Is 2012 the Year of Content Marketing?

Social Media Explorer named content marketing as one of the top five 2012 social media trends, but hasn't content marketing been around for years?

"Content curation  was so last year. In 2012 we’re going broader; we’ll be talking about a marketing discipline called “Content Marketing.” It’s actually not all that new; in fact, some social media pundits have been talking about it for years . But 2012 is the year content marketing hits the social media trends list and the mainstream, because content marketing is now a concept that executives can finally sink their teeth into."

This is a promising trend for small business owners who want to market and sell their services and products, but don't have large budgets. Content marketing doesn't have to be costly. However, one of the biggest mistakes that companies make is they don't have a clear message and they randomly blast inconsistent messages to their social networks.

Do you notice social networks filled with followers and fans that don't even fit with the company's brand? Shot-gun content marketing won't work for 2012. Forget social media updates about what you had for breakfast. 2012 calls for finely-honed, strategic content marketing messages.

Before you even create your content, keep these tips in mind: 

1. Who is/are my target market(s)? WHO will resonate with my content? Research your markets and get inside your social media fans' and followers' heads: What do they like? dislike? their age, gender, education, hobbies, geographical location, etc. 

2. What key messages do you want to send to target audiences? Brainstorm and develop 1-3 key cohesive messages that set your brand apart.

• What do you want to tell your target audience about your brand?

• What do you sell & why should they buy your product or use your service?

• What sets you apart from other competitive brands on the market? 

 

3. Devise strategic content marketing strategies for social media and internet marketing: 

• Long-form (blog posts, press releases and articles)

• Short form (tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook updates, etc.)

• Conversation sharing (commenting on blog posts and videos, and link sharing)

Remember that content marketing is all about building trust with your target markets. You want to engage them in real, authentic ways. Don't use social media as a platform to sell your products 24,7. In 2012, take this marketing and sales tip to heart: it's all about 95% valuable content and 5% sales pitch when it comes to your content marketing

 

Aloha! I'm Maui Bound This Week!

I am taking off for sun and fun and will be in Maui on a much-needed holiday this week. 

In the meantime, check out my interview series with bestselling author Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff - he is the first author to publish a book about Osama Bin Laden and his books have topped Amazon's Bestsellers' Lists!

Aloha - I'll see you in a week!

How to Lose Your Online Credibility With Just One Word

I subscribe to my share of social media and marketing newsletters and follow other social media consultants. This morning I started to read a social media-related blog, but I stopped reading after just one word. What made me stop? It was the word ''funnest'. I know that some bloggers and writers use slang as a tongue-in-cheek approach, but I'm fairly certain this writer thought 'funnest' was proper English. At that point, I stopped reading the article and clicked off the site. She lost me at just one word. 

Because of the improper word choice she used (technically, funnest is not a grammatically correct word in the English language), I was immediately turned off because it didn't make her sound credible. Maybe the word 'funnest' doesn't bother other people, and I'm just one of many in her audience but she still lost me as a reader - with just that word alone.

Even though she may be the most credible social media resource in the world, I wouldn't know because I stopped reading. It's important as bloggers and social media users to be conscious of the language you use. Funnest might be acceptable on a parenting or children's blog, but it doesn't fit on a professional social media blog.

And inappropriate word choices go beyond just funnest. I dug around and researched marketing 'turn off' words. Advertising has its share of 'no-no' words that they don't recommend using. According to BusinessWeek, avoid these five cliche words in ads:

1. Quality

2. Value

3. Service

4. Caring  

5. Integrity

If you want to stay away from spam words, check out this list of 200 spam words to avoid. 

Be careful when choosing your words, and remember that your readers and social media followers actually READ what you write. It only takes one word to hurt your online credibility. 

 

Your Personal Brand - What's Your Story?

We all have a story to share. We check off credentials on our resumes, social media bios and give our elevator speeches at meetings. As a business owner, what's your personal brand and even more importantly, what's your story? Personal branding is basically the way you (the person) market yourself to the world. It's also been called "self-packaging." 

Look at the personal brand of Tiger Woods. He's one of the best examples of how a personal brand can go down the tubes quickly (especially when that personal brand is tainted in the public eye). I can't think of one person on this planet who doesn't know the name Tiger Woods. Tiger equals pro billion dollar successful golfer which then turned into Tiger Woods, cheating husband and target of all celebrity gossip columnists. Wheras the tabloid gossip around Tiger's infidelities has simmered down, his brand definitely took a hit (especially on his wallet).

Your personal brand is what and how other people perceive you - and it's unavoidable! The labels and perceptions (whether true or false) people associate with you become tied to your personal brand. That's why it's important to tell your story before someone else tells their "version" of your story.

What Does Your External Brand Look Like to the World?

Your external brand is the "image" you project to the world - whether online or offline. 

Let's say Mrs. Mary Jones is a stay-at-home mom who raised kids for 20 years and created her company and products/services to help other busy moms make their lives easier. This "image" is portrayed on her website via her bio, website copy/design, etc.

Then we have another website - Ms. Jane Smith Off the Street who also sells similar products. What's Jane Smith's story? What makes HER an expert when it comes to child-related products? Jane Smith doesn't have a bio on her website and I don't know anything about her. Given that information, I'm buying my products from Mrs. Mary Jones based on the story I read and based on her experiences and expertise as a mom. 

So...do you have a story? Are you sharing it with your customers and clients? How does everyone else "see" you and your company? What are their perceptions? Good? Bad? Indifferent?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Observation is Your Best Market Research Tool

How many times have you heard the phrase "the powers of observation?" But what exactly does that mean in relationship to market research? We sometimes observe our clients, customers and even our colleagues with an egocentric focus. The ego steers us away from those gut, intuitive feelings that help us really understand and see people for who they are. 

What does all this psychobabble mean? It means it's time to pay attention to your target markets, customers and colleagues. Read between the lines and don't rely on literal translation - let your logical mind take a breather. 

Dig deeper and really listen, focus and observe people. You can use all the technical marketing metrics and tools in the world, but if you don't see human beings for who they are and how they act, think, behave, etc. - you won't truly understand people on a real and authentic level. 

For example, I just joined a new women's group on LinkedIn. I have "met" and interacted with many of these women on other LinkedIn groups. I assumed my powers of observation were right on the money, but I was wrong. It wasn't until I really interacted and dug deeper and shared honest, vulnerable stories, that I had a huge awakening. I realized I didn't really know anything abou them - yes, I knew the superficial facts here and there but that was it.

Their personal experiences shape who they are, not just as professional women, but as human beings. When we interact on the Internet,  it's easy to forget that there is more to people than just a faceless name, and we sometimes take that for granted. Even when we interact face-to-face, our technology distracts us from "really" observing people. 

How can we fine tune our powers of observation as business professionals? 

1. Check out discussion forums, boards, groups, blogs, etc. When you read discussions, pay attention and observe before you comment. When you comment, don't just share your opinion but ask probing questions (in a polite, respectful manner). Dig deeper and look into the "core" of the people interacting on the forum - not just the surface. It's easy to think we know a lot about people and take people at face value. We are all on different paths so don't jump to conclusions and make false assumptions. It can be difficult to get to know someone on the Internet and people hide behind anonymity, but it is possible to shed the cyber layers. 

2. Listen to people and pay attention to your gut instinct. When your customers talk to you, really listen to them. Don't talk at them. Ask their opinions and feedback. Your gut instinct points you in the right direction. How does it feel when you talk to customers? What's not being said? Can your hear frustration in their voice even though they don't come right out and say they are frustrated? 

3. Don't limit yourself to just business books and seminars. Pick up a philosophy, sociology or personal development book. Try out a yoga class. I'm not saying that business books or webinars aren't effective (I read and attend plenty of them). A different perspective can help us view people and our world in new, creative ways - which helps hone our powers of observation.

How are your powers of observation? Do they need a tune-up?