marketing services
Stop Pitching in Your First LinkedIn Message!
You know who you are… LinkedIn members who send countless messages pitching your business, products, or services in your first communication with new connections. What’s with that?
Do you really think that people will receive your messages with open hearts and minds? I know I don’t.
How about creating a relationship first? Would you approach someone at an in-person networking event and immediately start selling, or would you engage in some conversation first? (That was rhetorical.) Well, LinkedIn is the same thing!
Plus, how many of these sales pitchers bother to read our profiles to see whether we fall within their target audiences? I can’t even count how many times LI members try to sell me the same marketing services that I offer! Hello? Continue reading
10 Marketing New Year’s Resolutions
Since this is the time of year when people make resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, spend less, etc., I figured I would create a list of 10 marketing resolutions to tackle. Please add your own to my list!
1. Evaluate the marketing strategy and tactics you used last year. Determine what worked, what didn’t, and what needs tweaking.
2. Write an annual marketing plan, whether full-blown or brief. It’s way better than running amok. Focus on what is reasonable to accomplish and don’t bite off more than you can chew.
3. Take a look at some of the technology-related marketing services and software to see if there are affordable ways to help you accomplish your goals.
4. Ensure you set aside any necessary funds for the tactics in your plan.
5. Assign the people responsible for each part of the plan. If that means you, make sure you can manage these responsibilities. If not, determine what you can outsource to professionals to keep things on track.
6. If you need to “up” your marketing knowledge - and we all do - read marketing blogs, new books, articles, and journals to keep abreast of marketing trends and best practices.
7. Explore new collaborative relationships. Perhaps there are similar, yet non-competing,  businesses or nonprofit organizations you can work with to save money, share resources, or trade marketing tasks.
8. Get out more. Whether you market locally, regionally, nationally, or globally, there are usually nearby people with whom you can network and build relationships that can help reach your objectives. Person-to-person communication can still solidify relationships more than anything you can do online.
9. Keep a log of your marketing tactics: dates, successes, failures, and notes from which to use later on.
10. Stay positive and persevere. Some marketing strategies take time to build. Have the patience to see them through without quitting too early.
Got more?????
