My friend just told me her husband saw a car pulled off on the side of the road with out of state tags and the car door opened over the weekend.  This was on a road they frequently traveled.  He thought something was wrong, so he phoned the local police who said, “it’s not in our district”.  Then he phoned the county police who said, “It’s not in our district”. 

When running another errand during the same day, he noticed the same car.  So he stopped and found a woman slumped over her steering wheel.  She was clearly disoriented and in shock.  Her husband was slumped over in the passenger seat and had died of an apparent heart attack.  Then he had to physically go get the police to come and help.  The discovery happened on a Sunday, on a well traveled side road right beside a high school with several churches on the same road! The woman had been there since Friday night through the cold, and rainstorms.  What?  No one helped?

No Regrets.
Our friend who was able to help this distraught woman has no regrets.  He is no longer questioning, “I wonder if anyone looked in that car?”  He is no longer feeling the tug on his mind saying, “something is wrong, I should help”.

Each and every day new opportunities are available for businesses.   I recently heard a marketing “infomercial” on the radio, which summarized that marketers are selling “hope”.  Your life will be better if you buy this video, this book, or this product.

Aren’t we all selling hope?  Whether you have a product or a service, selling hope means business owners and managers should be helping others, not just talking about themselves.  

Some people just think of their single mission for the day, or the week, or the month, and continue to delay interacting with others and helping.  What a missed opportunity!  Helping others can always come back to us … simply by the human “wow” factor or “If they helped me, I should do something in return”.  These interactions happen everyday on Facebook and Twitter.

The great Oswald Chambers says, “people will get blessed, and one or two will show gratitude and the rest will show gross ingratitude, but nothing must deflect us …”.   

There are many opportunities to help others around us each and every day. Some of those opportunities may be physically in front of you.  Some of those opportunities may be online – it may be taking time to listen.  It may be as simple as “sharing” or “re-tweeting” something to help a non-profit in your community. 

Don’t Wait for DOA.  
Ask yourself, who can I help today?  You will be glad you did, and your analytics may prove you should have been doing it the whole time. 

If we ask ourselves what people are looking for when they do a search online, then social media campaigns should make an effort to meet the needs of those searches.  Online searches can vary with a wide range of topics, yet all of them break down to these basics: users are looking for ideas, solutions, people, products or information. 

Many business owners are overwhelmed by all the options, yet the potential for social media success is worth investigating all the options.

Creating Content for Web Searches

There is always something to create and share within your realm of expertise.  You can write a “How To” article or create a video for an even better visual. If you are a photographer, then share your topic with sequential photos on your own blog and on Instagram or Flickr.

Make an effort to create compelling content which will meet an informational need for others.  For instance, if you are a balloon maker then you may want to “follow” event planners and organizers because your businesses are already complimentary. At your next event, have photos taken of you and the event organizers and post those on your channel of choice.  This creates enthusiasm for your brand.  Be sure to use key “content” words within your text and when labeling photos.  This will help people find your blog or website.

Pick Your Channels

After creating your content, simply copy the link and paste into your favorite social media network.

Are the people you are trying to connect with on Twitter?  Are they on Facebook or Google Plus?  Surprising new data just came out from Hub Spot the most effective place for lead generation is on Linked In and it seems the hottest new channel of 2012 is Pinterest.  Each of the social media channels can be effective in combination or just by themselves, it just depends on the time you have.

Making it Easy?

Many people choose Twitter as their media hub and “tweet” out all their information from there.  I would caution that each gathering place has language of their own and “twitter talk” is not one of them.  The human touch of sharing at each point of contact and being real is important. 

Even though more companies are putting a process together for “automated” marketing by scheduling posts through Hoot Suite, TweetDeck, or Tweetie,   this “push marketing” is missing the point of “social” media.  That missing piece is interaction and helping others.

It’s Not All About You

So you’re not the life of the party, but a real “wall flower”?  Not to worry, you can still meet others, talk about their event, give someone a little encouragement or maybe just hit a “like” button or “retweet” from time to time.  The person on the other end may in turn take a look at what you have to offer, which can begin an online friendship and possible future contact and business.

Unfortunately there is no secret formula for success in social media – it simply takes time, writing, sharing photos and working the social media circuits.  

 How can 7 Waves help you? 

As we rush into 2012, it’s time to reflect by taking a look at the status of your current business marketing, while taking the time to look ahead to see where you are going.  

Will you be going toward more healthy fresh marketing or sticking with the “bagged” solutions? 

Marketers may be the slowest to upgrade, as we are busy helping others with their web identity or in fear of losing web traffic.  But, this writing has forced me to upgrade one of my own community blogs which was on a free site.  The domain name had been reserved for some time, but just making the move unfortunately kept getting pushed to the back burner.

Your Home Base of Operations

The hub of all online activity should be on your website or blog.  Consider this as your home base of operations, where all original content is parked.  This is the branded site you own, and where everything can be launched to share on various social media sites.

Can you identify with any of these seven potential opportunities?

• Are there current photos of your company team so potential clients can meet and identify each of you online? 
• Is the information on your site totally stagnant and obsolete?
• Is the latest information on your company parked on a free Word Press website blog with a domain name you don’t even own?
• Is all your company information parked on Facebook with no website presence at all?
• Is it clear what your business does to generate revenue?  Envision yourself as a first time visitor to your website – what do you see?
• Are all news updates and photos parked on Facebook?  (Which could easily disappear – based on past changes) and not on your blog?
• Is there evidence of helping clients on your site with testimonials?

Each of the above opportunities should be the foundation of your online brand. Even though you may hire a professional to help brand your image, or do copywriting to expand your brand, there is still preparation work required by the owner, so start making your list of improvements today.

Does your branded image meet the demands of 2012?   Let Seven Waves Marketing help – just drop us a line.

Just when is all this texting too much and how many LOL’s can we take during any given day?

Here is my take on it:

• If you really want me to come to your last minute party, please pick up the phone and let me hear your voice.
• Thanks for the travel updates – that saved a phone call.
• I missed the text to come to the next room.
• Loved seeing the photos.
• Thanks for my Birthday wishes!
• Texting addresses?  No way.
• Did I mention someone asked me how the wedding was?  I can’t describe the dress, the food, and the fun in a line or two.

I know I mentioned everyone texts – except my Mom.  Well, we can text her, but she just doesn’t want to take the time to reciprocate.  Mom gets miffed at my brother who rarely calls, but sends her text updates. 

So if I put on my own Mom hat on, then let me say that texting has its place and can be an efficient way to communicate, but texting in business relationships or with a client is probably not a good idea. 

My friend Lydia, the author of  “Manners that Sell” said, “what a shame to lose the personal touch with only email and texting”.  

So I challenge you to freshen up your relationships and use your phone in 2012 for what it was originally designed for – voice communication. 

Need to improve your communication for 2012?  Let 7 Waves help you plan a strategy, just drop us a line.

Report after report indicates national advertising budgets are shifting from TV, print, and magazines toward social media. Gigantic budgets paying for TV time and print placement are now paying for social media time at an hourly rate.

Many analysts have also reported social media sites (especially Facebook) are the demise of websites. Say it isn’t so!

With visibility now becoming more affordable, where does this leave your business? I run into owners weekly who say, “I should probably be on Facebook.” Are you willing to spend the time? Then maybe you should not be there.

Is there a plan?

Without a plan or strategy on posting news and events, Facebook would be an empty page. Here are some ideas to help further your online brand:

1) Don’t give up your website – it’s the home base for all your online activity. If you park all your information outside of your website, then someone else owns it. You always want to own your information.
2) Don’t give up on print media or TV – it could play into your social media strategy, but it all depends on who you are trying to reach. (I recommend an exercise in psychographics to help you determine where your customers are). All of the advertising pieces now have the potential to fit together and further your brand.
3) Incorporate your blog into your website, for a place to post current news and photos. This link can then be shared on your social media sites, and works best when there is a lot of information to read.
4) If you have an external blog, make sure there are many identifiers and links to identify this site with the main brand.
5) Having a presence on Facebook is much more than uploading a logo. It’s important to make sure the logo is readable on the news feed, so be sure to resize yours to thumbnail size. Or, create an image sized to fit in the vertical space, allowing the top portion of the logo to appear as the thumbnail.

So what to post?
1. Social media is not just about you, so promoting things that go on within your community or your favorite non-profit organization will help.
2. Helpful tips from your area of expertise or industry.
3. Post “did you know” helpful facts.
4. PHOTOS. Photos. Photos. If you want interaction on your Facebook page, photos are key. Photos of people, events, activities, products, or anything that might tell the story of your business.
5. Make it fun!

This first appeared on the Marketing Mel site, by Guest Blogger Cathy Rodgers, owner of 7 Waves Marketing

Everywhere I look, it seems the same message is being told: “invest in content,” “know who you are trying to reach,” and “the story is important.” Telling the story of what goes on behind the front door of a business is something we’ve been saying since the beginning of 7Waves. There is something unique about each and every business and there is a story that needs to be told. I invite you to take a fresh look at your business from the outside and ask yourself, “what would people want to know about my products, my place in the community, or the dedication of the founders and work team”?

Here are a few points of inspiration to help you further your brand or that of your client, along with a few suggestions for experimentation.

1. Nourish your brand: Have a brainstorming session with your team on how to boost the level of visibility and awareness in your community.

2. Find the story: Go back to the beginning and find the reason for the start of the business. This can be the foundation of a new press release or a blog article.

3. It’s more than a logo: A business continually creates and lives their brand. It’s more than a strategy or plan, it’s even beyond a vision statement – it’s about articulating passion for your own products and services.

4. Form a Partnership: One of the best examples for a partnership between a non-profit and for profit business I’ve seen was formed during a local political campaign. A local business already sponsoring a non-profit organization chose to enhance their visibility at a scheduled walk which included a table where most companies set out flyers, banners, and giveaways. In this case, the table was occupied by a political candidate, and the sponsoring company got two for one.

5. Tell your story with photos: It’s been proven that entries or posts which get the most comments on Facebook have photos. Photos create enthusiasm for a brand, make others want to be at an event, or desire the benefits of a product.

6. Promote others: Success stories not only promote your clients, but can attract future business partners, while creating good will for your business.

7. Social media: The story should be told in different ways across all researched mediums (and choosing your channels depends on the audience). For instance, if your audience is on Facebook, then you need to be there. – If you think your audience is on Twitter, then do an experiment for a set period of time and see if developing relationships there is worth your time. – No matter what method is chosen for brand promotion, it’s important to have the website and blog as the home base of operations.

So what’s your story?

Let us help:  Contact 7 Waves

Instead of cramming every bit of information known to mankind about one business into a newspaper ad or some sort of mailer, what about ….

1. Creating a visual or voice ad on Pandora Radio?

2. Using a branded Twitter account to talk about a new promotion or giveaway, while promoting others within your online community.  One large brand I follow seems to miss this opportunity by only offering the local weather forecast in their mountain town.

3. Instead of mailing a key to households (5 out of 6 people I polled throw these away) why not run a contest on Facebook to increase the fans you can market to in the future, while creating a PR opportunity for the winner of contest.

4.  A  Google ad word campaign is an excellent opportunity for targeted online advertising driven directly to your website.

5. Email advertising through interest groups targeted toward lifestyles such as coupon clippers or moms with small kids.

6. Giant visuals.  Dunkin Donuts does a good job of this with column wraps in the parking lot of the Boston airport and life size cups of coffee in the terminal.

 7. There are many more ways to get the word out about products, and as long as there are cars on the road, billboards designed to read at 65 mph may be the way to go for larger brands.

Does traditional advertising work for you?  Let us help you tell your story just drop us a line.

This brought to mind the “what if” brainstorming exercises, like “what if” our company offered this?  “What if we provided this service?  No one else is doing it ….”  These are great exercises to go through if you’re not surrounded by a team who says, “Yes, but.”

What about Christopher Columbus who discovered America?  He was persistent in pushing his belief the world was round and was probably one of the most uncommon thinkers of his era because he thought differently.

 I worked for a company many years ago who was so worried about what their competitors were doing, what new gadgets they had, and the latest bells and whistles on the market that they forgot to look at their own business and ask themselves, “what can we offer to our customers that is different?”

Of course there is no formula for how to be different, but what turned my whole world upside down was how the genius can actually be in the negative. What? You mean we market the stuff that is wrong with our company?  Exactly.

One of the best examples Youngme had was Twitter.  Can you imagine all the negative talk surrounding public texting in only 140 characters?  They have literally changed the world.  She said, “In a world of giant sized candy bars, Twitter gave us ththe M&M’s.”

Yes, it’s human nature to cover up our negatives, or try to improve our weak points as  quickly as possible.  And there are always customers who will ask you do something because Brand X is doing it and you should too, because it’s so easy to be a conformist.

So I challenge you to make a list of the negatives about your business and turn those into positive marketing points.

1. Your Twitter Identity.  When several panelists began sounding off their Twitter ID’s with underscores and numbers my friend and I breathed a sigh of relief for our names (Mine is @7wavescathy)

• Make sure your Twitter handle is easy and memorable
• It’s easy to change your Twitter ID, and you don’t lose any followers. Just go to Profile/Edit/Account
• I had to rebrand myself about a year and a half ago and was totally surprised how fast my new name was recognized.

2.       Google Plus

I had my toe in the water when it came to Google Plus, but now I’m really there. Google dominates the search market, so you should be plugged into Google Plus to give your business extra search exposure, while creating circles for people you want to learn from and “socialize” with.  I’m just getting my circles started, so join me!

Marketing Mel, Guy Kawasaki, and 7 Waves Cathy

I just tested out my first upload with a photo after meeting Guy Kawasaki. (this was a thrill and he has the best sense of humor!).

Say it with pictures:  In order to upload photos to Google Plus, you just need to download the app for your iPhone, Droid, or SMS for your smartphone.  If you have a Droid, be sure the Google Plus gmail account  is in under the Gmail icon and not added under the “mail” icon.

Watch Chris Brogan tell you why you need to be on Google Plus:  Presentation Video

3. Facebook Photos

Since the conference, two people have asked me how to upload photos to a Facebook business page, and one person during. 

1. Simply go to “edit” your page and look for Mobile

2. Then look for the mobile email address for your page. 

3.  It’s easy, just send the photo taken on your phone to the email Facebook has set for your business page and label the who/where/when in your upload.