10 Tips for Small Businesses on Branding & Marketing

Impact Branding & Marketing for Small Businesses

@BrandMirror

“Are you out of sight and out of

mind?”

@BrandMirror

Overall Summary

@BrandMirror

• Small Business owners wear many hats:– CEO, CFO, CMO, CTO

• Today we will focus on key elements of branding and marketing, this will include:1. Framework to help make branding &

marketing simple and actionable2. Key insights in branding and marketing3. Tools to provide a way to make them easier

and more manageable – we only manage what we can measure

#1 Understand Your Brand

@BrandMirror

In PersonOnline

YOU

Create Opportunities

This market insight allows the ability to create opportunities

Your Unique Promise of Value

AudienceCompetitors

@BrandMirror

#2 Your Brand DNA – What You Are Known For

Professional & Fun

Approachable

Gutsy

Strategy

Structured

Impact

@BrandMirror

Be True to Your

Company Voice

#3 Where are your customers?

@BrandMirror

One

C

USTO

MER

S

M

any

Traditional MARKETING CHANNELS Social

NetworkingPrint

Speaking

Articles

Sponsorships

Radio

#4 Be a Noise Breaker, Create Your Unique Content

@BrandMirror

Low

C

onte

nt

Cre

ati

on

Hig

h

Low Content Curation High

Where there are not a lot of voices

creating or curating

Do Something, Targeted Efforts

There is a lot of content created,

not much curated

Do Both – Curate and Create

aggressively

Not a lot of unique content, tons of sharing

Focus on Unique Content Creation

Tons of CONTENT

Focus on Content Creation mainly,

with some Curation (if you have time do

more)

Key Elements to Your Digital Brand

Authenticity Relevance

Visibility Share-ability

Personas &

Tone

3. Are the right

people seeing you?

1. What should you

talk about?

2. Does it matter?

4. Will it be shared

and grow the brand?

@BrandMirror

1. What are your goals?

2. What platform(s) do

you need?

3. Who can help you?

4. What should you say when?

5. How do you know it worked?

#5 Test & Learn Methodically

@BrandMirror

Be True to Your

Company Voice

How to consider leveraging these channels

Facebook: Project Updates / Photos, Events

Pinterest:Multiple Boards that align with your purpose and market and increase followers by pinning from others

VIMEO: Create videos of projects, interview staff about projects

Twitter:Tweet news – real time or digestible content from others

LinkedIn:Share news on projects, recognize partners, share articles, tips, publish if you can, leverage a Company Page and Personal Page. Try sponsored content marketing

YouTube:Create a YouTube channel to showcase videos (augment with google+)Leverage ads if interested

#6 Every Channel is Not Equal

@BrandMirror Primary Social Media Secondary

©2014BrandMirror. All Rights Reserved.

#7 Get in front of people (out of sight, out of mind)

@BrandMirror

HARO – Help a Reporter

Out

Cura

te C

onte

nt

Cre

ate

C

onte

nt

One on One Small GroupsLarger Audience

Recognition(Newsle, LinkedIn)

Recognition(Newsle, LinkedIn)

Blogging

LinkedIn PublicationsSponsored Updates

Webinars

Vine Videos

Monthly E-

Letter

Speaking Engagements

SlideShare

Illustr

ativ

e Only

Make Your Marketing “Count”

@BrandMirror

1

2

3

4

Use #hashtags to track conversations, join them, and create new ones

Tag people in updates / news / recognition to gain visibility for you & them

Leverage links and services like bit.ly and Buffer to see click-throughs

Share your content and content from others – Give, Give, GetLinkedIn, Slideshare, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Foursquare, Blogging

Leverage photos and links effectively to drive more engagement

#8 Create Your Visibility Calendar

@BrandMirror

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

New Clients

Past Clients

Prospects

Public

Editorial Calendar | Communication Plan

Illustr

ativ

e Only

#9 Create Your Marketing Dashboard (KISS)

@BrandMirror Illu

strativ

e Only

Know More About SEO

@BrandMirror

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10.3 Billion searches each month93% of online starts with SE

Source: http://www.business2community.com/infographics/top-8-surprising-seo-facts-know-infographic-0965850?utm_content=buffer3aebf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer#!bDUeyL

Google now looks at words and Meaning with Hummingbird

SEO is about on your page and Where you show up on others

Social Media is Playing a LargerRole than ever before

People constantly change/learn With their searches – be smart

Google constantly changes its Algorithm – stay informed

57% of online marketers sayContent is still king, best strategy

You are not alone, others learnAbout this too…

#10 Content is King (Bundle Your Knowledge)

@BrandMirror

Tweet

LinkedIn

Groups

Blog

Facebook

Company Blog

Company

Tweet

Email

Next Steps & Recommendations

@BrandMirror

• Identify your primary and secondary channels

• Create 1 campaign with clear goals and outcomes and test & learn

• Try Buffer or HootSuite

• Consider attending the Social Media Summit Conference throughout the month of October

• Leverage Social Media Examiner to stay up on social media (one easy resource)

Be Intentional – Identify 3 Things to Do Right Now

1 2 3

@BrandMirror

Thank You!!!Jen Dalton

jendalton@brandmirror.com

@BrandMirror

Understand Your Brand

@BrandMirror

“We are CEOs of our own

companies: Me, Inc.”

-Tom Peters

“Authentic brands don't emerge from

marketing cubicles or advertising agencies.

They emanate from

everything the company

does...” ― 

Howard Schultz

,

YOU

What are your goals and tactics?

@BrandMirror

Your Website

LinkedIn

Webinar (GoToMtg, Lynda,SkillShare)

E-Letter (MailChimp)

Twitter

List Generation

YouTube

Create offers to drive sign up

Blog

SlideShare

Goal: Drive awareness,

engagement and

followership

Tactics: Build out your channel strategy

Engage & Monitor

Speaking Engagements

©2014BrandMirror. All Rights Reserved.

©2014BrandMirror. All Rights Reserved.

Q32014 Q42014 Q12015 Q22015

Give, Give, Get

Create Content

Engage

#8 Timing is Everything

@BrandMirror

HARO – Help a Reporter Out

Recognition (Newsle, LinkedIn)

Recognition (Newsle, LinkedIn)

Blogging

LinkedIn Publications / Sponsored Updates

Webinars

Vine Videos

Monthly E-Letter

Twitter

LinkedIn Updates, Shares, Comments

Speaking Engagements

SlideShare

Details Behind the Circles

@BrandMirror

Unique Promise Of Value

-Purpose-Story-Values-Vision-Passion-Tone & Voice

Competitors

-Who are they?-How are you different?-What are they doing?

Audience

-Who is your target?-Where are they?-How & When can they be reached?-Personas-Metrics!!!

Understand Your Marketing Funnel

@BrandMirror

Awareness

Consideration

Interest

Sale

Repeat Customer

Referral

Creating opportunities to be visible & shareable

Clear messaging & value proposition in proposals

Generate excitement through proposals

Approach to closing the sale – make it an

experience

Show thanks through additional value

Show thanks through some value add back