Effectively Marketing Your Global Software Company

There is a lot of content out in the cyber sphere to help small business owners and entrepreneurs develop and implement their marketing strategy.  We’ve written a lot about that too.  But, it is important to note that global companies benefit from a strategic and concise marketing plan as well. 

More often than not, national and international companies have large teams dedicated to the entire marketing spectrum.  But, it’s tough to manage such a large team, hold them accountable and obtain the KPIs needed to determine if the ROI is positive or not.

It’s also tough to determine the starting point.

Let’s take a global software company as an example.  A strong marketing strategy for this industry isn’t as easy as it may sound.  Tech marketers have to clearly convey the complexities of their products and services, while fighting for a spot among a market flooded with new technologies. To stand out, you need to take your brand’s marketing strategy to the next level.

Developing a Quality Marketing Strategy for Software Companies

It isn’t enough to get a few placements in a trade publication or invest in a few Google Ad Words to achieve maximum brand exposure. A good marketing strategy for software companies requires a multi-platform approach backed by an experienced, talented team that can turn the spotlight toward your company and products.

• Tell your brand’s unique, personal story. Many tech companies make the mistake of giving in to overly technical jargon in their communications. While you need to explain exactly what your software offers, don’t forget to personalize your marketing efforts. Tell the story of how your software has changed businesses for the better. Also, weigh in on broader conversations in your industry to establish yourself as a thought leader.  What is the problem you are solving and what do customers have to say about it?
• Understand who is buying your product. When it comes to software, the buyer journey isn’t always obvious (especially for B2B companies) because the user isn’t necessarily the one making purchasing decisions. A marketing strategy for software companies might target buyers, users, purchase influencers and even the C-suite. You need to develop thorough, accurate buyer personas that guide your web design and digital marketing process to ensure you’re reaching the people who actually make buying decisions. Decision makers receive a lot of proposals and pitches – make sure yours speaks to their needs and include the differentiator.
• Invest in social media for the long run. It’s easy to build a Facebook page, but it’s harder to master the platform. You need to commit to investing time and money in your social strategy. While many companies quickly dole out social media responsibilities to part-time interns, use an experienced, talented communicator that can effectively represent your brand. More often than not, you get what you pay for.  Understand where your target audience is getting their information and invest in those platforms accordingly.
• Employ a steady, consistent SEO strategy. Like social media, SEO is not necessarily a quick and easy endeavor. A robust online presence comes gradually. Don’t abandon your SEO efforts if you don’t see immediate effects. To get real results, you need consistent keyword research and shareable content that will cement your website as an information hub and boost rankings on search engines. Again, what is the problem your product or service addresses?  What are your prospective clients searching for?  Do you have the right terms embedded in the content throughout your website, marketing collateral and other platforms?

If you work for a software company or other technical company, make sure you employ the right team to translate and properly promote your services.  The landscape for your industry is quite competitive, so you have to be smart in how you define, promote and sell your products.  

If you don’t have the budget of a Fortune 500 company, but do compete with them, contact the team at SK Consulting.  Our dedicated team helps maximize your exposure while minimizing your cost.  From concept to creation to implementation – we’re there for you every step of the way!

Marketing: An Essential Investment. Not a Replaceable Cost.

Marketing can mean many things to different people.  Some use the term interchangeably with branding or advertising.  But, really, marketing is the umbrella of all services to from messaging to branding to positioning to selling.  In essence, marketing is the act of persuading people to buy a product or service.

However, it’s not just ANY product or service – you need to convince customers to buy YOUR product or service, not your competitor’s.

The marketing realm is getting harder and harder to navigate.  Not only is competition in your specific industry fierce, but so is the marketing landscape.  There are a variety of mediums, channels and resources to ‘help’ push out your product or service.  But, which one is the best for your business?  The more avenues that open, the lower your reach in any specific medium.

Today’s world is changing.  Attention spans are smaller.  The market space is larger.  And the introduction of GDPR last year has given marketers a whole new challenge. Nailing down a marketing strategy today is like trying to hit a moving target.

If it’s hard for marketing professionals, imagine trying to conquer the field on your own.  You see, there are two types of capital – time and money.  Would you rather spend your time learning every nuance of marketing and hope your strategy works or would you rather spend your money on a marketing professional(s) who gets it?  The latter frees up your time to do what you do best – YOUR BUSINESS.

As a full-service marketing business, we get it.  Talking about money with entrepreneurs or small businesses is difficult because they are on a shoe-string budget.  And, as mentioned before, many organizations are wary of where to apply the bulk of their budget since there are many different channels and strategies in which to invest.

Admit it – every company needs marketing – even marketing companies. Whether you have a product, service or an idea, it requires support and encouragement to make its way into the world.

When SK Consulting started, we focused on local businesses and non-profits.  As time passed, our portfolio grew, as did our services.  We have built upon our brand and offer a unique business model to local, regional and global organizations.  We work for businesses with varying budgets because we know, like snowflakes, no two businesses are alike.   Templates are not the answer. Customization is.

This is how we sell our service.  Yes, marketing is an investment. At SK Consulting, we provide you options.  Hourly.  Project-by-project.  Retainer.  We provide options so that you can see for yourself that an investment in the right marketing is a positive investment in your company.

The Marketing Sell

So why isn’t marketing an easy sell? It’s about positioning and perception. Some marketing agencies promise way too much ‘return on investment.’ But all benefits can’t be measured.  There is qualitative return AND quantitative return.  The fact of the matter is – if a marketing company doesn’t deliver, the relationship sours as does their reputation.

That being said, your marketing company should promise SOMETHING!  Deliverables.  Dedication.  Availability.  Strategy.  Research. Budget Recommendations.  The list goes on. Agencies that don’t promise anything, in fear of falling short, are doing themselves a disservice. This makes selling marketing solutions harder because there’s no visible benefit for the buyer.

When and Where to Invest

Again, marketing isn’t an expense, it’s an investment in the company. From product and package design to how many words are on the front page of your website, everything that communicates with the customer is a marketing decision, and therefore an investment in your business’ future. If you engage with the right kind of agency, marketing won’t cost you money in the long run – it’ll make you money. Just like with any investment, you have to part with your cash in the initial stages and put your trust in sensible and well-practiced predictions to see a return.

Marketing is not an expense the way a box of pens or internet service is an expense. Every social media profile, radio ad, or tweet directly impacts your business’ bottom line. If these things (or any marketing initiative) have the power to sell a product or service, and we know for a fact they do, then failing to utilize them properly, or at all, is business suicide.

Essentially, if expense is what you’re focused on, marketing will always be scary or frustrating.

It doesn’t have to be. Allow yourself to see marketing as a direct investment from which strong bottom lines flow. Conversely, bad marketing chokes off the flow of strong sales, allowing competitors and substitute products to cut off a chunk of pie originally meant for you. Marketing is the science of investing in your business and your products for the long-term (not focusing obsessively on early ROI – ESPECIALLY if you are a new business). The money might not flow right away, but the investment will pay off.

Keep building the plan, much the way you’d build a house. If done correctly, the sum will end up greater than the parts. Like anything in life, you simply must invest wisely.  When looking at marketing partners, don’t look at the cost of their services.  Look at the value they bring to your overall brand.  Shop around.  Find the best fit for you and your organization.  In the end, you won’t see a return if you don’t invest.

Your Personal Brand Determines Your Success

Personal branding is more than just a 30-second elevator pitch used to introduce yourself. While it is important to quickly and concisely explain who you are and what you can bring to the table, personal branding goes much deeper than that; it is a vital key to small businesses and entrepreneur success.

What Is Branding?

The definition of brand has evolved over time. Today, when most businesses talk about their brand, they are referring to the thoughts, ideas and feelings people associate with it and the image they are trying to convey to their target audience. Brand marketing is a way companies promote their products and services in order to attain the desired perception, distancing themselves from the competition and creating a bond with their customers.

What Is Personal Branding?

Just as a business’ brand is a representation of the company’s image as others see it, personal branding is the way others see you. It is what sets you apart from the world – what makes you uniquely you.

Why Personal Branding Is Important

As small business owners and entrepreneurs, your personal brand can be the strongest marketing tool you have. It can get your foot in the door with potential clients and help you establish a reputable standing in your industry.

1. Your business is tied to your name.

When it comes to new businesses, your name can be more valuable than the business itself. Who would you rather do business with: the company whose owner is constantly missing deadlines or the owner who goes above and beyond to deliver what is promised and then some? By having a strong, positive personal brand, you set your business up for success.

2. It answers why someone wants to work with you.

Being transparent with your views and opinions helps potential clients easily decide if they can envision working with you. If clients establish that their values are aligned with what your name represents, they will feel confident in their decision to work with your company. Your brand is also a way to show what you know and what you are passionate about.

3. It sets you apart from competitors.

By taking the time to define your personal brand, you’ll stand out from competitors. Even if you offer similar products or services, your personal branding can highlight what makes you different (or better) than anyone else. Ask yourself what makes you unique and build on that.

How To Build Your Brand

Everyone has a name. While your name is how your brand is identified, building the reputation to go with it requires time and hard work.

1. Define who you are.

What are the top three things you want people to know about you?  What are the top three things you want people to know about your business?  Take a look at where the two meet and start building your brand there.  Essentially, what do you believe in, stand for and excel in?  By being true to who you are and owning your strengths and weaknesses you build trust.

2. Speak up and share your knowledge.

Once you know who you are, the next step is sharing what you know. Don’t be afraid to speak up and offer your experiences and insights to your audience. By being open to answering questions, you will start to build yourself and your brand as an authority figure people will look to for answers.

Do not be closed off to people who have different opinions and views than your own. Remaining open to feedback can help you increase your knowledge of the topics being discussed.

3. Get your words out there.

Another way to share your knowledge and build your authority is by writing articles and participating in interviews. As you build your coverage and are quoted in more articles, your brand’s credibility will also increase. Blogs are a great tool to share your knowledge with the world in written form. What makes them even better is that writing with keywords in mind has the added benefit of making it easier for potential clients to find you through SEO.

4. Get connected online.

As you build your personal brand, make sure your message is consistent across all platforms. By keeping your message and information uniform it will be easier for people to find and follow you. When was the last time you searched for your name online? Do you remember what came up in the results? You need to be aware of how you look online so you can make sure what you want people to see is what is out there. It is a continual process of monitoring and improving.

5. Never stop learning

The world is constantly and swiftly changing and evolving. Stay on top of the latest trends and new technologies for your industry to increase your personal brand authority. If you are not striving to move forward, you’re sinking in place.

6. Share the conversation.

Follow the 80/20 rule.

While you want everyone to know who you are and what you are about, it shouldn’t always be about you. In social settings, do you only talk about yourself? If you do, people probably don’t stick around!

The same principle should be applied to your personal branding efforts.

• 80 percent of your content should engage with your followers through material that is not related to yourself or your business. Ask questions, show interest in others and be genuine in your contact.
• 20 percent should be self-promotional, informing individuals about your brand and any promotions or updates you may have.

By sharing the conversation with others, you open up the floor to engaging and interesting topics, meeting new people and creating a positive environment for people to follow.

If you are struggling to develop a personal brand that is clear, concise and consistent, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  From concept to creation to implementation – we’re there with you every step of the way!

More than a Plan. You Need a Marketing STRATEGY!

No matter what kind of organization you own or work for, developing a marketing strategy affects every aspect of your business. A successful strategy is well thought out and presents measurable goals. The end result of your marketing strategy should be something that improves sales for your business.

Designing a marketing strategy can be daunting. Especially, if you are not a marketing guru. At SK Consulting, we help walk you through the process of developing an effective marketing strategy without getting overwhelmed. Having a functioning and fluid marketing strategy will set you apart from your competition and set you up for success.

Researching and understanding your market is a big part of the process. This is not a process where you want to skip to the end. That will not guarantee you the best results.

What are the key parts of developing your marketing strategy? The first is to clarify your business goals.

Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals for Your Business

The best way to set your business goals is by using the acronym S.M.A.R.T. Smart goals are identified as specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-sensitive goals. Don’t be vague. Instead of making your goal, “get more customers.” A more effective goal would be, “reach x customers by y date.”

This goal clearly states a tangible achievement in a certain period of time. S.M.A.R.T. goals allow you to track your progress and celebrate small wins or re-evaluate your marketing strategy down the road.

Identify Your Marketing Goals Based on Your Business Goals
Next, you should identify your marketing goals. Your marketing goals should also be S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Your marketing goals function as an action item for your overall business goals. Whatever goal you set for your marketing strategy, it should lead to the outcome that you want for your business (i.e. reach x customer segment by y date).

Your marketing goals should not change constantly. They should be a steady goal that can be increased or revised once your previous goal is achieved.

Learn Your Market
It’s hard to surpass your competition if you don’t know what they or your potential customers are doing. Getting to know your market is key for you to develop your marketing strategy. Know and understand demographics, size, social trends and growth so that you can create a strategy that is relevant.

Continuous research will allow you to tweak your marketing strategy over time to keep it targeted and applicable to your market.

Create Potential Customer Profiles
After you’ve researched your market, it’s time to dig deeper.

You will want to create profiles of your potential customers so that you understand who you are trying reach. Your marketing plan should be highlighting your potential customers’ needs and providing a solution.

For this, you will have to understand the needs of your potential customers and their buying trends.

Understanding your potential customer will allow you to develop a marketing strategy that specifically targets them.  Remember, just because you like something doesn’t mean consumers will.  People want to feel like you understand what they want and that you are providing them a much-needed product or service.

Potential customer profiles can help you maintain a long-lasting relationship with your customer base. After all, the best kind of customer is a returning customer!

Get to Know the Competition

In order to develop a marketing strategy that yields results, identifying and understanding your competition is crucial. You cannot stay ahead of the competition if you do not know what they are doing.

You will want to identify your competitors’ products, supply chain, prices and marketing tactics.  What are they successful at?  What can you do better?  What opportunities are they missing? Learn what your competitors’ weaknesses are, and humbly acknowledge their strengths.

While scrutinizing your competition, it’s important to take a good, hard look at your own practices.  Analyzing your internal strengths and weaknesses will help you create and maintain your competitive edge. Where is your business falling short? How can you do it better?

Learn as much as you can about your competitors and stay in the know of any new developments in your industry.

Developing a Supporting Marketing Strategy Plan
Once you have completed all of the previous steps, you’ll have all the information you need to develop a marketing strategy!

If one of your goals is to reach a younger market segment, your strategy could be to increase your social media presence and offer discounts specifically for students or certain schools.

While you develop your marketing strategy, be sure to consider the 7 P’s of marketing: product, price, promotion, people, place, process and physical evidence.

SUMMARY

Once you develop a marketing strategy, give it a test run. Researching and testing your ideas will allow you to maintain a marketing strategy that is effective and successful.

Measure your results.  Establish your benchmarks.  Set a schedule to re-evaluate your results.

If you are overwhelmed with the thought of developing a marketing strategy, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  From Concept to Creation to Implementation – we’re there for you every step of the way!

Content Strategy, Content Marketing. What’s the Difference?

Content strategy and content marketing are often confused and treated as interchangeable words. But, they’re actually two very different things. 

To give you a visual – think of content marketing as a pie and content strategy as the plate on which it is set.  Tasty, but the difference goes deeper.

What is Content Marketing?

Think of content marketing as one aspect of your complete content strategy. It is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

Typically, the content used for content marketing guides individuals through the sales funnel.  It serves to attract customers and build meaningful relationships with them. 

That includes content in the form of:

• Blog posts
• Case studies
• Social media posts
• eBooks
• Whitepapers
• Landing page copy
• Email marketing copy

All of these content types help to form the foundation of a content strategy. 

What is Content Strategy?

Content strategy refers to the overarching plan you have for every piece of content related to your business. Content strategy concerns itself with the vision—the ins and outs of how and why your content will be created, managed, and eventually archived or updated.

Think of content strategy as a building blueprint.

Blueprints are mapped out and confirmed before any building work begins. Your content strategy should work in the same way, outlining the objectives of your content, as well as the delivery of it.

However, content strategies shouldn’t be set in stone, either. New channels, devices and trends are constantly emerging.  Your strategy needs to be fluid enough to accommodate changes. Ask yourself the following before moving forward with content distribution:

• Why are we creating this content?
• What audiences do we want to address?
• What kind of actions and reactions do we want to achieve?
• How will we promote the content once it’s published?
• How will our audience find our content?
• Where and when will you be publishing your content?
• Who is in charge of creating your content?
• How will you maintain your brand style across various platforms?

Fully executing your content strategy will take a lot more than just answering the questions above, but they should help provide a workable foundation.

1. Set Measurable and Achievable Goals

In order to measure the success of your content marketing campaign, have clearly defined goals and objectives. Each piece of content should be created in order to achieve a desired end result. That might include more leads for your business, increased email sign-ups or more social media followers.

On the flip side, if you publish content based on a whim, you’ll fall short of adding to the message your brand was set up to convey, and end up diluting it instead. 

2. Build Journeys

In addition to aligning your content with your organization’s goals, you need to include the journey you want your audience to take. The content you publish on social media and on your website shapes that journey.

The goal of your content should be to speak to prospects at multiple points throughout their journey to inform them further and thus guide them down your sales funnel. From the time they first come in contact with your company, to when they finally make the decision to buy from you — you should have content for every step of the way.

3. Choose Content Types

Producing content is great, but what kind of content best conveys the message of your organization? You may want to consider things like infographics, YouTube videos, testimonials, and other content types to complement your standard blog posts.

4. Define Distribution and Promotion Channels

Once your content is created, where will you send it? Identifying the most relevant channels for your organization is the key to gaining more traffic and converting more customers. 

You need to think about the most suitable social networks to focus on.  Where does your audience live?  Are they on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn?  Find the online communities that allow for engagement with your current and prospect base.

5. Create an Editorial Calendar

Your content strategy and marketing efforts need to come together like clockwork, and this is where your editorial calendar comes into play. Your calendar should outline when and where content should be published, right down to the most active times of the day for each channel. 

Serving Separate Purposes

There is a significant overlap between content strategy and content marketing efforts — and yet they serve separate purposes.

Content strategy explains the whys and hows that overarch every piece of content created. Content marketing is made up of the processes that work to create and promote that content. 

Many organizations jump right into dishing out content before ever stopping to think about the underlying strategy. The solution is to implement both short-term and long-term content strategies that will help you build a focal point based upon your content marketing goals. 

Need help creating a content strategy?  SK Consulting can help!  From concept.  To creation.  To Implementation.  We’re there for you every step of the way!

Attention Startups! Branding Is Important!

Are you planning on setting up a new business? Or are you already on your startup adventure? No matter what stage you are at in your business life cycle, the two areas of importance are: what to do before investing in branding and after you implement brand identity design.

What is brand identity design?

We have all heard the word, ‘branding’.  Some understand it well and others think they do.  But, when the term ‘brand identity design’ is used, the majority of people (even the smartest of the smarts) get confused. To keep things clear: branding is an act of forming and improving the perception of a business in the eyes of its customers. Artists might appreciate the fact that, in essence, branding is an abstract concept. Brand identity design, on the other hand, refers to tangible items. It’s a design package which includes logo design, business stationery, promotional items, etc.  Brand identity design encompasses the official brand colors and fonts, making sure it is consistent across all platforms.   

Before investing in branding

You really should decide whether and how much you are going to invest in branding before you complete your research and development stage. Why? Because branding has a direct impact on the recognition of your business. The sooner you introduce your startup to the world in terms of visual exposure, the better you’re going to do when you actually enter the market with your products or services.

Every business owner should know that marketing starts before the launch of a product or service.  The process requires time.  Branding, however, should start as soon as the decision on your company’s name is set. Design your logo so it sets the tone for your vision.  Then start showing the world your logo so they can start to wonder what it stands for.  Start building the excitement.  Once people remember your logo, they’ll eventually recognize your ads without even seeing your name but by simply connecting the design principles (colors, fonts, layout) to your brand’s standards.

After implementing brand identity design

The brand identity design includes a variety of items that should be designed by the same person or team for consistency. Imagine a professional, luxury real estate business with stationery that doesn’t exactly match its logo and website or a set of envelopes and papers that are different than the symbol they are promoting. Counterproductive!

No matter how extraordinary your company’s services may be, customers may have trouble taking the business seriously. Instead, they will go to a competitor that took care of such simple details. The point? An investment in branding is a simple and worthy way to either gain a competitive advantage or to keep up with the competition.

This is especially true for startup businesses.  The first few months are crucial for survival – let alone the ability to compete with long-standing companies with deep pockets. Startups can’t afford to lose a client because of minor inconsistency across branding elements.  This is an easily avoidable situation.

It is almost an understatement to say that startups have a limited budget.  But, the great thing about effective BRANDING is that the cost is minimal.  Unsure where to start?  Contact the experts at SK Consulting!  From concept.  To creation.  To Implementation.  We’re there with you every step of the way!

Attention Startups! Effective and Efficient Marketing is a Must!

We all would love to win the lottery.  And in the entrepreneur and startup world, landing a large investment at the onset is just as likely as winning said lottery.  So, it’s likely that you don’t have a great deal of cash to spend on marketing for your business. And that sucks.  But, you can still develop an effective and efficient, successful marketing plan – even with limited resources.  How?

The majority of startups don’t have enough money to hire a marketing expert right away. Therefore, it’s up to you to determine the best route to take to get the word out regarding your startup. If you’re working with a very small budget, the road to success can get tough. But, keep the faith because here are a few guidelines that will get you started in the right direction.

1. Solidify your brand.

You must have a solid concept regarding what your business is, what you desire to accomplish, and why it even exists before you can even think about launching a successful marketing campaign. Make sure you know exactly who you are, since understanding this will greatly help you determine how to position both you and your company.

·         Stay true to yourself.

Be yourself and stay true to your original business concept. Show people who you really are and don’t pretend to be somebody you’re not.

·         Determine why you’re unique and what sets you apart from your competitors.

This is your key selling point. What can you offer the world in a special and unique way that no one else can? If you’ve ever watched Shark Tank, you know how detrimental it is to show up without a solid understanding of what sets your business apart and what the competitive landscape is.  The Sharks will rip you apart…and so will your prospects.

·         Be consistent when presenting your image.

Don’t try to change your image to attract a variety of audiences. Present a consistent overall look and feel so you’re crystal clear about who you are.

If your business is experiencing an identity crisis, it’s best to address it prior to marketing your company. If a brand is continually changing their approach or image, it can be a huge red flag to potential customers. While every startup will inevitably face challenges that will make them rethink or even second-guess certain things, branding is the one aspect that you can control 100 percent right from the start.

Simple tip: Use the same company name and your name consistently.  If people know you as James T. Kirk, then use that name everywhere in exactly the same way.  Don’t be James on your business card and then Jim on LinkedIn.  The same is true with your company name.  

2. Clearly define your key goals and metrics.

The less money you have to work with, the more you need to be completely clear and detailed concerning your goals. Of course, you want to make money, but not every marketing endeavor is going to make money. Therefore, you need to figure out all the potential outcomes in terms of what you actually consider ‘success’; whether that means a certain amount of lead generations, more subscribers to your list, or more traffic to your website. All of these things combined mean more publicity regarding your startup and can eventually result in making more money.

3. Determine your budget.

This is a complicated, yet simple step. Determining your budget simply means figuring out how much cash you can actually afford to spend on marketing and how much time you can spend both planning and managing your marketing campaign?

This step often confuses people since they don’t exactly know the amount of money it requires to achieve results. It’s kind of like “which came first, the chicken or the egg” scenario.  Unfortunately, no magic number exists. For most startups, this dollar amount boils down to putting aside only as much as you can spare.

Tip:  Focus on internet spending first.  Other marketing avenues can come once money flows in.

4. Choose your target niche.

Although your products may appeal to the masses, that also presents somewhat of a problem when marketing your business. Overall, the more customers you desire to reach, the more money and time you will need to pull it off. Choose a segment, or niche, of your potential audience and focus on that. Not only will it decrease your marketing expenses, it makes sense regarding messaging.

5. Follow and engage with your audience through social media.

In order to succeed, you need to market your brand where your potential customers are. If your niche is in the fashion industry, using Pinterest is a great way to connect to your female-based audience. However, if you want to reach young male gamers, Pinterest is not the ideal social media channel to use.

Study the various social media outlets and find out where your target audience hangs out so you can connect with them. Spend your time and resources on the ones that are most conducive to your brand.

6. Focus on quality content and audience interaction.

Although you may not have a great deal to offer people in terms of discounts and giveaways in order to attract potential customers, you can present good, quality content that’s related to your target audience.

The most successful brands continually share interesting content that’s frequently not obvious advertising or a direct call for action. They often post and share ideas that their audience is most interested in. Interact with your audience. Directly connect with them by responding to their comments. This is huge in terms of building a long, trustworthy relationship with your potential customers.

7. Know your partners and potential partners.

Find key experts within your particular industry and start interacting with them. Follow your brand’s influencers on Facebook and Twitter without coming right out and asking them to directly promote you. Simply continue to comment and share the good content they keep posting. The key is to develop a solid relationship with people. You can do that by continuing to publish useful content that your audience can benefit from. Over time, one of your brand’s influencers will eventually notice it and then share it, which results in getting you exposed.

8. Listen and observe.

You can’t simply launch a marketing campaign and receive instant results. It doesn’t work that way in the real world. You must listen and pay close attention to what’s actually happening.  See what is trending in the news and on social media.

Chances are your initial marketing efforts will probably fail. Successful marketing is all about refining your methods so you can determine what works best for you. Go back and evaluate each step of your campaign. What areas can you improve upon? Are you targeting the wrong audience? Are you using the wrong social media channels for your particular niche?

Marketing your startup can be overwhelming.  There are so many components to consider that you may feel like a failure before you even start.  Don’t go it alone.  Enlist some help.  SK Consulting would be happy to help you effectively and efficiently navigate the marketing landscape.  From concept to creation to implementation – we’re there with you every step of the way!

Content Marketing for Non-Profit Organizations

It’s no secret that the majority of nonprofits work on a limited budget.  Employing a fully-staffed communications team is typically unheard of.  Many rely on freelance writers, editors and designers to help them develop content. Higher education institutions tap their alumni to make connections with each other, generating content to draw more alumni into donating to their alma mater. Organizers in the nonprofit world, especially those who are conscious of every donated dollar they spend, should embrace the high ROI of content marketing.

No matter how an organization generates content, it is a necessity for them to understand their audiences and be able to tell their most authentic stories. The more targeted, the better. This means that content managers should continually develop new strategies to add to their arsenal of best practices. 

How can this be done?

1. Segment your donors.

When program staff and nonprofit managers become more aware of their target audiences, they become clearer about how to craft unique messages, and begin framing their content towards getting specific results.

This may require some research and data analysis of your donor portfolios, but segmenting your donors, or grouping them into categories (such as place-based locale, giving amounts, or issue-based interests), will allow you to integrate storytelling, story gathering, program planning, and monitoring and evaluation all into your content marketing strategy.

2. Craft audience personas.

With some light research into your donors, nonprofits can learn about donors and alumni by how they interact with your web pages, your calls to action, your social media feeds, and your e-newsletters and donation clicks. Nonprofits can use this data to create an audience persona, or multiple audience personas based on your donor segmentation research.

Audience personas can help your team create content for a more specific group of supporters than ‘the general public.’ These audience personas, developed and based on actual supporters (or potential ones), can give direction on how to create content in the personalized ways your donors like.

3. Plot your supporters’ journey.

When you ask people to take on your cause, it has to be something the donor feels speaks to their own goals. How you craft your content will depend on what you believe is your supporters’ journey. Plot the supporters’ journey with clear calls to action and share relevant stories that help them see how supporting your organization’s cause or mission allows them to succeed in their own goals.

Organizations often frame content from an internal projection, rather from the donor’s point of view. Make your content about the donor, not only about your organization.

4. Encourage constituents in sharing their story.

Your most powerful, often overlooked, and untapped resources for authentic storytelling are the people you serve. With some initial investment of time and training, and sensitivity to constituents’ comfort in sharing their struggles, failures and successes, constituents who share their stories can become the nonprofits most impactful storytellers.

Constituent personal experiences ring true to donors in ways and words that scripted mission and vision statements cannot. When a person who has benefited from your organization’s programs can speak to how effectively your interventions addressed their problems in unique, highly-personal, and innovative ways, those stories reveal the profound ways in which your organization values and measures success.

5. Allow for authentic voices to tell your organization’s story.

Nonprofits, whether they recognize it or not, naturally attract authentic storytellers. Your message drew them to you, and they want to give back, and share the purpose of your organization’s mission. That’s why they showed up.

And don’t overlook your staff!  They were drawn to your organization for a reason as well.  Why do they show up every day?  What does your mission mean to them?  Everyone has a story to tell and theirs could be key to a great campaign for your organization.

6. Set clear guidelines on how individual stories highlight your organization’s mission.

Some precaution and clear guidelines should be established with constituents, volunteers and staff when their individual stories are used to highlight the organization’s work and mission.

Make sure you get signed waivers for all photographic images and text.

Add time at the tail end of deadlines for stories to be properly reviewed for cultural and political sensitivities that might create difficulties for constituents, volunteers or staff whose stories are featured.

Add disclaimer-like language in the “ask” part of the content to make sure donors know they are giving to the organization, not the individual, and that giving to the organization adds to the collective impact on the community at large.

7. Build content marketing into your programming.

When planning events and programming, consider how to capture the events; how to frame the story of each activity to your donors and supporters; or the policymakers you want to hear your perspectives.

Try to have all visits, talks and trainings documented through video, in pre-event montages or post-event interviews. Often this documentation cannot be done by staff delivering the programming, but could be an ideal job for a volunteer, student or intern to show your mission in action.

Nonprofit organizations often go to great lengths to plan events, but neglect to create a content marketing strategy for how to capture these experiences and share them widely to donor audiences.

8. Assess what content marketing strategies work best for your target audiences.

Nonprofit organizations need to think strategically about communications – outline a plan; write it down; set measurable goals’ and assess them.  Not all steps have to happen in one year, nor in the order outlined here.

Developing branding, the time taken to review and analyze the organization’s content, has incredible intrinsic value. Often, organizations find a new voice, uprooting old organizational mindsets and changing the ways in which success is measured.

Highlighting your organization’s impact on the personal, community and social levels widens the net of who your content speaks most authentically to and helps open links for you to connect with new donors, volunteers and supporters.

Attention Start-Ups! Your Branding and Website Matter!

It’s no question that starting your own business can be overwhelming.  There are so many plans to implement, tasks to complete and strategies to develop to make your business a success.  It’s crucial to get your name out there to create awareness and establish your brand.  But, before promoting your grandiose idea – it’s important that you understand your business, your message, your brand…and have the tools in place for others to be able to understand as well. 

The first thing your potential customers will see is your brand name. How you have chosen to illustrate this reinforces what sets you apart from the competition. Many small businesses and start-ups do not spend enough time thinking about their brand and this can have a serious impact on their business.

Along with your brand identity and logo, your website is an important branding tool.  This is where people go to find out all about you and your business and the products and services you offer. Having a website isn’t enough.  You need an eye-catching website that serves as your online shop front and explains why visitors need your product and or services.

Why do you need effective branding and an exceptional website?

1. Website and branding build credibility

A website is crucial to a start-up because it’s where you sell your products and ideas, make a connection with your customers and build trust. These days having a website is a basic requirement.  If you can’t be found online or your web presence isn’t up to standard, then you can wave goodbye to your credibility and getting the attention of new customers. Without a website that is easy to find and easy to navigate, you cannot expect your customers to find out information about you and your products.

Your website should be visually appealing and professionally designed to attract visitors. Think about how you want your brand to be portrayed and reflect this in your web design as your potential customers will judge you on first impressions.  And remember, the design and flow of your website should align with your industry and how your target audience does research.

To make sure your website reflects a professional image that is inviting and engaging consider the following:

• Test to ensure your website looks good and performs well in all browsers.
• Make sure your website looks good on a mobile device. Increasing mobile usage means your website needs to be optimized for mobile viewing.

2. Website and branding can present a unified message about your company

A solid branding strategy builds a unified message across all your marketing channels from your website, to social media to printed materials like business cards, posters and direct mail pieces. A branding strategy often incorporates colors, images, fonts and language to convey to your target audience who you are, your brand personality and values. It is important to share this message consistently across different marketing platforms (even if you sell different products or services), so that your audience knows simply and quickly who you are and what they can expect from your company.

3. Website and branding allow you to stand out against competition

A strong, easily recognizable brand makes it easier to cut through the clutter and help you stand out from the competition. From your color combination, to the font, pictures and messaging, your choices help set you apart in the minds of your customers.

4. Brands generate referrals

Word of mouth is one of the most popular ways to grow your business.  Let’s face it - people love to give and receive recommendations. In today’s digital environment, where we are all so connected, word of mouth is extremely important. Today, our friends and family can easily share recommendations through social media channels or we can access social media influencers. This is why it’s so important to create a strong brand that is memorable in your customer’s mind.

A functional and fantastic website and a recognizable brand give your customers a reason to engage further with you. While your goods and services might be a great idea, they cannot stand on their own. First impressions count, so how you portray yourself through your branding and website is your chance to make your company shine.

Not sure how to develop an authentic brand?  Need assistance developing a unique, engaging website?  Contact the experts at SKConsulting!  From concept to creation to implementation – we’re there with you every step of the way!

Recruit, Retain and Engage With Video Testimonials

Whether you are just starting your business or you are well established in your industry…testimonials are key to recruiting and retaining customers.  When we meet with individuals or organizations, we preach the importance of obtaining testimonials from individuals who have done business with them. 

But the written word isn’t as powerful as it once was.  Yes, a great review on Yelp or Google is beneficial, but the way to capture people today is through video. Video is one of the most effective content mediums in today’s digital marketing landscape. However, simply knowing this fact doesn’t do you any good. If you want to maximize the value of video, you must know how to effectively use it. And today, more than ever, you’ll want to focus on video testimonials.

The Value of Video Testimonials

In order to fully understand the value of video testimonials, just look at the two root words: video and testimonial. Video has quickly become the most effective content medium in Internet marketing. 

Whether it’s a product video, live streaming event, or testimonial, video engages users unlike any other content form.

Now look at the testimonial aspect. Testimonials – whether written, visual, or auditory – always hold great value with customers. When people make a purchase, they want social proof from unbiased sources. Testimonials provide that.

So, when you combine video with the traditional testimonial, you’ll produce high returns.  Right? 

The following statistics are from Boast, a leader in professional video testimonial production.

• 65 percent of your audience is inclined to visual learning.
• Website visitors are 64 percent more likely to follow through with a conversion after watching a video.
• Online shoppers are 63 percent more likely to purchase a product if it has reviews and ratings.
• 90 percent of online shoppers say their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews.

This is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. When you look at video testimonials in action, it’s clear that they provide high returns, no matter the industry.

Obtaining (Better) Video Testimonials

The problem is that most businesses don’t know where to start with video testimonials. Sound familiar?

1. Contact Your Most Satisfied Customers

You should be very selective in who you choose for your customer testimonial videos. You don’t just want any customer to volunteer. Carefully identify the most satisfied customers and see if they’re interested in being featured.

This is a chance for you to promote your valued customer and their business.  Who’s going to turn down free publicity?  Just make sure they’re well-spoken and look presentable!

2. Guide without Writing a Script

There’s a major difference between giving your customer free reign to say whatever they want and putting a script in front of them. You don’t want to do either. Ideally, you should give the customer a chance to speak from the heart, while guiding the direction of their story.

If they are truly a valued customer who is genuinely happy with the product or service you provide(d), tell them to just explain why.  Why would they recommend you to others?

3. Keep it Brief

Nobody wants to see someone drone on endlessly – so keep the testimonial short.  Testimonials should be two minutes maximum. Anything longer and you’ll notice that viewers will lose focus and drop off. Anything shorter and you really don’t have time to get the message across.

4. Choose Good Lighting and Backgrounds

Please make sure you use a good background and lighting. While having someone shoot a shout out on their phone makes it seem less staged, make sure that the quality is good enough for people to see and hear clearly.  There is something to be said about raw, man-on-the-street style of video, you want to make sure not all of your video testimonials are in that format.  Invest in some great equipment and great lighting to ensure a multi-purpose video is produced.  Remember, the last thing you want to do is film with a shoddy background or poor lighting.

Winning Customers with Video

There’s no question that video is one of the highest returning content formats in modern marketing. And while there are many different types of video content, the customer testimonial appears to be the most valuable. It gives your website visitors an authentic, behin- the-scenes look at how your products and services work and how much value they afford customers and potential customers.

If you are unsure how to capture and implement video testimonials into your marketing plan, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  From Concept.  To Creation.  To Implementation.  We’re there with you every step of the way!

Attention Job Seekers: You Need a Personal Brand

Subway has challenged the world to “Eat Fresh.” Nike encourages people, regardless of age, gender, or physical fitness level, to “Just Do It.” Dunkin’ Donuts continues to persuade busy professionals that “America Runs on Dunkin’.”

Over the years, these recognizable slogans have morphed into rallying cries—setting the tone for how each company communicates and identifies itself in the market. In just a handful of words, these slogans tell a story and influence how people perceive the organizations behind them. Together, they represent the power and potential of branding.

Branding is what companies stand for. It’s reflected in how that company acts, how it serves people, the value that the company shares, and how the company projects those values. But branding isn’t just for companies. Professionals each have their own story to tell and goals, skills, and expertise to share. In today’s increasingly digital world, a personal brand is expected.

What is a Personal Brand?

A personal brand is, in many ways, similar to a corporate brand. It is who you are, what you stand for, the values you embrace, and the way in which you express those values. Just as a company’s brand helps to communicate its value to customers and stand out from the competition, a personal brand does the same for individuals. Personal branding is one’s story.

That story can play an important role in establishing or boosting your career. Your personal brand should highlight your strengths, establish a reputation, build trust, and communicate the unique attributes that you bring to your current (or desired) industry. Cultivated well, your personal brand will signal to employers whether or not you’ll be the right fit for an open role.

Developing a personal brand might sound challenging, but there are incremental steps you can take to build credibility in your field.

Developing Your Personal Brand

Figure out who you are.
In order to build a personal brand that accurately reflects your personal and professional identity, you first need to know who you are. Create a list of your personal strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself:

• In which areas of work do I excel? Where can I improve?
• What motivates me? What does not?
• Which projects can I spend hours on without feeling overwhelmed or tired?

In addition, ask others how they would describe you. Once you’re more aware of the different facets of your personality, you can decide how best to brand them.


Determine what you want to be known for.
Your personal brand is more than a reflection of who you are today; it’s a roadmap of where you want to go. In addition to understanding your existing skills and competencies, assess your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to whichever industry or career you want to break into next.

By doing this, you’ll uncover the skills and traits that make you unique, as well as the areas where you need to improve or gain new knowledge in order to advance.

Define your audience.
Before you start crafting your personal brand, you also need to determine who you’re trying to reach. The sooner you define the audience, the easier it will be to craft your story, because you’ll better understand the type of story you need to tell (and where you need to tell it.)

Research your desired industry and follow the experts.
As you start mapping out the career you want, do research on experts in those roles.

Find out who the thought leaders are in whatever field you’re interested in, follow them, find out if they have blogs, or where they contribute their thinking. Look for people who are successful and examine what they’re doing. Imitate them, and then do one better.

In building a personal brand, your goal is to stand out—but you can’t rise to the top without taking inventory of who’s already there.

Prepare an elevator pitch.
As you begin to conceptualize your personal brand, spend some time crafting an elevator pitch—a 30- to 60-second story about who you are. Whether you’re attending a networking event or an informal party, having an elevator pitch prepared makes it easy to describe succinctly what you do and where you’re going (or would like to go) in your career. Keep your elevator pitch brief by focusing on a few key points you want to emphasize.

Embrace networking.
As you cultivate your ideal personal brand, it’s important to network regularly (and effectively) to grow your professional circle. Connect with peers and industry thought-leaders by going to formal and informal networking events.

The more connections you make—and the more value you can provide in your interactions—the more likely it is your personal brand will be recognized. At these events, don’t be shy about asking fellow attendees to meet again for an informational interview or a casual coffee chat.

Ask for recommendations.
Having current and former colleagues and managers endorse you is one of the easiest and most effective ways to define your personal brand, allowing others to communicate your value for you. Just as a business might cultivate customer reviews and testimonials for use in sales and marketing collateral, you should cultivate your own reviews.

Grow your online presence.
One of the most important aspects of personal branding is making sure your online presence is engaging to hiring managers, co-workers, and others—even if you’re not on the job hunt.
With so many different social media tools available today, your online presence will likely look different depending on the medium you choose. Your story should match across all platforms, but tweaked to fit the language of each.

Platform-specific tips to help you effectively craft your personal brand online.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn the ultimate site for defining your brand. The best way to use this network is to participate in groups, make introductions with people who interest you, and ask for (and give) recommendations.
·         Focus on key industry skills: Recruiters often search for keywords that relate to the role they’re trying to fill, so it’s important to feature industry terms in your profile.
·         Quantify your accomplishments: Saying you’re “results-oriented” isn’t nearly as effective as quantifying your accomplishments - whether it’s the number of articles you’ve written, dollars you’ve raised, or deals you’ve closed.
·         Complete your profile: Recruiters want to see what work experience you have, your educational background, and a detailed list of accomplishments. Convince them you’re the person they should hire.
·         Use a professional photo: Did you know that LinkedIn users with a professional headshot receive 14 times more profile views than those without? The more welcoming you look, the more likely recruiters are to contact you.

Personal website or portfolio
If you’re in a marketing or a design field, it’s especially important to have a personal website or portfolio that provides essential information about who you are and visually highlights your work. You can create your own site using simple platforms like Weebly, Wix or WordPress.

Your personal brand isn’t just online.
Your brand is more than just an online persona; it’s how you carry yourself at home, in the office, and even on your daily commute.

Your reputation is everything. The more opportunities you have to work with others, volunteer for projects, and assert yourself as a leader, take them. That’s part of your brand.