Soderman Consulting

Marketing, Public Relations and E-Design

Content, Design, and Ideas - Making The Most Of Your Budget

If you've got a million-dollar budget, there are plenty of ways to promote your business. But what do you do if your needs are more modest?

We understand the often conflicting needs of getting your message out while keeping a tight rein on costs. Whether it's content for your website, freelance writing for your publication, marketing materials for your business, or public relations for your organization, we can help!

If you'd like more information, contact us at info@sodermanconsulting.com

You Are Your Website

Submitted by scadmin on Fri, 05/16/2008 - 05:47.

Image Courtesy TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³

Let's face it - if your business doesn't have a website, you're missing out on an important tool for attracting customers. But a poorly planned and designed website can be just as bad as no website at all. Before you claim your space on the 'Net, here are a few things to consider regarding website design:

Why Have A Website?

Before you start spending dough on a shiny new website, you need to have an idea of why you want one. Sure, we all think it's a good idea, but why it's a good idea is different for each website and website owner. Are you looking to let people know about a product or service? Maybe you want to give customers (and potential customers) a way to communicate with your company. Or you're looking for a way to schedule appointments for your clients. There are as many ways to use a website as there are companies to launch them.

Put some thought into what you want to accomplish with a website before you start spending money. How will it fit into the way you do business? Decide the "why" and the "how" will start to solve itself.

Getting Started

The first real step is to find a good domain name. It always amazes us how many good names are out there for businesses that are looking to make their mark on the 'Net. But it may not always be easy. Start with your company's name. See if it is available as a .com or other "dot" suffix. Also look for alternates. For example, if your company is ACME Widgets, you could try acmewidgets.com and acme-widgets.com. But if your widgets are designed to help make holes in ceramics, you might choose acmeceramicdrills.com, acmeholejigs.com, or any other. You might even drop the company name in favor of something more descriptive or easier to remember - ceramicdrills.com or ceradrill.com

Get creative with the name, but make sure it is easy to remember and easy to spell. Also, be sure to grab all versions of the name if possible, including .com, .net, and .org. You might also want to pick up common misspellings, like acmewidjets and ceradril.com. These common misspellings can drive business to your site, even if the user can't quite remember your website's name.

You can do these searches through most domain registrars, like mydomain.com and Network Solutions. These folks typically have a search engine that lets you see if a name is already taken, and suggests alternatives.

One other route is to try to buy an existing domain name. This can be expensive, but if the domain is right for you, you might be able to justify the cost.

Hosting

Once you have chosen and procured a domain name, you need to decide on how you will have it hosted. Options range from simple 2-3 page sites on a variety of hosting services to full-blown hosted solutions, all the way to hosting your own website. The latter option is great if you already have some connectivity, and have a bunch of tech savvy. But for most, one of the two former solutions will be more viable.

If all you are doing is trying to get your contact info and details about your business, then an inexpensive 2-3 page site might do the trick. But if you are looking for more function, think about a hosted site that gives you plenty of storage and data transfer per month. Most hosting providers give you plenty of storage, but watch out for transfer charges! If your site will have a large number of big pictures, you might eat up your transfer limit fairly quickly, and overage charges can be steep. By the same token, don't pay more than you need to. Contact prospective hosts and see if they have a plan that allows you to upgrade your transfer limits should the need arise.

You've Got The Look

Another thing to consider when planning a website is the design. A poorly designed website can actually hurt your business. Spend a few bucks and get a professional to design your site for you. A good designer can take your ideas and not only make them look good, but make sure they work in the real world. Some ideas that sound great just don't translate to a web page. A designer can also make sure that your site makes sense visually, is appealing to the visitor, and drives traffic where you need it.

Don't settle when it comes to website design. While a fancy website may not save a poorly run business, a bad site can definitely hurt even the most well-run business.

Your Calling Card, Your Image

Submitted by scadmin on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 08:05.

Image Courtesy Marcin Wichary

How many business cards do you have in your Rolodex? How many can you find nearly instantly because you remember the look, the color, the logo? Your business card should have that same effect on the people you hand them out to. Business cards are one of the least expensive yet effective forms of marketing your small business.

Business cards give you a highly portable way of making an introduction and keeping contact with new and existing customers. They let your customers know how they can get hold of you and what you do. Yet many businesses pay little attention to their business card short of making sure the phone number is right.

The Goals Of A Business Card

A business card should have some distinct purposes. Business cards should meet at least one, and preferably all of the following goals:

• Prominently display your company's name - Folks should be able to easily identify your company at a glance. This can be achieved through a text representation or a logo, but in wither case, it should be bold, legible and large enough to stand out.
• Clearly identify the person carrying the card - If you have more than one person in your company that deals with customers, you should all have a card that gives your name, and all contact information in a text size that doesn't require a magnifying glass or decoder ring to read. Funky text styles may work for a logo, but keep your contact text simple, clean, and large enough to read.
• Forget fancy titles - Anyone can put a title on a business card. Identify your job, not your title. If what you do is make decisions about purchasing, you can call yourself a Senior Purchasing Agent, or you could be a little bolder and try Purchasing Decision-Maker. A unique and descriptive title will help cement your role into the card holder's mind. Or go ultra simple, with something like Purchaser.
• Be careful of odd shaped cards - Odd-shaped cards may be memorable, but they are hard to store for future reference. Be sure that if they are going to be non-standard, that they will be easy to store and access later.
• Double the use - if it's in your budget, try adding a blank line or two on the back. This allows you to write a quick note, like a price quote or a meeting reminder on the back. This makes the card more valuable, and more likely to come back into the customer's memory.

Plan Ahead, But Not Too Far

Business cards are fairly inexpensive, which often leads to business owners purchasing them by the boatload. If your company structure is fairly static, this may be fine, but in most cases, you'll have stockpiles of cards.

If, on the other hand, you attend trade shows or other large events, think about making cards specifically for the event. Mention your product on the card, include product information, etc., and hand these cards out by the dozen. In this case the cards are inexpensive and easily carried. Use the cards like mini-billboards. Combine this with writing notes on the cards for your potential customers, and you may find them to be powerful tools.

What have you tried on your business cards?

Blue Man Group - Creativity and Business

Submitted by scadmin on Thu, 03/13/2008 - 07:17.

This "Actors' Journal" is not so much a how-to manual as a why-to manual; it's not about stage directions, but rather tells the story of the show step by step, from the point of view of the Blue Men. As a decoding and deconstruction of Blue Man's at-times baffling, even mystical behavior, it's a fascinating document, thick with references to everything from Being There to George Bernard Shaw to Robert Motherwell to the caves of Lascaux. Some explanations are straightforward — "The Blue Men are not aliens" — and others are more subtle, as when the trio's harmonic "three as one" relationship is described in terms of "blesh," a mix of blend and mesh borrowed from Theodore Sturgeon's science fiction novel More Than Human.

R. Walker: The Business of Blue Man

The article quoted above is a great look into Blue Man Group and the way they have managed both business and art into a phenomenally successful brand. So what does this have to do with your business?

If you can articulate the "why" of your business, you are much more likely to make a valuable connection with your customers. They want to know why they should purchase your product or service, not just what it will do. The most successful products aren't popular because people know how they work, they communicated why they should be purchased. Look at the iPhone. Do you need to know how it works? Nope. You know what it is. But more importantly, you know why. For some, the why is because it's the latest cool gadget. For others, it's because it's made by Apple. For others still, it's because it delivers features that their previous phones didn't. Whatever the reason, the fact is that there was a reason.  A why.

This also is key to your employees. If they know why your company does something, they can do a better job with how. The better versed your employees are in the reasons for what your company does, the better the job they will do in communicating this to your customers and in delivering superior customer service.

What is your "why"?

4 Phrases You Should Eliminate When Talking To Customers

Submitted by scadmin on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 07:42.

Photo Courtesy Mel B.

Over at Freelance Switch there's a great article - 10 Phrases Every Freelancer Should Kick-Out of Their Vocabulary - FreelanceSwitch - The Freelance Blog. The key point of this article is that there are phrases you just shouldn't use when talking to clients and customers.

The take-away concept from this post is that when you have a conversation with a client or potential client, your words can make a huge difference. In addition to the phrases listed in the post, here are a few more:

• "I Should Be Able To Do That" - Either you can or you can't. Use of this phrase is normally seen as a way of leaving yourself an out. Whenever you're tempted to use this phrase, recite the mantra "Underpromise, Overdeliver". Unless you're sure you can do something, don't give the impression you can. Remember Yoda - "Do. Or do not. There is no try".
• "What Did They Quote You?" - Sure, you want to find out what your competition is doing. This isn't the way to do it. Why? Because invariably, the next thing your potential customer expects to hear is "I can do better than that". If you can, then offer it up front. If you can't then your making promises you can't keep. Give folks your best quote, and stand by it. As soon as you try to compete on price alone, you lose.
• "Let Me See If I Can Fit You In" - With this phrase, you're telling your customer that they are not your priority. And if you have the habit of saying this just to give the impression that you are in demand, you're shooting yourself in the foot. The best way to show you are in demand is to actually be in demand! If you can consistently deliver on what you promise, you'll find yourself in demand before you know it.
• "It's The Same" - This phrase is often used by folks trying to convince a customer that their product or service is comparable to a competitors. This is a losing proposition. What you want to tell your customers is why you are different from your competitors. Why should they choose you? Instead of comparing similarities with the competition, highlight your strengths.

You can probably come up with more. Take a look at what you tell customers. Listen to yourself and read your promotional materials. If you were the customer, would you believe what you hear and see? Would it instill confidence in your work? These little things can be the make or break in landing the deal.

What phrase do you want to eliminate?

It's Better To Give *Then* Receive

Submitted by scadmin on Tue, 02/26/2008 - 05:19.

Courtesy deejaymarlon

I came across an interesting article on the SmallFuel Marketing Blog where the author relates some of his experiences in giving things away to get business:

How I Gave Away 15 Minutes and Made $5700 | SmallFuel Marketing Blog

There are a lot of experts who say you should be very selfish with your time, and for the most part I agree with them. There are only 24 hours in a day (most of which aren’t billable) and between work, family, and friends there usually isn’t much left over. Oh yeah, and then there’s sleeping too. Sometimes, the thought of giving away free time seems almost preposterous.

There are some interesting points in this post, which includes some specific concrete examples of what did and didn't work.

Small businesses often fall into the trap of trying giveaways without really considering whether the potential benefit is worth the expense. Giveaways need to hit some specific areas to be effective:

• Remember Me - Whether you're giving away services, product, or information, your audience needs to remember you. Handouts and blinking pens may get them to pay attention to you, but ideas will keep you in their memory. If what you have to offer is something that means something to your potential customer, you have a better chance of getting them to remember you later.
• Ideas vs. Gadgets - Share your ideas, your expertise with potential customers. Anyone can order out of a promotional catalog. But your knowledge is worth far more than that wind-up toy or neon orange coffee mug. As is mentioned in the SmallFuel post, giving away your expertise in the form of talks or panel discussions lets you show potential customers that you have what they need. Your words, your presentations may strike a chord with someone watching you.
• Know What You're Worth - A common mistake when planning a giveaway is not knowing what it is worth. Be conservative when you estimate the business you will receive, and generous on how much it costs you. Expect less from the effort, and expect it to cost you more. Does it still make financial sense? Then you should probably try it. But don't undervalue your time. If you are doing some type of consulting, don't assume it will be an easy task to give away your time. There are only so many hours in the day, and yours have value. Give yourself full worth.

Giving away product, time, or knowledge can open up great opportunities. Just be sure to look at the potential costs and rewards before you take the leap.

 

 

Top Experts Dish with their Best Kept Marketing Secrets | Small Business Trends | small business experts

Submitted by scadmin on Tue, 02/12/2008 - 07:46.

Top Experts Dish with their Best Kept Marketing Secrets | Small Business Trends | small business experts

 

Over at Small Business Trends, they did a roundup of some great marketing advice from top people in the field. Some of the advice comes off as common sense, but many of us need the occasional reminder of what's important. For example:

Toby Bloomberg, Diva Marketing – “Forget what your mama or your preacher taught you. The Golden Rule does NOT work for developing marketing strategy. Your customers do not want to be treated “as you would like to be treated.” In understanding your customers you might discover that their values, needs and expectations differ from yours. New Golden Rule For Marketers: Do Unto Your Customers As THEY Would Like To Be Treated.”

This seems to be an idea that we all intuitively know, but somehow leave by the wayside. The way to customers hearts (and wallets) is straight down the What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately Street. This might sound a bit cynical, but the reality is that to most of your customers, you are only as good as your last transaction. You treated them right before, but you need to keep doing it. And that may not necessarily be what you think it is.

You need to build a rapport with your customer base. Don't guess what they want, ask. Get them to tell you what they would like to see. Get past the initial "lower prices" arguments and find out what really makes them tick. One electronics retailer-turned-manufacturer I know had this problem for years. The folks at the top were convinced they knew what the market wanted. They pictured themselves as their customers. They fell in love with their products, even though their customers weren't. The end result: They manufactured lots of goods, but couldn't get into a volume that would make it sustainable. Now they're pulling the plug and going back into retailing.

The moral of their story - and the myriad like it - is that if you don't know what your customers want, you can't deliver it. Your passion for your product or service is essential, but so is your customer's passion for it. Give your customers what they want in products, services, and response, and they will be loyal to you for the long haul.

Giving Something For Nothing

Submitted by scadmin on Sun, 02/10/2008 - 06:22.

The NY Times bestselling book The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris has a suggestion about "free marketing" - don't.

This is great advice for the freelancer, but how about for a company on a budget?

Free marketing is the practice of writing blog posts, how-to articles, and other short pieces that are designed to inform the reader while at the same time promoting the author. It's an easy and inexpensive way to get the word out about your organization and present yourself as an expert.

But take care with this approach - make sure you know what you're talking about, and be prepared to respond to comments. If your piece comes off as too much sales and not enough meat, you will hear about it, and likely lose standing with readers. But if you can explain a topic succinctly and make it easily understood, you can take the mantle of a pro and reap the benefits of "free" marketing.

Technorati Tags: ny times, 4-hour workweek, tim ferris, free marketing, expert Technorati Profile

On Innovation

Submitted by scadmin on Sun, 02/10/2008 - 04:33.

While the ideas presented in the blog entry below are aimed at someone looking for a new, and potentially more fulfilling job, the first one is a great reminder of a winning combination. Whether in high tech or retail, marketing or entertainment, we all need to set aside some time to think about what the next big thing for us will be. What will be your next killer product? What product lines could you carry to take you to the next level? How can you reach your customers in a way that your competitors don't? What new element can you add to your act or show that will drive the customers back to you?

BootStrapMe: How to find a bootstrapping job

Make sure you're part of the 10 percent. The 70, 20, 10 rule put in place by Google to drive innovation has become a model in high tech business circles. The idea is to spend 70 percent of the company's time and resources on the established business, 20 percent on related efforts and 10 percent developing new business possibilities. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out where in the ratio the bootstrapper wants to figure.

By spending the extra few minutes each day on that 10%, you could bound to the top of the heap.

Technorati Tags: marketing, google, 70 20 10, 70/20/10, bootstrapping, ideas