How to Market to Gen Z? – The Consumer | THE BETA GENERATION

September 4, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The personal computer (and now the smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, you get the picture) have allowed our generation to look at purchasing in a new light. We no longer only see products on TV, we can find and buy the products we love, the best ones at that, without leaving the comfort of our own home. This makes marketing to Gen Z a different game. We can find any product we need, so having advertisements shoved down our throat is unappealing. Buying the product is no longer the satisfaction of the purchase, but rather finding the product to begin with

Picture this: You’re in a clothing store and the size you try on doesn’t fit right. You give the item to a store clerk and ask them for the next size up. The store is all out of that size so she brings you a similar item in your size. You try it on and it fits like a glove.

Why Local Reviews Are Becoming a Best Online Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses | All Business

July 29, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Among the relatively newer tactics to emerge in the online marketing world are ones that work on both an SEO and a social level—all while promising their own, independent benefits.

Local reviews are exactly what they sound like—reviews of your business written and posted by real customers on third-party directory or review sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor. Cultivating these local reviews by giving stellar service and making your presence on these review sites known (as directly soliciting reviews is a violation of most directory sites’ terms of service) holds numerous benefits for your business, and is becoming one of the most successful and most important online marketing strategies today.

So what is it that makes local reviews such an important and useful strategy?

How to Create an Effective Business Marketing Plan | Business News Daily

July 2, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A marketing plan may not be at the top of every new business owner’s to-do list, but it should be. While a business plan helps map the direction for your company, a marketing plan helps your company understand how to get there by detailing important steps on the road to creating customer relationships.

“The single most important thing for a small business to include in its marketing plan is a very clear understanding of its customers and its competitors,” said Robert Thomas, professor of marketing at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

Though a marketing plan can be formal or informal, at a minimum it describes who your customers are, where they get information, and how you are going to reach them. Thomas said the development of a marketing plan requires four specific tasks:

Google and Red Robin Made a Terminator Banner Ad That’s Cool | Adweek

June 26, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Banner ads are pretty much the bane of every digital consumer’s existence. So, it’s no small measure that Red Robin just launched—through a partnership with Google—an interactive display campaign that could actually turn sci-fi fans into patrons of the fast-casual burger chain.

The brand worked with Google and its digital agency, Vitro, to create immersive video promos for Red Robin’s Terminator Genisys campaign, which also includes TV spots and signage in the company’s restaurants. The ads let viewers see Red Robin pitchwoman “Melanie” as a Terminator character would. They can use their smartphones to add another digital layer to the experience or watch on their desktops for a simpler view.

Check out the demo below to better understand the marketer’s take on Terminator:

Here Are the 12 Best Facebook Marketing Campaigns From the Past Year | Adweek

June 16, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Ice Bucket Challenge was the past year’s best use of Facebook marketing, according to the social network, which just announced its ad award winners. It’s no surprise the viral campaign got so much praise—Mark Zuckerberg even participated.

Zuckerberg was one of the millions of people to douse themselves in ice water to raise awareness for ALS in what became a powerful moment for online marketing. The best part was that it cost the ALS Association no money to generate all that attention—440 million people saw the videos.

The lesson was not lost on Facebook, which is holding it up as an example of how to use the platform for maximum impact.

This year marked the fourth Facebook Awards, which are timed to coincide with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity—starting next week—where the ad world assembles to honor its top creative work.

5 Things to Know Before Using Wikipedia as a Marketing Tool | All Business

June 15, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Wikipedia has been, and will continue to be, one of the best marketing tools for your business. Having a Wikipedia page will not only help lift your brand to the first page of Google, it will also help increase the page rank of your website after it’s linked to your Wikipedia page.

Marketers have been using Wikipedia for years to help clients climb in rank. After all, Google gives quite a bit of authority to Wikipedia; even having a simple link will help with your marketing efforts.

I make my living editing Wikipedia, spending countless hours each day creating and cleaning up entries for various clients. Throughout my time, I have run into the dangers of using Wikipedia as a marketing tool. If not done properly, a page can cause more harm than you can imagine.

Before you jump into editing Wikipedia for yourself or a client, there are a few things that you should familiarize yourself with:

Why Don’t People Buy From Me? | Getentrepreneurial.com

May 19, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Biggest Marketing Challenge WE All Face

The biggest challenge we’re dealing with today is change. Things are changing so fast. As a result of this rapid pace of change people do not know who to trust!

There are six questions your prospects want answered before they will buy from you. These questions are designed to allow you to think like your buyer and speak with them so they know you are the right and safe choice.

Why the Six Questions are Important

When I started my business back in 2001, I lacked trust. What I really mean is that I did not know who could help me get clear on my ideal client. Every time I ask someone they said things I did not understand. I was confused and a confused mind does not take action. This is what we’re dealing with.

Stick with me as I talk about things you may not have thought about before. Keep an open mind because, to grow your business, you need to find someone you can trust.

Remember we stated earlier that “trust” is the biggest marketing issue we need to address. This is what marketing is about – helping our prospects to trust us so we can start the sales process.

Let’s jump right in.

Your Online Ads Are Creeping Out Your Customers | Business News Daily

May 14, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If your business is using online advertisements that are targeted to consumers based on their Internet browsing history and personal information, you may want to reconsider that marketing tactic, new research finds.

According to a new study from Ithaca College, many online users find tailored ads to be “creepy,” and thus are less likely to buy the products and services being promoted.

“My experience was that consumers’ reactions to it were not good,” Lisa Barnard, the study’s author and an assistant professor of integrated marketing communications at Ithaca College, said in a statement. “They found it to be really creepy.”

Want Leads? Use YouTube Remarketing | Small Biz Trends

May 12, 2015May 11, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Remarketing on YouTube has become almost as commonplace as remarketing on the Web. YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine with over 1 billion active users each month. Perfecting your marketing strategy for such a large platform can have huge benefits for companies, and what many are realizing is that the remarketing aspect of YouTube has huge potential.

It’s ultimately a great way to get a viewer — whether they clicked on your video, subscribed to your channel, unsubscribed from your channel, viewed your in-stream ads, etc. — coming back to your channel as you upload new videos. In the end, this is a great way to generate more quality leads to help you drive your business growth forward.

What Is Generation Z, And What Does It Want? | Co.Exist

May 7, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ 1 Comment

Poor Generation Z. The oldest members of this cohort are barely 18 and they’re already getting a bad rap. Media and market research companies have labeled them “screen addicts” with the attention span of a gnat. And the pressure: They only have the weight of saving the world and fixing our past mistakes on their small shoulders.

Really?

While generational research is an inherently messy process—older generations study “the kids” to figure them out—much of the recent research is awash in normative preconceptions, biases, and stereotypes. Gen Z deserves a fairer shake, and the rest of us need a more nuanced conversation: This group makes up a quarter of the U.S. population and by 2020 will account for 40% of all consumers. Understanding them will be critical to companies wanting to succeed in the next decade and beyond.

My firm Altitude set out to dig below the surface to understand not only what Gen Z were doing but why—in their own words. We worked with over a dozen 16- to 18-year-olds with diverse backgrounds from across the country through a series of in-depth discussions, video diaries, and daily interactive exercises designed to provide a glimpse into their lives. Our goal was to view the world through their eyes.

What we learned was surprising.