Tag Archive for: marketing tips
Webinars are an excellent way to engage with your target audience and get your brand noticed. It is for this reason that the number of companies offering webinars is on the rise. After all, who wouldn’t want to get in on the success of this extremely effective marketing tactic?
Unfortunately, many companies fail to do the hard work that is necessary to hold a truly productive webinar. This is a huge mistake since participants who feel that they are wasting their time on a webinar will usually disconnect before it is over. Even if they do sit through until the end, they are sure to walk away with a negative impression of the host company.
If you are considering holding a webinar, here are some tips that will help to ensure its success.
Tip #1: Ditch the Sales Pitch
Nothing will turn off webinar participants faster than feeling like they are sitting through a sales presentation. Remember, webinars are about building relationships, not making sales.
Tip #2: Make it Visually Appealing
Just as you wouldn’t go into a client meeting wearing a sloppy t-shirt, your webinar must look professional, as well. This includes everything down to the background. Has the connection been tested? Have you rehearsed your presentation? No detail is too small!
Tip #3: Don’t be a Bore.
Make sure you engage participants with interesting stories and anecdotes remembering that no one wants to sit through a boring lecture. You also should work hard to interact with your audience so it feels less like you are talking at them and more like you are talking with them.
Tip #4: Get the Timing Right.
Most professionals do not have time to sit through a two-hour webinar. Anything less than an hour is ideal. When scheduling your webinar, make sure you begin advertising it about a month in advance and include language that entices people to sign up right away, for example, “limited number of participants.”
Tip #5: Practice Makes Perfect.
Even the most seasoned webinar professionals would be hard pressed to host a webinar cold. If you are new to the webinar game you must practice. And then practice some more. Consider giving your presentation in front of co-workers and get their feedback. Tape your trial runs and watch to see if you think it sounds professional and engaging. It also is important to remember that you are not giving a speech, make sure your voice has plenty of inflections and that you sound natural. You don’t want it to seem as if you are reading from a script.
Webinars are big business today because they work. However, if you aren’t willing to do the work, you can count on your webinar falling flat.
Chances are if you own a small business you are using social media to market your brand, as well as the products and services you provide. After all, social media is one of the best methods to connect with customers and prospects without breaking the bank.
Unfortunately, many small businesses reach a point where they feel as if they have done all that they can when it comes to social media. They enjoy a good following and are able to interact with customers and prospects on a fairly regular basis. The truth is, however, that social media’s reach is truly endless and no matter how much success you are currently enjoying, you can always achieve more.
So how can you kick it up a notch when it comes to your social media? What follows are some tips to expand your reach, increase your number of followers and, as a result, improve your lead generation efforts and overall sales.
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- Up your posting game. Posting consistently on your social media sites is imperative to your success. Sporadic posting just won’t cut it. Review what you are posting, as well. It can be easy to fall into the trap of just slapping up a post to say you posted. As difficult as it may be, aim for making every post better than the last.
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- Always be analyzing. Learn from your successes and failures on social media. Always track your posts to determine what worked best and what didn’t work. Use this knowledge to tailor future posts. It also is a good idea to analyze what your competitors are posting and how many likes, shares, etc. they are seeing. Are there topics they are focusing on that you aren’t? Give those same topics a try.
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- Make sure your visuals really enhance your posts. It is well-known that pictures and videos increase engagement – but only if they are compelling. Make sure any picture or video you post is pertinent to the content it accompanies.
- Join the club. Join communities but be careful about promoting your product. If someone asks a question, you can share a solution but straight out selling is a no-no. Many small businesses wonder what the benefit of joining communities is if they can’t sell to these communities. Two words: relationship building.
Social media is one of the most inexpensive ways to market your business. Make sure you are taking full advantage of it by always looking for ways to do things better!
Selling vs. Marketing: Is There Really a Difference? Are you selling a product or marketing your business? Did you know there is a difference? If you aren’t sure what you are-or should be-doing, you aren’t alone. Running a business take a lot of time and energy. Getting the name out about your product or services […]