Archive for the ‘Strategy’ Category

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Tips To Organize Your Business Processes

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Creating your business process involves a lot of trial and error, but, when done correctly it can be the key to your success. Small business owners and entrepreneurs have so much flexibility and freedom in shaping their business, that sometimes the process gets overlooked. Organizing your processes in a consistent, streamlined manner is essential to understanding how your company works and where you are capable of going in the future.

To begin creating successful processes, begin with tracking what each employee is doing and how long it’s taking to complete. Having a solid understanding of where time is being spent and on what will help you to plan out deadlines and estimates for the future. Take a look back at projects that didn’t fall within the average time you estimated for completion and ask why this happened. Were you working with a particularly demanding client? Did an employee come across a roadblock that might lead you to change your estimation for the future? These learning’s should be considered into new projects so that you can properly live up to your employee’s and your client’s expectations.

In addition to understanding how much time is being put into running your business, it’s helpful to create repeatable processes from success stories. Once you know what steps need to be taken to complete specific projects, write them down and implement this process for similar programs that come up in the future. The goal is to create a system that can be repeated again and again until you and your employees become efficient at it. Having repeatable processes in place eliminates the need to create a brand new plan-of-action for every new client and helps you to develop a sense of mastery over the work that you do.

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Posted in Management, Strategy | No Comments »

Things To Do Before Re-designing Your Website!

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Re-designing your website can be a good idea if it has looked the same for years. It can also be an excellent way to reach new markets and attract new customers. We have listed the key factors to consider before starting the process of modernizing your site that will help you increase your chances of getting more leads, increase conversation and overall revenue.

  • Don’t skip the strategy.

Strategy is the foundation and holds all of the pieces of the puzzle together. Ask yourself; What do you want to achieve with the website? What do you want the user to do when visiting the site? No matter if the website is for a company, product, or service, a solid strategy must be implemented prior to design. When outsourcing the website project to an agency, having a deep understanding of the business structure and ability to differentiate the business’ value is essential. By uncovering how the primary objective of both your business relates to the new website, the designers will be able to visually translate the business’ mission, vision and philosophy.

  • Something Old, Something New.

Research the latest technology and the potential challenges and obstacles of selecting specific programs and platforms. For example, part of your team may be intrigued by a Flash website. However, what they may not know is that most mobile devices do not support Flash, making your site not easily viewable from anything other than a computer. Luckily, there are alternative solutions that are functional, visually pleasing, and that don’t involve loosing any potential new customers.

  • Check out the current state of your website.

What pages are getting most visits and how long are visitors staying? Do most users leave your homepage after 3 seconds? How can you change this? This is all important information that will be a decisive factor for the success of the website and the business. Look at the analytics of your site. Setting up certain accounts will aid you in tracking analytics, stats and set future goals for the website.

  • Content audit.

If the site has not been updated recently, there will most likely be some outdated and irrelevant content. See if there are better ways to present your content like video, sliders, and/or in pdf format. Analytics will be beneficial here to understand the user and how you can reach them more effectively.

Make sure you’re asking yourself and your employees the right questions so that your site ends up serving your best interests and contributes to the growth of your company.

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Posted in Branding, Marketing, Perks Consulting News, Strategy, media | 2 Comments »

The Pepsi #Promise

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Last week was New York’s Internet Week, a seven-day span of events, panels, sessions and meetups held to celebrate the city’s thriving internet community. The Perks team attended a number of activities during the week to learn more about how the industry is inspiring and leading business. One of these included a panel with Bonin Bough of PepsiCo, hosted by DigitalFlashNYC.

During the DigitalFlashNYC panel, Bough outlined the details of the “Promise of Pepsi” and the brand’s dedication to social and environmental change. In early 2010, Pepsi announced a series of commitments focused on health, nutrition and the environment. For many consumers, one of the most noticeable changes has been “the world’s first compostable chip bag” for the brand’s SunChips product. In addition, The Pepsi Refresh Project is giving back to the public by providing grant money to individuals, businesses and non-profits with ideas that provide a positive impact on our community.

According to Salman Amin, the EVP Sales and Marketing at PepsiCo, “The Promise of PepsiCo is based on two ideas: that we can achieve our business goals while making the world a better place and that our impact is only made bigger and better through collaboration with other companies, organizations and individuals.”

We look forward to see what other initiatives PepsiCo introduces to continue realizing its Promise and thank DigitalFlashNYC for sponsoring and organizing this event.

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Posted in Marketing, Strategy, media | 2 Comments »

Should Interns Run Social Media Campaigns?

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Incorporating social media into your marketing efforts is essential in this digital world. While some businesses have decided to embark on this on their own, by assigning the task to their marketing department, others have turned to what they consider to be the most cost-effective solution – hiring a summer intern.

From the perspective of the Gen Y population, a “deep understanding of social media” or “experience launching viral digital campaigns” is what they do on a daily basis – updating their Twitter statuses every 5 minutes or creating new groups on Facebook.

Source: Business Insider

Image: Business Insider

Sure, these students may claim they are “Social Media Experts” because they know how to upload a YouTube video or follow a Twitter hashtag. But, they may not possess the essential communication skills and strategy experience that are required to move your social media efforts forward.

Below we have listed some of the pros and cons of hiring a college intern or relying on rather than sticking with an external agency.

Pros

· If you are looking to bring on talent at the end of the summer, a summer intern is a great excuse to give someone a trial run before handing over a contract

· Summer interns can provide valuable insight if you are launching a campaign or your company target market is the 18-24 age group

· Low budget

Cons

· College students know how to chat with their friends on Twitter, but they often forget the purposes of managing this for a company rather than for fun

· Students may not be committed to your company the same way that an agency is, especially if they are not getting paid or receiving minimal compensation

· Agencies have worked with numerous companies with various needs, therefore they have familiar with best practices and understand what works better than someone who has only played with social media for personal purposes

· Summer interns require quite a bit of training to educate them on your company’s messages and core values

Interns are great assets for any business, but after you have spent numerous hours, endless effort, and invested valuable resources on building your brand online, it can be risky to leave a public media channel open to someone who is unfamiliar of the foundation of your company. Social media is your company’s face to the world. Make sure you know this face, and most importantly, that the face knows you and your company.

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Posted in Branding, Marketing, Strategy, media, social media | 2 Comments »

Blogging for Business

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Until recently, blogging was seen as more of an extracurricular activity rather than a corporate marketing tool. However, in the age of SEO and thought leadership, blogging can now be an effective and fun way to promote your company, share recent events and create a platform on which to share your personality.

A mediabistro Blogging panel that we recently attended got us thinking about what we value in a corporate blog and how one can be leveraged to promote marketing efforts. Below are some tips if you are looking to start or grow your blog:

  • Streamline your content. Select a clear and consistent messaging strategy that is in line with your company’s industry and communications goals. Consider what those interested in your schedulecompany may want to learn more about and how you can promote your company’s expertise through insightful, related content.
  • Create a posting schedule. The most frequently visited blogs are those that are constantly refreshed with new information to keep readers engaged and interested. Whether you decide to post twice a week or every day, create a schedule and stick to it.
  • Vary post lengths and styles. You don’t have to write a 1,000-word, research-heavy article every time you update your blog. It’s ok to incorporate quick thought pieces with longer, thought-provoking posts. If you’re so inclined, you can also add videos and photos to spice things up and add life to your blog.
  • Talk to your readers. While it’s important to keep in mind that you’re representing a company on a corporate blog, it’s also nice to know that there’s an actual person behind the words. Make sure your blog has a space for readers to comment. Use the comment section to build a relationship with your readers by responding to their questions and thanking them for reading.
  • Be an authority. Any blog, especially one you are using to enhance your company’s online presence, is the perfect place for you to demonstrate that you are an authority in your industry. Write with confidence and stay on topic.

If you want to check out some companies that are doing a great job at corporate blogging, here is a list of 15 blogs that are on the right path. Enjoy and good luck!

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Posted in Branding, Marketing, Strategy, media | No Comments »

Application Sensation – Marketing Your Brand Through Mobile Applications

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

When the iPhone was introduced in 2007, the idea of a branded mobile application on a high-quality Apple product quickly caught the intrigue of marketers across the world. Although the iPhone wasn’t the first smartphone to allow branded applications, it sparked the rush for every company to out-do the competition with the most engaging and unique application to appeal to an audience constantly seeking stimulation and entertainment.

iPhone Applications

Since the original iPhone made its début, the number of mobile apps in the iTunes store has increased by leaps and bounds. An InformationWeek article from April 6 stated that 2010 would see the number of mobile application downloads increase to almost 6 billion applications, up from 2.4 billion downloads in 2009.

Keep in mind that this doesn’t just include applications designed for the iPhone – there are now thousands of apps available for every type of smartphone on the market. And with the introduction of the iPad and competing tablets, this marketing medium will only continue to thrive, especially as technology allows for more and more advanced features.

Have you considered creating a mobile application for your brand? The positive brand equity that comes with a properly executed application could definitely make it worth your while. But there are a number of considerations to review before pushing ahead blindly to create a mobile application just because it’s what the competition is doing. It’s important to take a strategic look at what you can do to make your application as relevant as possible to your audience.

A CNN source was quoted saying “At the heart of apps that have been successful and that will continue to be successful are apps that are practical and allow people to do something that they weren’t able to do before.” In addition, you want your application to be one that properly resonates with your brand and keeps the user engaged.

When thinking about building an application for your brand, consider:

  • Will this augment your customer’s experience with your brand?
  • What level of engagement are you looking to achieve?
  • How will consumers relate the application to your brand?
  • What value is this application providing to its users?

Many brands have been successful in creating mobile applications to enhance customer experience in a way that can’t be achieved through static webpages. Restaurants and amusement parks, such as Disney World, have created apps that allow visitors to upload line wait times in real-time. Yahoo! created a fully functional application for Fantasy Football season, which let customers trade players and make adjustments to their fantasy teams up until kick-off.

Consider how to translate the services that your business provides into a value that consumers can benefit from when they’re on the go. Given the huge number of applications in the iTunes store today, how will you stand out from the competition? Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience and challenge your vision of what might be involved in the best application that you can possibly create.

And if you want to take a peek into the future, check out these predictions of the Top Consumer Mobile Applications for 2012.

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Posted in Branding, Marketing, Strategy, media | No Comments »

Tracking Tools That Tell the Truth

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

Tracking the impact and ROI of your online marketing is a challenge. Many different pieces are involved in the puzzle, and because of this, you need to have a strong understanding of the goals of your campaign, as well as what specific aspects need to be tracked and analyzed: increased lead generation, sales, and/or conversions. One basic condition is to establish what platforms you are going to utilize in order to successfully meet the objectives. If you skip this step you will end up with data that doesn’t relate to anything impossible to put into any context. As the impact of social media on online marketing campaigns increases, the number of tracking tools available increases as well. The following basic tools and metrics enable you to measure your online presence while employing a multitude of platforms to integrate all sorts of statistics.twitter-tools11

The basic metrics to look at are click through rates, total time spent, number of conversations started and the frequency of visits. Below are some useful analytics software to track website data like traffic, visitors, pages per visitor, and traffic sources.

Google Analytics – generates detailed statistics about the visitors to a website, tracks visitors from referrers, to search engines.

Omniture – a publicly held online marketing and web analytics company; the leading solution to optimize ad spend and conversion.

Woopra – a comprehensive and information rich hosted analytics service. It is similar to Google Analytics but provides real time stats and a number of additional features, such as the ability to chat real time with visitors to the site.

There are a number of various tools for analyzing your social media efforts as well. If the main objective is to track the frequency of visits to your Twitter page and the click through rates of your posts, make sure to let the following tools do the analysis for you.

HootSuite – manage all aspects of your Twitter account including scheduled tweets, record statistics and organize followers.

TweetMeme – tracks the most popular links on Twitter every five minutes; aggregates all the popular links on Twitter to determine which links are popular by analyzing links that users have “tweeted;” organizing and categorizing them.

Bit.ly – a URL shortener that provides you with analytics information like number of clicks, traffic sources, and what time clicks occur.

TwitterAnalyzer - analyzes your influence on twitter, filled with comprehensive stats that calculate daily tweets, users who are retweeting your messages, and their unique reach.

No matter what you are looking to achieve, keep in mind that every step in your campaign, from determining objectives and platforms, to measuring success and analyze the results, is a interrelated wheel where synergy needs to be created in order to experience increase conversation, brand recognition, and ultimately sales.

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Posted in Marketing, Small Business News, Strategy | 2 Comments »

Analyze Results to Keep Up with Your Competition

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

The final stage of your campaign is actually the most important one. The analysis. Taking a close look at the outcome of your efforts will help you to make adjustments that will help you use more cost-effective solutions, thus making you more profitable and to develop a greater community in which you reach with every new campaign that is introduced. When reviewing the results of a campaign, the analysis should be directly in line with the original goals you had in mind when putting the campaign together.

Determine a metric for success

While reviewing the results of your analysis, you’ll need to have a pre-determined set of metrics by which you can calculate the success of your campaign. Whether it is sales, impressions, new followers, clicks or conversations generated, success metrics will help to sustain consistency and reliability in your analysis.

If you’re looking to drive traffic to your website, one key metric to focus on would be uncovering who is visiting the site and where they prefer to go while they are there. There are numerous sites that can provide this information for you, Google Analytics being one of the most popular. This platform gives you extensive insights into your website traffic, and if utilized properly, will lead to an increased number of converted visitors. Another great tool that will help you track your website in real time is Visistat. Their slogan reads; ‘Turn your website into an ROI machine’, which is possible as long as you keep track of and understand the connection between clearly defined metrics and results.

analyzing-results-1Looking at the data from a number of perspectives

Once you’ve taken the time to gather as much information as possible, using tools and resources that you know are accurate, it’s critical to take an objective view of your data and think about the outcome from as many perspectives as possible. If the numbers seem surprising or inaccurate, make sure to look at possible factors for this; Who has been involved in the campaign? What external factors could have affected the results? Did you use the most appropriate platforms? This brings us to the last step in analyzing the results of a campaign.

Using the results

Now that you have your fair share of graphs and metrics sketched out and a good understanding of where your campaign falls on the success scale, don’t discard the results. A large part of your analysis should involve determining what else could have been done better and how you can improve. Whether you keep this information on hand until your next big campaign, or use some of it immediately, remember that what you’re learning is valuable and will put you ahead of your competitors.

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Posted in Marketing, Small Business News, Strategy | 2 Comments »

What Metrics Can You Use to Determine Your Campaign’s Success?

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

When you are trying to determine how successful your campaign will be or is, you must first determine what metrics makes the most sense for your specific needs. These metrics may be in the form of either quantitative or qualitative measurement. Quantitative metrics can be used to track and measure your results in social media based on pure numbers; followers/fans, tweets, etc. You can view results immediately by tracking the increasing number of fans or followers participating in your campaign. Tracking analytics that show click-through rates will determine how effective your campaign has been at converting those fans to consumers.ad-metrics-facebook1

While sales are often the main goal, it is important to remember the value of increased viewership to your site. Although they may not be immediately converted, you may have sparked the interest of a new visitor, causing them to return to your site, and thus increasing the chances of a purchase.

The qualitative results of a social media campaign are the customer engagement and brand awareness you build. What direct interaction with your consumers allows is trust building and feedback. Products and services can be shaped by this feedback and thus produce a positive return. What you do with the quantitative results of a campaign, your fans followers and site visits, is just as important as the numbers.

Qualitative metrics, also known as user-generated content, is in fact measuring the word-of-mouth marketing your brand is receiving. Often times, this is the main factor in a purchasing decision. With social media being the new word-of-mouth, using social media for marketing is one of the most effective marketing tools. This organic conversation about a product and/or brand is viewed as unbiased genuine opinion from consumers and holds great value in the marketplace.

Whether you’re looking to track numbers or create brand loyalty, quantitative and qualitative measurement has the same goal: increase sales. Each is important, but what’s more important is to know how you will define success.

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Posted in Branding, Marketing, Small Business News, Strategy | No Comments »

Objectives of Online Marketing

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Determining your objectives sounds simple. But do you really know what you want? Success only comes after you’ve taken the steps to get there. You want people to recognize, trust, and choose your brand. On top of that, you want consumers coming back for more. Online marketing campaigns can help you reach your objectives; whether those goals are brand recognition, customer engagement, lead generation, or increased traffic to your website.

Online Marketing - Connected Computers

The swoosh, golden arches, and apple are just a few examples of how companies have effectively built their image in our minds. Strong branding allows your brand to stand out among competitors. Through online marketing, you increase your view to consumers, prominently displaying your brand’s message and engaging them. With the need for transparency being a priority today more than ever before, online marketing is one of many avenues used to remain present in your consumer’s everyday life.

Businesses have three main objectives: make money, save money, and build brand equity. Having access to consumers at your fingertips, literally, will allow you to make an impression on your target audience in real time, actively generate and convert leads, and act in a more cost-effective manner than when utilizing traditional marketing techniques; thus maintaining the main objectives.

As Social Media has taken the stage with many brands, coordinating between your company’s Traditional Online Media and Social Media aims can be confusing. Social should be viewed as online PR coupled with brand management, engagement and active advertising and messaging. When defining your goals or strategy, engage a mediator that will help you keep on target while educating you on key concepts that you or your company may be unfamiliar with. Also, keep in mind that there are both Quantitative and Qualitative metrics within online Media and Social Engagement. They vary by industry and company – you’ll want to define them as a baseline for your projects.

Obtaining your objectives, once you have clearly defined what they are, can be a simple process. If your online marketing campaign raises brand awareness, generates leads, converts leads, or engages your consumers, then you have met your metrics for success.

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