Building the Buzz that Will Boost Your Brand

January 20th, 2011 | Posted in Blog | Comments Off
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Word-of-mouth marketing has always been one of the most powerful marketing tools out there.  There is no secret here: we’re just talking about people talking to people about your brand, but since it is such a natural and unsolicited form of communication – it’s reliable and therefore highly influential.  Thanks to the various social media forums and blogs it has never been easier for people to spread the word about your brand!

We have all experienced it…  You’re on the phone with your pal breathlessly talking up the great new gadget you picked up and – if they can even get a word in edgewise – they tell you the company ought to be paying you because you certainly sold them!  Unfortunately you are not getting paid to boast their stuff… The fact that you have no vested interest in the brand is exactly why this form of communication is so powerful in influencing buying behavior.

So what makes consumers talk?  People will go out of their way to spread the word about your brand if they have had an extremely positive or negative experience with your brand.  A sure bet to get people talking positively about your brand is by wowing your customers with great customer service.  Once you’ve laid the foundation with above and beyond customer service, here are some other things you can do to help get the conversation rolling…

One way to get people to start talking is to talk to them!  The more people you talk to and get your brand in front of the more likely they are to talk about it, especially if they have had a positive experience.  Another way to get people talking is to do something memorable (think stunts, viral marketing, etc).  Sure any hair salon can send emails offering service discounts, but when they offer a free cut to the person with the worst 80’s promo hairdo, just think of all the fodder to follow as people forward it on and flock to the site to see the hilarious headshots and cast their vote!

By making sure your brand is out there and accessible and having tools like Twitter, Facebook and blogs available so your brand can easily be shared, you will be on your way to creating just the buzz that your brand needs.  Let Fishnet Media help make your brand memorable…  What are you waiting for?  Contact us today!

Email Marketing Reminders for The New Year

January 6th, 2011 | Posted in Blog | Comments Off
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As we kick off a new year it’s a great time to get back to basics by revisiting our email practices.  While there is no shortage of information regarding best practices for the tried and true email blast, many marketers continue to break the rules.  This year resolve to stick to these email best practices – your customers will appreciate you for it!

Give Em’ What They Ask For
Ask subscribers what topics they want to hear about and how often they want to be communicated with during the opt-in process and honor their request.  Your audiences may be smaller, but they will be more engaged.

Don’t Send Image-Only Emails
Sending emails with images only will miss a large audience because the email recipient cannot see the image content.  Be sure to create emails that are easily read by both image- and text-based email programs.

Keep It Short And Sweet
Subscribers are bombarded with hundreds of emails a day.  If you want your email to get read, keep the copy to a single screen, grab their attention with a strong call to action in the email subject line and use hyperlinks within the copy to help keep it concise.

Test It Before You Send It
Before hitting “send” test each email to see how it will come across on various email clients and on mobile devices.  Make sure to proof read the email for typos and broken links.

Optimize With Opting-In
You should only be communicating with the people who want to hear from you.  Remember, it is quality, not quantity, which counts.  Create opt-in lists organically by including sign-up forms on your website and Facebook page, links on Twitter, a sign-up mechanism at trade shows, etc.

Don’t Forget Social Media Links
Social links turn emails into viral machines.  Emails without links to Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks are missing out on a powerful opportunity to extend their reach exponentially and be more effective.

Start the year off on the right foot by revamping your email marketing strategy to create emails that are engaging, relevant and deliver maximum results.  We can help! Contact us today.