Marketing:

The right marketing strategies are a great business builder . If executed effectively, strong internal and external marketing plans can help a company generate additional revenue and guarantee a steadier stream of sales. The best place to start is with your internal marketing strategies. These internal initiatives, when used in conjunction with external activities, can lead to improved rates of business success. When companies...

Social media has been proving its business worth for several years now, allowing entrepreneurs and startups to reach wide audiences in a cost-efficient manner. As more social channels arise, increasingly sophisticated practices and strategies are being developed that enable a burgeoning business to reach new audiences via online networking and sharing channels. It should be a main component of any marketing department to have a well-defined social media...

Content marketing can be likened to the tree that falls in the woods. In both instances, if there's no one around to witness it, it's unclear whether it makes an impact. A study commissioned by Edit Optimization, a U.K. SEO company, estimates that businesses will spend an average of 76 percent of their annual marketing budgets on web-based and digital marketing. A portion of that money will likely go toward generating digital content (blog posts, online...

Every company, big or small, needs one thing to survive: clients. Without a continuous stream of prospects actively seeking more information and purchasing options for products or services, companies cannot stay afloat. Therefore, it is of key importance to have all members of the team focused on acquiring new clients and converting interest into client capital. Maintaining and growing profit margins is an underlying goal for every employee no matter the department,...

Webinars can be a fantastic channel for connecting with potential and existing clients and demonstrating your business' expertise in a certain area. Technology has become more user friendly, and there are a host of platforms, such as SlideShare, WebEx, AnyMeeting and OnWebinar.com, that enable individuals and companies to stage webinars for a large audience scattered around the globe. If you are very familiar with a particular subject and feel that...

While many entrepreneurs focus their marketing and branding efforts on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter, they often neglect sites like LinkedIn. However, this social media channel can have tremendous branding power and offer business owners a new way to learn more about potential clients, enhance their brand exposure and connect with even more consumers. There have recently been big changes within LinkedIn...

Social media and interactive marketing strategies are dominating many industries, as entrepreneurs and business leaders look to engage shoppers through various channels. The proliferation of social media platforms, online shopping and mobile devices has created a digitally driven consumer base for most companies. Rather than relying on traditional marketing outlets to engage clients, businesses are experimenting with video and social media campaigns that play into...

Among major corporations and multinationals, a major topic regarding marketing is the use of big data. With more people than ever using smartphones, mobile applications, social media platforms, email, websites and other information-generating tools, marketers around the world are abuzz about how they can garner insights from the zettabytes of data that now exist. According to a March 2012 report from the International Data Corporation , the demand for big data...

Regardless of which subject of expertise we discuss on this blog, my colleagues and I often refer to the common theme of differentiating your business from your competitors. You have to determine what characteristic or function of your business will be the area that you and your team devote the most time, resources and efforts to. Will it be client service that best defines your company? Perhaps the constant research and development you invest into your products is...

Creating editorial content and publishing it in print publications and online platforms (blogs, social media, company website) is an excellent means of displaying your industry expertise. It has the added benefit of providing something of relevance and value to your readers, which, in theory, can increase their brand trust and loyalty. Content marketing can vastly expand your online presence and increase awareness of your organization. However, if the message...

No company can be the best in class regarding every aspect of its operations. Some firms specialize in how they manufacture their products, others put the most investment into customer service. They choose to focus on particular areas as a means of differentiating themselves from competitors and properly allocating the limited amount of available resources. Should a company stick with the methods it knows, or invest in experimenting with new avenues? Is it OK...

Marketing teams should never operate in isolation. The promotional materials and content they assemble, as well as the events they stage, should always be designed after receiving input and insight from the sales and client relationship management departments. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Do you treat your marketing, CRM and sales functions as independent departments? Or do you realize that the activities of each group is closely intertwined with...

Remember, just because you complete the initial sales cycle with a prospect does not mean you can stop marketing to him or her. Indeed, that is only the beginning. The sales cycle is continuous. It is sustained not only by high-quality client relationship management and value-added service, but also by marketing efforts that speak to the evolving needs of both prospects and clients. I often discuss the importance of having a marketing mix on this blog - that is...

To advance prospects through the marketing pipeline and eventually guide them to the sales process, salespeople in any industry need to keep their targets "warm." Do you have a strategy for how you ensure you are at the top of prospects' minds? What have you done to guarantee that they associate your name with a particular service or product? Maintaining contact is only half of the sales process - you also need to constantly evolve what you are...

For many years, it seemed as if companies that got involved in social causes were either doing so for a public relations campaign or were not creating revenue as a result. However, the corporate attitude toward activism and social responsibility has evolved in recent years. Perhaps more executives realize that getting involved in local causes or global issues is deeply rewarding on a personal level and may prove profitable. A recent study from TBWA Worldwide...

For some businesses, the evolution of their marketing strategies has been slow. It is understandable: a business owner may be hesitant to introduce a new element to a formula that has been successfully promoting his or her company for years. But for an organization to enjoy a long life cycle and create sustainable growth, it needs to constantly push its boundaries and seek out ways to improve, not just maintain its current standing. Rest assured that competitors are...

Social media marketing is a main source of new leads and client feedback for many entrepreneurs . The low cost, digital solutions enable brands to engage directly with target audiences to share information, products, and insights. Clients can opt to respond via social media for more in-depth details, make a purchase or launch a discussion that can develop into a trusting relationship over time. Whether the company is a financial advisory firm or a small...

Entrepreneurs are ambitious, hard-working professionals looking to build a company from the ground up. Whether their business concepts develop into a financial advisory firm or a new IT company, how they market the enterprise is often very much the same. There are traditional channels for communicating with clients, and there are more modern platforms that focus on cost-efficient interactivity to drive business without a large investment. Such tactics rely...

When starting a business, entrepreneurs must devise strategies to reach out to clients to drive business and increase profits. The marketing tactics most widely adopted by modern business builders aim to leverage IT solutions, social media platforms and digital communication tools to engage tech-savvy clientele with convenient communications. Marketing teams are looking to Facebook, Twitter, emails and online videos to create open discussions with clients and...

When you vet prospective clients and compare them to your "ideal" client profile, do you take into account the length of time it will take to move them through the pipeline? Do you consider how they will mature and develop in the months or even years before they become clients? Have you thought about how they will grow during a long-term relationship? The people who will be your ideal clients in a few years may not be the perfect prospect today;...