Need More Content Suggestions?

Here are a few more ideas to help stimulate your journalistic curiosity to develop content for your Website, blog, or other online post.

• Create a series of case studies or success stories. Ask your sales reps to provide you a customer name who used your product in a unique way.

• Develop a series of Q&As. Ask your customer service personnel to provide you a list of frequently asked questions that they get every day dealing with customer issues.

• Create a series of testimonials. Not the self-serving kind but genuine real-life testimonials, perhaps of people using your products in their respective place of work.

• Don't forget the usual information you should include on your Website such as corporate info. I can't tell you how many times I see a Website without the basic corporate mission, philosophy and management listing.

• Try the David Letterman Top 10 List for something unique to your industry. Top 10s are always a crowd pleaser.

Feel free to leave your comments and let us know your ideas on content development.

Content! Content! Content! It's All About the Content, Stupid!

Are you tired of hearing about "content"? Your Web site must have great content. Your blog must have great content. Your social media must have great content. Your e-newsletters must have great content. But, what exactly is great content?

Content is simply described as useful information vs. a sales pitch. It usually includes tips, hints, how-to tips, and perhaps industry trends or data. So, are all of us now becoming our own editor-in-chief in charge of writing content whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, our blog, or our Website? Well, yes we are. But, you don't have to have a Ph.D. in linguistics to share useful information. Here are a few tips that may help you become your own editor-in-chief.

• Know your audience. Write about things that interest them. Understand their problems and offer solutions to those problems. What do they care about most? What information are they craving? Take a poll and ask your readers what they want or what topics interest them. Right now, for example, social media and search engine optimization seems to be the two biggest buzz phrases. Everyone wants to know the magic bullet for promoting their company via social media. And, everyone wants to optimize their Web site so that their search rankings will be higher.

• Always think about your audience's needs and not yourself. So, provide information that is useful to them. If you get too overly promotional, no one wants to read a sales pitch. Set yourself up as the resident expert in your field or trade. Be the "go to" person for your audience when they have a question or need information about a specific topic. No one likes a spam artist. So, don't get the reputation for hawking your wares.

• Segment your audience depending upon where they are in the sales cycle. Are you introducing your products or services to this audience for the first time? Do people already know you? Where is your customer in terms of buying your products or services? Are they just kicking the tires? Or are they ready to consider a company such as yours? Or are they ready and want to make a decision.

• Consider publishing a survey or other market research statistics. People love to read competitor and industry information. And research data gives you instant credibility with your audience.

• Develop a glossary of frequently-used terminology for your particular industry. Or create content for an educational class, Webinar, or Internet-based workshop. Search engines love PDFs or PowerPoint presentations, so your site just might be better optimized using this strategy. Promote your class via an e-newsletter, Webinars, online videos, or other documents posted on your website. But, again, don't be promotional with this material. Keep the selling out of it. If you don't have anyone in-house who is a great speaker, then consider hiring someone who does voiceovers so that you have a professional presentation.

We'll give you more content hints and tip in our next blog post. So, stay tuned for more.

Planning Fabulous Events, Part II

Continuing on our series of blog posts about creating the most memorable event, here are a few more tips to remember.

• Theme: Choose a theme with relevance either to the location or to the customers who will attend. For example, I planned a themed party "Phantom of the Opera" and held it in an old church that was owned by a hotel. Another party I threw was "The Golden Sunset" party. This was held at an aquarium which overlooked the Pacific Ocean. I got lucky and the Golden Sunset appeared at 6:38 p.m. that evening and happened to look exactly like the picture I chose for the invitation. Now, that doesn't happen every day but it make the party just perfect and memorable. For a Star Wars themed party, I chose a Discovery Science Center.

• Venue: Once the theme is chosen, then choose an appropriate venue. You don't always have to rent out a hotel ball room. There are many options depending upon the size of your event. For smaller parties, you may want to rent a yacht for the evening. Or, as in the previous bullet point, a Science Center, Art Museum, Aquarium, or other appropriate venue. Many of your local attractions will rent space for events. Think out of the box and use your imagination ... the sky is the limit.

• Party Favors: I always like to get my guests involved from the invitation on. I like to send them a special item that they have to turn in at the party to enter a raffle, for example. Then upon arrival, I like to get the party started by offering them a specially concocted drink and some other party favor. For example, in the Phantom of the Opera party, I handed out Mardi Gras style masks for each guest. For the aquarium party, I handed out flower leis. That way, everyone got into the theme of the party from the very beginning.

• Entertainment: Hire some entertainment, whether it be just a D.J. spinning the tunes, a band or some other theatrical event, entertainment is a must for a successful event. Again, for example, the party at the Aquarium, I hired a band that played California surfing music akin to the Beach Boys. For the Phantom of the Opera party I hired a hypnotist. It was fun. But, if I had to do it over again, I would have hired a magician. You, see my audience was a bit stiff and really didn't want to be hypnotized. So, I learned a valuable lesson "know your audience".

• Parting Gift: Always remember to provide your guest a parting gift. This could be a photo of them at the event or a small token of your appreciation. I gave my guests a CD of The Phantom of the Opera musical. It kept to the theme of the party and it was a gift that they could listen to forever and remember the event.

Try some of these tips and you, too, will create a memorable event.

Tips For A Fabulous Event That Everyone Will Be Talking About, Part I

Do you ever get stuck being the one to plan a company event, whether it be an employee awards dinner, a press conference, or a national sales meeting? If you don't have any formal event planning experience, here are a few tips to help you create a memorable event.

• Hopefully, you have, at a minimum, 90-120 days to plan the event. It is very difficult to put a large event on in just a few weeks and expect it to be successful. Most hotels want you to book space at least a year in advance. Despite the fact that some hotels have closed their doors due to the economic downturn, the ones that are still getting the business, want to be sure they have adequate space for your event. You most likely will need to book one main ballroom for opening ceremonies, or a banquet event. But, you should also consider if you need smaller breakout rooms for small group meetings. Or perhaps, renting a suite for a hospitality event is all you need. Before you even start looking at hotel space, be sure you have plotted out the space you need.

• Invite your participants well in advance. Perhaps create a fun teaser to get them to attend your event. You could send out a piece of a puzzle to each participant requesting that they bring that piece of the puzzle with them to the event. Upon arrival, they would have to figure out which piece of the puzzle they held. Or you could plan a treasure hunt and send out clues several months in advance. Upon arrival your guests would have to find the hidden treasure with the clues they were given. In other words, entice your guests to attend your event and then once they are there make it interactive. There's nothing worse than to have people check in to the hotel and attend a boring series of lectures for an entire week. So, make it fun and memorable. In other words, create a theme and make sure all of your planning supports that theme.

• If you are planning a customer event, make sure the food is excellent. No rubber chicken for your guests, please. Hire a caterer or choose a hotel or restaurant with an excellent reputation. Don't forget the place settings. Colorful tablecloths, flowers for each table, or some sort of centerpiece will create the ambience you want. Make sure all of the components of your event relate back to your event theme. If you have the money in the budget put on a theatrical presentation, hire a band, or some other entertainment to create a relaxing atmosphere.

The main goal is to have great food, great entertainment, and create a great atmosphere. Offer your guests the best hospitality you can muster. Make them feel welcome and create an event they will remember forever.

How to Get More Bang for Your Buck By Selecting the Right Marketing Tactics

Is your small business having a difficult time deciding what marketing strategies to utilize? Especially in this down-turned economy, you need to watch your marketing budget closer than ever. Here are a few tips to help you get more from your budget.

• Select marketing tactics that cost less than traditional forms of marketing. Move to online versus offline media, for example.

• Use Webinars instead of seminars. You can get a higher attendance and save your company and your customers travel expenses.

• Take a smaller booth space at trade shows that provide you great prospects.

• Use postcards for your direct mail programs rather than sales letter or other customized direct mailers.

• Increase your response rate by testing your headlines and copy. Using the right words will make a difference.

• Don't forget to include a call to action, an offer, or some sort of discount program. Add a sense of urgency by giving a deadline for response.

• Convert your inquiries into prospects and then into sales. Follow up on those leads.

• Partner with other synergistic companies so that they promote you and vice versa. Instead of paying for advertising costs, barter with the partner for space on their website, for example.

• And...don't forget to measure your results. Google Analytics can help you measure your website traffic from various sources. If you don't know how you're doing, you won't be able to put a plan into place that works.

Check out our new Website Features

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If you want to subscribe click on the Subscribe Now button on the home page or on the sidebar of this blog. It's just another way to make things convenient. Here is the link to read the back issues. In a few weeks we'll have a widget on the home page of our Website so you can easily click to read the archived issues.

Let us know how you like this feature.

8 Secrets to Marketing Your Products via e-Newsletters

Why should you publish an e-newsletter?

Well, research has shown that it is a lot more cost effective and profitable to grow your business by increasing revenue and referrals from existing customers vs. chasing new prospects. If you have a good in-house customer or prospect list, think of that list as a valuable asset. And ... you need a way to stay in touch with that valuable asset.

Read the complete article on Buzzle.com.

New Discussions On the KIWI Facebook Page

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Need a Killer Sales Prospecting Script? Part 2

Following on our previous article on this blog, here are a few more tips for developing a great sales script.

• Set yourself up as an expert. Say phrases like "we specialize in ..." or "we are known for ..." And, don't be bashful to name drop current or former clients to help you position your expertise in the minds of your prospects. They are most likely familiar with some of your reputable clients. Also, if someone has referred you, then say so, and use their name.

• Describe your product or service and point out the benefits of your service or product. But, be sure you position the benefits from the prospect's perspective, and not yours. So, you really need to do your research and understand the industry problems that you are solving with your company's offerings.

• To use or not to use jargon, that is the question. If industry jargon is well-known by your prospect, certainly use it to show your expertise. But, if you are dealing with someone not familiar with the jargon, then use plain vanilla communication. You need to be sure your prospect understands what you're talking about. If they don't, you may hear a click at the other end of the phone. Try filling in your script with a success story you had with another client. Using word pictures will help the prospect to understand what you can do for them.

• And, don't forget to close the conversation. You need to ask for something. Now, it may not be a sale on the first conversation. All you may want is a meeting, a teleconference, or a personal one-on-one appointment to discuss your products and services further. But, always ask for what you want. The main goal is to introduce yourself and your company. Your prospect needs to get to know you first before they will buy. They may already have a vendor that supplies a similar service. But, you never know the future and something could happen to that supplier.

Need a Killer Sales Prospecting Script? Part I

Don't we all these days. After all, we are all sales people whether we want to admit it or not. Whether you are a small business owner, entrepreneur, looking for another job, or trying to advance in your current company, we are all in sales.

I know "sales" is an ugly word. The stereotype is that guy or gal who is obnoxious and bothers you all the time. You have no need for their services and they are persistent. They must have your contact info in their database and ping it to remind them to call you weekly, monthly, or every few months. Like clockwork, you get a voice mail from them.

But, it doesn't have to be that way. Here are a few tips to help you gain rapport and be successful with your prospecting.

• Be prepared. Don't try to wing it. Even if you're a seasoned sales professional, think about your goal. It's not necessarily to get a sale at this early stage. You most likely just want to get an appointment with the prospect. Or at least you want to canvass them to see if they have a need for your product or service. No use in wasting time on people who need widgets when you're selling buggy whips, so to speak.

• Write your script and practice it. Record your voice and listen to how you sound on the phone. You can even call yourself and leave yourself a voice mail to see how you sound. Make it sound natural. Don't ever appear to be reading your script. Your script should be written as you normally speak.

• If you get your prospect on the phone, don't ever ask them "how are you today". They were probably fine until you called and interrupted their busy day. Get to the point and introduce yourself and the company you're with. Then give a sound bite of what you do, what your company does, or some information about the product you're selling. You should position yourself as the expert in the field.

• Don't write a "me-too" script. That is, don't sound like your competitors. Really take a view of what you do better than all the rest. Don't just position yourself as a another widget manufacturer. What does your product do better. How does it solve a problem that your prospect has? Point out the relevant benefits.

Start with these tips and see how your phone scripts will improve. We'll have more tips on our next blog post.

The Ultimate Trade Show Give-Away

Does your company spend thousands of dollars a year on give-aways, tchotchkes, or premiums, specifically purchased for trade shows? How many mousepads, pens, keychains or coffee mugs have you purchased in the past few years? Do you know what your customers do with those items when they return to their office? Well, most of them probably give these items to their kids, a co-worker, or stick them into the office supply cabinet. So, the question is, what is the ultimate give-away item? And how much does it cost?

How about putting together a small booklet, somewhere in the size of 3.5-in. x 6.5-in. or pocket size. And make the content somewhat substantial, say 16-24 pages. Offer hints, tips, and techniques relating to your business. One of the most popular booklets that I created for a client was an Applications Guide for life science customers. Years later, when the booklet, was out of print, customers requested that the booklet be updated.

Booklets are not that difficult to create. You just need to decide what information should be included. Ask your customers at the next trade show what would be of value to them. You may even have the information somewhere within your company. Talk to your customer service department and find out what questions they frequently are asked by customers. It could be a tutorial, how to, list of references, or whatever you think your customers might frequently use.

Another option is to purchase a booklet from another publisher that is already in print. Make sure it is something your customers would refer to over and over again. You could design a book jacket with your company name and logo and the words "With our compliments" on the front cover and your address, website, and other corporate information on the back of the jacket.

Either option can be accomplished for about the same price or less than what you are currently spending on tchotchkes. So, when it comes to trade show tchotchkes, be creative, but practical.

What's the Great Formula for Great Marketing?

Not sure any of the so-called gurus, sherpas, or other divinations with crystal balls can answer that question. But I can. And the answer is simple. Stop focusing only on getting new customers and start serving your existing customers. Simple? Well, it is. Your current customer base can be a wealth of referrals for the future of your business. They can also provide testimonials so that new customers will know that you are a quality company. You can't buy that kind of loyalty. So, it behooves you to provide your existing customers will stellar service and support.

Now, don't take that first paragraph in the wrong light. I'm not against getting your company name out to other potential customers. You always need to feed the customer trough. As we all know for whatever reason, customers come and go. Companies go out of business, companies merge, the person you work with gets a job at another company and the new guy brings in his own people, ya da, ya da, ya da. But, I do think many times we think of marketing as only getting new prospects, inquiries, or sales. It also is about communicating to your existing customer base. Too many companies have a great database of names and do nothing with that database.

We all talk about relationship marketing but no one seems to be developing a relationship with their customers. In fact, customers are ignored after the first sale. Whoever heard of after sales support? What does that have to do with marketing, you say? Well, marketing is more than the upfront lead generation. It's all about building a positive brand and image of your company.

So, my point is this. The great formula to great marketing is to service your customers well. If you do that first, it will be much easier to promote your products or services to potential customers.

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Visit our Website for more information and/or to sign up for your FREE issue today! Or use the sign-up form on the sidebar of this blog.

Do You Tweet? 3 Reasons Why You Should!

If you are not familiar with the Twitter phenomenon, here is a brief overview. Twitter is a privately funded startup located in the San Francisco, CA area. It was created because the founder was interested in knowing what his friends were doing at any given time. Twitter was launched in August of 2006. Twitter's popularity is due to its simplicity. People are eager to connect with other people and Twitter makes that task easy. Twitter asks one question, "What are you doing?" The answers must be no longer than 140 characters in length.

Read the complete article on Buzzle.com

More Twitter DOs and DON'Ts

Twitter and most social media, for that matter, has experienced phenomenal growth in the past year. Most companies are now realizing the value of Twitter and are starting to make regular tweets to their customers. But, is there proper Twitter etiquette? Here are a few things you should consider when you start tweeting.

• Don't use machinebots to post your tweets. If you do, you're missing the point of social media. It's all about interacting with people. You need to respond to your followers.

• Retweet or RT the people you're following if you find something of interest for the people who are following you.

• When promoting your company, give it a personality. People want to talk to people not to company logos. So, put a photo of a person rather than a corporate image.

• Tweet about interesting topics. This one is a no-brainer. Provide links to your website or blog so people can get more information. After all, you only get 140 characters per tweet.

• Don't use Twitter to SPAM people. This is a given.

• Don't block your updates. If you do, what's the point? It's all about getting new people to follow you. This principal can also be used on LinkedIn. Many people block their contacts list. So, what's the point of networking and finding new people if you're not going to share your network?

• Don't use overly promotional tweets. Yes, you can tell your customers about your products. But, do it in a way that is educational and not self-serving.

• It's not about quantity...but quality followers. It's not about "he who has the most tweets or the most followers wins". Again, it's about building relationships.

• Don't post irrelevant tweets, that is, unrelated to your purpose or your social media goals.

• Don't simply retweet (RT) everything. Be selective in what you retweet.

Social media is an effective tool to market your company's products. Use it responsibly and you will be amazed at the results.

Social Media ... Revealed

I think I've got it! I just attended a Webinar about marketing with Twitter. The speaker was Jamie Turner @60 Second Marketer. He had a great way of explaining the various social media in an easy-to-understand parable. Here's how he explained things (in my own words).

• Facebook is a like a pub or bar. You get to know people on a personal level.

• LinkedIn is like a trade show. You hook up with people for business purposes.

• Twitter is like a cocktail party. There are may conversations going at the same time. It's sort of like Instant Messaging groups of people. You listen to one group and then you take that information and relay it to another group via your retweets.

• YouTube is like Times Square on New Year's Eve. It's difficult to break through the lines of people. But, if you get through to where the cameras are focused you can be seen by a million people.

• MySpace is like Woodstock for the younger generation. It is very cause-oriented marketing of sorts.

Jamie's explanation really opened my eyes to the benefits of social media in marketing B to B. He noted that marketing has changed from a monologue to a dialogue. Marketing used to be pushing out the message to a mass audience. Now, it's more of a two-way dialogue between customer and company and vice versa. He used the word "narrowcasting" to describe today's conversation with customers vs. the traditional "broadcasting" method of the past.

I didn't realize how many other types of social sites existed other than the ones I've mentioned above. You should also consider using the following types of media:

• Blogs
• Bookmarking and Tagging
• Content Aggregation
• Crowdsourcing & Voting
• Discussion Boards & Forums
• Events & Meetings
• Photosharing
• Podcasting
• Presentation Sharing
• Ratings & Reviews
• Widgets
• Wikis

So, next time you're tweeting, posting to your Facebook page, or linking with someone on LinkedIn remember that each social site can be used for a specific purpose. If you're not on the sites, try them personally first, and then start doing some marketing for your business. You'll discover a whole new world of conversation with your customers.