Increase Your Google Visibility in 5 Minutes or Less

May 6th, 2011

Google now holds a 70% market share of the search engine game and increasing your visibility in Google Search is key to gaining new clients. In addition, you may have noticed that Google now displays 7 local listings and a map when you search for a local business or service. Guess what? You can immediately increase your visibility to potential clients in your area by registering yourself in Google’s Local Business Center.

It takes about 5 minutes to sign up and fill out your info. At the end, they need to verify your account by phone or postcard. I chose phone and received a call within 10 seconds of submitting my listing. Voila! I found Class Communications in Google Maps a few minutes later.

  • Use words that describe your service like Logo Designer, Freelance Designer, etc. in your listing.
  • Add your website address to your local listing; add your local address to your website (in html text, not flash, not image)
  • Guest post on blogs and link back to your site.
  • Ask past clients to add reviews for you on Google Maps

Even if you don’t get ranked in general search results, you may find that clients will find  you by browsing the area closest to their business.

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Tips for Women Entrepreneurs

April 4th, 2011

Top seven tips for women entrepreneurs:

1) Focus on your strengths
There’s an old saying – ‘Do what you do best and delegate the rest.’ Know what your top strengths are. Delegate or drop anything that you’re not exceptionally skilled at, and focus at least 80% of your time using your key talents that bring you income.

2) Put yourself first
Your growing business needs a lot of time and attention. Many women in business put themselves third or fourth on their list of priorities. Put you and your business first and everything else will fall into place.

3) Learn to say ‘no’
I ask women who have started a business to drop anywhere from 25% to 50% of their time commitments when we start working together. Most women are too over-committed with non-business related activities. Be strategic about what you say yes to, especially in the first few years of your business. Guard your precious time as the valuable asset that it is.

4) Plan for success
Lack of planning causes more businesses to fail than anything else.  Planning is very valuable because it causes you to think ahead to your vision and next steps to reach your goals. You can create a simple one page marketing plan that outlines your business objectives and how you will achieve them.

5) Ask for support
Don’t try to figure it all out by yourself. Notice where you are stuck and could use some help, and ask for it. Ask colleagues or others who have been in business and could mentor you, hire a business coach, or form your own mastermind support team.

6) Delegate or drop your weaknesses
Get clear on what you don’t enjoy doing or don’t do very well. Either stop trying to do it, or find someone who will do it for you. A perfect example is bookkeeping. If you dislike it, give it to someone else to do, and free up your time to earn money doing what you do well.

7) Keep an eye on the bottom line
You don’t need to have complex financial statements, but setting targets and tracking some key indicators every month will help you understand how you are doing. You‘ll know sooner what’s working and what’s not working so that you can make strategic adjustments.

Implement at least three of these tips, and watch your business flourish!
In essence, passion is a good starting place. But, the fundamentals of being in business require you to learn what that means.

As always, your thoughts/comments/linkbacks are always appreciated.

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5 Important Things to Remember as an Entrepreneur

March 28th, 2011

1. Talk about your purpose and passion! Or more specifically “why” are you starting up your own business? Are you doing it to:

  • Make a difference in the world, in your community, in your family?
  • Right a wrong?
  • Improve the quality of life?
  • Fulfill a need?

Out of your purpose grows value. What do you value?

  • Giving back to the world, to your community, to your family, to yourself?
  • Creating opportunities for win-win solutions?
  • Doing something wonderful that makes a difference or has meaning?

2. Evolve into a really good salesperson

  • Approach selling with a creative mindset. One of the most difficult things to do is to do something that hasn’t already been done. That is where “creativity” comes into play. Take something that has already been done and repackage it in a way that attracts or addresses a need from a different target market!
  • Sell what you love. If you do not love it then do not sell it!
  • Sell relationships not just a service or product. Yes, a good product may encourage sporadic customers but a good relationship will establish long-term, loyal customers.

3. Develop networks

  • Strong networks provide endless opportunities to get more things done in a more efficient and effective manner. There is exposure to learn from others with different experiences and knowledge and the multiple connections associated with networks is invaluable.
  • Use networks strategically…ask for favors! Ask the people in your network to keep you in mind or refer you when they come across business opportunity within your specialty; and of course do the same for them. Ask for feedback on your website, services, marketing, ect.
  • Do not keep count of favors. You never know when that one person within your network will come through for you when no one else did!

4. Be proactive; take action

  • Sometimes our biggest obstacle to success is ourselves! Address personal fears, listen to your own instincts and intuition, and start believing in yourself to have the tenacity and drive to see your goal of business ownership actualize.
  • Avoid having those around you that tend to be a major source of discouragement and negativity; including friends and family members.
  • Develop a planning process that consists of setting measurable objectives. Measurable objectives will help with keeping track of progress thereby combating negative talk and thought.
  • Offer support to others with similar goals of business ownership. You will be a source of encouragement to others thereby keeping yourself encouraged, focused, and committed to success.

5. Give praise to the strength of others

  • Give recognition when recognition is due
  • Let those with strengths do what they do best and be a strength to someone else by giving guidance or references to those with areas of weakness.

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Five quick proofreading tips for “fool” proof accuracy!

December 15th, 2010

Errors can make us look and feel terrible. They sometimes make our employers unhappy. We have compiled a handful of tips based on things we frequently see while proofreading at Class Communications to help you win the grammar game.

  1. Read everything – including headings, subheadings, table of contents, and captions. Slow down your reading rate, look for repetition of short words, watch for confusion of suffixes which can cause missed errors. If possible, take breaks and close your eyes every 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Double-check numbers. If a list of figures is shown with a total, check to make sure they add up. Call phone numbers that are listed to ensure they are accurate and still in service.
  3. Review email addresses and verify website addresses. It is now acceptable to list websites without “www.” When a url does not include www as part of the address, you may want to list the entire address so there is no confusion (e.g., http://paayp.emetric.net).
  4. Spell check – especially after making last-minute edits. Unless you are an adrenaline junkie, edits during crunch time may produce errors and it is imperative to check for them – even when it seems there is not enough time.
  5. Have a grammar book handy.  The Gregg Reference Manual by William A. Sabin is an excellent reference. There are many other great resources available. If using an online resource, it may be worth checking for credibility.

“Bonus” Tips:
Create a positive proofreading environment! Clarify your schedule– know all timelines and due dates. Proofread during your “prime time”– know when you’re most alert. Limit distractions and clear your workspace. Sometimes it is easier to proofread in pieces. For example, proofread all of the headings and subheadings, then captions, and so forth. It is usually during this time that we find inconsistent uses of hyphens, capitalization, formatting, etc.

Happy Proofreading!

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The QR Code Craze

December 6th, 2010

Why QR Codes Are Quickly Becoming Part of the Bigger Marketing Picture

Perhaps you’ve seen them in magazine articles or on bulletin boards. They are quick response or QR codes. They are very similar to barcodes you see printed on your mail or on products in the store, but instead of a series of bars (like UPC codes), they are square and use a series of smaller squares or other patterns to create attractive puzzle-like images.

Here’s why QR codes are great for today’s marketing campaigns.

To read QR codes, you snap them with your cellphone camera. Software on the camera decodes them and automatically takes you to images, videos, a mobile site (mobisite), or other content that makes sense for the campaign. (You may need to download this software if it is not already installed on your phone.)

This means that people can respond to your campaign anywhere – anytime. A teenager at his friend’s backyard barbeque sees the latest CD from his favorite band. He hasn’t bought the CD yet, so he picks it up and snaps a picture of the QR code on the back of the jewel case. He is immediately taken to a website where he can listen to audio clips, purchase music, and even Tweet about the new CD to his friends. Imagine the opportunities for your marketing!

  • Realtors can add QR codes to “for sale” signs, taking prospective buyers to pricing, floor plans, and even 3D tours of the property.
  • Retailers can add QR codes to window cling-ons, sending discounts to viewers’ cellphones that can be brought inside for immediate discounts.
  • Marketers can add QR codes to business cards and marketing collateral. When these codes are snapped, the marketer’s contact information is automatically added to the viewers’ address book.

The possibilities are endless.

QR codes can even contain personalized URLs, sending recipients to their own unique Web pages, where they can fill out surveys, receive customized content, and marketers can talk to them one-on-one.

There is so much to love about QR codes. In their most basic form, they are free to add to your print or e-media marketing. They allow people to respond immediately to your offers, even if they are out of the office or home. They allow you to track and measure response to print materials like advertisements  and posters that are otherwise difficult or impossible to track.

Market awareness of QR codes is growing rapidly. When they cost nothing but a little brain power to add, the question isn’t why you should use QR codes. It’s why not?

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Mix it Up

August 5th, 2010

According to the Marketing Power Dictionary, integrated marketing communication can be defined as the holistic approach to promote buying and selling utilizing both online and offline marketing channels. According to he Direct Marketing Association, even as marketers are bringing more digital media into their integrated campaigns, traditional media remain a core component of the marketing mix. When planning your next marketing campaign, why not mix it up by combining:

  1. A direct mail letter with a promotional item
  2. A direct mail letter/promotional item with eye-catching package
  3. An email with an audio message
  4. A brochure with a limited time coupon
  5. A direct mail letter with an accompanying Web page
  6. A Web page with an accompanying video.

Your marketing success is our mission. To discuss your specific needs or to schedule an appointment, contact us at (717) 435-3150.

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Congratulations to Our Clients!

June 17th, 2010

Manheim Township and Solanco School Districts received awards for their publications in the
Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) 40th Annual Educational Publications Contest.

Manheim Township School District
2009-2010 District Calendar – Award of Excellence
(Calendar Category)

Solanco School District
Solanco Today/Parent Talk – Award of Excellence
(Parent Information Category)
Solanco Today – Award of Excellence
(Newsletter/Newspaper Category)

These publications were judged on appearance, writing and style, editing, layout and design, use of artwork and photography, printing, and value to the audience.  Congratulations!

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Social Media-A Topic of Conversation

January 27th, 2010

Of course social media became a topic of conversation at a recent PenSPRA meeting we attended, as it often does!

If you have a Facebook account, consider becoming a fan of “Facebook in Education” to follow other educators and to see how they are incorporating the use of Facebook into their district and organization communication plans. http://www.facebook.com/education

We began incorporating social media into Class Communications’ marketing efforts last fall. Here are some of the top reasons why:

1. It is important to meet people where they are. Professionals are on LinkedIn and many businesses are using Twitter and Facebook. Your students are “hanging out” online – now parents and grandparents are logging on too.

During the first half of 2009, the Facebook users, by age, broke out like this*:
Ages 0-17 –10% of all users
Ages 18-24 – 25% of all users
Ages 25-34 – 25% of all users
Ages 35-54 – 28% of all users
Ages 55+ – 8% of all users
(Even though we are missing 4% here, probably due to the lack of information available, this paints a pretty clear picture!)

2. It is an inexpensive means of reaching people with your message. In most cases – it is FREE.

3. Social media is here to stay (and yes -  it is time consuming)! Many small and non-profit organizations are saying, “we know we need social media, but who has time to post AND monitor?” I sure wish I had an easy answer or a “quick click” to solve this dilemma. There are ways to streamline (i.e., when a post is made to Facebook you can set up your page to auto-upload to Twitter) and it may take some research on your part, a great technology director, and/or some workshops!

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Return on Investment in Education

January 20th, 2010

How do you measure your return on investment (ROI ) for newsletters, calendars and other informational pieces to your community? Community Awareness = Public Engagement.

Support from parents, senior citizens and other residents is needed long before they vote on a referendum bill or support the construction of a new building. It begins by continually creating awareness of programs and activities within your school district.

While your ROI cannot be measured on a spreadsheet, it can be seen when community members participate in activities, fundraisers, and volunteer opportunities. People need to notice a publication in order to read it. An eye-catching design with solid content will encourage residents to read your materials, thus building community awareness and engagement.

Residents want to know what is happening in the district. So, let’s tell them!

As always, your thoughts/comments/linkbacks are always appreciated.

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Social Media’s Future Influence on Education

January 20th, 2010

Let’s face the facts, the days of searching for information in an encyclopedia are long gone.  To be completely honest, I firmly believe if you were to give a teenager an assignment to locate information in an encyclopedia they wouldn’t even know how to do it.

Computers and the internet have completely changed the way we look for information and social media is going to play an even larger role when it comes to education shortly.

With the world tweeting, Digging, Tumbling, and writing on walls, it’s only a matter of time before a high school teacher or college professor decides to add his/her Twitter address on their syllabus so the students can get a hold of them (that is if they don’t want emails to flood their inbox), creates a class forum for required discussion sessions (which is already happening with Springboard), or gives live video review sessions via Justin.tv or Ustream.

That’s not all, think about how easily students can obtain information using Digg, Reddit, or StumbleUpon.

I’ll give you a scenario:

You are given an assignment to write a five page paper on the Cuban Missile Crisis.  A simple search for “Cuban Missile Crisis” on Digg brings back 129 results, 38 results on Reddit, and 73 results on Technorati.

By spending less than two minutes online you have 240 possible sources you can browse through for your paper.  Had you gone to the library, you would have found five or six possible sources and it would have taken you anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to locate the information you wanted to use.

Colleges and Universities are taking advantage of the benefits of social media to keep students and faculty informed on campus activities and important news updates.

Alumni associations are utilizing Facebook to keep high school and college alumni up to date with reunions, news, and photos of their past classmates.

All this is just the beginning of an era.  Social media has already influenced millions of people and although a lot of people are still learning about Twitter and Facebook, social media’s potential influence on education can make learning fun again.

As always, your thoughts/comments/linkbacks are always appreciated.

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