1 / 35

refresher course

Overview of six topics related to small business and small business owners

guest21558
Download Presentation

refresher course

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Refresher Course Start It Right! September Roundtable

  2. Topics • Marketing Plans • Branding • Effective Networking • Search Engine Optimization • Marketing & Money • Social Media startitright.com

  3. Topics • Marketing Plans • Branding • Effective Networking • Search Engine Optimization • Marketing & Money • Social Media startitright.com

  4. Marketing Plans • Marketing • Gathers and shares knowledge in the form of tools that a company can use to increase profitability • Marketing Plan • Defines what you’re going to do over a period of time, perhaps one to two years, to secure your place as a recognized company in your industry startitright.com

  5. Marketing Plans • Executive Summary • Concise 1-2 page description and review of full plan, Written last • Product/Service Description • Detailed descriptions and reasoning, How does it fit with existing goals? • Market Analysis • Trends/Issues, Market size, Economic factors, Detailed customer profile • Competition • Primary companies / products / services, Market share, How will you move forward? startitright.com

  6. Marketing Plans • Differentiators • How do you stand out from the pack? • Client Base • Demographics, location, seasonality, buying patterns • SWOT Analysis • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats startitright.com

  7. Marketing Plans • Objectives • Enhance relations, new customers, differentiate product, attain meetings, be recognized as industry “expert” • Strategies • Train staff, create system for referrals & opportunities, establish business “champion” to be the face to clients and industry • Tactics • Branding, Website, PR, Advertising, Direct Marketing, Events, Meetings, Conferences, Promotional Items, Social Media startitright.com

  8. Topics • Marketing Plans • Branding • Effective Networking • Search Engine Optimization • Marketing & Money • Social Media startitright.com

  9. Branding • Brands are NOT: • Logos • Products/Services • Taglines • Brands ARE: • Singular or combinations of a name, term, sign, symbol, or design intended to identify differentiate the goods and services of one seller/group from those of other sellers/groups • i.e. your brand is that gut feeling and sets you apart from the crowd startitright.com

  10. Branding • Poor Brands • Lack consistency, are hard to communicate with, do not leave prospects with impression of products and services of your company • Average Brands • May not be consistent, does not help or hurt your company, may not think it’s relevant startitright.com

  11. Branding • Successful Brands • Customer knows exactly what you deliver • Easy to engage with customers • Easier to close deals with prospective clients • Able to charge premium for products and services startitright.com

  12. Branding • Defining your Brand • What are your most valuable products or services? • What sets you apart? • How do you describe your business in one sentence? • How does the market view you? • Who is your target customer? • What is your company personality? • How does that personality work with your target market? startitright.com

  13. Topics • Marketing Plans • Branding • Effective Networking • Search Engine Optimization • Marketing & Money • Social Media startitright.com

  14. Effective Networking • Business Networking • Group of like-minded professionals who produce business activity • Cost-effective way to generate new business • Specific groups meet monthly or weekly startitright.com

  15. Effective Networking • Elevator Pitch • 30 second to 2 minute idea that is well thought out and practiced • Know your objective and say as much as possible with as few words as possible • Don’t highlight everything about your business right away, leave prospect wanting to ask questions • Talk about what your are familiar with, avoid slang and jargon • Use examples and be specific startitright.com

  16. Effective Networking • 5 Networking Basics • Be distinctive, don’t just blend into the crowd • Be FULLY present and engaged • Ask questions, have a genuine interest in the person you are speaking with • Reinforce what you’ve already stated and make yourself memorable • Contribute to the conversation, say one intelligent thing that will make people remember you startitright.com

  17. Effective Networking • Profiting from Networking • Choose to attend networking events that make sense for you and your business • It’s better to establish a relationship with a few prospects rather than speak briefly with too many people • Speak loud and clear, you have one chance to make a first impression • Strike curiosity in your prospects, this will make them ask more about your business • Follow up the next day and add a piece of the previous conversation to the follow up email / phone call startitright.com

  18. Topics • Marketing Plans • Branding • Effective Networking • Search Engine Optimization • Marketing & Money • Social Media startitright.com

  19. Search Engine Optimization • Process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to your website from search engines • This is done by “natural” or “organic” search results based upon keywords and keyword phrases startitright.com

  20. Search Engine Optimization • Age of domain name • Domain registration length of time • Content is current and updated • Site load time • Website design startitright.com

  21. Search Engine Optimization • Get company input for keyword selection • Research competition • Major directory submission • Local search directories • Build link popularity • Google analytics / webmaster tools • URL Structure / Navigation / Picture Alt Tags • Social Bookmarking & Blog Posting startitright.com

  22. Search Engine Optimization • Ongoing process monitored and edited on regular basis, key is to increase ranking over time • If you are unclear about what a company is doing to help your SEO ask questions! • No one can guarantee #1 ranking on Google – there is no priority submit startitright.com

  23. Topics • Marketing Plans • Branding • Effective Networking • Search Engine Optimization • Marketing & Money • Social Media startitright.com

  24. Marketing & Money • Message • Should reflect not only what product or service you deliver, but also the flavor of your personal passion • Audience • “Most likely to purchase” • Look at your current client base and quantify characteristics that you find in common startitright.com

  25. Marketing & Money • Sphere of Influence • Friends, Family, Organizations, Community • Action Plan • Can include e-blasts, phone calls, direct mail, social media, signage, advertisements, sponsorships and PR • Has been proven that it takes seven touches before someone has remembered enough information about you to make a buying decision startitright.com

  26. Marketing & Money • Tracking • It is imperative that you track your Action Plan activities and the results you produce • Keeps you focused • Lets you know what is and is not working • Helps you move forward with subsequent campaigns startitright.com

  27. Topics • Marketing Plans • Branding • Effective Networking • Search Engine Optimization • Marketing & Money • Social Media startitright.com

  28. Social Media • The Big 4 • Facebook • Twitter • LinkedIn • YouTube • Blog linked to company website is also important startitright.com

  29. Social Media • Facebook • Companies should have page not profile • Applications let you minimally customize page and also let you promote your website • Can post pictures, videos, links startitright.com

  30. Social Media startitright.com

  31. Social Media • Twitter • Conversations known as “tweets” in 140 characters or less • Good way to establish popularity and consumer base • Pose questions, get direct feedback • LinkedIn • Business networking site to establish industry connections and build contacts • Create company and individual pages • Participate in forums, create and join industry groups startitright.com

  32. Social Media startitright.com

  33. Social Media • YouTube • Video hosting – public tv station • Gives direct insight into company • Can do product demonstrations, tutorials, training segments, etc. • Blog • Easily publish information • Increases your SEO • Gives “face” to your business • Can customize design and content to specific brand standards startitright.com

  34. Social Media startitright.com

  35. Questions? startitright.com

More Related