Blog Archives
Spring Cleaning: 5 Fresh, Budget-Friendly PR and Marketing Tips
I’ve asked some of my favorite bloggers to guest blog and provide us with some of their favorite creative and affordable marketing tips.
Check out what Karen Hendricks has to say about making the most of your social media platforms.
Spring cleaning isn’t limited to dust bunnies under the bed. Did you know… you may have virtual dust bunnies lurking in your social media and marketing accounts? This is the perfect time of year to freshen up your marketing strategy, evaluate and consider adding a few new marketing tools—all with a budget-friendly approach. Here are five ways to put a little springtime sparkle into your marketing mix:
1. Facebook Facelift: Give your business or organization a fresh look on Facebook by uploading a new top image. This is a great rule of thumb to follow at least once per quarter or season. This instantly sets the tone on your account as a current, relevant source of information. According to a study by Vocus, Facebook fans are a brand’s most valuable customers, with 79% of your fans more likely to purchase your products/services as compared to non-Facebook fans… so give them a fresh “face” atop your latest content. Remember the dimensions for Facebook’s cover image are 851 x 315 pixels.
2. Blogging Bling: When is the last time you updated your company’s or organization’s blog? According to Blogging.org, 60% of all businesses have a blog, but a whopping 65% haven’t updated it within the past year. A blog is the perfect example of content marketing at its best—especially if you take advantage of a free, easy-as-pie WordPress account. The only investment is your time spent writing and adding effective images—a key component to higher engagement rates.
3. LinkedIn Luster: It’s been about a year and a half since the professional networking site LinkedIn unveiled its Company Pages feature. Since then, 2.6 million companies have developed company pages, including all Fortune 500 companies. Many small businesses and non-profits have yet to take advantage of this free marketing tool, with valuable access to the 200 million professionals currently on LinkedIn. When you create a Company Page, invite your customers to provide endorsements, share your business news, and begin creating a buzz on a professional level. You can even advertise jobs or scout for potential new hires. For inspiration, check this post on the LinkedIn blog, with tips from the top 10 best company pages of 2012.
4. Add Polish with Pinterest: Last summer, Mashable reported that Pinterest users were following more brands than Facebook or Twitter users. I think the main reason why boils down to Pinterest’s focus on images. It’s easier to “see” what you like rather than “read” about your favorite brands, causes or businesses. If you haven’t yet created a Pinterest account for your business or organization—or if you haven’t added new content recently, polish your image with a free Pinterest account. Make sure plenty of your pins link back to your core marketing presence, your website, to ultimately drive traffic to your doorstep.
5. Add email marketing muscle: Don’t discount good old fashioned email marketing! It’s still a wonderfully viable way to engage with and grow your core customer base. See the Inbound Marketing blog for their recent “23 Tweetable Stats on Email Marketing Trends” and it’s bound to put some spring into your marketing step.
If you aren’t currently using an email marketing service, consider the following: one of the gold standards in the industry, Constant Contact offers a free 60-day trial period that’s especially helpful for small businesses since the initial free contact list is limited to 100 or fewer contacts. Otherwise, paid accounts on Constant Contact will not break your bottom line, and non-profits receive a 15% discount Additional budget-friendly options include Vertical Response, which has a free option for all 501 (c)(3) organizations, and Mad Mimi which offers a free base email program for up to 2,500 contacts and up to 12,500 emails per month. Make sure to dust off your writing skills as well — 64% of email recipients say they open an email because of the subject line.
Karen Hendricks, Hendricks Communications
Karen Hendricks, President/Owner of Hendricks Communications, focuses on public relations, marketing and freelance writing/photography. Learn more at HendricksCommunications.com and follow her on Twitter @karenhendricks9.
Marketing Ideas and Content Themes for your October Editorial Calendar
Tuesday, October 2 The informative conference Digital East takes place in Herndon, VA today and tomorrow. There are a dozen registrations left for $375 each.
Wednesday, October 3 The first Presidential debate between President Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney airs tonight. If you choose to post to Twitter, keep your tweets topical this evening. All the debates this month will be aired live on YouTube.
Monday, October 8 Columbus Day is a federal holiday, kids will be out of school, and people will be online in numbers. This is a great time to reach out to your Facebook Page followers.
Today is the last day of the George Bellows exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. See it before it leaves!
This is also Fire Prevention Week. Use the Twitter hashtag #FPW. This would be an excellent time to remind your followers to check the operation of smoke alarms and hold home and office fire drills.
Tuesday, October 9 Learn how to pitch the reporters at the Washington Business Journal at their Power Breakfast and presentation today at 8:30 a.m. Register for $25.
Wednesday, October 10 Wish Fletcher Prince’s David Hyson a Happy Birthday today on his Facebook profile.
Thursday, October 11 The Vice Presidential debate airs tonight at 9 pm.
Tuesday, October 16 Wish Happy Birthday to social media sweetie Meghan McMahon, aka @Meggiepoo on Twitter.
The second Presidential debate airs tonight at 9 pm; also live on YouTube. Use hashtag #
Today is also Boss’s Day. I wouldn’t forget that one if I were you! 
Send a card around the office to sign, and treat your boss to lunch.
Wednesday, October 17 Join your Fletcher Prince friends for networking and a lunch of authentic German fare at Cafe Mozart in Washington, DC. Cost of lunch is on your own. Register here.
Thursday, October 18 Every ad agency account executive has a story to tell, and not all of them are pretty. Attend Ad2DC’s MadMemoirs – Horror Stories from Behind Agency Walls and vote for your favorite tonight at 6:30 pm at Bus Boys and Poets ($15).
Saturday, October 20 Step back into 1771 and check out the 18th century Market Fair today and tomorrow at Claude Moore Colonial Farm in McLean, VA. $6 adults, $4.50 for AAA members, $3 children.
Monday, October 22 Wish Happy Birthday to Ascend Communication’s principal Lorelei Harloe!
The third Presidential debate airs tonight at 9 pm (also on YouTube).
Tuesday, October 24 Learn how to leverage LinkedIn for your business and networking at this Reston Chamber of Commerce event, 8:30 a.m., $10. Register here.
The Town of Vienna presents its 66th annual Halloween Parade today at 7 p.m.
The Washington Ballet presents Dracula at the Kennedy Center, tonight through November 4.
Thursday, October 25 The DC chapter of the American Marketing Association celebrates its 80th anniversary and recognizes the Top Marketer at a gala this evening.
The Prince William Chamber of Commerce holds its B2B and B2C trade show 2012 Connections from 4 pm to 7 pm today. Admission, parking and food are free.
Friday, October 26 Wish Happy Birthday to U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.
Sunday, October 28 The 37th annual Marine Corps Marathon takes place today
Monday, October 29 The Hunter Moon rises tonight.
Wednesday, October 31 Happy Halloween! Bling out your Twitter and Facebook profile photos with Halloween themed logos. If you’re downtown today, check out the exterior Halloween decorations at the White House.
Today is also Dan Rather’s birthday. Follow @DanRatherReport on Twitter.
The latest social media statistics
A national survey of 1,005 adults by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project in August 2012 found that
- 66% use Facebook
- 20% use LinkedIn
- 16% use Twitter
- 12% use Pinterest
- 12% use Instagram
- 5% use Tumblr
Avast, me hearties! Here be my marketin’ treasures
ARRRRRRR! and Ahoy, mateys!
For ye lubbers who may not be savvy, this day be Talk Like a Pirate Day! At Fletcher Prince we’ll be smartly yammerin’ like pirates the live long day. Arrr, and to be sure we’ll layin’ down the marketing advice for ye like so many pieces of eight on a dead man’s chest. Aye, ’tis true.
There be treasure in this ol’ blog, aye, if ye but seek it. Just not today, not on this post, leastways. All ye will find on deck today is a lot of pirate blather. And these jokes.
What do pirates do with their smart phones? They scan Q – ARRRRR — codes!
Why do pirates always carry a bar of soap? Give up? Because if they are shipwrecked, they can always wash ashore.
Ye can’t take a picture of a pirate with a wooden leg. Know why? Because wooden legs don’t take pictures, that’s why.
Now I am really sorry about that. Truly I am. To make it up to you, I mean “ye,” here’s a fun link that is not corny at all: Find out yer Pirate Name here (mine’s Dirty Mary, to be surrrre)
Did you know that some of the most infamous pirates sailing the high seas were lasses? ‘Tis true! Anne Bonny, Mary Read, Ching Shih and Grace O’Malley were some notorious female pirates.
If you haven’t had enough pirate-talk yet, be mindful of the Facebook setting that ye can change to Pirate Talk.
Here be a clip of some true fearsome pirates to inspire ye
Related articles
- Free Donuts For Pirates of the Day (cheezburger.com)
- Ahoy! thar bucko ” Today be make your own hat day” (whatshallwedotodaysugarbear.wordpress.com)
- Shiver Me Timbers. It’s An API fer talkin’ Like A Swashbuckling Pirate! (programmableweb.com)
Is it good form to ask for followers?
Occasionally, you will see the administrator of a Facebook Page or Twitter profile post an update asking for followers. Often, it’s associated with a goal, e.g., let’s get 10,000 followers by such and such date or time.
Does this tactic work? And more importantly, should it be used? Can it backfire for your brand?
I was thinking about this as I read the response of some fans when the Facebook Page owner of a Page I follow, Daym Drops, posted a request for more Twitter followers on his Facebook Page.
Now, this guy recently vaulted to YouTube viral stardom — which can be a short-lived and wild ride — so it’s easy to understand why he’s trying to make the most of it, quickly.
Fam, as I look at my Fam Follow on Twitter; it is all types of nappy and unhappy. (1,759)..Can we hit 2,000 before midnight? Let’s DO THIS!
Well, for one thing, asking for Twitter followers on Facebook is like assuming people like sushi if they also like Chinese food. It’s not necessarily so. And one of his Facebook fans didn’t hesitate to tell him, in a nice way, that she preferred Facebook.
I don’t have a twitter account.. dint like it .. I don’t like to feel restricted… n u know us Latinas have a lot to say
I’ve emphasized before that Facebook and Twitter, while both are social networks, are two different entities with different personalities and uses and these should be approached and treated differently. And this just illustrates how you cannot give someone sushi when they want kung pao chicken.
But back to the ask. Calls to action (or CTAs, for short) are tricky on social media. Are they necessary? Yes. But there is a way to make the ask, and maybe this wasn’t it. And who knew? We are all learning. Often, it’s the community that tells us what works, and what doesn’t. What struck me were the kindly intentioned but direct responses of two of his Facebook Fans to his ask for Twitter followers (please pardon the crude language):
Hey man, you are f’ing awesome and sh!t… But don’t get greedy on followers. Just be your awesome self, and followers will show up anyways
Yeah, keep having fun with it and everything else will come along. The second you start thinking you deserve things, you start losing the respect of the people already following you.
Significantly, he did not make his 2,000 Twitter follower goal. So, maybe there is a lesson here for businesses and nonprofits. Don’t push your luck too quickly, too soon. Let the fans come to you. Do what you do best, and you will earn the reputation. Focus on what you already have and on engaging your current fans.
Does this mean we stop using advertising, or PR, or social media to try and attract more attention for our services, products, or missions? No! Especially for other types of brands, a more assertive approach may be warranted. Just — keep it real on social media. It’s important not to lose sight of the fundamentals, or force your hand.
But it’s also very true on social media that if you have earned the love and respect of fans, then they will forgive the fumbles you may make occasionally. And we all make those fumbles, self included!
Congratulations, Daym Drops, on your new success! Count me among your fans
Just for fun, here is one of his funny fast food reviews…
Related articles
- How Dunkin’ Donuts Builds a Connected Brand with Social Media (greatfinds.icrossing.com)
- Is Bigger Better with Social Media? (greatfinds.icrossing.com)
- Is it Possible To Overdo Your Company’s Social Media Presence? (marketingland.com)
Marketing Ideas and Content Themes for your September Editorial Calendar
I cannot believe summer is over. I would be devastated about this if Fall were not my favorite season.
Still, it never feels good, does it, the end of summer? I’m bummed, I don’t mind telling you.
Well, chin up, Skippy, and get back to work. I might as well make it easy for those of you who have to come up with fresh ideas for your Facebook Pages, blogs, and Twitter updates. Have I let you down yet this year? No! So here are a few more ideas to round out your September editorial calendar. And a few events, too.
Saturday, September 1: It’s National Preparedness Month, which means it’s the perfect time to review your workplace emergency prevention plan, crisis relations plan, and check on emergency supplies you have on hand, such as water, first aid kit, crank radio, emergency lanterns. For $5 per person, you could also equip each employee with their own personal Safety Tube, which I think makes a lot of sense if you work in a large office building. Read more workplace preparedness tips here.
If you have a B2B clients, consider working this theme into your social media updates. Follow @FEMA on Twitter for tips and use the hashtag #NPM. Hey, here’s an idea: you could also pin your photos of your workplace emergency response kit or drill activity on a company Pinterest board.
Here’s a freebie: the Small Business Administration and Agility Recovery are offering four free webinars each Wednesday at 2 p.m. EST this month to help you be prepared at the workplace; register here. Communicators may be especially interested in the September 19 webinar on using social media during a crisis.
Sunday, September 2: Shoppers are looking for bargains this weekend. If you’re in retail, or have an online shopping site, take advantage of this by offering special deals all weekend long. Maybe this is the weekend you launch your online shopping site on YouTube, a feature that is now available to YouTube Partners (like Fletcher Prince). This is also a good time to market winter getaways and vacations, if that is your business.
Monday, September 3: It’s Labor Day, and a federal holiday. A lot of people are home from work, so this is a good time to connect with fans and followers online.
If you want a bump in followers, consider taking advantage of the $100 advertising credit being offered by Twitter to many business accounts, and put some promoted tweets out there. Or run a holiday-specific sponsored story on Facebook.
Take this time to celebrate the contributions of your employees, and maybe share their stories on YouTube, Facebook, and on your company blog. Follow the U.S. Department of Labor @USDOL and use hashtag #LaborDay2012
Tuesday, September 4: Today is the first day of school for kids in most Northern, VA public schools (Maryland, DC and Loudoun County started last week). Wish the kids good luck this year, and please remember to brake for school buses and school crossings.
Back-to-school makes a great theme for blog posts, by the way. Another hot topic is how parents can keep kids safe online.
Sunday, September 9: Hail to the Redskins! Football season kicks off today for DC with the opening game of the Redskins vs. the New Orleans Saints. Kickoff is at 1 pm, EST. Like the Skins on Facebook.
Hey, people like to talk about football. If you’re smart, you’ll find ways to work this football chatter into your Facebook Page updates for your brand, so you can increase your edge rank.
Monday, September 10: The DC Ad Club presents Ad Week, a series of presentations and events about, you guessed it, advertising! Most of the events take place today and tomorrow at the Washington Plaza Hotel. You can follow the action @AdWkDC on Twitter.
Tuesday, September 11: Today is Patriot Day, a day for remembrance of the tragedies of September 11, 2001. U.S. flags are flown at half-mast, by order of the President, and there is a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. EST
Sunday, September 16: Beginning at sundown and running through September 18, Rosh Hashanah is an important Jewish observance that marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year and the start of the High Holy Days.
The traditional greeting is to wish people “Shana Tova,” or “a good year.”
Monday, September 17: Please join your Fletcher Prince friends at Whitlow’s on Wilson (Arlington, VA – Metro: Clarendon) for our monthly Network and Lunch event, noon. Cost of lunch is on your own and I guarantee you will enjoy it Register here.
Wednesday, September 19: Arrr! Avast, matey, today is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Everything you need to know is right here.
You know what would be fun? If everyone in the office also DRESSED
like Pirates. You know you want to do this. Think of the Facebook pictures and video potential here!
But if you just can’t bring yourself to do it, then try this: change the language setting on your Facebook profile for today. Go to your account settings, and under “Language,” select: “English (Pirate).” Don’t worry, no one else will know
Saturday, September 22: Today is the first day of autumn and also the autumnal equinox, a day when sunrise and sunset occur 12 hours apart.
Tuesday, September 25: The holiest day of the year for Jews is today, Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, and a time for fasting, repentance and prayer. The traditional greeting associated with Yom Kippur is to wish people an easy or benefitting fast.
Thursday, September 27: Happy Birthday, Google! The company turns 14 today. A good day to check out and share the Google Doodle
Who in DC doesn’t secretly love a juicy Scandal? The ABC show is returning for its second season this evening at 10 p.m. EST and you can bet a lot of people in DC will be tweeting Olivia Pope’s latest lines: follow @ScandalABC on Twitter.
Saturday, September 29: Tonight and tomorrow night, make sure you step outside to view the rising of the Harvest Moon which is almost always a spectacular sight, when weather conditions are right.
Sunday, September 30: Today is an important day in Asian culture — the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival. The ancient festival is celebrated with dragon dances, lanterns, mooncakes, and celebrations. If you’ve never had a mooncake, you must try one! They’re sweet and taste like flowers. Visit Eden Center in Falls Church, Virginia to find an authentic mooncake. Mooncakes are a unique treat to distribute to clients or for your kids to take to school.
I know I’m talking a lot about TV this month, but Revenge, people! I, for one, cannot wait to see what Emily, um, Amanda, um Emily…oh, you know who I mean. What she’s up to, along with her trusty sidekick and my fave character, Nolan Feel compelled to live-tweet every moment? Follow @Revenge on Twitter and use hashtag #Revenge
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August Network and Lunch Report
What interesting conversations we had at today’s Network and Lunch get-together. As you know, every month I organize a Network and Lunch event at a different location in the Washington, DC area. Today, we met at the Silver Diner in Falls Church, Virginia.
In addition to me and David (and my son William), we also had return attendee and fellow communicator Leah Ibrahim with us, who consults on social media strategy for Pew Charitable Trusts. We were joined by new friends Divina Rutherford, senior account executive with Sage Payment Solutions, and James Perkins, co-owner of MotoHaven, a business that teaches people how to ride motorcycles safely.
Everyone had something interesting to share today. Divina works with local businesses and nonprofits on technological solutions for processing payments and accounting. She set the Girl Scouts of Northern Virginia up with a smart phone compatible system (see photo), so they can take credit card payments as they sell door-to-door. Her company also manages e-commerce solutions for business websites.
James answered our many curious questions about what it was like teaching people how to ride motorcycles. His business is doing very well with customers coming from all over the DC area to his Fredericksburg, Virginia location. One of the ways he reaches customers is through his company’s Facebook Page.
Speaking of Facebook, Leah shared some really helpful tips about Facebook. She has good experience with using sponsored stories on Facebook with her clients. This pay advertising option significantly raises the visibility of a selected Page update in newsfeeds, and you can target who sees them by location, age, interests, and many other attributes. She also mentioned that you can raise awareness on Facebook by creating Facebook ads on birthdays. Read her blog post for more details on that tactic.
Of course, the food was great. I enjoyed the lunch a lot and I really appreciate people making time in their day to join us.
Come to the Network and Lunch Event in September!
Our next Network and Lunch event will be at Whitlow’s on Wilson (Arlington, Virginia) on Monday, September 17 . Register today and join us for conversation and delicious food. It’s free — just pay for your own lunch and help out with the tip. See you then!
Related articles
- For Your Editorial Calendar: August Engagement and Marketing Ideas (fletcher-prince.com)
