Fall Website, e-News, Blogs & Social Media Marketing Starts NOW!

As we celebrate Labor Day Weekend (currently on sabbatical camping at Cedars Of Lebanon!) my thoughts as I sit around the camp fire is one of relaxation, refreshment and rejuvenation after a long hot summer but as my mind wanders off into the sounds of crickets and the coolness of the evening I naturally think about work and the upcoming fall.  OK – probably not what you should be thinking about on a camping trip but sometimes your best clarity can come in the most peaceful moments. Not sure why but I feel inspired so time to share!

The reality from a marketing point of view is that we have September, October and November before December and the New Year beckons. Realistically you have 1-2 months to really market your company and then it is Turkey time, Christmas and New Year… So are you (or more to the point) is your Website, e-NEWS and Internet Marketing (Blogging & Social Media) channels ready to ROLL?

Let’s start with the Website

Is your website up to date (content, images and multimedia)? And the big question in the world according to “Google” – is your website responsive and mobile friendly. Can a prospect visit your website and understand what you do, what you offer and what you can provide. I have used the terminology the “Elevator Pitch” before to describe the time a first time visit may give you when visiting your website (10-20 seconds if you are lucky). Does your website do a great job introducing your company and services in that period?  So go to your website and see if it does! (If it does good job) you have passed the first test for your Fall Marketing plan. If you do need a new website then September would be the best time to get it going (December if you are focusing on spring Marketing 2017)…

So next let’s look at e-NEWS

The most underrated but hardest worker in the marketing tools when it comes to knocking on your customers and prospects doors (hey look at us and checkout what we are doing and we have to offer!!!!). E-News takes a lot of effort to produce (basically sharing a series of quality news items that should be on point, maybe entertaining and of value to receiver. Sustainability is an issue with e-NEWS (one every two years probably won’t cut it) so I try to incorporate a quarters worth of blogs as my primary source of news which helps in terms of production. Whatever your frequency a series of great e-NEWS in the fall will go a long way to get your company attention! A good e-news will pull the reader back to your website and potentially create an action (inquiry, sale or reorder).

That naturally brings me to Blogs and Social Media…

which should be more of an ongoing processes you have in your marketing arsenal. I have to admit I have noticed a significant uptick from our clients producing blogs in August which I am really happy to see.  Heck you can write blog from anywhere at any time (even at a campsite – note “The Bear” in the cover photo finding his creative space for some blogging). You just have to get into the creative mode and then just bang it out. A great blog is about what you know (not what you research and reproduce) – expert blogs are really what get read so write about what you know, what you and your company are good at and what is valuable to the reader.

Blogs have tremendous sustainability on the web – if you write a good blog it could be read again and again over the next 10 years and google keeps re-indexing as it gets read more and more. Keep in mind a good hour dedicated to a blog could have great returns for you especially this fall so start your writing engines!

Finally we finish today’s pep talk with “Cloud Thought” media. In the 80’s I had a College Professor that used to talk about having “Cloud Thoughts” implying that a specific idea was a cloud thought. He also used to throw his chalk in the air and catch it while talking which I thought was impressive as well. I always liked the terminology “Cloud Thoughts” and must admit I have been a man of many cloud thoughts over the years. Social media sought of reminds me of that… small cloud thoughts sometimes with lots of thought and sometimes not.  So with your social media plans for the fall you really want to think about several things. First and foremost what social media are you proficient in?  If you aren’t proficient in any then find a team member who is.  Don’t setup a social media plan based on a social media you don’t use (it won’t work!).

It’s all marketing

Generally you have to do the talking in social media or a key team member does as the information you share is going to brief and short so it better be relevant (and interesting). Also think about your clients and prospects demographics. Are they Facebook users or Twitter users (or Instagram or Snap chat)? Your demographics should really dictate this as well as what you are wanting to achieve with your audience. Twitter is a great one way tool in my opinion – very good media tool – here is my most recent cloud thought and the people will read it and retweet if it is good.  Facebook might be series of comments and other comments all talking about the topic you started. Although social media requires less time than other forms of internet marketing it really should have thought and purpose behind it and above all be valuable to the reader.

Well the campfire is starting to die down and the inspiration for this blog is coming to an end. Lots to think about here but the internet is where and how we market our companies today so now is the time to start making game plans.

If you are looking for a partner to help you plan out and execute a great fall campaign then please contact Bear Web Design and let’s chat. Although the fires have died out here at Cedars Of Lebanon on this fine Friday night the fires of marketing for the fall of 2016 are just starting to get going!