empathy and understanding of their pain points. You must actively listen and communicate, responding to comments and questions in a timely fashion.

You know, just like a face-to-face relationship!

Now, with some help from an article titled 16 Effective Ways Business Can Build Trust Online at Forbes (a very trustworthy place), we’d like to share a few of the ideas for building trust online – and keeping it.

Building and Keeping Trust Online

“Human beings already have a hard time trusting people they can't see. An online space can therefore be the worst possible place for a professional to try to build consumers' trust.”

• Show You Really Understand Your Audience – Demonstrate that you really do understand your audience, their challenges, hopes, fears and what they put up with. And then be direct and honest about why that matters to you, why they matter to you, and what makes you and your team stay in the game every day to make a difference for your audience, to help them achieve their dreams. That clarity, truth and focus will build trust.

• Speak Your Voice – Allow your voice of truth to shine; don't hide behind an avatar of what you think people would like of you. Be you. Customers want to know that they are speaking to a human being with real emotions and a real voice. Our unique voice draws people who are like us. Think about why we go back to a particular shop — it's because in that place we were conversed with in a way that we enjoy.

• Be Consistent and Follow Through – Be consistent, take responsibility, and follow through! If you want to build trust online, you must “show up” consistently. Have a clear point of view and/or position and don't appear scattered. When you receive negative feedback, take responsibility and acknowledge issues or shortcomings. Vow to do better, then follow through and improve.

• Be Transparent and Available – Things that build trust offline will work online, too. Be yourself; most people can sense phony. Be transparent. Ironically, if you are hiding something, it will show. Be honest and avoid claims you cannot back up. Be available in other ways than just online, be accessible and approachable. Be a raving fan of your customers. They are much more likely to trust you if YOU cheer for THEM!

• Create A Sense of Intimacy – It's all about your relevance. Use the time to create a sense of intimacy, showcasing your credibility and insight into their issues. Your value and ability to deliver will invite at least a follow-up conversation.

• Live Out Your Brand Promises – Be trustworthy. From top leadership to the front line, be whom you claim to be. Live out your brand promises, day in, day out, even when it's challenging. Do the right things. Online and offline, your customers will be sure to share when you deserve trust, and when you fail to deserve their confidence.

• Interact on Social Media – Interact more with customers online. We often forget the social part of social media. Trust is built in small actions over time, and each online interaction is an opportunity to build (or destroy) trust.

The challenge for building trust online is obvious: not only establishing your reputation but living up to it. It’s just that simple, and just that difficult.

With more than 25 years of experience in the trade, Ted can offer you valuable reputation management and trust-building tips as your business consultant. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Creating Effective Sales Copy & the Know-Like-Trust Factor

Does the thought of writing sales copy for your business intimidate you? Do you lose sleep at night wondering how you can use the written word to entice prospects into becoming clients? Have you finally decided creating effective sales copy is just not part of your skill set?

You're not alone!

There are innumerable entrepreneurs and business owners out there right now who are feeling overworked, overwhelmed, over-stressed, and exhausted. When you feel like that, the thought of sitting down to write a compelling message about the products or services you offer can be just too much. There’s just too much other stuff that needs your attention, your energy, and your focus.

How can you write anything, let alone an effective marketing message, when there is too much that is demanding your attention?

And yet…

Compelling Content Improves Your Marketing

And yet, somewhere in that wonderfully creative entrepreneurial brain of yours is the understanding that creating compelling sales copy will improve your marketing and could even save your business.

Effective copywriting enables you to truly connect and engage with your target audience. It lets your prospects know you have something valuable to offer; a product or service that will help them in a specific way. It also sets you apart from your competition, enhances your reputation, and builds trust.

In other words… they will get to know, like, and trust you – instilling a type of faith that you have exactly what they need at this moment!

That’s a Big Job and, if you are unable to create that copy, and you don’t have anyone on your team who can do it either, that’s OK. There are other solutions, and we have some tips to help you get started.

6 Principles of Effective Copywriting

First, we’d like to share the six principles of effective copywriting. This should make it easier for you to kick start your efforts at creating the sales copy you need.

Effective copywriting and content creation follows six principles of persuasion: 1) reciprocity, 2) consistency, 3) consensus, 4) scarcity, 5) liking, and 6) authority. These principles have been scientifically proven to increase persuasion ethically.

• Reciprocity is feeling an obligation to give something in return when you receive a gift.

• Consistency is expected and appreciated in what we do and the things we say.

• Consensus (or Social Proof) is when people look to the actions, words, and behaviors of others to guide their own choices.

• Scarcity is the desire of wanting more of the things we either don’t or can’t have. (If you need an example, just think back to the spring of 2020 and the crazy run on toilet paper!)

• Liking we are more likely to say “yes” to people or brands that we like. Strong relationships are essential to building your successful business.

• Authority people instinctively trust and follow credible experts.

In the contemporary – and incredibly competitive – world of online marketing, every business can benefit from quality copywriting and content creation. In fact, 74% of companies said that copywriting and content creation increased both the quantity and quality of leads they receive.

We realize that not every business owner has the time or inclination needed to learn how to write good sales copy. We sure don’t. That’s why we use a professional copywriter when we need to share a compelling message about our products and services. If you’d like to know more, or simply want a little additional guidance, we can hook you up, and Ted is available for business consulting to the trade. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Reputation Management Tips - Use Other’s Bad Ideas to Build Yours

As participation in online marketing continues to grow, and as more people declare themselves “experts” to their audience, bad ideas, misconceptions, and just plain stinkin’ thinkin’ proliferate. While such ill-conceived thinking can be problematic for consumers, these poorly conceived and misunderstood areas can be a great opportunity for you to enhance your reputation management techniques – as long as those bad ideas are not yours!

When you realize that the majority of self-proclaimed “experts” online deal in little more than clichés, platitudes, and simplistic solutions, the potential for making a real difference in the lives of your audience will easily double or triple.

In other words, by debunking popular misconceptions, errors in judgment, and poorly explained answers to common questions, you will build your reputation as an expert in your field. And, as your reputation grows, so will your audience, your subscriber list, your list of leads, and your conversions!

Build and Protect Your Online Reputation

In many ways, your online reputation is your greatest asset. In fact, it represents the unified mental construct everyone who “meets” you online shares about you; a mental image of who you are and what you have to offer.

Of course, the clearer that image is, the stronger their perception of you and the more valuable you become to them.

This makes building, protecting, and managing your online reputation of paramount importance for both the short- and long-term success of your business.

According to an article at Entrepreneur.com, there are threes areas of focus for creating a positive online presence – and keeping it intact:

• Create great content – The paradoxical nature of content creation as it relates to online marketing is that, while you’re creating content with the hope that it will eventually help convert, the best content is rarely created with that in mind. Keep in mind that consumers today are pretty savvy and expect a certain level of effort to be put into any content they consume, especially if it’s designed to turn them into paying customers.

• Social media presence – It’s hard, if not impossible, for your audience to care about your social media accounts if you’re not using them. So, if you want to turn your business into an online authority, you’ll need to be ahead of your competition when it comes to social. That means having a consistent posting schedule, using a variety of different social media platforms and, most importantly, actually engaging with your audience.

• Testimonials, reviews, and perceptions – Known as “social proof”, what others think of you will make a huge impression on your audience and potential clients. Digital word of mouth is one of the most persuasive forms of marketing to the modern consumer, and it tends to be a massive aspect of the decision-making process for the average person because people trust other people. And, if an unbiased third party tells someone your business is not to be trusted, then you’d better believe people are going to have some reservations. Then again, a few positive reviews can lead to increased engagement (at worst) and inspire more conversions (at best).

Ultimately, the key is understanding how to be successful in leveraging the tools and techniques of reputation management to effectively build your online reputation, enabling you to meet your business goals.

With more than 25 years of experience in the trade, Ted can offer you valuable reputation management tips as your business consultant. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Massaging Your Message – Get Your Content Write

When it comes to your marketing message, getting it right is as important as any other area of your business. In fact, massaging your message properly may be the MOST important. (Certainly, getting it wrong will have lasting consequences.)

Since we’ve addressed the issue of messaging before, we thought it might be a good idea to also look at the how of it, not just the why. For us, it begins with content marketing, which is the process of identifying your target market’s pain points and creating content that helps your target audience address them. It’s not a sales pitch. It’s high-value information that benefits them!

Messaging and Content Marketing

It was more than a century ago – well before internet marketing (or even the use of computers) became a thing – that the concept of content marketing was developed and implemented.

That’s right. As early as 1895 John Deere published a lifestyle magazine for farmers called “The Furrow”. What was it about? The one thing it was NOT about was Deere company products. “It did, though, increase brand loyalty. Increased sales were just one happy byproduct (of many) from the valuable content John Deere provided for its customers.” (SearchEngineJournal.com)

Fast forward to 1900 when the tire company Michelin published its first “Micheline Guide”. Again, the Guide was not published to sell tires. Although, “While it included tips on changing your tires and where to refuel your car, it also featured a list of places that hungry travelers could eat. And it was a massive success. It’s a great example of a business targeting their audience with content that they would find helpful without overselling their products.” (DreamHost.com)

As a slightly more contemporary example, and one which some of us may actually remember, Betty Crocker became the “feminine” face of the food company that would eventually become General Mills. The cookbook that bears “her” name has sold more than 75 million copies since it was introduced in 1950. And, while the book known as “Big Red” frequently suggested the use of the company’s products, it has always been the recipes that most consumers have valued. (Wikipedia)

Appealing to Human Nature

Are you beginning to get a sense of how content marketing works, and how it can also benefit you? Even though it’s not all about you and your business, and it’s not solely about your products. No, it’s about helping your current or potential clients.

• This is how you build a following.

• It’s how you inspire trust and loyalty.

• It enables you to engage with prospects and build relationships.

• This generates leads and leads can become conversions.

Yes, it’s a process but that is how effective marketing is done in the internet age. For example, our blog. It’s not always about the product – or even how cool we are! It’s about helping you become the best interior designer or furnishing retailer you can be.

When it comes to massaging your message, getting it right can be challenging. That’s why getting in touch with Ted for business consulting to the trade can be so valuable. To find out more… Contact TD Fall today.

The 5 Most Common Online Marketing Questions – With Answers!

Along with some help from one or two online resources, and based on our own experience, we'd like to offer a short list of the most common online marketing questions.

Let’s not waste any time and get right to it, shall we?

5 Online Marketing Questions

1. “How hard is it to build my own website?” Well… It’s hard! Especially if you've never built a website before, the task can be daunting. Using WordPress certainly helps because they offer ways to simplify website construction (and WP is very Google-friendly!). You can even get a free website from them but, they won't allow you to monetize one of their free websites. (It can be a great solution for a blog-only site though.)

For a commercial website, you’ll need to pay for a hosting service, buy a domain name, and discover tons of patience. (Better get ready for a pretty steep learning curve!)

There are also multiple site-building apps available online. These tend to make all of their sites look alike but, if you're looking for the cheapest solution for building a business website, one of these may work for you – temporarily, anyway.

2. “What about a blog? Do I really need one?” Like most things, that depends: on your goals, your products or services, and whether you hope to be found through organic search or are willing to pay for ads and clicks (PPC). (Did we just hear a big “Huh?”)

It is almost always important to educate your target audience about what you have to offer them, be it a unique product or a helpful service(s). After all, they have no idea who you are and why you believe you deserve their attention, not to mention their hard-earned dollars. So yes, having a blog on your business website is a great way to educate and stay connected with your target audience in a real, relevant way. It also keeps your site fresh with new content helping to boost your SEO (see below). Some website owners write their own content, while others outsource the task to experienced professional copywriters. (We can help you there, no problem.)

3. “Oh, Kaaay… What do you mean by organic and PPC?” Being found online is always a challenge. The information you share on your website is regularly “crawled” by the search engines which then “index” and “rank” your site. The more fresh, relevant, and timely your blog content is, the higher you’ll be ranked and the more easily prospects will find you. This is known as “organic” search engine optimization (organic SEO).

Or, you can pay Google, Bing, or Yahoo to put your website at the top of their search results (SERPs). Based on the relative value of certain key phrases you use (your keywords), they will charge for every “click-through” from their SERPs. (That’s why it’s called “Pay Per Click” or PPC.) Depending on the number of clicks you receive per month, this can get pricey. Also, whether that click-through results in a sale is moot to them. They charge you for sending a prospect to your site. What happens then is irrelevant to them.

4. “What about social media? Do I have to use it for marketing my business? No, but…Yes! The real question for an entrepreneur is where to engage your target audience on social platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and many others have such massive audiences that it becomes imperative to have a presence on at least one or two of them.

Choosing the best platforms for your business depends on a few things (at least): what you're selling, where your target audience is most active, and where your competition has built a following. If your offerings are best described visually, Instagram and Pinterest may be your best choice. If you need to educate your audience, Facebook and its audience of two billion subscribers may be your best bet. As for Twitter, well, if your audience has a brief attention span, yeah. Maybe. (Can you tell we’re not huge fans of twitting? Oops, we meant tweeting.)

5. “I've heard email marketing is dead. Is that true? OK, that’s a big NO! Email remains one of the most effective marketing tools you can place in your toolbox. The brief explanation is that you need to first build a subscriber list of email addresses, which is one of the most valuable business assets you can acquire. Then, you can begin to engage with them through an email nurture campaign, enabling you to generate more interest, enhance your reputation as an expert in your niche, and begin building trust.

Once they get to know and trust you, you can lead them toward conversion; that is, entice them into doing something that will benefit them, such as watching your free videos, they optin to another informative gift or something else of value. Soon, you should be able to guide them toward buying from you, whether a solution-based service or a product.

As you can see by this brief list of the most common online marketing questions, making an impression out there – not to mention making sales – is challenging indeed. In fact, it may be more demanding than becoming an expert who has something valuable to offer.

We know this is a lot to take in from a single blog post, and it can be intimidating. That’s why we have a couple of ways for you to get more answers to the most common online marketing questions. Research the links we shared above or get in touch with Ted for business consulting to the trade. To find out more… Contact TD Fall today.

Without Purpose, Your Mission and Vision Will Go Unrealized

Not to get all deep here but, a business without purpose is like a rudderless ship, pushed in directions beyond the Captain’s control. So, even if Ole Cap understands his mission is to get the ship from Point A to Point B, and he has the vision to make it happen if at all possible – if he lacks purpose he’ll likely fail.

Vision and mission come from purpose; that is, the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. (Lexico.com)

While purpose is the natural foundation of the two most commonly accepted business branding steps, your Vision and your Mission will have little value if not based on a purpose.

As in life, purpose in business offers direction; it motivates; it is the very reason your business exists. It also helps when making decisions, both minor and major.

Define Your Business Purpose

Your purpose for starting a business does not have to be based on some grand universal design for saving the world, or even humanity. (Most of those are self-indulgent and impossible anyway.)

However, it should be about something that does reflect your values; those things that matter most in your life. It can even be something as simple as, “My purpose is to create wealth for future generations of my family”.

Since we don’t have the space to examine every possible purpose each of you might outline for your business, we’ll simply offer this little exercise in purpose building to help you articulate it for yourself.

As an exercise to help define your business purpose: Write about how you feel – and think – of and about your business. Try journaling with a pen and paper, or grab your laptop, open a doc, and just start writing. Write about how you truly feel and what you want out of life. Then, imagine how you might be able to Captain the ship of your business in the direction that will get you there.

Remember that no one is going to read this but you, so don’t be afraid to express your thoughts and feelings. Then, reduce it to a single sentence or two and create a Purpose Statement for your business that reflects your conviction to make it happen.

And there is the secret to this exercise, and to discovering your business purpose. Unlike a Mission Statement or Vision Statement which should be published on your website, your Purpose Statement belongs to you alone.

It’s a way to clarify both your mission and your vision, with a solid foundation for future growth.

Doing this will also help to provide clarity about exactly what you and your business are capable of providing, within the framework of what you have to offer.

Finally, your Mission and Vision Statements must reflect your business purpose, but without a published “Statement”. That is a private guide for you as a business owner and/or your team.

If you're searching for help articulating your business purpose, Ted remains available with real-world experience as a business consultant to the trade. To find out more… Contact TD Fall today.