Why Do You Need a Personal Brand?

Do you truly know how you are presenting yourself to others?  Do you know how you want to be perceived by others?  If you don’t know who you are or what you want to represent, nobody else will either.  Whether or not you realize it, you’re a walking personal brand – a persona that defines you and illustrates to the wider public who you are, where you have been and where you are going.

When you do an online search for someone (or yourself), the information you find is the backbone of a personal brand. It is your personal best and worst, all open for public view. Depending on your role, your personal brand also reflects on your company’s brand—after all, you are a window into what your company values and cares about.

You can either take charge in shaping your image and identity, or you can let your brand be construed as others see you - their impressions or misconceptions of who you are. If there are negative things online, people might have a distorted view of who you are. If a search turns up well-written and insightful blogs, spunky social media accounts or bold professional networking pages, their curiosity may be piqued. However, your personal brand should authentically express who you are—and you must own it.

The Benefits of a Well-Crafted Personal Brand

·       Separates You From the Competition

You’re willing do whatever it takes to elevate your company so it stands out in a crowded marketplace, but the truth is people relate to other people, not impersonal companies. You may also wield the power of being a recognizable face behind your business. Your personal brand can help set the tone for your whole company and help it stand apart from the rest, so make it count.

Think of your personal brand as a way of taking control of your reputation and creating a statement that summarizes who you are. Honing your own brand also separates your company brand as unique and distinctive, and it gives customers a “real person” to identify with the brand.

·     Establishes You as an Expert in Your Field

Those who are perceived or identified as industry experts have a leg up in the business world. They are more recognizable, they command higher fees, and doors open more easily for them.

Create a catchy tagline for yourself that explains what you do. It’s important to let people know what you have to offer, and this messaging should be consistent across your website, social media profiles, business cards, and any other marketing.

·      Define What You Stand For

Defining your personal brand is about revealing to the world who you are, what you believe in, and what you stand for. It should be liberating, because your brand is ultimately who YOU have chosen to become.

What is in your heart and soul? What do you really care about? What are your passions? Though it may seem morbid – if you died tomorrow, how would you want to be remembered?  Turn those thoughts into content.  Write a blog. Start building an online community of followers. Become a professional speaker. Just remember your brand can’t be something manufactured—people will smell fake in an instant. It must honestly reflect your beliefs.

·       Attract New Clients, Employers, and Employees

Your personal brand should be a selling point to new clients, potential employers, and even future employees. Have you cultivated a reputation as someone they would want to do business with or work with?  Do you show how you can create value for those around you? If people believe in you, if they trust what you stand for and see that you have integrity, they will want to work with you, work for you, or buy your products.

·       Explain How Your Past Fits Into Your Present

Over time, your career will change course and you will grow in different ways. The great thing about a personal brand is being able to pull all of the pieces together and explain your evolution by developing your narrative. This is your chance to tell your story.

Your branding narrative helps explain your overall progression in your career, interests and life. The key is to focus on how your prior experience brings value to who you are now. Think of this as your WHY.  Why do you do what you do?  Why should people choose to do business with you?  Your why is just like you, it shouldn’t be static – it should grow and evolve over time. 

If you are struggling to define your personal brand, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  From concept to creation to implementation, we’re there with you every step of the way.

If You Build Trust, They Will Come

There’s no denying consumers crave a deeper connection with the companies they do business with. That’s why having a fancy website and logo isn’t enough to define your brand anymore. So, it’s very important to thoughtfully create a personal brand that truly shares who you are and what you stand for.

If a brand isn’t appealing to your audience or not genuine, it can repel customers. But the process of creating a brand can be intimidating for some.  Let’s break down some tips on how you can avoid branding blunders when it comes to helping instead of harming your business.

1. Have a Personal Brand

Whether you intentionally create a brand or not, every communication and experience you have with customers and potential customers is shaping your brand.

That’s why it’s critical to create a positive brand communication. If you don’t take time to define your brand, your message can get wishy washy. That lack of clarity will hurt your marketing efforts.

2. Be Original

Often when people start out in business they think that imitating their top competitors is a good idea. Don’t imitate, instead innovate.

Accentuate what makes you unique. Differentiate yourself. Show why your differences make you a better choice. Do this by creating signature systems, products and messaging that sets you apart.

3. Be Authentic

Some people take a dress-up approach to branding. They feel like they must be something they are not in order to attract customers. Authenticity in marketing matters more than anything. Being honest and transparent builds trust.

A brand should be genuine and always maintain consistent messaging that is in alignment with your personality and brand.

4. Be Consistent

Your personal brand promise and message should be clear with every communication.

The more consistent your brand is, the stronger it will attract followers. As you write blog posts, eBooks and social media posts etc., make sure the thoughts, opinions and information shared is consistent with your personal brand.

Every communication should reflect your brand personality and values.

5. Write Your Own Stuff

Content marketing helps you develop leadership in your industry. Your fans want to hear from you – not the same old thing that everyone else is writing.

Every time you write it’s a communication that builds a relationship with your followers. They experience your personality and voice. Every time you write a blog, article or tips, you are establishing yourself as a subject matter expert.

Writing unique articles also boosts your website SEO.

6. Define Your Niche

No business can be all things to all people. It’s really important to define your target market. Period.

The more you can narrow down your target market the better; otherwise, you risk confusing your customers and you’ll have a harder time attracting your ideal client.

7. Be Gracious

Everyone has a tribe, the group of people with whom you have a reciprocal unconditional love and connection. Raving fans will tell the world how amazing you are. That’s why it’s important to give special treatment to your tribe.

Find your tribe. Reward them.  Give them special offers. Allow them behind-the-scene peaks. Share advanced notice about things in the pipeline.

8. Be Professional

The Internet knows all.  So, if you make a mistake, someone’s going to catch it.  For example, when you send a newsletter with typos or broken links it reflects poorly on your brand. When your customer has a problem and calls customer service, they want their issue resolved.

It may seem petty, but pay attention to your appearance. Watch the language you share on social media. Your demeanor should be humble not arrogant. Display ethical behavior when attending public events. Answer the phone professionally.

All of the above components don’t necessarily make up your brand, but they do back it up.  Take a look at how you want people to view you, your business, the experience they have when doing business with you.  If you are consistent, professional and genuine, you will be sure to get repeat customers and best of all – referrals!

If you need help developing and maintaining your personal or business branding, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  From Concept.  To Creation.  To Implementation, we’re there with you every step of the way!  

The Marketing Psychology Behind Your Brand’s Color

Many times, when people are starting a business, they ask for help with a marketing plan.  More often than not, the first thing they want is a logo.  And a lot of times, they come to us with one already sketched out or done themselves.  While we applaud the initiative, sometimes what they have designed could actually be a hindrance to their business.  You see, there is a marketing psychology behind every great brand.  The color, font, look and feel of your logo, website and promotional materials should be derived from research that explains the consumer’s brain pattern.

Color psychology is important to understand and utilize in your marketing efforts, especially because neuroscience says humans may be hardwired for certain shades.

As strategic marketing professionals, we like to understand what compels people to buy, so that we can help our customers maximize their marketing efforts.  The number one goal of branding and marketing is to get noticed.  The second is to get people engaged.  The final is to get people to buy.  Doing it ‘right’ the first time will help expedite the process from point A to point B.

Research shows that colors, branding, and tying them together create an opportunity for consumers to recognize your business or brand quickly. After all, the goal of your branding attempts and marketing efforts is to create a company reputation easily remembered with a quick glance at a logo.

Colors should be chosen to represent your brand very carefully.  After all, many researchers took a lot of time to study and spell out what color schemes, etc. work best for your industry.  Companies use this branding research to target particular markets and give a certain impression to their consumers.

Why color?

This is a question that’s not as easily answered as asked. Color relates to persuasion, because it evokes an emotional response. Persuasion is a marketer’s friend.

Color theory represents a unique opportunity to research the consumer’s decision-making process, as well as what marketing professionals can do to sway those decisions in their favor. In essence, it’s a sort of manipulation you want to be able to get away with. Research shows there are a lot of ways color theory affects consumer habits, and how marketing professionals can use it.

Utilizing color is an effective way to play on someone’s personal experiences.

Did you know that 90% of snap judgments made about products, brands, or businesses can be based on color alone? There are a variety of things that factor into the perception of color from a consumer’s point of view. Their age, culture, socioeconomic status, location, job, experience, family status, and the landscape of their industry all factor into the way they view color, or what color evokes in them.

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Companies use color to elicit emotional responses like increased appetite or an enhanced mood. Some take it a step further, using color theory to soothe customers, reduce the perception of a lengthy wait, and other various situations where an emotional response may occur.

Choosing where to use color, aside from logos, is also important. There are a variety of locations to choose from, including merchandise, web design, and calls-to-action.

Fortune 500 companies know a little something about effective branding, especially when it comes to the utilization of color theory.

Most people prefer color patterns with similar hues, which explains why more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies have two or fewer colors incorporated into their logo.

Plenty of notable, popular logos belong to these big companies, because they know the value of a strong brand identity. Which, often times, they base off color theory. For example, red is an appetite enhancer and it is present in the golden arches of McDonald’s logo.  

There are three steps to figuring out what colors to use in your branding attempts. You have to start by understanding your brand personality in order to choose the right colors. If you’re a green, eco-friendly company, you won’t want to create a logo with red, a color associated with boldness, fire, and excitability. The next point of business is to take your brand personality, and match it with certain hues using color theory. As a third and final step to utilizing color theory in your company branding, learn which colors convey what to readers.

THEN develop your story.

Your logo, as well as the rest of your marketing materials, is the first impression on a customer. Because of this, you need to hone the message you’re trying to tell your customers about your brand through your logo. Your brand message matters, and it has an effect on the opinions of your customers - past, present, and future.

If you need help developing your brand and choosing your color scheme, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  From Concept.  To Creation. To Implementation.  We’re there with you every step of the way!

Give Back. Get Noticed.

Every business, no matter how big or small, should have a marketing plan. And if you don’t have one, or are not even sure how to start one, contact an expert in the field.  It’s a competitive world out there, especially for small businesses and generating local revenue can be exceptionally important. Word-of-mouth can be an important source of business referrals, but sometimes your business marketing plan needs to go the extra mile.

That’s where community involvement comes into play.  But, don’t just say you’re going to get involved.  TRULY get involved.  People will notice when you make a promise and don’t follow through.

Becoming involved in your local community, or in causes that impact your potential customer base can be a good way to generate “impressions” on members of your community. For years, small businesses have partnered with other organizations to both meet a need and promote their business.  When you are truly engaged in the community organization you support, prospective customers will remember you and your business as the caring one that supported XYZ.

For example, sponsoring a local youth sports team or a local animal shelter are time-honored ways for small business professionals to make a name in their communities. Similarly, sponsoring local events and making charitable donations are also good opportunities to put your business name out there and help you gain advantage over your competitors.

In any given year, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to support local charities and events, but how can you be sure that you’re getting the most bang for your philanthropic buck? The secret to successful business marketing through community involvement is choosing your involvement carefully.

The most natural community involvement choices are those that reflect your target market. An orthodontist sponsoring a youth soccer team or the local recreation department is one example of a “natural fit.” The youth participants in the activity are part of the practitioner’s target market, and when they need orthodontic work, they might have to look no farther than the patch on their favorite soccer jersey to find someone they can trust.

Another natural fit may be sponsorship of a charitable event hosted by a major client. In this case, your business may be donating products or services that fill a need of the event, but you can gain valuable exposure to other businesses that are affiliated with the client-host. Along with that, you may also receive some very positive recommendations.

When deciding what organizations or philanthropic event to support or sponsor, assess the benefit.  How many people are expected to attend?  Are there media partners?  Do they have a social media following?  How will they promote you?  Your goal is to not only give back to the community but to raise awareness of your products and/or services.

If the above types of community involvement don’t suit your business, consider other ways to give. Donating a portion of your proceeds to a particular charity or cause may be the way to go for businesses like restaurants. This allows you to draw in new customers who may want to support the charity, but have never done business with you in the past. By supporting their favorite cause, you give them a reason to check out your business!

If you’re not sure how to start becoming more involved in your community, consider joining your local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club. You’ll meet many other business owners who are actively involved in both their communities and their businesses. You may also find many new opportunities to meet the needs of your community while promoting your business at the same time. 

If you want to get involved but are unsure how to get started, contact the experts at SK Consulting!

Attention Small Business Owners! You CAN Compete with the Big Fish!

With tight budgets and limited time, small businesses often struggle to stand out against the competition. But with a little innovation and elbow grease, a small business can improve their visibility and remind consumers why they should be chosen over the larger fish in the pond.  The following business marketing ideas can help make your business one to remember.

Get Involved at a Local Level

One of the best budget-conscious marketing ideas is to look at ways to increase your involvement in the community. It can be through volunteering, hosting a networking event, or sponsoring a fundraiser. This kind of community involvement proves to be invaluable for a multitude of reasons.

In addition to the obvious benefit of increased brand awareness, these activities can also produce valuable connections that might never been created. More important? More community involvement and interaction increases the likelihood of local websites and social media sites mentioning your business.  This provides Google with valuable signals to help boost your business’ appearance in the coveted Google local search results, ultimately helping you gain more potential customers.

Repurpose Your Content

Recycle and repurpose content to increase ROI. Recycle content by updating a popular post. For example, take one of your most popular posts from last year, update that article with new, relevant information and republish it.

You can also repurpose by posting the same content in different formats. For instance, take an article and create a podcast using the same information. Recycling and repurposing content stretches ROI.

Make Sure your Website is Current

Does your website look like it hasn’t received an update in decades? Make sure your site is using the most current technology.   There are many platforms available to make your website stand out and that are easy to use on the back end.  If you need help designing and providing content for your website, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  Websites don’t have to be difficult to be effective.  If you don’t have an updated website (or a website at all), people will take notice – and not in a good way.  After all, you don’t want to spend so much effort driving people to your website if it sucks.

Be Strategic, Realistic, and Consistent With Your Organic Search Marketing 

Using a blog on your website for content marketing is a cost-effective business exercise. Also, you do not have to be a magician to rank highly for keywords on Google that will deliver sales. Perform a detailed keyword analysis of your competitors and write content for long tail keywords that have less competition to start with. Even when competing with players with larger marketing budgets, it is possible to build up organic visitors to your website over time. Know your message and understand what you want to be known for.

Tell People You Can’t Help Them

Remember, not everyone is your customer.  No matter what you’re working on or offering, you can’t help everyone. No product or service is perfect for every person and every situation.

Instead of hiding flaws or issues, be open and transparent about them, so when you talk about the benefits of your business, people will believe you. And the funny side effect is that you’re likely to turn those who are not a good fit with your business into your advocates.

Write a Mini-eBook

If you have a fresh, controversial, or unique solution to a problem in your industry…write a book! Advances in digital publishing have made it possible for just about anyone to write a book. As a product or service provider, you can use your book as a key piece of your publicity strategy. Launch your book, and your brand goes with it!

Encourage Customers to Review Your Business

Increase positive customer reviews! A 2016 BrightLocal study revealed that 84 percent of consumers trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations, and 74 percent say that positive reviews make them trust a business more.

Remember, negative reviews can severely damage a brand’s reputation. Consumers are more inclined to share bad experiences than good ones. That’s why it’s important for brands to be proactive about getting positive reviews. If you provide great service, the ask shouldn’t be a hard one to make.

In fact, according to data from that same study, 7 out of 10 consumers will leave a review if asked to do so. In addition to improving your brand’s online reputation, businesses with a higher number of positive reviews may also rank higher in search results.

Find Your Niche

Focus on a specific niche within your industry. For small businesses, it can be challenging to compete with larger companies that are established and have access to more resources. One marketing strategy for differentiating your business is to carve out a small niche of customers.

Rather than market your product or service to everyone, narrow your target down to a limited segment of customers. As your business and brand grows over time, then you can look for opportunities to expand your customer base.

Re-think Mobile

Mobile is becoming more and more popular not only for searching the web, but also for making purchases. With mobile payments increasing, consider other mobile purchasing trends, like buy buttons. These tools are increasing as customers are feeling more comfortable purchasing on mobile devices. This means that purchases might be made more directly through websites and social platforms like Facebook. Utilize mobile marketing to ensure that you are giving your customers every opportunity to purchase. Adapt to their needs.

Blog with a Purpose

Show your customers that you are relevant!  Don’t just write a blog to write a blog or to sell, sell, sell.  The biggest mistake small businesses make is when they create content to try and sell instead of help. Write content that actually adds value to your readers. Don’t worry about giving away any secrets you may think you have, just focus on helping your audience. Every time you write something before publishing it just read it and ask yourself: “is this helpful?” Keep blogging.  Be consistent.  Inbound marketing is a long-term commitment with a huge payoff.

Ideas?

These are some pretty great small business marketing ideas, if we do say so ourselves. And there are plenty more.  How do you effectively and efficiently market your small business?  If you don’t, contact us today!  We’d be happy to help you take over the pond and enter the ocean! 

What is Your Message? Why Do We Care?

How do you describe your business to the world? What words sum up your brand identity and what you have to offer? Are you clearly explaining your business value?

It takes a little time and thought to get your marketing message right, which is why so many small businesses fall back on their “About Us” page or product descriptions to describe what they do and for whom. But, that just speaks to the business itself and not the people you are trying to connect with - your customers.

Getting your marketing, positioning, and brand statements right is an essential step to building your overall business identity.  You need to understand your message – your marketing platform – before you start to actually MARKET your business!

1. Understand Your Target Market and Niche

If you want to connect, you have to know with whom you’re connecting. You need to determine your niche. Ask yourself what you are selling and to whom. Are the benefits of dealing with your business clear and are they aligned with the needs of your target customers? Answering these questions will help you focus your messaging and play to your strengths in that niche. 

2. Research Pain Points, Challenges, Needs and Desires

Every business, product, or service responds to a customer’s pain point: a need, a problem, a desire, or a challenge. How you address these “pain points” is critical to your messaging. For some businesses, like a plumber, for example, these needs seem obvious. Restaurants or retail shops may not be addressing a pain point, but they can design their message to speak to the benefits of shopping or eating at their establishment (fine dining on dime budget, Hollywood style at resale prices).

3. Tell People About your Product - Concisely

Products are a key part of what you do, but they are not everything. Your product or service should only be a small part of your overall message.  Yes, it’s what you bring to your target audience, but you are offering more – customer service, agility, convenience, reliability, experience, etc. So consider all these issues in light of what they mean to your customer. What’s the “so what” factor? What benefit is it to them?

4. Add Proof Points

A proof point backs up what you have to say about your business. Think of it as a “don’t just take our word for it” statement. Proof points include customer quotes, success stories that you write, case studies, and references. They’re important because they show how your business has solved the problems of others. A few words or paragraphs can convey the customer’s challenge, the solution you delivered, and the results they gained.

5. Figure out how you are Different

What makes you unique in your niche and to your target market? You’ve outlined your product and you know your customer, but how are you different from the competition? At SK Consulting, we are not an agency.  Our customers are not clients.  We work WITH them.  We teach as we develop and implement a plan, a project, a message.  Our difference? We want businesses to have control of their own marketing.  We don’t want them to rely on us.  We want them to want us!

6. Decide on a Messaging Platform

What you are aiming for is flexibility. You want to be able to slice and dice your messaging to suit your audience, your collateral, a promotion, or a sales pitch.

A common approach is to create 25-, 50-, and 100-word versions of your message (:15 sec, :30 sec, :60 sec elevator pitches). The shorter version can be used in advertising copy or sound bites in broadcast or online materials. The longer versions give you more flexibility to add specific services, benefits, and value statements, backed up by proof points, about why customers should do business with you.

7. Use Your Messaging Consistently

Once you have your message developed, make sure everyone is singing from the same song sheet, from your sales people to your front desk and across your social media platforms, website and marketing pieces. The more your customers hear it, the more likely it will be to resonate and stick.

If you need help developing your message or are unsure how to market it, contact SK Consulting.  From Concept to Creation to Implementation, we’re there with you every step of the way!

Have a Strategy to Reach Your Goal

“If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail,” is the cheesy catch-phrase of many business coaches, life coaches and inspirational leaders (when addressing us lowly, unorganized individuals).  While it can be infuriating when it is used on you, it is quite relevant and true when it comes to the brutal arena of digital marketing.

A digital marketing strategy is not just something that sounds good to talk about in meetings or something to mumble when your boss asks you what you’re doing on Twitter in the middle of the day. When used properly, a digital marketing strategy can guide you and your business. It can be the Yoda figure that can guide almost every decision you make.

End Goal

This is the whole point of creating a marketing strategy. It’s your strategy’s reason for being. You’d be surprised how many businesses have a marketing strategy ‘because we should have one.’

Thinking about what you want from your strategy is not as simple as it sounds. Like arguing with your partner about who gets the remote control, you’ve got to have a clear idea of what you want and what success at the end of your strategy will look like.

This is no time to be vague. A mission statement of ‘We want to improve sales/make more money’ will absolutely not cut it. You need specifics. Do you want improved sales? How many? From what demographic? By when?

You’re not going to be a billion-dollar business by next Tuesday. Be realistic, focused and perhaps the most important, be honest with yourself.

Everyone on the same page

Your marketing strategy is obviously a secret to your competitors. It’s not, however, a secret from your colleagues. A good marketing strategy that everyone knows and understands can ensure that everyone pulls in the same direction. This can help your branding be consistent and on-message regardless of who is in charge of the Twitter account that day.

Creating a marketing strategy can force you to really analyze your business. What is your personality? How do you want to be viewed? Your brand personality should be genuine and authentic. Otherwise, the public will not want to interact with you. For example, if you’re a small firm of accountants, don’t attempt to be the Ernst & Young of the accountancy world as it won’t appear genuine, nor will it be likely to resonate well with your typical target client. This brings me nicely to my next point.

Do your research

Who are you targeting with your social media strategy? You need to have a clear idea of the demographic to whom you want to market (and a reason why) if you’re going to have a successful strategy. If you’re not entirely sure who this is likely to be, finding out who your customers are is always a useful exercise. There are a number of things you can do to help:

Review your orders: who has been buying from you/using your business?

Assess your followers on social media to determine a ‘typical’ brand advocate.

If it’s a new segment that you’d like to target, do some listening on social media to build up accurate personas of your new targets.

This is important, as your target demographic will dictate which media your strategy should focus on. If you’re going for over 65s, a witty Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram campaign is unlikely to be successful.

Natural Boosts

When you’re creating your strategy, have a look at your calendar. Are there any events that would complement your marketing strategies? A simple example would be a restaurant that wants more couples may naturally gravitate towards Valentine’s Day. Or you could alternatively do an anti-Valentine’s campaign promoting your takeaway services.

The point here is that there are certain events in the calendar that match your marketing strategy. National Beer Day was trending on Twitter on August 4. With some advance planning, a bar could incorporate this into their strategy and offer a promotion based around an online competition.

There is a lot more to a digital marketing strategy than ‘sell more things to more people.’ It takes a bit more thought and strategy, but when you have a solid base, you will find that many of the other elements seem obvious. If you’re still not sure how to build a great strategy, contact SK Consulting. We develop strategies that work for you.  And, just maybe, beer will be involved.  

How’s Your Marketing Working for You?

Do you sometimes feel like your business is missing something?  That your marketing strategy is little strategy and a lot of guessing? Maybe sales leads just aren’t closing, even though you have a great product. Or perhaps your top-of-funnel efforts simply aren’t generating enough leads in the first place.

You aren’t alone. Most businesses — a full 78%  — are dissatisfied with their sales conversion rates.

Regardless of what you’re selling or where your problem lies, there are six key elements of any effective marketing strategy. Marketing strategy doesn’t need to be difficult. Take a look at the following advice on how to make yours effective. 

1. Start with a compelling story. Effective marketing contains all of the elements of an irresistible story. These include characters (target audience); their challenges (pain points) and motivations (desired outcomes); a setting (connecting the dots); obstacles (to the desired outcome); the climax (the value your solution provides); and a conclusion (the delivery of that value).

Once you have these elements in place, you can begin to build the central message that demonstrates how your product or service takes audiences from where they are now to an ideal scenario in which their lives are improved.

Not sure where to begin? Consider tales that captivate you and provide your greater mission in life. Don’t worry if your answer seems silly or overly complex. Get your creative juices flowing, then write.

2. Develop technical expertise. As the number of messaging distribution channels continues to grow, the number of systems required to integrate these channels grows with it. You have to have much more than a passing understanding of the underlying technologies involved in the entire process to successfully establish metrics that enable you to manage a marketing program.

As your marketing efforts mature, be sure to invest in the technology, education, and personnel required to keep them effective over the long term.

3. Coordinate your messaging. All of your marketing efforts should be based on a unified strategy, meaning you should be telling a consistent story across all channels and customer touchpoints.

Disjointed messaging is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving meaningful ROI, but also one of the most common.

People refer to content marketing, social media marketing, and search engine optimization as three different things — as if each is a tactic that can get you there alone.  But, each of these tactics, and any others you use, should be part of a holistic strategy that centers around compelling content.

And speaking of content....

4. Content marketing leads the charge. Content should be the foundation of any modern marketing strategy.  AND your content should be authentic — it should stem from your unique brand story. Unfortunately, many companies still seem to produce content for its own sake, which ultimately gets them nowhere.

Great content is relevant to your customers and your brand, adding value for consumers in a way that aligns with your company’s larger mission.

5. Incorporate employee voices. Authentic content relies on your brand’s unique voice, and your employees are a part of that voice. Empower your employees to become brand advocates.  Have them share their story of why they work for you….and the products or services you offer. Many organizations are reluctant to let go of control in fear of what, or how, the employees will alter the marketing message. Stop it!

Rather than fear what they might say, business leaders and marketers should encourage employees to talk about the services and value their organization provides. If you trust your employees, they’ll typically reward that trust.

6. Focus on branding, not selling. Your marketing messaging should always center on telling your story, not selling your products or services.

Instead of trying to reach everyone, your story will resonate with the customers who share your values and draw them to you.  Have you ever received an advertisement from Apple telling you to BUY their product?  No, because Apple focuses on building relationships.

Apple’s marketing draws potential customers into its brand story, showing them what life is like when they live that story (by using Apple products). The results speak for themselves.

Marketing is both an art and a science, and if you’re struggling to do it right, take your cue from the experts. If you’re not sure where to start or how to implement the above strategies, contact SK Consulting today!  From Concept.  To Creation.  To Implementation.  We’re there with you every step of the way.

Social Media is More than a Promotional Platform

A common mistake that many people make as they're diving into social media is to limit their content to promotional updates. This is reflective of the traditional marketing world, but things have changed; now we build our marketing efforts on trust, engagement, and community.

There is, of course, a time and place for marketing and promotional messages, but don't limit yourself. Broaden your scope a bit. This will make your content more appealing and lessen the burden of creation.

What type of content can and should you post?

Adjacent content: It's a pretty safe bet that if someone is following you they're interested in what you offer and their interests probably don't stop there. Share content that's tangentially relevant to your business or something involving common interests of your audience. If you are a clothing retailer, you could post about up-and-coming beauty trends or news from a major designer.

Tips and tricks: Add value to the conversation by sharing content that will make your customers' lives easier (bonus points for tips and tricks that help them use your products or services).

Responses: Not every update has to stem from original ideas of yours; you can bounce off the ideas that other people are already posting. Social media relies on conversations, so jump in and be a part of them. This is a good way to get your account and brand more visibility.

Non-promotional company information: If your company does amazing volunteer work in your community, don't be shy about sharing it! If there's a rather impressive showing at a company party, you definitely want to share that. Giving a sneak peek into the culture within an organization goes a long way to building relationships by humanizing the brand.

Job openings: Social channels can be advantageous when trying to find new talent and publicize job openings. Job seekers are increasingly using social media as a way of learning about companies and their open positions; it's a match made in Internet heaven. Get those listings out there and be sure to highlight the most important ones.

Jokes: This is a tricky one, and it's more of a branding question than anything else. First, know what your brand is and what kind of personality it embodies. If humor is not a part of that, you might avoid this type of post. It can backfire and be incredibly awkward. Always err on the side of caution with sensitive topics. Once you've made sure the humor is acceptable, make sure it's actually funny, because a bad joke is just embarrassing.

Frequency of updates

"How often do I need to update my account?" is a common question, and there is no right or wrong answer here—no best practice set in stone. It simply depends on your audience, their appetite, and what you have to say. It's best to test and see what works best for you and your audience on each platform.

One universal fact is that social media status updates don't last long. The half-life of a tweet is around 18 minutes for most users. This doesn’t mean you should post that often, but that sending an update out doesn't mean it will remain visible for a long time. Users move on to more recent items in their newsfeeds quite quickly. So, keep an eye on how long your users are engaging and sharing something.

Again, it all depends on what is appropriate for your organization. News organizations or media publications could easily be expected to update multiple-to-many times per day, whereas a clothing retailer may turn off users. You definitely don't want to talk just for the sake of talking; if you don't have anything of value to add, don't post updates just to meet a quota. But, you do want to make sure your account updates regularly enough to entice users to follow along.

Engaging Your Audience

Ask for help: Want your community to help or participate in a particular way? Sometimes it's as simple as asking. If you've earned their allegiance by building value and investment into the relationship, you can ask for survey participation, product feedback, or whatever else you need.

Keep it simple: Too many options may as well be no options. If your audience isn't on a certain network, why would you promote that sharing option on your content? Conversely, if your main focus is B2B, you may (for example) not need to include Pinterest as a sharing option. Look at your social audience and match up your offerings with their behaviors.

Cross-promote for discoverability: There's nothing worse for a user than not being able to find your content. Ensure your blog is linked to your social properties. Keep all of your profile names the same across all social channels. Develop and sell a unique value proposition for each account. Why would a customer need to or want to follow you on Twitter, if they already follow you on Facebook? Make sure you give them a reason.

Monitor and listen: Monitor social channels as frequently as you can. Utilize services that will help push notifications to you so you can ensure you're not missing meaningful conversations across the web. There are countless apps for Twitter and Facebook available, and you can set up alerts, as well. Often the admin tools of various platforms will have this functionality built in. As you monitor, genuinely listen to what your customers tell you and respond accordingly.

Gamify: People enjoy competition and like being rewarded for achievements. Do a like and share contest for a chance to win tickets, a gift card, a free consultation.  Whatever works for your organization.

Social media is a great marketing tool – if it’s done right.  Inundating your platforms with useless information, posts, tweets, etc. is just downright annoying.  Be relevant!  If you need help developing your social media plan, contact the experts at SK Consulting!

Designing a Marketing Strategy: DIY or Hire the Experts?

For many small business owners, developing a well-planned marketing strategy places them firmly ahead of the competition. However, many businesses fail to establish a fully realized strategy, preferring instead to generate a few well-intentioned ideas they hope will magically come together. Unfortunately, hoping to “fake it until you make it” rarely turns out well, especially if your small business has limited marketing resources.

Applying careful consideration and foresight when developing your small business marketing plan can provide a strategic advantage against your less organized competition.  But, even the best initial marketing strategies typically have one thing in common: They’re not very good.

Finishing a first draft never leaves you with a perfected version of what you’re hoping to create. Sherlock Holmes was originally named Sherrinford Hope in the first draft of Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective series, who was then accompanied on his adventures by the good Dr. Ormond Sacker. (Hope and Sacker sounds like a real estate law firm, especially when compared to the iconic Holmes and Watson.)

Point is, the first draft of your marketing strategy will rarely be perfect. Creating a successful strategy requires taking a step back, identifying your most glaring mistakes and patching those areas to create a more comprehensive plan that actually meets your small business marketing needs.

Here’s what to keep in mind.

Work From Facts, Not Assumptions

In most cases, your initial small business marketing plan will be based on assumptions. While some of these assumptions may be based on experience or even some data, the vast majority of them will be based on what you believe correct rather than concrete information on what will actually benefit your business or its target audience. For example, you might think your customers will like a certain type of campaign (witty, educational, informative or downright crazy) because YOU like that type of thing.

Step outside your bubble!  Don’t assume your potential customers will like something just because you do.  If you’re basing the majority of your marketing plan on pure speculation, rather than data or intuition based on years of experience, your foundation for success becomes highly questionable.

Stay Open to Change

Staying too ridged to your initial marketing plan is a major hurdle many small businesses need to overcome when creating a successful strategy. It’s easy to fall into the trap of placing too much faith in the work you’ve already done and not fully consider what alternative strategies might offer a better return on investment.

Successful small business marketing strategies require constant testing, and a willingness to make changes and optimize wherever possible. While there will be times where the first draft of your marketing campaign will prove successful, don’t be complacent. There’s always room for improvement.

Accept Your Limitations

If you have no experience in the creation or implementation of a marketing strategy, you’re going to have little idea of whether your strategy is actually working. If you did, you wouldn’t be working off the first draft of a marketing strategy. You’d have previous experience to draw upon and data to work with. How can you minimize failure? You have two options: Learn by trial and error or hire a team like SK Consulting to handle your marketing strategy. We have the knowledge and know-how needed to help create, plan and execute a marketing strategy that will enable your business to better connect with your target audience and increase sales.

However, if you’re ready for the challenge and the steep learning curve that comes with creating your own small business marketing campaign, we can walk you through the steps.

SK Consulting wants you to have control of your marketing.  We teach our clients how to develop and implement a strategic, effective marketing plan.  If you need help conceptualizing and promoting your brand, contact us today!

The Who, What, When, Where and Whys of Social Media

While it can be exciting to have a ton of "likes" on Facebook or see millions of views on a YouTube video, if your business' goal is not solely building brand awareness or driving traffic, a social media following may not be a top priority for you.  If it is, then take the necessary steps to make sure your social media strategy works for you!

1. Choose Your Social Network Wisely

First things first, understand that just because there is a social network, doesn’t mean you need to be marketing on it. You need to understand what the platform really does, how people use it, and determine whether it makes sense for your business to have a presence.

Which social media platforms do your potential customers truly use? Your brand should live where they live so you have a better chance to connect and engage with them. Having great content on Twitter and a highly-active presence means nothing if they aren’t hanging out there.

Facebook

Facebook is still the social media powerhouse with nearly 80% of all internet users (68% of U.S. users) engaging with the platform.  But, the fastest growing demographic on the platform is not the Millennials that started it, but rather their Baby Boomer parents.

Of those aged 65 or older, 62% use Facebook. So, if you’re a wealth management firm marketing to people approaching and starting retirement, Facebook is the place you will want to be.

If your audience is not using Facebook in a work capacity, statistics prove that they are most likely still using the platform -- possibly as a distraction during work.

Creating an ad that speaks directly to your target audience, whether B2C or B2B, will encourage them to click and engage with you.

YouTube

YouTube is the second largest search engine with more than 3 billion searches a month. With video continuing to surge as a preferred form of content, it’s no surprise that YouTube is the third most-visited site on the web. Do you have “how to” information or tutorials you can show? Create a video and share on YouTube!

YouTube’s popularity has only increased with its inclusion in both Google’s web and video search (the platform is owned by Google). Having an active channel on this platform can only help you acquire followers and traffic to your site.

Twitter

One of the fascinating things about Twitter is its real-time appeal and international reach.

The platform supports 40 languages and more than 2/3 of accounts are based outside of the United States. Global brands can take advantage of this to create excitement about upcoming product or service launches.

LinkedIn

“Social media for professionals.” That’s how most people describe LinkedIn. Talk about a B2B marketer’s dream.

You can connect with people in your target industries (even as specific as to target companies you want to work with) and market to them directly. Or, as you’re looking to grow your business, you can use LinkedIn to recruit quality talent to hire on at your company.

Though these are the four most prominent, there are plenty of other social media platforms you can consider for marketing your business as well, including Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram and more. Just make sure to do your research and the ones you use are where your ideal prospects are. Choosing the right social network is the first step to building a strong presence and following there.

2. Complete Your Profiles (...Yes, Your Personal Ones Too!)

Now that you’ve determined where to build your profiles, do so. This seems like a trivial point to make but having complete profiles is necessary when trying to attract a good following.

Every social media platform has a summary area, profile picture, and cover photo where you can enter and showcase information about your business. Give users sneak peeks into what your company provides, but make sure to keep your branding (visuals and voice) consistent with who you are and what you provide.

3. Analyze Your Competitors

Something you should consistently be doing in marketing is analyzing your competitors. What networks are they active on? What kind of content are they sharing? How often are they sharing?

Understanding your competitor's social media engagement will help you establish a roadmap of what you should be doing as well.

4. Connect with Thought Leaders & Influencers

Connecting with industry influencers is a huge tactic in social media strategy. These companies or individuals are the thought leaders in your industry that your customers and target audience are following. Tap into the resource!

Follow industry professionals from content that you read or watch and share with your audience. Chances are, your followers have the same interest as you.

Do you attend annual events or conferences? Look up the speakers and connect with them on LinkedIn and Twitter. Start having virtual conversations about the event or tweet that you’re excited to be learning from them. If the speaker engages with you (which he or she should), then you may be mentioned in a post that reaches all of their followers as well.

5. Share Awesome Content

Sharing quality content for your audience members will help establish your company -- and personal brand -- as a thought leader within your own industry.

What to Share

The obvious thing to share is your own content. However, many companies get in the habit of only sharing their content, which can actually hurt you in the long-run. When it comes to sharing on social media, there are two very important points to make:

1. Be creative with your content:

Add images, gifs, videos and more to your posts to make them more enticing. People want to see more than just text and need something visually appealing to catch their eye. Including images on the following platforms can increase your engagement by up to 200% depending on the platform.

Connect with your audience in real time by utilizing live video.  Take advantage of this emerging trend and speak directly to your followers!

2. Don’t be a content snob:

Follow the 70-20-10 rule. In this practice, the content you are sharing should be adding value and building your brand 70% of the time, should be others’ posts and ideas 20% of the time and should only promote yourself or your business 10% of the time.

Yes, only 10% of your content on social media should be self-promotional. Why? Because this enables you to build trust with your followers and provide them with truly valuable content and information. Would you follow a company that only blasts you with promo offers all the time? Probably not.

When to Share

There are some general rules you can use when first getting started. Research shows that engagement rates are higher 18% of the time when posting to Facebook on Thursdays and Fridays.

Each of your platforms provides you with insights and analytics that you should be measuring over time. Create a sharing schedule for each platform and see when your posts receive the most engagement.

You can determine the day, time, and type of post to share to best reach your audience. The more they engage with your posts, the more your content will appear in other newsfeeds -- expanding your reach.

6. Utilize Paid Advertising

Now that you’re up and running on social networks, it’s time to take things one step further. Organic views in social media are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. Why? Because the platforms are smart and want you to pay to play. Social media advertising is one of the most cost-effective ways to engage with a new, targeted audience.

Facebook Advertising

Because of the number of people using Facebook, you have a good chance of reaching users whether you are trying to target internationally or to a smaller, local region. And you can control who you target.

Facebook’s advertising goes beyond targeting the common factors like gender, location, age, and job titles. You can get as specific as targeting people based on their life events (like those who have children, pets, etc.), finances, politics, purchasing behaviors and more.

Facebook allows you to take into consideration an endless amount of targeting capabilities within a user’s demographics, interests and behaviors.

LinkedIn Advertising

LinkedIn is the go-to social media platform for B2B marketers. Though you don’t have as many factors as Facebook, LinkedIn advertising can get pretty specific when building a target audience.

One feature that LinkedIn recently rolled out is Sponsored InMail. This allows you to send personalized messages to prospects to help reach members when they are most engaged. Your message is delivered to a specified target audience you build and sent only to members that are actively engaged on LinkedIn. Choose to send an introductory message about your business, a recently published resource or offer a free trial to your product or service.

7. Engage With Your Audience

Following the above steps will certainly help you build a strong social media following. Once you build your audience, you need to engage with them. Like posts you’re mentioned in, answer questions when asked and reply to comments made about your content. Social media is meant to be social!

Continue to engage with users and chances are you’ll not only see an increase in followers, but in customers too.

Need help developing a social media brand and plan?  Contact SK Consulting today!

Hey Job Seekers! Know Your Brand!

The first and foremost thing to remember while looking for a job is branding. How you brand yourself, determines your possibility of landing an interview and eventually a job.  Your brand is your why - your authentic, genuine and real purpose and value.  If you don’t truly understand your why, potential employers won’t either.  They will know if you are wanting their job for the paycheck or because your goals and mission are in alignment to theirs.

Searching for a job is an art.  Not everyone is adept in the art. Often people with the right qualifications and experience fall short of getting a job despite fitting the criteria perfectly.  Why?  Because he/she inevitably makes one of a few mistakes in their job search process. 

Here are some common mistakes that can hinder your chances of landing a job or even getting an interview:

1. Branding: Many job seekers don't brand themselves. Your resume and LinkedIn profile is not just a summary of your academic and work experience. It is where you lay the ground work for your brand. Your resume should reflect what you have done in the past and where you are headed. Employers look for an employee who has a clear idea of where they are headed.

2. Relevance: Most job seekers end up making resume in a way which just provides a summary of their academics and work experience. Instead of just listing out your achievement, you need to optimize your resume for the job applying for. Do not just list out your professional achievements but also mention how these will help you in the role you are applying for.

3. Value: Most of the times, job seekers do not know their own value and end up in roles not justified to their talent and qualification. Do your research well and re-brand yourself according to the market trends. As a job seeker, you should know your own worth and what value you can bring to an organization.

4. Network: Most job seekers when they begin searching for a job neglect their own network. As a job seeker, you can benefit from every connection you have. Channel out, let people know you are looking for a job and you might end up not just with information about job openings but also with possible referrals. Go to as many networking events as possible.  Ask friends to invite you as a guest to theirs.  You will show that you are a determined individual who isn’t afraid to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

5. Research Employer: Most job seekers, if they happen to land an interview, commit the mistake of not researching about their employer beforehand. Before an interview, you must research about your prospective employer. Learn about what they do and what they provide to a customer. Also learn about the role you are being interviewed for and what are the expectations attached with the said role. 

Understanding the role you are being interviewed to fill gives you the opportunity to understand whether or not your brand is a good fit with the company.  If it is, be armed with examples of how your personal brand and your professional experiences can benefit their organization.

If you are struggling to find your WHY or to understand and promote your brand, we can help!  Contact SK Consulting today! 

You Can’t Build a Brand Without TRUST

Building trust online is a gradual process. No matter what industry your business is a part of, trust is always a prerequisite. In fact, the importance of building trust online cannot be emphasized enough if you want your business to be a success. It can be the one factor that differentiates you from your closest competitor.

There are several ways to build trust in the online world. While some ways are more conscious, other elements impact people without them realizing its significance in the moment. For example, a prospective customer might go online to know the review of your product. However, if he reads in the reviews that the product of your competitor has better features than your product, it will more than likely affect his buying decision.

A decade ago, brands built trust by relying on their customers’ word of mouth. One satisfied customer would tell another potential customer about his user experience and that person would tell a third individual. However, in the online world, brands need to focus on building visibility if they want to establish a relationship of trust with their customers. When online users are repeatedly exposed to your brand's name and start viewing it as a reputable source of information, they are likely to make a purchase from you when the time is right for them since the trust is already in place.

Trust isn't something that you're entitled to. It has to be cultivated over a period of time. If you know how to reach out to your consumers intelligently and thoughtfully, you won't have a difficult time establishing trust. Trust is the main reason why branding is so important to all organizations. Brand awareness usually translates into trust, which converts into sales.

Today, brand awareness is built through social media, your website, emailers, and so much more. Brands need to understand that not every user experience is going to be a pleasant one. So when dissatisfied customers reach out to them on the above mentioned channels, they need to provide excellent customer service to keep the trust sustained.

People are more likely to recommend a brand they trust to their close family and friends. In the digital age, one doesn't need to call their loved ones to recommend a brand they love. A simple re-tweet or comment on Facebook can spread the word of your positive interaction with a customer to your followers as well as their friends. When people see that a user trusts you, they are bound to give your brand a try. Since trust is so important to customers, it should be important for brands by default.

Asking your users for online reviews, for example, can generate some negative feedback that might not be a thorough reflection of your brand. However, if your online reviews are a mix of positive as well as negative feedback, customers will appreciate the fact that the reviews aren't paid, which builds trust in the long run.

Trust is one aspect of your business that can rake in a lot of money if you build it correctly. Take the time and efforts to develop an honest connection with your audience and see how it positively affects your brand in the years to come.

If your business is struggling with the trust factor, contact SK Consulting today!  We can help you build on your strengths and develop the right messaging to reach your target audience. 

Branding: Planting an Idea, Growing a Business

Your small business doesn’t need to be a world-famous household name in order to have a strong brand.  But it does need to be nurtured so that it grows properly, in the direction and to the size expected.

There’s more to your brand than just your logo and a snappy slogan. It is the entire sum of what your company does, what you excel at and the experience your customers have with you. It determines whether customers join your loyalty club and refer you to friends — or don’t bother with you again.

If you don’t know what you do or why you do it, nobody else will.  Below are some guidelines to ensure that your brand is planted the right way and flourishes every day!

Know Specifically Why You’re in Business

In today’s competitive marketplace, you don’t want to be a “jack of all trades, master of none.” While it may be tempting to offer clients a wide menu of products and services, it’s important to keep your brand focused.

Specializing in one thing allows your small business to stand out in the market. Being an expert in what you do, and doing it better than anyone else, helps the marketplace see you as the #1 source. Your customers have specific needs, wants, values and characteristics. Ensure your brand lets them know you understand them, and can provide what they desire.

Clearly Define Your Brand Promise

Your brand promise is powerful. It’s the statement you make to your customers and target audience that lets them know what to expect every time they interact with you and your employees, products and services. It is based in reality, and it’s something you can prove. Your brand promise is why they can’t do without you and would never go anywhere else.

Need help? Complete this sentence: “My customers buy from us because we’re the only one that…” The more specific the answer, the clearer your brand promise will be.

Target Whom You Want to Serve

Your small business can’t do everything; likewise, it probably can’t serve everyone.

Your customers may skew toward certain demographic or socioeconomic groups. They may share a particular problem, interest or need. Your brand needs to connect with these people. They’re your target audience, the consumers you specifically aim to serve.

Be Honest and Authentic About Who You Are

Your brand has to talk the talk and walk the walk. Otherwise, you’ll present yourself inconsistently and confuse the marketplace. If you’ve clearly defined your audience and what sets you apart, authenticity should come easily. When it comes to your brand, be consistent and genuine. That will make it easier to build trust with your customers, connect with them and do repeat business.

Differentiate Yourself from the Competition

Knowing what you do best and being able to convey that to your target audience means knowing what you’re up against.

With that in mind, you must be aware of your strengths and your weaknesses. Learn how to accentuate the former and how to address the latter — or, even turn those weaknesses into positives. And don’t forget to add a bit of your personality or your desired culture into your brand.

Keep Your Messaging and Visual Identity Professional and Consistent

From business cards and logo to email newsletters and brick-and-mortar signage, all of your printed communications and sales materials should look, feel and sound like they come from the same source. Put your company slogan or tagline on everything — it’s your brand promise boiled down to a catchy, memorable phrase.

Ideally, your brand’s visual appearance and messaging:

• Reflect your brand’s personality and voice.
• Set you apart from the competition.
• Appeal to your target audience.
• Command attention.

Create a Dialogue with Your Customers

Sure, you talk to customers when they come in, call or email. That’s a conversation. But conversations end. Dialogues are ongoing.

How can you be interacting with customers even when they’re not doing business with you?

• Post video demos of your products or services to your Web site, Facebook page or YouTube.
• Put a poll on Facebook. It doesn’t need to be related to your business (e.g., ask them what movie they’re going to see this weekend).
• Solicit product reviews on your Web site and on Web sites where your products are sold.
• Respond proactively and professionally to any reviews you receive, especially the negative ones.
• Hold customer appreciation events; people love to know they matter.
• Share useful information; don’t just send advertisements.
• Share testimonials of satisfied customers.
• Use customer satisfaction surveys.

Give Customers a Great Experience at Every Point of Contact

In our digital age, it’s both easier and harder than ever to reach your customers. They’re only a click away. They may never meet you face to face. Make customer service a core value at all levels of your business. Become known as a brand that delivers a terrific experience. Your customers will reward you.

Think of everything you do in terms of customer service, even if you’re not directly dealing with customers. 

Consider the impressions they get when they:

• See your ad, mailing, Facebook page, newsletter or Web site for the first time.
• Walk into your place of business.
• Call you.
• Place an order over the phone or Web.
• Send you an email inquiry.
• Sign up for your mailing list.
• Return to make another purchase.

While it may seem like extra work, these extra touches do matter. More than 50 percent of consumers recommend a company to others because of great customer service.

These tips may seem to take a lot of effort. If you need help developing and promoting your brand, contact SK Consulting.  From Concept to Creation to Implementation, we’re there with you every step of the way!