Infographics are all the rage these days and it is easy to understand why. The simplicity and straightforward nature of this marketing technique make it appealing to consumers and marketers alike.
Infographics work on a variety of levels and are perfect for today’s online marketplace where visuals are often preferred over long, complicated copy. Infographics are an outstanding way to get your point across without losing the attention of an individual who doesn’t have the time or interest in digesting a large block of copy.
Unfortunately, sometimes creating the simplest things can take the most time and effort. One of the reasons it can be difficult to develop an effective infographic is that there are so many options available. These options include everything from charts, graphics, color schemes, illustrations and more.
What follows is a (somewhat) step-by-step guide to the creating the perfect graphic but is no by no means all-inclusive. The free-form nature of infographics means that you can—and should—add your own personal touches.
Step #1: Pick a Theme
Before you begin creating your infographic you must decide what you want it to communicate to your target audience. What are the most important points you want to emphasize and how are those points best conveyed in a visual way?
Step #2: Write a Compelling Headline
Without an interesting or catchy headline, no one is going to bother looking at the rest of your infographic.
Step #3: Develop a Simple Design
If your infographic is too crowded or visually overpowering it will turn people off. Avoid copy overload and don’t use too many colors, instead opt for a few powerful, contrasting ones. And never forget that blank space is your friend!
Step #4: Remember that Simple Doesn’t Equal Boring.
You can have a simple design and still add small, impactful details. Infographic on pet food? Add some cute paw prints, for example.
Step #5: Cite Your Sources
If you are using data or statistics, make sure to note where you found that information. This adds credibility to your infographic and lets people know that it is more than just a pretty face!
Even the most well thought out and expertly designed infographic won’t do a thing for your business if you don’t heavily promote it and encourage people to like and share it! Make sure you publish it on a variety of platforms to garner it the attention it deserves!
Finally, monitor how often your infographic is being viewed and shared. If it isn’t getting the response you had hoped for, keep tweaking it until it does. If it still isn’t making an impact you may have to go back to the drawing board.
Five Ways to Lose a Client
MarketingNo one goes out of their way to lose a client. However, it is surprisingly easier than you might think. What’s worse, you may be undermining yourself without even knowing it.
If you want to keep your clients (and unless you have a really troublesome client, we know that you do), it is important that you avoid certain behaviors that you may not even realize are driving customers away. Here are the five biggest customer faux pas:
1. Talk about yourself (all the time). Sure you want your customers to know what a great business you have but it is much more important that you concentrate on their business and what they want and need from you.
2. Communicate exclusively by email (unless that is what they want). It is important that you communicate with clients in the manner that they prefer. However, if you don’t ask and only use email, most customers will pick up on the fact that you are avoiding taking the time to have a real conversation with them. Picking up the phone and meeting them face-to-face shows that you value them enough to take time out of your busy day to talk with them.
3. Only get in touch with them when you want their money. Nothing will alienate clients faster than only approaching them when it’s time for them to pay a bill or when you want to sell them a new product or service. Avoid this pitfall by periodically checking in to see how business is going or pass along something you read that might be of interest to him or her.
4. Always be billing. If you bill clients every time they call you, you can bet they won’t reach out to you very often. And soon they won’t reach out to you at all! While you should be paid for your time, don’t go overboard. Instead, see these communications as ways to build a personal and professional relationship—something that is sure to pay off in the long run.
5. Ignore problems. Ignoring problems that have already occurred or that may occur, is an excellent way to lose a client. Clients are surprisingly understanding if something goes wrong provided you take responsibility for it or alert them to it beforehand. While it is a difficult conversation to have, it always pays off. It also helps to build trust.
We all get busy. However, if you don’t treat clients the way they deserve, they probably won’t be your clients for very long.
A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating a Compelling Infographic
Content MarketingInfographics are all the rage these days and it is easy to understand why. The simplicity and straightforward nature of this marketing technique make it appealing to consumers and marketers alike.
Infographics work on a variety of levels and are perfect for today’s online marketplace where visuals are often preferred over long, complicated copy. Infographics are an outstanding way to get your point across without losing the attention of an individual who doesn’t have the time or interest in digesting a large block of copy.
Unfortunately, sometimes creating the simplest things can take the most time and effort. One of the reasons it can be difficult to develop an effective infographic is that there are so many options available. These options include everything from charts, graphics, color schemes, illustrations and more.
What follows is a (somewhat) step-by-step guide to the creating the perfect graphic but is no by no means all-inclusive. The free-form nature of infographics means that you can—and should—add your own personal touches.
Step #1: Pick a Theme
Before you begin creating your infographic you must decide what you want it to communicate to your target audience. What are the most important points you want to emphasize and how are those points best conveyed in a visual way?
Step #2: Write a Compelling Headline
Without an interesting or catchy headline, no one is going to bother looking at the rest of your infographic.
Step #3: Develop a Simple Design
If your infographic is too crowded or visually overpowering it will turn people off. Avoid copy overload and don’t use too many colors, instead opt for a few powerful, contrasting ones. And never forget that blank space is your friend!
Step #4: Remember that Simple Doesn’t Equal Boring.
You can have a simple design and still add small, impactful details. Infographic on pet food? Add some cute paw prints, for example.
Step #5: Cite Your Sources
If you are using data or statistics, make sure to note where you found that information. This adds credibility to your infographic and lets people know that it is more than just a pretty face!
Even the most well thought out and expertly designed infographic won’t do a thing for your business if you don’t heavily promote it and encourage people to like and share it! Make sure you publish it on a variety of platforms to garner it the attention it deserves!
Finally, monitor how often your infographic is being viewed and shared. If it isn’t getting the response you had hoped for, keep tweaking it until it does. If it still isn’t making an impact you may have to go back to the drawing board.
The Secret to Getting Noticed on Social Media
Social MediaSocial media marketing is all the rage these days. And with good reason. Marketing on social media has been shown to have a much higher lead-to-close rate than outbound marketing. It also is a great way to get your brand the attention it deserves.
If you are considering using social media to market your products or services, you are not alone. Over 50 percent of businesses are taking advantage of social media marketing and this number is expected to grow.
Of course, the popularity of social media marketing means that many businesses are using the same techniques. The result is a social media marketplace saturated with the same old same old. If you are looking for new and different ways to use social media to market your brand, product or service, we’ve got some creative ways to stand out among the crowd:
The best part about social media marketing is that you don’t have to sink a ton of money into it for it to be successful. Likewise, if a particular tactic isn’t working, you aren’t out a great deal of money. In the end, the key to social media marketing success is standing out from the crowd.
It’s Never too Early to Start Planning Your Holiday Social Media Strategy
Social MediaThe kids are back in school and Halloween is still weeks away but if you own a business that relies on holiday sales, it’s time to start thinking about the most wonderful time of the year. Otherwise it might not be wonderful at all.
Many small businesses wonder how they can stand out among the many extravagant marketing campaigns that are rolled out ahead of the holiday shopping season. Thankfully, social media allows these businesses to garner the attention of their customers and prospects without breaking the bank.
If you have not started putting together your holiday social media strategy, now is the time. Here are some things to keep in mind as you build this strategy:
Of course, no matter how effective your social media strategy is at garnering attention for your brand, none of it will matter if you don’t back it up with superior customer service. The holidays can be an especially hectic and stressful time of year for consumers. When you are there for them—responding quickly when they have a problem or question—they won’t soon forget. The result? Happy holiday shoppers that remain loyal long after the season is over.
Why Persistence is the Key to Selling Success
Business, MarketingIdentifying the target audience for a particular product or service your company is selling takes a lot of time and money. After all, you want to make sure that you are marketing to exactly the type of customers who are most likely to buy what you have to sell.
If, after going to all this work, you approach a prospect through email, direct mail or any other marketing technique and they fail to respond, you just spent a lot of time and money for nothing. Or did you?
We’ve all heard the adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” In the case of marketing your business, adhering to this adage is essential to success. Here are three important follow-up tactics to employ so that never miss out on a sale because you gave up on a prospect too soon:
While it can seem fruitless at times, continuing to follow up with prospects will in many cases be rewarded with a sale. At the very least, prospects will appreciate your persistence and likely remember you in the future when they are ready to make a purchase.