E-Commerce Revolution

Category: Marketing

  • 6 Tips to Effective Video Marketing

    6 Tips to Effective Video Marketing

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    When done right, marketing through video can be more impactful than even your greatest print material or compelling online image.

    [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]It’s immersive nature can capture your intended audience and deepen brand recognition more than any other online means.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Here are six tips to help you think through a compelling video for your business.

    1. DEFINE CLEAR GOALS

    Will your video be used to highlight services you provide, educate them on products you offer, or build anticipation for an upcoming event? Your goals will inform the next steps of a well-organized plan, from the timeline to shooting footage and promoting your video. Set goals for after the video is released, such as likes, shares, watch time, click-through rates, view demographics, and traffic sources for how your audience find your video.

    2. TARGET YOUR IDEAL AUDIENCE

    Who are the customers that you to reach? How do they access your products, and what services are they seeking? Where do they engage with media in their normal, everyday lives? Identifying who, how, what, and where will direct the content and messaging for your video. Make it relevant to specific customers, industries, and spaces where they are viewing videos for companies like yours.

    3. UTILIZE STORYTELLING 

    Create a compelling story that weaves together your brand values, impactful visuals, and an intriguing storyline that resonates with your intended audience. Choosing the right music and voiceovers can take your story from engaging to unforgettable.

    4. KEEP IT CONCISE 

    Your messaging should be focused, deliberate, and to the point. There is nothing worse than losing the viewer’s attention with a video that’s too long or overwhelms them with too much information. Short and sweet will always have the greatest impact.

    5. CREATIVE A CAPTIVATING BEGINNING 

    Studies show the first 8.25 seconds of your video are crucial. Be calculated with this critical opening content in order to grab the viewers attention and keep them engaged.

    6. PLAN YOUR VIDEO PROMOTION 

    Successful videos are anticipated before their release. The more media channels you can utilize, the better. We recommend our clients consider hosting videos on YouTube and/or Vimeo to increase their search findings. Share them on social media platforms that you’re already using for your business, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others. A targeted email campaign to your current list will generate excitement as you celebrate the release of your video and encourage sharing to grow your list over time. Lastly, plan to celebrate your success![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Our creative team is here to help you reach your targeted audience, define your goals, build your script, develop a compelling and concise storyline, capture your footage, and edit your videos.[/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”View Video Samples” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.serffcreative.com%2Fvideo%2F|||” style=”5″][us_separator size=”small” show_line=”1″][vc_column_text]

    Here are two recent client showcases to give you an idea of what we can create for your company through short promotional and product videos. Click below to view the details.

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1700672841829{margin-top: -50px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][us_image image=”8746″ size=”us_600_0″ onclick=”custom_link” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.serffcreative.com%2Fportfolio%2Fsme-event-videos%2F|||”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][us_image image=”8747″ size=”us_600_0″ onclick=”custom_link” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.serffcreative.com%2Fportfolio%2Fstratford-hall-textiles%2F|||”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1700672885733{margin-top: -50px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

    Now imagine what we could create for your company with video.

    [/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”CONTACT US TODAY!” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.serffcreative.com%2Fgraphic-design-agencies%2F|title:Contact%20Us||” style=”3″ font_size=”24px”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • What is Content Marketing?

    What is Content Marketing?

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    Think of it as a river that has carved its way through the landscape. Beginning at its source, it forms the most efficient path to reach its final destination with the greatest energy.

    HOW CAN IT HELP MY BUSINESS?

    In the same way, a deliberate content marketing strategy that coordinates with key dates throughout the year and targets your ideal customers will bring a timely focus to your paid products and services. It’s important to keep your eye on the big picture and hit multiple avenues in an effective way that always targets your ideal customer. The result is a strategic plan that will increase and expand your reach with intentionality. With a comprehensive content marketing plan in place, you’ll be able to track the effectiveness of your online visibility, growth in your email marketing, interaction with your customer base, and sales for years to come.

    3 Tips to Start a Content Marketing Plan

    1. Put your goals in writing and make them measurable. Examples:
      • Grow our email subscriber list by 15%
      • Increase our website traffic by 20%
      • Create 3 videos per month highlighting products or services and release them on social media targeted to our ideal customer.
    2. Create a calendar that puts your goals in place. Make sure every influential person in your company has access to this calendar so you are laser-focused and working together to hit your goals.
    3. Measure and celebrate! At the end of each quarter, get your team together and celebrate the goals you hit. Learn from the ones you didn’t and adjust your plan for the next quarter. Don’t miss this step! It will reveal more about the effectiveness of the avenues where you are sharing your content.

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    CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE?

    Join us for a FREE webinar Thursday, Nov 12, 2020 from 2-3 pm MST
    Co-hosted with The Marketing Alliance.    [/vc_column_text][us_image image=”8264″ size=”full”][us_separator size=”small”][vc_column_text]Learn about how to build an effective content strategy from industry expert panelists. Learn how to evaluate your existing content marketing strategy for lead generation AND build a valuable content marketing management plan that can be used to drive traffic to your website and funnel prospects into a buyer’s journey.[/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”VIEW THE DETAILS AND REGISTER” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fthemarketingalliance.org%2FEvent-Details-Post%2FWebinar-How-to-Build-an-Effective-Content-Strategy||target:%20_blank|” style=”3″][us_separator size=”small” show_line=”1″][vc_column_text]

    WE ARE HERE TO HELP!

    If you’d like help creating a Content Marketing Strategy that will help your business,
    Contact us for a FREE 30-minute consultation.

    [/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”SCHEDULE A FREE 30-MINUTE CONSULTATION” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.com%2Fserffcreative%2F30-minute-consultation%3Fmonth%3D2020-11||target:%20_blank|” style=”3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • How to make your business thrive through Relationship Marketing

    How to make your business thrive through Relationship Marketing

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/413157292″ hide_video_title=”1″ max_width=”300″][us_separator size=”small”][us_btn label=”ACCESS THE FREE VIDEO SERIES NOW!” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fbranding-survival-kit.teachable.com%2Fp%2Frelationship-marketing-1||target:%20_blank|” style=”3″ width_type=”full”][us_separator size=”small”][vc_column_text]Did you know that you can SAVE yourself 5-25x the investment of time, effort, and cost of new customer recruitment via one simple route?
    View the video above to see how.

    Serff Creative Group has been around for 20 years, helping companies like yours to successfully win new customers — and then cultivate loyalty that lasts for years.

    We’ve just released this FREE mini-course with 4 videos to help you begin making your business thrive through relationship marketing, with 3 time-tested strategies for deepening your customer relationships with customers.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

    There’s nothing more impactful to the success of your business than loyal customers, and successful relationships are achieved through successful marketing.

    Get access to the FREE mini-course today and let us guide you on your journey to brand — and company — success.

    [/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”ACCESS THE FREE VIDEO SERIES NOW!” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fbranding-survival-kit.teachable.com%2Fp%2Frelationship-marketing-1||target:%20_blank|” style=”3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • 5 Tips for B2B Social Media Success

    5 Tips for B2B Social Media Success

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    Stay connected using social media best practices (and create happy customers!)

    [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]One thing is sure about today’s changing business climate – we need to stay connected with each other, and in B2B marketing, that’s just as important. We hope the video below gives you some ideas you can use to enhance your marketing.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/398907870″ hide_video_title=”1″ hide_controls=”1″ max_width=”300″ align=”right”][us_separator][vc_column_text]We’d also like to share 5 tips for B2B social media success. Whether you’re a one-person business or part of a larger team, a few best practices can help you get started and stay on target for social media success. We also invite you to schedule a FREE 30-minute consultation with us to hit the ground running with your social media or brand strategy.

    1. DEVELOP A PLAN

    Just like you wouldn’t go into business without a well-developed plan, don’t dig into social media without a plan. To get started or when revisiting your social media plan, consider these elements:

    • Audience: Consider both prospects and current customers, since they might all see your content
    • Topics: Think about relevant content (more on that below) for each of your audiences
    • Channels: How do you plan to share your information and updates? You might want to communicate via a company blog, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, association websites, and networking groups. When you select each channel, consider the audience, topics and the kind of updates and articles that make sense for each channel. You may need to tweak your content to make it work.
    • Make a Schedule: Consider timing and how often you will be able to consistently present something new, interesting, and on-brand without burning out your audience or your team (or even yourself if you need to DIY!) Then create a calendar with your schedule of updates and start developing them in advance.

    2. STAY ON BRAND 

    Call it brand consistency or being constant in your branding, but whatever you call it, stay on brand. That means keeping everything from your visuals, messages, and tone consistent enough so that customers and prospects know the wonderful work that you’re creating is from your company. Sharing a video on social media? Use the same tone as the email campaign you create to promote it. Building a new website or campaign landing page? Even if you’re trying something new, be sure that the tone is consistent with your brand – colors, images, and more. Let there be no question that a visitor is in the right place when they’re looking for or even finding you for the first time. If you’re struggling with what that looks like for your company, we can help you establish a strong brand identity.

    3. DEVELOP RELEVANT CONTENT 

    Content is key to B2B social media success. You’ll need to deliver the right content, at the right time, using the right channel, for the right customer, so that it all comes together. Relevant content happens as a result of both listening to your customer and being a thought leader. You might try surveying customers to find out what they’d like to hear about. Or talk to them 1:1 directly through your sales team. Ask your technical support team to record what customers are asking, and then share tips with your social media followers and your sales and marketing teams. Address concerns directly, then use that feedback to create valuable messages that you can share with others via social media.

    4. INTEGRATE VIDEO CONTENT 

    When creating and integrating video content, help your customers by taking an ‘audience-first’ approach. Consider developing videos to address client concerns. Try providing some easy how-to’s to educate clients and prospects on how to be more successful in your field. You can even use a little humor to entertain them while respecting their time and (always) keeping it clean. You can still tell your company’s story and help clients and prospects learn about your products along the way. Just consider your audience’s pain and their buying process and add something of value. Valuable, helpful videos might help make more happy customers. Then chances are that they will share your videos out to their connections, who trust their opinions and might lead them to consider working with your business, too, and that means a better return on your marketing program investments.

    5. ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE 

    It may seem obvious but remember to engage your audience. Even simple interactions with your customers and prospects when using social media can generate trust and possibly referrals. Monitor your active social media followers. Respond quickly to questions and comments. Ask them questions, too. Challenge them to get involved by starting interesting conversations. Get to know your social media audience and deepen your relationships with them. Say ‘thank you’ (a lot). Take responsibility and let them know how you’re working on fixing things when you need to. If you receive negative feedback, saying thank you and apologizing that they’ve had a bad experience can go a long way toward resolution and gain respect from others who are watching and listening to how you react. Few companies do this correctly, so prepare to publicly address both the good and the bad, forge your own path, and reap the rewards of increased loyalty and more educated followers.[/vc_column_text][us_separator size=”small” show_line=”1″][vc_column_text]We hope you benefit from our 5 tips for B2B social media success. For additional help, schedule a consultation with us to discuss even more ways to leverage social media and branding best practices for your business.[/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”Schedule a FREE 30-minute consultation” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.com%2Fserffcreative%2F30-minute-consultation||target:%20_blank|” style=”3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Tips for B2B Marketing Success in Today’s Economy

    Tips for B2B Marketing Success in Today’s Economy

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    Are you challenged for being seen online as an authority in the marketplace for your business?

    With all of the different marketing channels for print and online advertising, it can difficulty to stay in front of prospects and clients in the B2B space for the digital economy.

    Here are tips that can help gain that exposure for your business online:

    Getting found online

    Your website is critical for marketing online as it tells your story, showcases your products and services, and gives you the platform to speak about your expertise to the world. Stay up-to-date for connecting properly with your target audiences and elevating your brand effectively for greater impact.

    Content development. Stay relevant with your customers and generating specific content that draws them to your brand. You may have your About page that tells viewers what you are all about, however you need to continually grow your resources to educate, create value to your audience, and help establish the proper engagement with them to increase your customer base.

    Listening to your audience. Are you staying connected in the right channels to engage with your prospects? Start conversations to create relationships and turn them into customers – be strategic about it, as your competitors are doing the same. Building trust over time within community discussion groups, blog posts, and listening to your prospect’s needs and pain points. Being a good listener and answering them at the right time could turn them into future clients.

    Are customers seeing you?

    Social media. Online platforms have changed the way we access the world and stay relevant as a business. You must increase your brand awareness on social media platforms that are most relevant to your customers. Find where they are and get active on sharing content that is useful to them with comments and posting related content.

    Paid advertising. Grow your base to gain more followers and connect with prospects globally. Paid ads help you reach those people not available by other marketing means. Use specific keywords, hashtags, and descriptions for the type of areas you want to be known for. Many platforms offer keyword search recommendations and target demographics that will assist you if you are unsure of how to target your ads.

    Using existing content. With the ever changing digital space of the internet, new content is generated faster than we can create it for our own businesses. If you have been at this a while and have created strong resources as articles, videos, and blog posts consider reposting those resources after six months and expand the content so it feels new. Add videos, infographics, or a deeper understanding on the topic in Slideshare. Develop topics into an eBook or white paper, showing the your value to the world. This will help gain that brand exposure you need to build revenue.

    Do your customers hear from you?

    Building commitment. Once a prospect finds you from an ad or gets to your website, the process does not stop there for relationship building. You must offer ways for them to connect with you. Develop an email signup form so it’s easy for people to hear from you. Other areas you can offer a free eBook, a white paper of a downloadable resource. Plus, keep your social media icons in an easy location to find and connect with you on each platform.

    Developing engagement for one-on-one conversations. Ultimately you want people to find you, connect with you, and start a conversation all online. In the digital world we must make it easy to start those conversations. Be present where you see your target customers, interact with them, and give them a reason to become a new customer through a great customer experience. Over time customers can be your biggest advocates and refer business to you utilizing the same online platforms we live for generating business.

    Stay active online and focus on customers that you want to work with. Build the relationships and give them the best customer experience you can. Generate the brand awareness and leads you are after to grow your ROI. Go and embrace the digital landscape![/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″][vc_column_text]How do you continue to grow awareness to your prospects and clients? Here are some additional tips to connect with your customers for fruitful marketing:[/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”Show Me More Marketing Tips” link=”url:%2F6-tips-for-fruitful-marketing%2F|||” style=”3″ css=”.vc_custom_1569532317722{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • 5 Steps to Improving Customer Engagement with Your Homepage Design

    5 Steps to Improving Customer Engagement with Your Homepage Design

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    You have built your company website with great expectations and aspirations.

    Many companies miss the mark when it comes to engaging their customers – especially on their homepage. You only have seconds to grab their attention before they move onto a competitor’s website. You need to be strategic on how you are speaking to that prospective customer effectively.

    Here are five steps to get your home page updated to target your customer more effectively.

    1. The Header Area

    This is the first impression that someone sees – Your logo, website navigation, and your contact information. It all needs to be in this area. The navigation should have a proper breakdown of what you offer for services, about your company, and other valuable information in a simple way. 4 to 6 tabs should give it proper focus. If your site is rich in content, add additional pages as pull-down menus under each tab.You should also have an easy way to get in contact with you by phone or email. Or if your site is a service focused site, make it easy to signup for your service.

    2. The Slider and Main Message Area

    This area is where you can showcase your story, your brand, and how you attract their attention emotionally. Use dynamic photography to capture that emotion to draw them in. A headline message should be very focused on what you offer. Speak to a pain point or question that they may be asking themselves, how can they help me?

    3. Main Content Area

    Being very direct with your offerings. This is key to driving your customers deeper into your site. A simple and clean approach to your content will help them understand what you offer. Highlight your top 3 to 5 services with visual boxes or icons. Along with a brief explanation of what you offer in terms of how you will solve their needs.

    4. Call to Actions

    Drive the customer to contact you or offer a free product such as an ebook or whitepaper to show the value that you can bring to them. Building that trust is key to future business with prospective clients.

    5. Footer Area

    The lower section of the website is like a drawer of a desk or kitchen. Giving them ways to find the tools that you offer quickly. Listing your most recent blog posts, quick links to other pages in the site that are most valuable, an email signup for your newsletter, and contact information. This allows other ways to engage with your business.

    Your home page is your first impression of your business to your prospective client. Create ways to engage with them and draw them deeper into your site, along with ways to connect with you for future sales. Creating value and Brand loyalty through your offerings will grow trust, and in time, turn those browsers into future customers.[/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”View Some Examples of Our Client’s Websites” link=”url:%2Fweb-design-agency%2F|||” style=”5″ css=”.vc_custom_1564200968062{margin-top: 20px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]

    How is your business doing for your online presence and marketing? If you feel you are missing customers when they come to your site, give us a call to setup a free consultation to see how we can help you with your website.

    [/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”Contact Us to Setup a FREE Consultation Today” link=”url:%2Fgraphic-design-agencies%2F|||” style=”3″ css=”.vc_custom_1564194164896{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Our Top 5 Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business

    Our Top 5 Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business

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    How will you use marketing to grow your business?

    Hopefully you’re as excited about marketing as we are. If you could use some tips and tweaks to freshen your approach or even if you need to start your marketing planning from scratch, we can help. Here are our top 5 marketing tips to help you hit the ground running this year!

    1. Set annual marketing goals you can achieve

    Apply the SMART strategy to your marketing goals. Are your marketing goals for the year:

    • Specific: Marketing goals that are clearly defined will help keep you moving forward. They will also help you set a clear action plan. Think about the who, what, when, where, and why of the goals.
    • Measurable: Set quantifiable and/or qualitative marketing objectives. Think about what kinds of metrics or data you’ll gather and how you’ll report throughout the year. Then if progress is off track, you can re-calibrate marketing efforts and still attain your goals.
    • Achievable: Establish annual marketing goals that you can meet through the work that you do every day, and with the resources you have on hand and the skills you and your team contribute or are able to build.
    • Relevant: Select marketing goals that support your overall business goals. Just because you could achieve something doesn’t mean it makes sense to do it if it now doesn’t align with what your entire company is working toward and prioritizing.
    • Time bound: Choose realistic target dates to achieve your marketing goals and then set milestones and action plans to help you track and make progress toward those goals.

    If you applied a SMART strategy last year, review what worked and what didn’t work, then reset, rebuild, or remove them for your current year’s efforts.

    2. Create a marketing plan

    Now is a perfect time to either create a new or updated marketing plan. Even if you’ve been in business for years, take the time to review any old marketing plans, revise, and head into the rest of the year with a strong vision. Having trouble creating that vision? Start with your SMART goals and align with your business’s overall key objectives and the tasks to support them to kick things off right.

    3. Update financials and marketing ROI

    Key to SMART (and intelligent) marketing efforts is a strong working knowledge of the financials of your small business. Start a checklist and dig into an analysis that includes these questions:

    • Is your bookkeeping up to date and in good order?
    • Is your pricing still accurate or does it need an adjustment?
    • What was the return on investment (ROI) from your marketing work last year?
    • What worked and what needs to be adjusted?

    Don’t limit yourself to looking at last year. Look back over the past five years and remember what worked in the past might not work, or it could actually be time to dust off your tried and true tactics for new gains.

    4. Review industry economic and business trends

    The world of business is moving as fast as the rest of our lives, so re-orient yourself with the big picture of what’s happening and then bring in the specific applicable trends for your business. Examine risks and opportunities from the overall global economy and then examine what’s happening in business news and trends nationally, regionally, and locally. Make a pros and cons list and think about how the current and near-future economic climate may challenge or reward your marketing efforts. Create contingency plans for the risks on the list. And add a section to your SMART goal based marketing plan on how to take advantage of the opportunities.

    5. Check out our additional advice

    Need more than just our top 5 marketing tips? We’ve got some more great marketing advice on a range of subjects like content marketing and how to effectively use social media. Struggling with brand basics? Take our self-guided 10-point brand assessment. We have you covered with ways to develop your brand, how to build greater brand consistency, and how to measure the value of your company’s branding. We even have tips to help you create the right tradeshow experience and how to generate more leads from tradeshows. For these and other helpful tips and hints, check out our blog on the Serff Creative Group website.

    We hope our top five marketing tips help you get started on a better path to success!

    For some inspiration about branding, take our free, self-guided, 10-Point brand assessment. It’s the brand process we use to help our clients bring clarity and consistency to their businesses.[/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”Grab Your FREE, Self-guided 10-Point Brand Assessment Now!” link=”url:%2F10-point-brand-assessment%2F|||” style=”3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Creating the Right Trade Show Experience

    Creating the Right Trade Show Experience

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When you think of trade shows you attended, which ones were the most valuable and why? It might be because you were drawn into the booth by the attractive design, signage leading you to the booth, and/or advance publicity. Part of that positive experience may include the personnel manning the booth who engaged you while you were there. You probably remember the booth because of the follow up after the show.

    On the other hand, you may remember some trade shows that were memorable in the wrong way. Perhaps you encountered an overly aggressive salesperson from the booth. Or on the other hand, you saw booth representatives sitting behind a table staring at their smart phones. They seemed to care less if you might be interested in their product or services. How do you make your trade show booth and experience for your company memorable in the right way? Read on.

    Is Smaller Better?

    You’ll recall that last month we covered the planning part of trade shows; the advance work that is necessary and how to promote your booth on the Internet and social. Creating the right trade-show experience starts with your booth. While a 10′ x 10′ booth may not seem like much space, you can still fit in creative elements. You can include retractable banners, an LED screen showing videos, and brochures and other promotional materials. Please note that small booths are not necessarily a bad thing. Consider there is less space for prospects to wander in and out of your booth without getting noticed. You will have more opportunities to engage them quickly.

     

    [/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”View Examples of Some of Our Client’s Trade Show Displays” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.serffcreative.com%2FneW_5ite%2Fgraphic-designer%2Ftrade-show-display-design%2F|||” style=”5″ align=”center”][us_separator][vc_column_text]

    Going Big

    Having a mid-size booth such as a 20′ x 20′, a 30′ x 30′ or larger is a dream of some companies. It allows ample space without having to squeeze into a tiny space. To draw attention to your booth, it’s a good idea to have ceiling banners that guests can see from far away, especially if you are exhibiting at a very large show. If you have the space, have a seating area for guests to rest their feet so you can engage them in conversation. Possible other ideas are a relaxed office area where you can have meaningful discussions or negotiate with customers one on one. And since you have the space, incorporate technology to promote your product or service. Large screens with company videos or better yet, interactive technology that will capture the attention of would-be customers are great ideas. Other good ideas are prize giveaways, free food and beverages, and company-branded merchandise.

    Plan for Success

    Whether you have a small, medium, or large booth, it’s important to really think through all aspects of booth design. This includes graphics and colors that are consistent with your brand. You want to be sure you have personnel that look professional and are trained on what to say and what not to say. As mentioned at the beginning, it’s also extremely important to follow up with prospects after the show. Provide prizes and company-branded merchandise in exchange for their email address. Build your network and stay in touch with frequent emails.

    If the details of setting your company up for a successful tradeshow are overwhelming to you, we’re here to help.[/vc_column_text][us_btn label=”Simply Contact the Experts at Serff Creative Group” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.serffcreative.com%2FneW_5ite%2Fgraphic-design-agencies%2F|||” style=”3″][vc_column_text]Images courtesy of Air Conditioning Contractors of America Association, Inc. (ACCA)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Generate More Leads by Promoting Your Trade Booth

    Generate More Leads by Promoting Your Trade Booth

    “After a while, they all just blurred together.” These were the words I heard from a prospective client when I asked him what he thought of a recent trade show he attended. Hopefully, you won’t ever hear that from your client if you ask about your booth. How does your company not become a blur and just blend in with all the other booths? Part of this answer lies in the pre-show marketing.

    Advance Work

    Several months in advance of a trade show you should answer several fundamental questions about the show such as;
    • are these tradeshow attendees people who would buy from me?
    • are my competitors going to be there (not necessarily a bad thing)?
    • how big a booth will I have and where will it be in the exhibit hall?
    • what am I going to put in my booth to attract customers?
    • which of my employees will I send?
    • how am I going to follow up on leads once I get them?
    Most important of all, ask, “How am I going to get my clients and prospects to my booth? If you have clear answers for all questions, then it’s time to begin your pre-show marketing.At the heart of your tradeshow marketing, just like any aspect of marketing, it’s important to make sure your marketing material represents your company powerfully and creatively. Whether it’s print, web, or social media marketing, it needs to be creative, cohesive, and uniform. You’ll also need a strong logo, quality graphics, and overall good trade show marketing and branding.

    Timing – When to Start and What to Do

    About six weeks before the show is a good time to send out your first wave of print marketing. Make sure what you send out intrigues your client enough to want to visit your booth. If you’re struggling with ideas, consult with marketing experts. If you are stuck for ideas, look back on marketing material you have seen from other trade show booths from previous shows. In addition to having the basics on your print marketing (booth number, when and where the show is, and what the show hours are), you’ll need to tease the client with what will be in your booth. To tag off the print material, it’s a good idea to follow it with an email to your prospects about a week after the print material is sent out. To avoid a disconnect, make sure the message and the graphics on your email are similar to the print material you sent out. It’s also a good idea to send the email out as a marketing campaign using an inexpensive web based tracking system such as MailChimp or Constant Contact.
     

    Web and Social

    It’s very common for customers to first connect and to re-engage with your brand on the web. When placing information about the show on your website, make sure it is up front and center, so your customers don’t need to hunt for it. Serff Creative Group recommends that you have a brief, intriguing video so clients will know what to expect when they visit your trade show booth. Another big part of advance trade show marketing is social media. You can link the same video that is on your website on social channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. While cohesiveness is important, you can slightly vary the messages on each of these social channels to avoid making your social media efforts look mundane and repetitive. In addition, many trade shows have Twitter pages. Be sure to “@” your Twitter posts and use appropriate tradeshow specific and industry hash tags.

    But Wait, There’s More…

    If applied, these tips and suggestions may help make your company trade show experience successful. But, there is more to exhibiting at trade shows than just the pre-show marketing. Stay tuned for our late July blog where we’ll discuss how to bring them into your booth – the trade show experience, layout and design of your exhibit space and booth. More ideas were published last year in our article, “Stand Out In the Crowd Before, During, and After.“
  • Measuring the Value of Your Company’s Branding

    Measuring the Value of Your Company’s Branding

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pretend you’re the CMO of “Big Company X” and over the last several weeks you and your marketing team have worked overtime to prepare the marketing plan and strategy for the next fiscal year. Then the day comes for you to present your plan to your fellow C-suite executives. You pour over the details of the marketing plan with enthusiasm, communicating what you think is the need for marketing dollars to be spent in this and that area. Then the CFO stands up and demands to know how your plan will create brand equity and value to customers and stockholders. How would you answer?

    Well, you’re not the CMO of “Big Company X”. You’re the owner or proprietor of your own business. Being the chief marketer is just one of the hats you wear, along with chief financial guru. Franky, you too wonder what the concrete value your brand has, and you’re not sure what brand equity is.

    Defining brand value and equity

    Brand value is the dollars and cents of the brand or financial value shown on a balance sheet. Brand equity, while harder to define, is generally made up of your customers’ knowledge, attitude, perceptions and behaviors toward your brand. The better your brand equity is the more brand value you’ll bring to the bottom line.

    How to increase brand value with brand equity

    There are several steps you can put in place to increase your brand equity and value:

    • Measure the results of your marketing campaigns, such as getting positive feedback on social media posts, blogs and print marketing efforts. If you are not getting the results you need or if they get stagnant, retool them for a more positive impact.
    • Listen to your customers. What products or services most interest them? What do they get excited about and what do they not like? When they express passion about your brand, get them to open-up and share details. When they are dissatisfied, show humility, listen to them and then seek to overcome it.
    • Make sure customers have channels to express their feedback. These can include comment cards, surveys, social media channels, comment areas on blog posts and web-sites, and asking them face-to-face what they think of your product and services.
    • Storytelling – talk about your real customers’ experiences and what your products and services mean to them. Another aspect of storytelling is to show how your brand supports the community. Share images of both your customers with their story and pictures of your community involvement.

    Back to the boardroom

    The next time your CFO or the one wearing a CFO hat (you) questions your marketing budget and how you are going to go about creating brand equity and value, you’ll now be more equipped to answer that question. You’ll be able to put concrete plans in place to make your company more valuable.

    How do we measure up?

    Last, how are we creating value and equity in your brand? We at Serff Creative Group want to know how we measure up with you. Please take a few moments to jot down your thoughts on the comment section of this blog, call us at 303.537.8705, email us at info@serffcreative.com or post it on Facebook or Twitter.

    Top Branding Agencies of 2020 according to DesignRush[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]