Alternative Strategies Blog

Finding New Clients Through Social Media And The Internet

By Michelle Lew

In an era which a good majority sits behind computers with endless information at the ends of their fingertips, finding new clients has shifted from actual word-of-mouth or driving around town to social media and internet searches.

Yes, technology has changed the way a lot of business works. If you don’t have a Web site, your company is outdated. If you don’t show up in a Google search, you’re most likely going to get overlooked.

Thanks to review sites such as Yelp!, CitySearch and Merchantcircle the internet can be helpful in finding new clients.

First, it helps to have an idea of either the neighborhood or industry you’d like your client to be in. Then you’ll be able to look through main listings of local businesses and then go to their personal sites or do Google searches of their company. You can choose whether or not you like their mission, company and services through their site and then add them to your list (or not).

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be a big help for finding new companies. Social media is a free way for new companies to get started and old companies to connect to different customers.

Facebook is no longer just for college-aged people. Everyone (and some of their mothers) is on Facebook and that opens the door to finding clients. Twitter is a very open medium where contacting others or retweeting a post can bring attention to your company. This is an easy way to make potential clients aware of your services.

Even if you personally are not following the potential client, the word of mouth through Twitter is outstanding because retweets and mentions by other tweeters can lead you to undiscovered gems!

From the potential clients you have found through your Internet research, you can then begin your outreach efforts to secure new clients.

How To Get Results From Social Media

By Erin Goss

So you’ve got a Facebook and a Twitter page for your company… what now?

That seems to be the big question these days. Companies know that they need to jump on the social media bandwagon, but once they’ve got their pages set up they struggle to figure out how to turn tweets into real results.

Don’t worry! We can help with these simple tips.

Be passionate! First off, businesses need to realize that in order to get readers and increase brand awareness they need to make their pages interesting! Too often businesses post boring news messages without any personal flair. One of the greatest benefits of social media is the ability to humanize a company by allowing it a voice and the opportunity to communicate with followers. So don’t be afraid to show off your business’ personality!

Take Advice. What is the point of communicating with clients if you don’t use that information to improve your company? That’s right, there’s none. Take comments seriously, recognize what your business is doing right but also take into account criticisms. Just note that any critiques should not be taken personally. If you have ever looked at Yelp you know that some people have way too much time on their hands…

Get Creative! Think outside the box. The businesses that have been most successful using social media have come up with creative incentives for people to follow their pages.

Exclusive giveaways via Twitter or Facebook are a great way to get people checking your site constantly. For example, Jet Blue recently started tweeting about special deals for $9 flights that are available to followers until the seats run out. The only stipulation is that the customer proves their twitter allegiance by providing the specific code that went out with the promotional tweet.

Set Goals. Don’t just aimlessly post on your social media sites. First decide what you are hoping to accomplish, and gear your social media towards achieving that goal.

For instance, are you trying to increase brand awareness, or perhaps drive more traffic to your website? Focus the use of your social media on a goal and you will be more likely successful in your social media endeavors.

 

 

Being Too Social With Social Media

By Jennifer Hoskote

In the words of the legendary Forrest Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does.”

The phrase can be adapted to numerous life situations…consistently locking your keys in the car, not cleaning up after your dog then walking outside barefoot, or leaving your I.D. at home when you go to Las Vegas.

But it especially applies to social media. You’d be surprised at how many seemingly intelligent people hurt their careers by posting something on Twitter or Facebook that could negatively influence themselves or their company or client’s image.

It’s a slippery slope because most people see social media as a channel to express themselves and their personal views on a wide array of topics – everything from their opinion of the proposed health care bill to not “getting” the season premiere of “Lost.”

This is all fine, but begs the question: “How much personal expression is too much?”

You’d think it would be common knowledge not to call out of work sick then post on Facebook “Pool party at my place, free booze!”

Apparently not.

Comments like this might help your personal image as a party animal, but it will hurt your trustworthiness and damage your credibility with clients.

It’s even worse if your Facebook or Twitter accounts are connected to your company because it threatens their gain for potential clients and your own job.

Let’s be honest: No one cares about what you had for lunch or that your morning coffee burned your tongue. Well, most people don’t.

But the benefits of social media can be quickly ruined with nonsensical posts that beg for attention for the wrong reasons – such as that photo of yourself doing a body shot off your boss’ wife.

You’re more likely to gain followers and friends with similar interests and values; make those known, and not how wasted you got this past weekend.
That being said: Even companies can get a little too social with their social media by inundating people with product and/or service emails that properly belong in the junk folder.

Keeping your client/customer base interested may be difficult at times, but creativity and controlled humor go a long way…all the way to the bank.

Whether it’s for personal or business use, knowing your audience is the first rule of thumb. This doesn’t mean completely limiting yourself, but having a firm grasp of what your message is and conveying it in an appropriate manner are vital to maintaining a successful relationship with your public.

Facebook Vs. Twitter: The Great Debate

As the social marketing trend continues to grow, so does the number of social media options available for your business.

When it comes to down to it though, the undisputed leaders on the social media marketing forefront are Facebook and Twitter.

So which of the two big social media sites is more beneficial for business? To some degree it depends on the kind of business you are trying to promote.

Due to its “fan page” feature, Facebook lends itself best to consumer brands. Facebook is an excellent way to encourage brand enthusiasts to support products such as the latest iPod or trendy clothing brand.

Since Facebook is primarily used for socializing, it is common for users to follow what their friends have been up to. In the process of searching wall posts and photos, the users inevitably notice which fan pages their friends have joined or if they have posted links to a particular brand page.

Don’t underestimate the power of  word of mouth generated by your fan’s actions – the term “Facebook stalking” hasn’t come from nowhere. Promoting your business on Facebook fan pages allows for organic growth and cultivates buzz within a community of people with like-minded interests.

For those companies though that are trying to reach the general public, Facebook is extremely dynamic in its promotion options as far as the page display goes. Facebook allows for videos, photos and messages at any length to be posted.

However, for companies that aren’t necessarily targeted to consumers – such as business-to-business companies, Facebook is relatively ineffective.

Twitter on the other hand is superior as far as publicizing news goes. Although the messages are restricted to under 140 characters, Twitter can serve as a constant and immediate source of information from your company to your clients.

Twitter uses quick, concise postings on a relatively simple page set up, resulting in an easy to read design for followers. For technology or business to business based companies Twitter most likely will be a more efficient use of your social media marketing efforts for this reason. Twitter can also be a great tool for communication in particular industries where the site is highly utilized.

While both Facebook and Twitter are great ways to target clients based on the type of company you are working with, each site does have its disadvantages. Facebook restricts accounts from having more than 5000 “friends” and also prevents accounts from acquiring friends too quickly, so if you plan to have an extremely large amount of followers your business may be better suited to Twitter where there is no follower restriction.

However, Twitter’s status as a lasting social media outlet is still in question. Reports have shown that the site loses 60 percent of new users within the first month.

Either way, social media marketing is the way to go and both Facebook and Twitter can help your company increase awareness and generate word of mouth in different ways.

Advertising: Is It Right For My Business?

By William Lopez

The purpose of advertising is to promote a product or service in order to increase sales and create a branding of the product so that a customer loyalty base will be established. Without effective and targeted advertising, a business cannot succeed. There are many types of advertising a business can utilize in effort to increase their sales.

The following lists a number of types of advertising available to businesses:

Television and Radio

Since television was first introduced, businesses have had tremendous success using it as an advertising medium. This is due to the increase in consumers watching television. The cost of television depends on the time of day or night one advertises, the popularity of the television show (how many viewers,) and the length of the advertisement. Television advertising can reach millions of people. Radio advertising is a traditional advertising format that uses voice and jingles.

Print

This includes newspapers, magazines, fliers, brochures..etc. Placing advertisements in magazines and newspapers is an age old method of advertising. Newspapers and the magazines sell the advertising space. Prices depend on location, size, graphics, and color. Advertising success often depends on the number of subscribers. Print advertising allows a business to target a specific demographic. Fliers and brochures are a great way to advertise sales and launch special product promotion programs.

Internet Advertising

Online advertising consists of small ads, banner ads, text ads, video ads, pay-per-click advertising, and reciprocal linking to other websites. The effectiveness of online advertising depends on exposure and how many people actually view the advertisement. Internet advertising allows the advertiser to track the number of impressions an ad gets (how many people see it), and how many visits their business website receives from particular ads, making it simple to find out what kind of conversion rates the advertisers are obtaining. Online advertising does not have any time restraints and can be viewed day and night throughout the world. Businesses also have their own websites as an advertising tool. A well-designed and well-promoted website can provide a world of customers.

Out-of-Home Advertising

This can include digital signage, billboards, kiosks, tradeshows, and out-of-home advertising. This is advertising that takes place outside of a customer's home. This form of advertising has become very popular because it provides a new way to reach targeted customers. Billboards, kiosks, and tradeshows have been extremely successful advertising tools because you can take your product or service directly to the consumer. Digital signage is a newer method of advertising that is growing in popularity. Digital signage is where monitors/plasma TVs are placed in strategic locations and display advertisements directed at their targeted customer. Digital signage can deliver messages in the form of text and digital video. Advertisers have the ability to up date content from a remote location. You can find digital signage in such places as sports arenas, retail stores, department stores, malls, schools...etc.

Regardless of the state of the economy, businesses have to keep advertising to stay successful. Because of the broad range of advertising methods now available, businesses now have the ability to reach their targeted customers at very affordable costs.

7 Essential Questions To Ask Your Web Designer

by William Lopez

Eliminating the guesswork

Whether you work in the marketing department of a Fortune 500 brand or you're the one-man band responsible for getting the word out about your business, you're going to face a similar dilemma when it comes to building your next website.

With a seemingly endless stream of jargon, prices that aren't always easy to compare across vendors, and the sinking feeling that today's plans will be out of date by the time they reach execution, it's easy to throw up your hands and run screaming out of the room.

But even if you have only a superficial knowledge of building a website, it is possible to get quality work on budget and on time. You just have to know how to speak with your vendor, whether that firm is a small design shop, a larger ad agency, or an in-house team responsible for building websites.

You can get most of your answers just by asking seven basic questions.

How would you solve our problems?

Whether you're talking about a redesign to an existing website or you're launching an entirely new product, you're always going to be working to solve existing business problems. Unfortunately, a lot of clients don't share these problems with their designers, which means that work suffers, solutions remain out of their grasp, and costs can easily go over budget.

Clients should come to the table with a list of problems their business faces on a high level and look to the expertise of the agency to help suggest solutions that solve those problems.  A website agency will operate much more effectively when they are asked to solve problems around an online strategy than they will if they are told what solutions they should be including in their response to an RFP.

Who's doing the technical work?

Here's a simple reality check: Just because you hired XYZ Design Firm doesn't mean that XYZ will be doing all the development on your website. In fact, a lot of designers often outsource their development work to a regular pool of freelancers.

It's key for a client or agency to ask their web design firm who will be managing the technical aspects of the project. Ask: "Is it somebody on staff? Is that person very technical him/herself or is he/she relying heavily on the sub-contractor? If there is a sub-contractor, are they in the same or similar time zone? Or, will all of the work be done during overnight hours with nobody around to fix anything during regular business hours?"

 The client or agency should be looking for answers that provide comfort that the web design firm has somebody on staff who is highly technical and will be managing the project, and will also be in direct contact with the client or agency.

What about content?

Content should come before design, but it doesn't always happen that way.

Many brand clients want their design firms to just go ahead and design the web pages figuring they can fill in the content later to fit whatever is designed. This is a mistake and puts the cart before the horse.

Websites are not primarily about how beautiful they are or how well they express branding elements -- they are about effectively communicating content. Design is about figuring out the optimal way to do just that, while also promoting the brand. So, without having a significant sampling of the content that will live on the site, the designer is incredibly handicapped. It is very important to focus on content development as a first step toward a new website design.

What about the users?

At the end of the day, two distinct groups are going to use the website: you and your customers. While you have a good chance of teasing out what you need from your website, getting a handle on how the user will react to the site is often a little more complicated.

One of the best questions I've ever read in an RFP was, 'How have you used UCD (user-centered design) to create delightful experiences?" You've got to love when an RFP uses the word "delightful," particularly in the context of demanding a user-centered solution. This question demonstrates a sophisticated client who understands the surprise and delight associated with a big idea that grows out of customer insight.

But you don't have to be that sophisticated to make sure that your web design firm is thinking about your customers every step of the way. It's a good idea to simply ask a lot of questions about user experience. Essentially you want to get a sense for their process and commitment to user-centered design principles. 

Who's in charge?

As with any project, building a website is going to require a project manager who has final say. But websites offer a particular challenge because they are often built by two teams: a front-end design team and a back-end team of developers. While there's no hard-and-fast rule for determining a pecking order, it is important that there be a clear driver.

Decide on who is driving the project and who gets final say when something comes up for debate. Is the back-end team meant to support the efforts of the design team? Or will technical considerations trump design decisions? With good planning and a collaborative process, it won't be a battle between visual design and technology, but it's good for everyone to be clear on how these things will be decided when a question comes up.

If you're hiring an agency to build the site, you'll want to make sure that it has a mechanism for establishing that pecking order between teams. But if you're managing the project in-house, it'll be up to you.

What if we fire you?

It's a tough question to broach, especially at the outset of a project, but it's always a good idea for a client to ask what will happen if they fire their web design firm.

That's obviously something you don't want to consider at the beginning of a project, but it is important.  Many developers will try to retain the ownership of the work they create, only giving the client a license to use it. Others may use proprietary code or write things in non-traditional ways to try and help their job security. Look for a developer that works within industry standards, properly comments their code, and will provide documentation after the fact.

Should we use free code?

Code used to be a proprietary thing, and to a large degree it still is. But increasingly, a lot of websites are running on open-source platforms like Drupal, Plone, and Joomla, to name just a few. The platforms are free (although they often require some customization), and there can be a tremendous long-term cost-savings. But there are pros and cons, and, unfortunately, there is no right answer here.

On the plus side, open source gives your developers (if you have them in-house) the ability to alter the source code and make changes as the need arises. Open source also gives you a wider -- though not always more capable -- base of support because hundreds (sometimes thousands) of developers work on contributing tiny applications to the larger system. Those updates are free and often very good. Finally, open source tends to limit your reliance on a particular vendor or computer language, if you choose a widely used open-source platform that is compatible with other platforms.

But there are negatives. For starters, you won't have the same kind of support with an open-source platform. And if something goes wrong, the real culprit might just be an anonymous developer, so you won't have nearly the same accountability as you do with a proprietary product that usually comes with 24/7 tech support. Along similar lines, the quality of open-source developers can vary significantly. However, most communities have a review and rating section that should help you sort out lesser work.

The biggest hang-up most people cannot seem to get around the "free" part. We are often taught that nothing is free. That saying is still true for open source. While open-source software is usually free, you still need to hire a web firm to build, host, and manage it the same as any other platform. [Open source] is generally free in purchase cost, costs the same or more in maintenance, and is often much more customizable, as you have full access to the code, than proprietary closed source software. Open-source software is great, but it is not the answer to everything; nothing is. A brand client should look beyond the hype and treat it the same as all of your other choices.

How Designers Successfully Brand Your Company

By Cameron Turner

There's a value behind true critical thinking.

Without a face in any industry you cannot be seen.  Branding is not a logo and a few colors; it is a thought provoking piece of you that people are suppose to understand and heed to right away.  Nike would be nothing if they didn’t take hold of what people’s perception on a “swoosh” would be.

What does that mean to you? Well as a business owner, consumer, and critical thinker you should take every question to heart.  The point is to answer it before it arises.  Push yourself to create the proverbial outfit to a company.  The shoes have to match the belt.  When watching a movie, synchronicity is when you are so far into the actions that you feel like you are there. Continuity is key. 

So when working with a designer, forget what you want to look like to yourself and family. Instead, think big, globally, and without words.  Dictating your ideas to a designer will leave you without a full package.  Leave room for interpretation.

As a designer, it is my job to study what works and will not.  Too often, business entrepreneurs forget that.

However, creating an aesthetic that is universal is more important than being proud that your own ideas have developed on paper.  The continuity is bridged to consistency once people can see a message be reused creatively.  The problem with disconnecting with your designer is that they have no path for   their juices to flow without constant dictation.

Do your research.  It will leave a lot of guesswork behind you.  A brand should be complete down to the punctuation.  Look at the companies that you admire creatively for inspiration.

Think about the descriptive words you want to develop into.  Then put all your eggs into the designer’s basket and truly let go of all of your expectations.

This will create a dynamic between you two that will thrive.  In order to see the potential of a brand, you must think of a larger picture that will be your projection to the outside world, not what your mom will like.

Here’s a basic truth that has existed since coins replaced barter as the main form of commerce: Everyone who has cash is suddenly a critic.

Since money first started being used, everyone who had it became a critic.

But leveraging the visual language that humans appeal to can be the smartest thing you have ever done.

Don’t think of it as “manipulation,” but as consumer trafficking.  Knowing your market also means working for them with every step you take.  The curveball you throw much be a planned pitch.  The future behind a brand is a willingness to tap into now. 

Pop is not a bad word, it only means popular.  Making sales pop is any company’s goal so don’t be afraid to make a statement. 

Finally, if you’re going to re-brand, start a company, or push your advertising to the next level, remember to “become the message.”

Blogging for Business

Creating and maintaining a blog can lead to profitable means to your business, by giving away things for free. Namely information. Ideally you can share some valuable insight through your expertise and networks to your audience, who will want to know and learn more from your valuable information. A few easy ways to blog and share some of your expertise:

Top +10 List
By simply providing a list of up to 10 (non competing) sites about a specific subject, your audience who trust your expertise will be thankful you have provided them with other expert opinions, and you only have to produce a short list of sources you all ready review.

Bookmarks
By simply connecting a bookmark service site (such as Delicious or Digg) any pertinent articles you review can be shown on your blog, further helping your audience gain knowledge easily, positioning you as an expert by simply referring your sources, while building your blog content effortlessly. It only takes a few simple clicks of the mouse to add to your list.

Case studies / Featured Client (with testimonials)
It is a good idea to occasionally showcase a successful (award winning) project or a prominent client, providing an overview of the project(s) at hand, your solutions, and the outcome. By incorporating some client testimonial into the post, you will have a readily available endorsement and a "soft" advertisement for your services.

Multiple Writers
The more professional opinions you can share, the greater your wealth of knowledge. It is ideally best to only post 2-3 times per week, so splitting up this between multiple writers or departments, and you may only have to blog once a month. By providing more information from your best resources (your staff) you will quickly position yourself as an industry expert, and greatly increase your chances of retaining more viewers.

Your blog could also generate revenue through affiliate marketing, or even ads if you are in the right business.There are several ways to generate subtle revenue streams. A few ways to generate revenue from blogs:

Reviews
By setting up an affiliate program, you subtly get a commission from the sale of a particular item. The beauty is that this sales process is hidden. It is not in the form of a banner ad, but simply a link. Provide a book review as a blog post, provide the direct link to sites such as Amazon, and receive commission on that sale. You are helping your customers and yourself at the same time. Personal trainers think ….supplement and equipment reviews. Restaurant Bar owners think beverages. Consulting firms think books, online sites. Affiliate marketing is the #1 income producer on the web today.

Ads
This is where web 2.0 comes into play. They are not annoying banner ads, yet custom messages toa specific demographic or group. Facebook and Google charge big fees to post ads on business pages because they can guarantee your message is reaching the right audience. Get these visitors to your bog, and pay to host ads that would be beneficial to your captive audience.Think travel agencies are just making their money from booking fees, not anymore. They are not paying to advertise. Advertises are paying them. And this is done as service. often on their blogs, by providing further information on destination, not an annoying unwarranted ad.

I have heard many times that that today's blog is the equivalent rush to create home pages in the late 90's when the world wide web was just catching on. Now we are fully immersed in web 2.0, where the user is the creator, and are soon to be into web 3.0. Make sure you are staying abreast of the latest technologies and trends, and be sure to stay ahead in the marketplace.

E-mail Etiquette

E-mail is one of the most often used tools to communicate within companies and with clients. Its prominence in the workplace has become so great that it has become a way of making, or breaking, business relationships. Here are some tips for proper e-mail etiquette at the office:

Addressing the E-mail

Seems easy right? Fill in the subject line, address it, carbon copy if necessary, and then you’re ready for the body copy. Not so fast. This is the first thing the recipient will see and first impressions can go a long way, at least that’s the rumor!

•    The subject line should be descriptive. Lines like “Hello” or “Project” don’t cut it. Let the recipient know what they are going to be reading about. Your subject line is like the headline of a news story.
•    Use the reply button. It creates a thread between e-mails so they read more like a conversation. This helps people keep your information sorted out from the other e-mails they received.
•    Use reply, but not Reply All. If someone sends 30 people an e-mail asking for help, you don’t need to tell all 30 that you are available. Only send it back to the person who asked.
•    Also, just because your recipient will see the address first, it doesn’t mean you have to fill it in first. Leave the “To” field blank until you have finished proofreading and are ready to send. Nothing is more embarrassing than sending an incomplete e-mail, or one full of your personal writing notes.

Writing the E-mail

Even though cyberspace has become a breeding ground for slang and informal writing, leave it out of business e-mails. Stick to the grammar rules you learned in high school. It doesn’t have to be like you’re writing about Shakespeare, though, you can still write conversationally and be professional.

•    Always, always, always spell check and proofread. Once you hit send, you can’t take it back.
•    Be concise. The usual “How are you?” is fine to start off an e-mail, but don’t go on a tangent about family or pets. It’s not a college essay, so you don’t need a half-page introductory paragraph.
•    Avoid excessive punctuation!!!!!!! See: high school grammar rules.
•    DO NOT TYPE IN ALL CAPS. This is the internet equivalent of screaming at the top of your lungs. It can actually offend some people.
•    Sign your e-mail. You wouldn’t leave a handwritten letter unsigned, so don’t do it to e-mails. You can’t assume that people will remember who you are based on your e-mail address.

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