By Megan Totka Video marketing was the big success story of 2016, and so far in 2017, there are no signs it’s losing its shine. The statistics tell a powerful tale. Research reveals video viewers are between 64% and 85% more likely to buy a product after seeing a video for it, and 71% of marketers report higher conversion rates for video than for any other form of marketing. Using video in emails can substantially increase click-through rates, and users are far more likely to share video with their friends (therefore promoting your company for free) than any other form of advertising. And if the primary benefits weren’t enough, rich media is seen in a favorable light by search engine algorithms—so the presence of a video on your website could also provide a handy SEO boost. Is Video Right for You?In short, yes, it probably is. Online access in developed markets is near-universal; 84% of American adults are internet users, and among the under-50s the figure is closer to 95%. That’s good news for all online marketing, but video in particular benefits from the rise in our use of mobile technology to access the web. An incredible 92% of mobile users watch and, most importantly, share videos. Text rarely works well on smaller screens, but video is perfect for mobile. However big your business is and whatever you’re selling, it’s a near-certainty that your target demographic will be out there waiting on the web, ready and willing to engage with and, if they like it, spread your message around. Getting Creative vs. Calling in the ProsVideo marketing is a lot trickier to put together than static images or text-based advertisements, and this can present problems, especially if you’re doing it alone or as part of a small, non-specialized team. Whether or not you can produce useful video marketing in-house largely depends on the skills and equipment available, and what your goals are. A quick, six-second Vine video could easily be shot using a smartphone camera, and a $400 camera on a tripod is more than capable of producing professional-looking video. Using a professional video production company will almost certainly produce better results, though, and a polished, stylish end product with quality visuals, writing, planning, and sound (amateurs rarely cover all these bases) is a lot more likely to make a strong impression on a potential customer. Think about what you want to achieve with your video. A mediocre-quality Vine isn’t likely to do you any harm, but if you’re showcasing your business or product in a “real” video, quality matters. Potential customers could be put off by a poor-quality video. The Cost of VideoIf you’re doing it yourself and have the tools on hand, the production side of video marketing is “free”… aside from the loss of working hours better spent on other tasks. Taking the professional route obviously costs a lot more. As a rough guide, a minute-long video produced by a competent, local team would come in somewhere in the region of $5,000. While it may sound pricey for something so short, you receive a product you can use to promote your business on dozens of different platforms. And remember: There’s no better platform than video for growing your business. But be wary of hidden costs. You may also need to spend precious dollars on promoting the video, for example. Some marketing companies will offer a full service, including production and promotion. This sort of deal gives you a clear upfront idea of the cost—but only pay for services you actually need. Calculating Your Video ROIHaving made your investment in video, your number one priority will be measuring whether the resulting additional sales justify the cost. It’s impossible to determine exactly why each sale was made, but there are plenty of tools available that will give you a strong indication of your videos’ effectiveness. Google offers a free, simple URL builder that allows you to add tags (known as UTM parameters) to URLs pointing at your site. These let you use your Google Analytics account track visitors arriving to your site from specific locations, in this case, from clicking links associated with your video. YouTube and Facebook have their own free tools allowing you to track user behavior, and paid tools such as Wistia offer a fully comprehensive tracking experience. Get StartedMore and more businesses are turning to video to get their message across, and as smartphone use continues to rise, the importance of this medium will only grow further. Don’t expect instant success; your first effort might be a hit, or you may have to wait until your fourth or fifth video to see real benefits. Stick with it. You can’t afford not to. Source:https://www.allbusiness.com/everything-need-know-video-marketing-small-business-110524-1.html/2 By Korri Kezar With its purchase of fellow North Texas marketing agency Black Lab, Globe Runner has been able to marry data-driven marketing with softer services like brand development.
Source:http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2017/03/02/the-best-of-both-worlds-combined-marketing-company.html By Cliff Jones The primary way to not lose your shirt in anything is to know what you don’t know, which is impossible.
Source:http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2017/03/02/don-t-lose-your-shirt-in-digital-marketing.html Restaurant delivery has come on strong in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. According to a study prepared by Morgan Stanley analysts, the food delivery industry could one day be worth seven times more than its current value of $30 billion.
Here to provide a few tips on how your restaurant can take advantage of this opportunity is Grubhub’s LA Regional General Manager, Jeff Smith. With nearly 20 years of experience in the delivery industry, Jeff knows how to get the word out about your restaurant’s delivery. Check out our Q&A with Jeff to learn how you can get started today. What’s the first step to marketing my restaurant’s delivery? When it comes to delivery, a little marketing can go a long way. Maximize your restaurant’s return on investment by raising awareness of your delivery offering among your restaurant’s most loyal customers. If you have a long wait on Friday or Saturday night, dish out menu guides that show hungry customers how to order delivery from the comfort of their own home. Better yet, advertise delivery on your restaurant’s website so that new diners know it’s an option. Also add delivery menus to to-go bags, so next time a customer is craving your restaurant, he or she will consider delivery. Another easy way to market delivery is by having your front-of-house staff mention it each time they bring the check to one of their tables. While customers may still want to dine in from time to time, delivery gives them the opportunity to enjoy your restaurant’s food even when they’re busy. How can a restaurant delivery service help me get the word out about delivery? In addition to marketing campaigns of their own, a restaurant delivery service (RDS) will work with your restaurant to create marketing collateral – such as personalized signs and menu cards – that caters to the needs and preferences of your restaurant’s diners. Perhaps even more importantly, your restaurant will also receive a helping hand when it comes to the operational costs of delivery. Have you ever spent hours trying to find enough delivery drivers for a weekend shift? Good news – an RDS can take that responsibility off your hands. With thousands of vetted, insured delivery drivers at their disposal, an RDS can provide your restaurant with as many drivers as necessary, saving you both time and money. What are some of the most common restaurant delivery marketing trends you’ve noticed? Competition is heating up in the delivery industry. To separate themselves from the pack, many restaurants are turning to discounts. Consider taking 10 or 15 percent off a customer’s first delivery order. The extra incentive may be enough to convince both new and long-time customers to give delivery a try. Yet another trend taking delivery marketing by storm is advertising outside the restaurant. While marketing delivery within your restaurant is still important, greater emphasis is being placed on other advertising opportunities – think bus signs and billboards. Doing the same can help boost awareness of your restaurant’s delivery service. In addition to advertising outside of your restaurant, also consider ramping up your restaurant’s email marketing. Often, the easiest and most direct way to reach diners is through email. From new menu items to delivery, use email to keep diners up to date on any new changes going on at your restaurant. Source:https://get.grubhub.com/blog/restaurant-delivery-marketing-101-interview-grubhub-expert.html By Katie Schenkel It’s strange to think about the lifecycle of a restaurant, specifically that restaurants can stagnate simply by not changing. For many restaurant owners, making changes to anything from management styles to the kitchen equipment to the menu comes only when it’s absolutely necessary. After all, if things are working well for you now, you should keep doing them, right? “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But consider another possibility – that the things you’re doing aren’t working quite as well as you think they are. Your brand could be getting stale, and the reason you’re not seeing the places for improvement is because you’ve got your head down. Running your business day in and day out without keeping an eye on the rest of the industry could be hurting you. A lot of this can come by being too comfortable in your own skin. Family restaurants particularly can fall into this problem because they’re steeped in tradition and many owners don’t want to lose that traditional touch. But ask yourself this – what have you changed, tweaked, or updated in the last two years in business? If you haven’t done anything differently, you probably aren’t improving. The same way you take care of your body by adjusting your lifestyle to be more efficient and beneficial to what you want to get out of it can be applied to how you improve your business. Equipment and suppliesSome of these issues you’re fixing can be quite literally the aging of the physical aspects of your restaurant. Equipment is a big one here, but so are plates, linens, your flooring, and more. Is your equipment so old that it’s breaking down regularly even with regular maintenance? Are you plates getting chipped, or do they look like they would have last been in style 30 years ago? Are your linens stained or just outdated? Do the tablecloths you rent with your cloth napkins make your restaurant look chic, or just old fashioned? Customers notice when those aspects of your restaurant don’t look fresh; if you haven’t kept up your front of the house, will your guests trust that you’ve kept up the kitchen? BrandingThere’s also a matter of your overall brand. Because yes, even the most initially intriguing brand can get stale if you give it enough time. Think about the big restaurant brands who haven’t updated their interior designs, their POS system, or their marketing for years and years. Not only is it unappealing to the modern diner, but it could also send the message that you haven’t changed your menu up in years and years, either. Staff ProcedureThink about your employees, too. When was the last time you chose to review and update your training policies? Are you teaching your workers the most efficient and easy-to-replicate ways to do their jobs? When was the last time you revamped their uniforms? You’d be surprised what a confidence booster it can be for servers to wear something that looks sharp (and professional) and fits nicely. TechnologyLook at the technology in your restaurant. Can you upgrade your POS system? What’s your technology for the back of the house like? Think about the functionality for both your records and for your employees on a day to day basis. New technology helping them do their job more efficiently can be a huge moral boost (just make sure you properly train them so they’re confident in using it during any given shift). Your FoodDon’t forget about the menu. When was the last time you took a look at your entire menu and made sure it was where it needed to be? Are you being creative, looking at recent food trends that fit your restaurant and applying them to specials? Are you trying out seasonal menu choices? Do you have healthier or dietary restriction-friendly options? With your menu, consider updating your plating. Does your plating look fresh, or does it look like you’re still cooking in 1986? Especially beware the big spruce of parsley as a garnish — it could be making your food look drastically dated. That’s not to say you should drop everything about your restaurant and jump on trendiness alone. But if you’re only keeping things the way they are because it’s always the way you’ve looked or done it, then you could be keeping yourself from the fresh and new updates with the potential to bring your restaurant to the next level. What next?So, how do you keep up with what’s up and coming in the food industry? Consider subscribing to industry publications. Bookmark and regularly read restaurant business blogs. Occasionally dine at your competitors and see what they’re doing to keep themselves fresh on modern.
Make a point to go to industry conventions and talks throughout the year (for instance, the NRA Show in Chicago). Take copious notes not only on the showroom floor products you might want to invest in, but also on the panels that go on throughout these events. The panels in particular have great advice from professionals in many different sectors of the industry, and you might have a eureka moment simply by sitting in on a few. The big thing is evolution, not revolution; keep an eye on what’s new and innovative while still staying on brand. Be honest with yourself and remember that what was revolutionary and new when you first opened your restaurant just might not apply to your business today. Source:https://www.rewardsnetwork.com/blog/aging-restaurants-keeping-business-fresh/ By Whitney Sanchez There are more resources than ever before for marketing your restaurant online. Here’s a list of the top seven sources of online restaurant marketing available right now, including popular social media and review platforms.
1. FacebookFacebook is one of the most popular social media platforms. Most of your customers and plenty of potential customers are already using this site. To use Facebook to market your restaurant, create a business page with your restaurant's address, menu and a link to its website. You can even connect your Facebook page to services like OpenTable, which lets customers make restaurant reservations through Facebook. 2. Google+Though Google+ is not as popular, it is still vital to create a Google+ page for your small business. Creating a Google+ page increases your page’s SEO and search traffic volume. It also populates your location on Google Maps, which is essential for attracting business when people use the “Search Nearby” function of Maps. 3. TwitterUsing this platform is a great way to spread the news about deals and upcoming events. Since you are limited to only 140 characters, it is a good idea to include images and shortened links to your website or menu. Make sure to use appropriate hashtags with your tweets and to time your tweets well. For example, around 10:30 a.m. is the perfect time to send a tweet about a lunch special to your followers. 4. YelpYelp is a popular third-party review platform. Users on the site can post independent reviews about restaurants they have visited. Yelp reviews can have a huge impact on who visits your establishment. When you claim or create your Yelp page, make sure to add your company’s vital information such as hours of operation, contact information and an updated picture of your menu. Make sure to monitor customers’ reviews of your restaurant. Thank users who post positive reviews and address the concerns of users who post negative reviews. 5. InstagramHashtags and crystal-clear pictures are what is going to get your business noticed on Instagram. When you create your posts on Instagram, make sure that your photo is intriguing and relevant; a picture of your daily special is a good place to start. Other areas of interest to include are your employees and your location. Once you have the perfect picture, you need to select the correct hashtags. Use a mix of trending hashtags (which will change on a daily basis) and niche hashtags, like #foodlovers, that are constantly in use on the social media platform. 6. GrouponThis platform’s broad reach helps new customers find your restaurant and purchase coupons. There are pros and cons to using this platform. One pro is that it brings in new customers to your restaurant. A con, however, is that you will be lucky to break even on their first visit. Since Groupon is known for offering discounts of 50% or higher, it might actually cost your business money to promote on the platform, but if you can convert new customers to returning customers, it is well worth the investment. 7. Personal Website and BlogThe most important part of your online marketing strategy is your restaurant’s website and blog. Frequently update your blog to generate SEO and traffic. When you design your website, make sure that it is easy to navigate. Visitors to your website should be able to find your restaurant’s information and even be able to create a reservation directly from your website. Make sure to link your website to your other online marketing channels so customers can visit and like your pages. Source:https://www.business.com/articles/online-restaurant-marketing/ By Andrew C. Belton The following social media marketing industry interview is with Nathan Resnick, Co-Founder of Sourcify, Founder of Cork Supply Co, and Writer for Entrepreneur, Social Media Today, The Huffington Post and Business2Community.
Andrew: Do you think that Social Media Marketing is useful for small businesses? Nathan: Without a doubt, social media marketing is essential for small businesses looking for a easy way to connect with customers, add credibility, and develop a brand. Social media marketing is like your MOM. Mothers are always there to compliment their children and instill confidence. Social media is there to do the same for your customers. Andrew: That is an excellent point regarding social media and its role regarding customer engagement. Have you noticed any noteworthy trends in social media marketing in recent years as it pertains to business and what are they? Nathan: Social media should be engagement driven, not follower driven. If you have a big following but no engagement, you’re doing social media the wrong way. Andrew: Do you think social media marketing is a useful tool for attracting leads and providing customer service? Nathan: In regards to leads, social media marketing should be a tool utilized to drive traffic to your website and mailing list. The goal of a following should be to send them somewhere, not to keep them on that social media platform. For customer service, social media is definitely a effective way to streamline interactions. You can use everything from Facebook messenger to a Twitter help handle to easily answer customer questions. Andrew: What is your favorite aspect of digital marketing? Nathan: My favorite aspect of digital marketing right now has to be content marketing. These is a natural feeling to creating noise in a content driven approach. Andrew: Do you have any advice on how small businesses can better leverage social media? Nathan: My main thoughts of advice revolve around creating quality content. Yes, boosting posts on Facebook will increase views, but if you’re boosting a post that sucks in the first place, it’s not going to go anywhere. That is why businesses should first focus on quality content then expand into paid amplification. Andrew: What role has social media played in your career? Nathan: Social media has enabled me to connect with people around the world, given me opportunities to write, and exposed my businesses to new customers. Though I do think social media can be a distraction, the key lies in the way you develop your personal brand and company brand on these social platforms. Source:http://www.business2community.com/expert-interviews/social-media-marketing-small-businesses-interview-nathan-resnick-01786662#Odk7wAracLCsYQDR.97 By Debra Murphy A marketing plan outlines all the important pieces needed to successfully and consistently market your business. A marketing plan does not have to be lengthy or complicated. Creating a simple marketing plan is something every small business should have to guide your efforts and keep you focused on your goals. Whether you want to focus solely on inbound marketing or you want to integrate online with off-line marketing activities, there are 10 important reasons why your small business needs a realistic but simple marketing plan.
A simple marketing plan allows you to:
Vision for your businessYour vision statement is a vivid description about what you want your business to be so that it inspires and motivates you. A well-defined vision creates a mental picture of the business that you are striving to build. A clear vision statement benefits your business by:
What you want to accomplishResearch has shown a direct link between setting goals and the probability of success. By setting goals and writing them down you are forced to be specific about what you want to achieve, how you will get there and by when. Your marketing goals should be:
Your ideal target clientNever underestimate the importance of defining your ideal target audience. Understanding the needs of the unique group of people or businesses that you want to work with, who want or need what you have to offer and are willing to spend money to satisfy that need allows your business to provide tremendous value to those who need it the most. Intimately understanding your ideal client means you know with certainty what problem they are trying to solve or what need they wish to satisfy. With this information, you can then:
What makes you differentThe Internet levels the playing field for small businesses, but in turn, it creates a very crowded market place. Those who can describe how they are different have a competitive advantage over those who cannot. So how do you make your business stand out from the rest? The secret to defining what makes your business different is to understand what your ideal client really wants and make sure you deliver it better than anyone else. What do you uniquely offer that your clients find amazing? Do you:
Your marketing road map for achieving your goalsYou wouldn’t take a trip without planning your route. Marketing your business is no different – you need a plan to guide you towards your destination. This plan defines the marketing strategies and the tactics within each strategy that you will use to achieve a particular goal. Marketing strategies and their associated tactics to consider are:
Recommended for YouWebcast, March 2nd: The Psychology of Designing User Habits with Nir Eyal An action plan to ensure successful executionYour marketing action plan eliminates random activities that create haphazard results. It defines each marketing campaign project in detail and assigns resources, dates and topics to each activity so that it eliminates the guess work. You would need to create a lead magnet, a landing page and possibly use Facebook advertising to promote your lead magnet to the right audience. Once you get people to sign up for your email list, you then want a series of emails that can nurture each lead with valuable information. With a detailed marketing action plan, you always know what you’re doing and when you’re doing it. To remind you that this is your business and not a hobbyMost of us built our businesses around our passion and in doing so enjoy our work every day. However, if you are in business to be successful, then you need to view marketing as an investment and take the proper steps to ensure you are maximizing your resources. A simple marketing plan with an action plan to help you be consistent ensures you are focusing on the success of your business. Have you created your simple marketing plan? Source:http://www.business2community.com/marketing/10-reasons-create-simple-small-business-marketing-plan-01783559#x5ucxOcBCpws2iPh.97 By Jonathan Long Grab your phone and look at the last few text messages you sent and received. I’m willing to bet there were some emojis used.
They are quickly entering the world of marketing -- email subject lines are now full of emojis, and you can even order from Domino’s by simply texting them the pizza emoji. Soon, it won’t just be trendy to use emojis in your marketing -- it will be essential. While I’ve used them with some success in email marketing campaigns, I wanted to see what tips other business owners had regarding how to effectively use emojis. I sent out a request via Help a Reporter Out (HARO) and connected with six other business owners to discuss this new marketing tool. Below are six tips to help you use emojis effectively in your marketing campaigns. (Side note: If you aren’t using HARO, you are missing out -- as I’ve mentioned in the past, it’s a great free tool to use to help your business score media coverage.) 1. Know which emojis connect with your target audience.With so many different emojis available, it makes it important that you understand the meaning behind any you plan to use. You don’t want to start randomly throwing out emojis without a strategy -- you need to make sure they are aligned with your audience. “The approach we use is going to be much different than a company targeting millennials in terms of what emojis we use. While we might use a simple smiley face in an email subject line, a business looking to really grab the attention of a younger target market might use more edgy emojis,” explains Buzz Burgett of Northwest Mechanical. Related: Why Pinterest Is Driving Social Engagement (and How You Can Take Advantage) 2. Use emojis to encourage real-time engagement.Peter Gregory, owner of Sound Tattoo Removal, uses emojis to trigger real-time engagement. “When we are marketing to those looking into the options available for removing a tattoo, we want to encourage an immediate engagement. Using emojis in a clever way helps to quickly draw attention to a call-to-action, amplify that emotional trigger and begin a conversation.” I have found that using emojis in email subject lines drastically increases open rates. More people opening your emails means more people coming into contact with your call-to-action. If they don’t open it and click-through right away, the chances of them coming back to it at a later time is slim to none. 3. Avoid creating confusing messages.“Because emojis are a somewhat new marketing tool, some brands go overboard and flood social media posts and email copy with them. Too many emojis, or the wrong type, can create a confusing message and push back prospective customers rather than pull them in. It’s important to use emojis that align with your message,” advises Rob Richardson, CEO of Newcastle Training. This is something I see firsthand almost daily. I subscribe to a large number of email newsletters in multiple industries, and using a couple emojis that make sense within the email copy is fine, but going overboard can really be awkward. I cringe when I see emails with an obnoxious number of winky-face emojis. Related: Use Social Media to Make Your Brand Stand Out 4. Use emojis to add a personal element to your marketing.Emojis can help a brand add a personal element to its marketing, but remember that every situation is different. What works for one brand isn’t going to necessarily work for another, even within the same industry. The emojis you use must match your brand -- a natural extension of your voice. John Morgan, Co-CEO of Stillwater Dwellings, has some advice for those wanting to add a little personalization “Before you start to use emojis in an effort to be more personal, you need the answer to these five questions:
“Whether they have a simple pre-sale question or want to talk about a previous purchase, social media is where consumers turn. Why? Because it’s convenient. Social media is easy to access using a mobile phone, without having to make a phone call. Incorporating emojis in your social media communication can help cold prospects warm up faster. Emojis are a new universal language that you need to learn how to use, as they can really help communication,” explains Melissa Blake of Les Saisons. Related: How to Create Share-Worthy Content That's Optimized for Search 6. Understand the correct time and place to use emojis.Sean Flynn of Flynn & Associates stresses that it’s important to understand there is a time and place to use emojis. “A business, such as a restaurant, can freely use emojis to market, because the experience they are promoting is fun and carefree. A business such as ours is dealing with a more serious service, and emojis aren’t going to be appropriate in some situations. Use them correctly, and know when to leave them out of your marketing.” I’d also add that it’s important to pay attention to your split-test data. Compare email open rates with emoji-filled subject lines and emoji-free versions. Look at your social media engagement on posts using emojis and those that don’t have them. Every audience is different, so dive into all available data to see how your audience responds to their use. Source:https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/289704 |
Marcus Guiliano
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