 Free Research Can Make Your Case
There are some really great primary research sources available that can provide direction in your target marketing efforts. In addition to basic geographic information from the US Census Bureau, you can use Nielsen to look at Internet use or the popularity of sites like YouTube, Gartner for business research statistics, or Pew Research Center for results on a variety of domestic, economic, legal and social trends. So as you are working to narrow your target, do a quick search on your topic with the word “statistics” or “research” included and see what you find!
FACEBOOK PLACES PAGE | HAVE YOU CLAIMED YOURS?
 A while back, Facebook added Local Business Pages that reflect the business name, address and phone number. In talking with some of my friends, they use this feature like the Yellow Pages to pull address and phone number information. If you have created a Facebook fan page for your business, you can easily merge the Local Business Page so both are maintained together. But if you haven’t created a Facebook page, you need to be aware that your business may exist out there on Facebook – and it’s in your best interests to claim this page and maintain it.
Keeping Customers Engaged
 In last month’s article on privacy concerns, we promised some ideas on keeping your customers engaged and ensuring they want to continue to receive your communications. In today’s information environment, marketers are tasked with the challenge of capturing the viewer’s attention while they are being bombarded with messages from all directions.
So, what can you do to be the firm that captures attention? Here are a few tips:
1. First and foremost, ask permission to continue communications. If you are mailing information out, have a phone number or email address for them to contact if they wish to opt-out of receiving mail from you. An easy unsubscribe process is required for email. While it’s great to have a large mailing list, there is a dollar cost associated with each contact. If they are really not interested, you are wasting money and annoying the reader.
2. Educate, don’t sell. Your goal is to provide value. Does that mean you can’t use a 20% off coupon for e-mail newsletter subscribers? Not at all! An occasional coupon does provide value—but there are so many other options.
3. Look for ways to connect on a more personal level. This might be including an employee profile in a newsletter or posting photos of a recent community service project on Flickr and adding a link to view them to your e-mail.
4. Make it easy for people to share. There are free social sharing buttons available. Use them!
5. Provide the information you promise. It can be extremely annoying to see a message that says, “Like us on Facebook to receive special discount offers,” only to be bombarded with other messages that do not meet expectations.
6. Vary style and content – within reason. I say “within reason” because you don’t want to go so far off track on the subject or style that you have loyal viewers unsubscribe. But you also don’t want them to drop off because they hear and see the same message over and over. Keep it interesting!
We hope these ideas help you to capture the attention of your clients and prospects and, ultimately, drive new business to your door. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us at info@vitalinkweb.com or call 919.850.0605.
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