Business Development

About QR Codes

Posted in: ABR Handouts, Blog, Business Development, Technology by Mallory Malloy on August 29, 2011 | No Comments

A QR code (abbreviation for Quick Response code) is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) that is readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera telephones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded may be text, URL, or other data.

Although initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing, QR codes now are used in a much broader context, including both commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at mobile phone users (termed mobile tagging). QR codes may be used to display text to the user, to add a vCard contact to the user’s device, to open a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), or to compose an e-mail or text message. Users can generate and print their own QR codes for others to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR code generating sites.

QR codes storing addresses and Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) may appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards, or almost any object about which users might need information. Users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader application can scan the image of the QR code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, or open a web page in the telephone’s browser. This act of linking from physical world objects is termed hardlinking or object hyperlinking.

The use of QR codes is free of any license. The QR code is clearly defined and published as an ISO standard. Denso Wave owns the patent rights on QR codes, but has chosen not to exercise them.

Recently, QR codes have become more prevalent in marketing circles and have been integrated into both traditional and interactive campaigns. Media where QR codes have been deployed include: billboard ads, guerrilla marketing campaigns, in-store displays, event ticketing and tracking, trade-show management, business cards, print ads, contests, direct mail campaigns, websites, email marketing, and couponing just to name a few. QR codes are of particular interest to marketers, giving them the “ability to measure response rates with a high degree of precision” on marketing budgets. QR codes also have been used at trade shows and in conferences.

In July 2009, QR codes were created for character design and promotional materials in the Shane Acker film 9. The use of QR codes was part of the characters in the movie and culminated into a promotional campaign with unique QR code cards, posters, and street advertisements on billboards or public transportation for major popular art events. These advertisements were largely focused upon the attendees of the 2009 San Diego Comic Con and 2009 Academy Awards. QR codes were integrated into the artwork and symbolized individual characters in the movie. Instructional pamphlets and videos were released to explain how the codes could be retrieved and deciphered. QR-coded artwork could be read with QR-capable cellphones for prizes and access to exclusive online content. This was one of the first major integrations of QR codes with Hollywood studios and urban environments.

Whitney Comments on Promotional Items

Posted in: Blog, Business Development, People at PBS by Mallory Malloy on July 19, 2011 | No Comments

Whitney Recker is one of the marketing managers here at PBS.  She markets our various services such as payroll, accounting, and tax preparation.  Whitney has been the driving force behind our weekly newsletters and she helps represent PBS in social media.  She has been with the company for about eight months.  Whitney has a bachelor of communications degree from the University of Cincinnati.  In addition to working here at PBS Whitney, also works for her family business, In Touch Marketing.   They provide a wide variety of promotional items to companies.

I recently sat down with Whitney to gain some insight on the latest trends on promo items.

Q: How can promo items help businesses?

A: They can get a company’s name out and draw attention to a business.

Q: What is the most popular promo item currently on the market?

A: There is never one specific item that sells the most or is the most popular. It depends on what type of company you’re selling to and who their target audience is.

Q: Is there anything new and upcoming in the promo item world:

A: Tumblers with straws have been selling a lot lately. I am getting a lot of orders for them.

Q: When is your busiest season?

A: Based on the customers I have, the holiday season is the busiest for us.

Q: How has the economy affected your business selling promo items?

A: The economy had a great effect on my business. Promo items were one of the first things cut in companies budgets.

Q: Where do you expect the business of promo items to be in the next few years?

A: Things have picked up and I expect them to continue to grow.

New vs Old Marketing: Which is Better?

Posted in: Blog, Business Development, Leadership, Technology by David Richins on July 18, 2011 | No Comments

Marketing seems to be evolving rapidly. In these tough economic conditions, many marketers are looking to adapt to the latest trends in order to stay competitive. But sometimes it’s good to take a step back and ask ourselves, “Does this really make sense?”

Let’s take a look at how marketing has changed over the past few years.

We’ve seen the following trends:

• Ability to avoid advertisements. TiVo, satellite radio, and spam filters, etc. have made traditional advertising less effective than before.
• Growth of Internet. More and more communication is happening digitally.

These trends propelled the growth of new marketing channels:

• Blogs - conversational online content as opposed to traditional PR
• Web video content – since people are too ADD to read
• Search engine optimization – aligning your content so that you become what people are searching for
• Social media – personal interaction and networking online
• Targeted digital advertising – Placing your ad where your target customer is likely to find it (in search results or web content)

This new style of marketing is sometimes referred to as permission marketing. Other terms we often hear are inbound marketing and interactive. The basic idea is that we don’t have as many options to push our products and services any more. Instead, we have to create pull from our customers so that they will desire our communications and opt in.

All of these channels are good, but is it possible that all this talk about Web 2.0 has made us go overboard? I believe there is indeed evidence of excess:

• Marketing “experts” sound like philosophers. Proponents of inbound marketing, especially followers of Seth Godin, like to talk about democratization, paradigm shifts, and being “remarkable.” Godin’s mantra is “Ideas that spread, win.”  But has marketing really changed all that much? Companies need to create value for their customers, not just innovative ideas. 
• Explosion of poor quality content. There are millions of blogs out there, and I think most of us would agree that there is a lot of clutter. How do we sort out the valuable from the ordinary?
• Desire to go viral. People want to do outrageous things in order to get noticed.
• Too many leaders, tribes. Seth Godin appears to advocate that everyone should create their own tribe. Is it really possible for everyone to be a leader? When everyone is trying to be a leader, we all get pulled in too many directions.
• Superficial relationships. How well can you really get to know someone over Twitter?

With all the changes happening in marketing, maybe we ought to reflect on what remains the same:

• You still have to advertise your product somehow.
• You still have to provide something of value to your customer, not just talk about providing it.
• You still have to win over your customers one by one. (You can’t just create a mass phenomenon without effort.)
• Face-to-face communication and personal selling are still important.
• Traditional channels such as direct mail, TV and radio are not dead.

So, how can we take advantage of new channels and new trends without abandoning what works? Here are my suggestions:

• Integrated marketing. Use a variety of channels. A combination of channels, new and traditional, can be more effective than each one alone.
• Quality over quantity in content. Make sure the content you put out, regardless of the channel, is high quality. Quality content is something that is informative or interesting; it conveys value or helps people get to know you better. It doesn’t have to be meaty, but it should help to build connections.
• Build reputation and credibility, not just innovation. To cut through the clutter, customers are looking for evidence of competence and credibility. Do others vouch for you? Is there evidence that you can deliver on your promises?
• Relationship building. In your interactions, are you building meaningful relationships? Or are they superficial? Are people getting to know you? Do they understand the value of what you do?
• Initiate face-to-face or telephone communication first, when possible, then follow up online. When you meet someone in person, you can really get a sense of what they are like. Then when you follow up online, you easily stay in touch and learn even more about them.

In conclusion, while new media offers many new exciting opportunities for sales and marketing, we should continue to exercise common sense and wisdom when it comes to growing our business.

Web Video Marketing: Don’t Go Viral

Posted in: Blog, Business Development, People at PBS, Technology by Gregory Noe on July 12, 2011 | No Comments

Here at PBS, we like to stay abreast with the latest trends in small business marketing. One of the important trends we have noted is the use of online video.  More and more internet users are watching videos.  Here are a couple statistics from Cisco systems:

• By 2012, Internet video will account for over 50 percent of consumer Internet traffic.  Internet video was 40 percent of consumer Internet traffic in 2010 and will reach 50 percent by year-end 2012.
• It would take over 5 years to watch the amount of video that will cross global IP networks every second in 2015. Every second, 1 million minutes of video content will cross the network in 2015.

The viewing of videos is not limited to consumers.  Forbes reported that 75% of senior executives surveyed said “they watch work-related videos on business-related websites at least weekly; more than half (52%) watch work-related videos on YouTube at least weekly.”

So how can businesses most effectively use video to their advantage?

David Richins, the digital technology go-to guy here at PBS, shares his thoughts on what makes for effective video.

PBS: What got you interested in video?

David: I found that video can be more persuasive than just text. It provides more of an immersive experience. As we think about marketing, the goal is to inspire people to take action. Sometimes in order to achieve this, we need to connect at an emotional level with people, and video has the capability to do this.

PBS: What do the trends in video mean for small businesses?

David: Clearly, a lot of people are watching videos, so it’s a good medium to consider. People these days are short on attention, so video provides easier communication than text, and it allows users to multitask. At the same time, the internet is getting flooded with content, so that means companies need to work harder to stand out.

PBS: How can companies use video to build their business?

David: Video can be a great addition to a company’s social media strategy. Keep in mind that social media is about building connections. If you try too hard to advertise your business, you will turn people off.  Internet users have more control over the content they view, so you can’t approach online video the same way you would approach television advertising. I think the goal should be to use video to build credibility and connect with potential clients.

PBS: How does that work? How do you build connections with video?

David: I really like documentary-style video. I think when people read company blogs or watch company videos, they are interested in getting to know the people in the company. When I put together promotional videos for companies, I like to show people speaking extemporaneously. Nowadays there is so much advertising that comes across as simply fake.  There is lots of hype and overpromising and not enough substance. I think when people visit a website or watch a video, they are looking for evidence that the company is able to deliver on its promises.  It’s great when a business owner can get on camera and explain his value proposition effectively without any rehearsal. That shows evidence of competence.

PBS: Does video need to be professionally produced?

David: Not necessarily. Sometimes amateur videos can be effective because they come across as more genuine. But you should definitely put some care and effort into it so you don’t look sloppy.  Poor lighting and audio or cheesy graphics can be a distraction.

PBS: What advice do you have for companies that want to produce a viral video?

David: I would say that you need to seriously rethink your strategy. It’s natural in today’s ADD culture to want to produce something that will create immediate results, but that type of content doesn’t help in the long run. There are several reasons why viral video is not good for business. For starters, it’s hard to manufacture a viral video; they usually happen by accident.  Second, in order for a video to spread virally, it has to have some element that shocks or wows the viewer. You generally don’t want strong emotions associated with your brand.  And finally, you have to ask yourself if you really want your marketing strategy to be an uncontrolled social phenomenon. Despite the new marketing trends, business hasn’t changed that much. You still have to win people over one by one.

Optimizing for Local Search

Posted in: ABR Handouts, Blog, Business Development, Business Planning, Technology by Mallory Malloy on July 10, 2011 | No Comments

You have probably noticed that most searches now bring up local business results on Google SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) even if you do not put the location in the search query. Now, if you are asking the question, “Why are the local results showing up if I did not search for anything local?” you are asking the wrong question. The right question would be; “Why do I not show up in that list?”

Recently, Google started putting more emphasis on local search results and universal search. “Local Results” is when Google displays local businesses relevant to your search query. For example, if you search for “Plumber”, you will see that local businesses from Google Maps are displayed right above the fold along with website results. If you do another search for “Plumber Miami”, you will get the same results if you are actually in Miami that is. What does this mean?

This means that Google is doing something, which they have not done for the past 8 years; they are displaying local results based on your computer’s IP address and location. The reason is simple; it’s more relevant. After extensive research and analysis for billions of searches, they came to the conclusion that most users are searching for local results for certain search queries, like services for example.

This will better illustrate the point. If you search for “Internet Marketing”, you might be looking for just info, so no local results are displayed. However, if you search for “Internet Marketing Services”, you will see that local results do show up. This is because you are looking for “services” so you would prefer someone local and close to you. At least that’s what Google thinks. And at least, you are given the option not to choose the local results.

How does this affect small business?

Small local businesses have more power now to get leads from Google Searches. All you really need to do is submit your business to Google Local. Of course, some optimization does help in this process and if you have multiple locations, you are going to get more visibility. By doing this, Google is providing a unique and vital service to the user. Remember the days of yellow pages where you had to look through thousands of pages to find a service or a plumber? Not anymore; you can search for just plumber without even writing your city and you are instantly shown results, businesses, reviews, phone numbers, and websites.

For previous Anderson Business Roundtable topics click here.

Promotional Items

Posted in: ABR Handouts, Blog, Business Development by Mallory Malloy on June 12, 2011 | No Comments

Promotional Items in Business

Promotional products are powerful weapons in your marketing arsenal. Some of the proven uses for ad specialty items include:

-  Attract new customers

-  Increase repeat business

-  Inspire customer loyalty

-  Establish name recognition

-  Improve client relations

-  Reactivate old accounts

-  Support sales by dealers

-  Encourage innovation

-  Create a good reputation

-  Celebrate anniversaries

-  Solidify corporate identity

-  Motivate sales staff

-  Commemorate special events

-  Build an image

-  Promote safety, teamwork and productivity

-  Stimulate trade show traffic

-  Announce sales

-  Cultivate goodwill in the community

-  Express appreciation

-  Apologize for a lapse in service

-  Get attention

-  Solve problems

How to properly use promotional products:               

1.) Know your Audience-Give them something they want and need!

It is important to first establish your target audience before purchasing promotional items.  Are you targeting men, women, people behind a desk or out in a specific field?  Once you establish an audience you can then determine what promotional item will benefit them the most. For example sticky pads, pens, USB drives, desk clocks or calendars are a few items that may benefit someone who spends most their day behind a desk.  These items will be used and your logo will be in front of your audience every day.

2.) Don’t skimp out!

When you purchase 20,000 crappy no-name pens that work once before running out of ink or clogging, it doesn’t project your business in a positive manner.   Like employees, promotional products are a direct representation of you.  Make sure that people associate you with quality and value and not cheapness.  You don’t need to go out and buy $20 Cross pens for every customer, but make sure you get something that your customer wants to use.

3.) Design your promotional products properly!

Like a good website, your brand and information on your promotional products should be organized and usable. You can’t possibly fit your entire address on a pen. Sometimes you can’t even fit your logo on them. Make sure your business name or logo is on them clearly, along with your website. Chop-up your logo if you need to, but try to get a distinguishing business mark and your website on even the smallest product. On sticky pads and notepads, your information and logo should be on every page, but should still allow the product to be used.

4.) Quality targeting is more important than quantity!

There are two groups that you should be giving promotional products to. The first is your current customers who are likely to make repeat visits. The second is non-customers who may make a purchase from you in the future. Not everyone is going to shop with you, and you need to minimize your potential losses by not sending your promo material to the wrong people. Unless you brand is very strong, non-targeted promotional product spam is only going to lose money for you.

SEO Basics

Posted in: Blog, Business Development, Technology by David Richins on April 22, 2011 | 1 Comment

Note: This article is my summary of this online SEO tutorial by Derek Jansen.

What is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)? Optimizing your website so it ranks well in search engines.

Should I pay for it or do it myself? You can do it yourself, but it takes some time. Any SEO effort takes at least 3-6 months to yield results, even if you do pay.

What is the basic process of SEO?

1.    Keyword research

2.    On-site optimization (inserting keywords into your website)

3.    Off-site optimization

4.    Analyze and tweak

5.    If necessary, bring out the big guns (PPC, viral marketing)

How do I go about keyword research? Find words or phrases with high traffic and low competition. Use Google’s Keyword tool (go to adwords.google.com and click on “Get keyword ideas”).

How do I optimize my site? Place keywords in the title, meta tags, header tags, image tags, and file names.

What is most important when it comes to website content? Writing interesting, original material that people actually want to read.

What is off-site optimization and how to I go about it? This is getting backlinks – links on other sites that link back to yours.  Suggestions:

• Forums
• Google Places
• Article directories (e.g. ezinearticles.com)
• Comment on blogs
• Social media

How do I analyze my site? Use Google analytics, Google webmaster tools. Look at bounce rate, average time per visit, number of pages per visit, etc.

Does pay-per-click work? Yes, usually within hours. Of course you have to pay for it. Per click.

Which is better – organic SEO or PPC? Organic SEO hands down

Viral marketing – how do I get in on that? You have to produce something that people want to share with others. Here are some ideas

• Email newsletters – provide useful content
• Write interesting articles that are likely to spark conversation
• Produce podcasts
• Produce videos

The 9 most effective advertising techniques

Posted in: Blog, Business Development by Whitney Recker on April 14, 2011 | 1 Comment

1.    Go to networking and other community events

From a chamber of commerce business card exchange, to a town fair—going out and directly meeting new people is hands down the most effective way to spread the word about a small business. Some business cards, a nice smile, and a confident hand shake are all you need to make it in this venue.

2.    Generate referrals from current clients                                                                           

Sometimes spreading the word starts right back at your own door. If you have a big enough client base, you can entice them to refer friends and family. With a little effort, each one of your clients could become your very own personal sales rep.

3.    Give a free class or presentation                                                                                    

Schools, chambers of commerce, and many other groups often run regular programs and presentations that are put on by local businesses and members of the community. You can usually get involved just by sending in a proposal; though, I recommend first looking at some of the things they’ve run in the past.

4.    Write an article for a newspaper or magazine                                                       

While it may cost thousands to get a half-page ad in a newspaper, you can often times secure an entire page by writing a good article. The trick to getting published is to make sure the article is of value to your customers, and not just an advertisement for your business.

5.    Host a networking event at your business                                  

There are dozens of groups that do monthly business card exchanges, why not invite them to your store or office? Hosting an event is a quick way to introduce your company to 50 or more people without paying a dime.

6.    Start a blog and use the power of social media                              

I can attest to this one personally. Our blog has been an excellent way to build traffic, gain credibility, and make new relationships. You can start one for your business for $0, and begin making new connections immediately.

7.    Place booklets or fliers in strategic locations                                    

 A friend of mine just told me a story about how he typed up several pages of home repair tips and placed them around town in various hair salons. Even with only a single logo and contact number on the entire collection, he was receiving calls within hours. Sometimes a little helpful information can go a long way.

8.    Go to trade shows and table-top mixers                                                                  

I know that trade shows can be expensive, but if you look carefully you might be able to find a mixer at your local chamber of commerce where you can secure a booth for a few hundred dollars. I’ve seen these shows help skyrocket some small businesses into the limelight. Just make sure you have a plan for engaging and following-up with people at the event.

9.    Bonus Tip: Partner with another business                                              

Partnering with another business is a great way to combine and leverage the resources of two companies. You can share contact lists, split marketing costs, and give referrals back and forth. You’ll want to make sure you partner with a company that shares the same target market as you.

20 Blogging Ideas

Posted in: Blog, Business Development by Whitney Recker on March 25, 2011 | No Comments

List of 20 blog post ideas for business blogging for any industry:

Some of these ideas will bring you publicity and popularity while others focus on highlighting your expertise or are part of a social networking strategy.

1.   Explain why everybody should care for your trade and not only specialists

2.   Make a list of famous people who deal or dealt with issues related to your business

3.   List 30 or more online resources for business people in your industry

4.   Review a publication dealing with your industry

5.   Make a list of the top myths in your industry and debunk them

6.   Disagree with a high level personality in your business, prove her or him wrong

7.   Make a list of the top 10 blogs in your niche

8.   Report from a trade fair

9.   Compare the your national market to markets abroad

10.  Collect the best blog postings in your niche and compile a best of-list

11.  Expand your focus to a similar area of expertise by comparing

12.  Write down a code of ethics for your blog and your business as a whole

13.  Explore and depict a niche social media platform for your trade, if there is none use a forum to do that

14.  Add a forum to your blog or site if your site has a big enough community to sustain it

15.  Break the rules of your trade by remodeling them and adapting to current situation, write about it

16.  Go off topic and link a topic from everyday life back to your business “10 Ways SEO is like Base-Jumping”

17.  Make a list of WordPress plugins that are most useful for your industry “The 10 Best WordPress plugins for Graphic Designers”

18.  Reach out to your clients and fans: “What would you like to change in [insert your product or service here]?”

19.  Display attractive images of your products, several of them, in the best case your own products

20.  Analyze the current climate in your industry and explain the ramifications

Tired of Boring Networking Meetings?

Posted in: Blog, Business Development by David Richins on March 16, 2011 | No Comments