Presentation Is EVERYTHING!

My family and I are addicted to art & craft shows. Living in Miami, we have the perfect weather for outdoor events all year round, so we really do live in the ideal place to indulge in our art addiction.  Recently we attended the Coconut Grove Art Festival and the accompanying festivals surrounding it.  It's always loads of fun to see all the amazing art and designs that people come up with.  But what really draws me in are the displays...

If you know me, I am all about presentation.  From putting on that perfect accessory to go with my outfit, to preparing an outstanding proposal that will knock the socks off of any client, the look as to be well rounded and complete.  The same can be said of any business, not just a marketing agency.  The way that you carry yourself and your business, will automatically dictate how you will be perceived in the eyes of a perceptive client.  You can't expect to walk into a business meeting wearing a pair of tattered jeans and t-shirt and ask for a couple thousand dollars for a project.  And the same can be said of wearing an expensive suit and handing out a home printed business card on printer paper.  You end up looking like an "oxymoron" rather than a true business professional. 

Just to give you an example, here is my story. Not only do I run an ad agency full time, but I also design jewelry as a hobby.  I actually attend most of the said, "art and craft festivals" as a participating artist rather than just a buyer.  When I set up my area, I make sure that my prospects feel invited in. I set it up almost like a little jewelry store, complete with a beautiful black and hot pink display, huge banner that displays photos of my work, company name and website. Even down to the table clothes... they are clean and sprayed down with a touch of essential oil to create the perfect ambient experience.  Although, my pieces ARE affordably priced, I can guarantee that the reason I am so successful at these events is because of the overall presentation that helps to really convey the beauty of my work. 

When I take on a new client, I not only represent them for their media efforts, but for their overall presence in their industry.  I take a look at the store front or office space, take a look at their services and product list and all aspects of their customer service. Then I look at what market they are trying to attract.  If they want to attract high end shoppers, then they MUST look high end all around. This includes their look, logo, printed materials and message.  If they don't jive, neither will the strength of their business nor the market they want to be selling to.

Now take a look at your own business and answer these questions (honestly)...

- Do you have a proper logo for your company with easily identifiable colors and imagery?

- Do you use that logo and message throughout all of your marketing (ie. business cards, post cards, signage, vehicle decals, banners, retail bags, folders, brochures, website, etc...)

- Do you have quality printed materials with a clear and concise message?

- Do you look your very best when presenting your company?

- Do you convey a sense of pride being a principal representative of your business?

- How does my retail or office space look... Is it clutter free, clean and inviting?

- Is it easy to identify my brand and the quality of my product or services?

- If it were me, would I buy from this business???

If you answered NO to any of those questions, then it's time you get off your tush and make it happen!  

Unfortunately, just because you own a business doesn't mean you are a "business person".  This is why there are many start-up's out there that flounder within their first or second year.  Most people open up a business and expect it to make money with little or no effort. The reality is, that in this economy, there are about 50 other businesses just like yours within a 5 mile radius, that are fighting for the same customer.  The ones that are going to win, are the ones that can honestly answer a resounding YES to all of the questions above and go beyond just word of mouth for advertising. Whether you take it upon yourself to learn how to use these resources to increase your business, or hire someone like me to assist you with those marketing and public image issues, the time is now to take hold of that piece of the pie you have been missing for so long.

Presentation is EVERYTHING! From your marketing materials and office/store decor to how YOU look and carry yourself when representing your business. Following these easy steps will put you on a more profitable road to success.

Mojo Media Miami International has been recognized as one of the top branding and digital media companies in South Florida in 2011 by the Miami Herald & the Digital Marketeers of America.  With over 20 years of experience in the industry, and countless awards for creative media and social media integration, Mojo Media Miami International is the perfect choice for driving your bottom-line up! 

"Taste the Flavor of Success!" www.MojoMediaMiami.com.

Setting the record straight about Google Places marketing

An agency client of mine recently approached me about some questions he had on his Google Places account.  He was told by an IT Professional that Google Places was going to be removing all cell phone listings from their "Places" database and only leaving businesses that actually have a brick-and-mortar store with an actual "land-line" telephone service.  Needless to say, he was Svitzing about the news, especially since he runs a home-based business and his mobile phone is his only form of contact.  He has also been getting quite a bit of business from his Google Places listing ever since we spiffed it up for him about six months ago.

Within our conversation I asked him if this IT person sent him anything to substantiate his comment. Of course, he did not.  There was no way he could have since it's absolutely not true.  (At least the mobile phone portion of his comment wasn't.)

So to clear up misconception, here is the latest news about Google Places straight for the horses mouth...

First, Google Places IS removing all listings from their database that are not actually brick and mortar locations.  A lot of internet based companies that work from home or an undisclosed location that have been listing PO Boxes or fake addresses were removed as of February of this year.  If you have recently tried to set up a Google Places account, you will notice that they are now MAILING the pin codes for authorization. And the address they mail it to has to match the address you are listing on your places account as your physical address.  This is actually a GOOD thing.  Think about what Google places is all about.  It's a geographically driven application that allows users to find places around them within a 5 mile radius.  It's design to guide you to a location, not a website. People that use the application are not looking to shop on-line or to find a website. They want to physically go to the address listed on your profile.  So, of course, because of the on-slaught of "cyber" businesses that were using Places as a sneaky SEO tactic, Google has now removed them completely in order to provide the most accurate content for their end users.

On the subject of mobile telephone business users, this is just a big ol' fib.  (At least for now it is, since Google changes it's systems as often as we change our underwear these days.)  Listen... we are moving forward, not backwards, with technology.  And with over 30% of small business owners that use solely their mobile phones for business, Google would be loosing a ton of money and market share if they were to implement such a rule. If they deleted business listings based on the lack of a land line, then they would be removing larger companies as well, that rely on sophisticated internet based or Wi-Fi calling systems. These are certainly not considered "land-lines".

So in a nut shell, No they are not getting rid of cell phone using businesses from Google Places, unless of course, you don't have a physical location people can come visit you at. And yes you will be removed if you have a PO Box or don't actually have a brick and mortar location where business can be conducted.

For those of you that DO have a local store or office, LIVE IT UP!  Google PLaces is one of the best locations to advertise your business on-line. There are also so many really cool new features that you can use to your advantage. You can now post videos from youtube, (or directly from your PC), you can post unlimited photos with captions, you can list sales or create coupons that can be used for check out with paypal, and you can now use Google Places to POST!  Yes, just like on Facebook and Twitter.  You can post what the business is doing, sales, specials...you name it! And you can do it for free and as often as you would like!

Happy Marketing!

Google FRESH and what it means for your website presence

Keeping true to it's form, on November 11, 2011, Google released it's newest update to their systems. The new update is being called FRESH due to it's ability to immediately find "Fresh new content on any site across the world wide web". It's new REAL real-time searching and updating, is wonderful for the user searching for information, it's not so great for small businesses with a non-existant marketing budget.  Larger corporations have already started to enterprise on this new system by integrating Blogs and other social media outlets directly into their sites. They have either hired an internal social marketing butterfly or external social media marketing agency to run their plethora of promotions, postings and blog articles for them.  Of course, these larger entities have the budget to take advantage of this scenario, while small companies now have to rely on either doing it themselves, or not keeping up with the times at all.

But it doesn't really have to be so gloom and doom for the mom & pops. There are ways for you to be able to continue to refresh your website's content without actually breaking the bank. They are called RSS Feeds.  Regardless of which social media you are doing your marketing in, they are all offering the ability to import your entire "wall" or "tweet stream" via an XML feed directly into your website!  And the best part of it, is the fact that they are offering it for FREE.  Yes you heard right!  FREE updated content on your website all the time.  Of course there are minimal costs involved in setting it up.  If you have the knowledge on how to properly program your own site and how to integrate simple HTML, then there is no cost at all. Simply log into your site, change around some content in order to fit the feed window and Viola!  Publish your site and it's done.  If you have a web designer that helps you manage your site, thats where the costs come in. Most designers will charge you per hour to set it up, but honestly, it shouldn't take more than an hour, (tops) if they know what they are doing.

Unfortunately, your feeds won't update themselves.  You DO have to have some kind on interaction with your social media groups.  You still have to post blog articles and make comments and add promotions to your twitter and Facebook for it to work. It doesn't happen all by itself.  The best way to take care of this is by setting reminders in your calendar to go in and post info on FB or twitter. Make sure that you are posting SOMETHING RELATED TO YOUR BUSINESS at least 3 times a day.  Make sure that your message gives a call to action or tells people about some new services or products you are offering.  If you are willing to blog, don't tell us about the humdrum every day happenings at your office.  Instead, tell us about upcoming specials, new and exciting services that you are currently offering, or maybe even about something funny that may have happened while interacting with your customers!  This kind of interaction makes you more human, and gives people some insight as to how you run your business.

If you are one of those business owners that haven't taken full advantage of the benefits of interactive marketing or you don't have the time to do it yourself, you can always call us to help you with anything you need. Mojo Media Miami International is a small boutique agency that specializes in interactive digital media. We can do everything from set-up your social media accounts and integrate them into your website, to actively monitoring and posting your specials, promotions and blogs to ensure that you become the hottest social butterfly to hit the web. We have programs to fit all kinds of budgets, so don't hesitate to call us and ask questions on how we can help your business become more interactively successful! 

To Budget or Not To Budget, That IS the Question.

In today's economic landscape, formulating a budget for anything, is the hardest task a small company can accomplish.  The first thing budgeted is always going to be for rent and utilities.  Lets face it, without those essentials, you really don't have a company to begin with.  Next, is product and then employee payroll.  The last thing that is budgeted (if they ever get that far) is for advertising. Most small businesses don't even think of their marketing as something they should budget.  This has to be the worst and most detrimental mistake any small business owner can make.  Marketing is your life line.  Without telling people who you are and what you do, you simply won't have any customers.  Sure, positive word-of- mouth is great, but what happens when that one customer that wasn't so pleased with you starts to spread the word about how unhappy they were with your work. Start waving good-bye because there goes your positive reputation right out the door along with your existing customers.  A business can not, and should not rely on the sole phenomenon of word-of-mouth to get new business.  I will supply you with some other inexpensive and mutually beneficial forms of advertising, but first, a few need-to-mention statistics...

1.   In 2008 There were over 627,000 new businesses started in the U.S.  In early 2009, 48,957 had closed it's doors or claimed bankruptcy. As of June 2010, another 112,302 businesses ceased to operate.

2. Last year (2010) in the state of Florida, 43,432 new businesses were incorporated.  As of November of 2010, nearly half of those businesses were no longer in existence. It has been forecasted that another 1/3 of those remaining will also decide to halt operations.

3. The number one reason for closure across all industries of those businesses was not enough income and bad business practices, including bad accounting and no advertising.

(Now I would like all of you business owners that just read this to take a deep breath and let it out very slowly before we continue).

4.  According to several market research studies conducted between 2008 and 2010, the first thing that successful corporations do when confronted with a decreasing bottom line is increase their advertising budget.

5.  The standard percentage for any marketing budget across any given industry is 30% of their operating budget.  When in economic downturn, it gets increased to 50% of their operating budget. (This is a template used by the largest and most profitable companies in the world, not just the U.S.).

The signs are clear.  A company that is attempting to operate without any type of marketing budget, unfortunately, is doomed for failure. It has been proven time and again that advertising, is THE most important aspect of any business model, yet it seems to be the most neglected. This is mostly due to the lack of education as to what media to use to spread the word, and the general consensus that advertising is expensive.  It's absolutely true. Advertising IS expensive if you don't administer it properly.  It's like taking medication... If you are ill and aren't taking the proper medication in the correct quantities, you will never get better. As is with advertising.  If you keep spending money on experimental medias hoping that one of them is going to be the magical key, of course it's going to be expensive, because you will never see results.

Advertising should be an investment for your business, with trackable and monitored results and returns.  It's what we like to call ROI.  If you are being courted by any kind of advertising medium and they can't provide you with proof of your return or an ROI worksheet, then they are not worth the try.  Lets face it, in this economy, no one has the money to just throw around on a risk or a branding campaign.  There are tried and true methods to figure out what is going to work best for your industry.  History plays a big part into this determination. The biggest role is played by the medias ability to audit itself and provide factual numbers on their users, traffic, readership and the justification of it's fees for the various products they offer.  In short, if they can't prove to you that you can make money from what they are offering, then don't invest. And yes, all of this investigating and analyzing takes time.  If you don't think that you can muster up the time or patience to deal with the intricacies of the process, then hire an advertising agency to help you.  Don't be intimidated by hiring a professional to help you.  You wouldn't  try to represent yourself in court unless you had a degree in law, right? I would certainly hope you would hire an experienced lawyer to do that for you.  Advertising professionals go to school just as long as lawyers and doctors do to get their degrees.  We also have continued education that we must attend to ensure that we are providing all of the latest information and trends in the industry. In essence, we are consultants in the investment most likely to make you money... your own business!

But I digress.  As promised, here is a list of medias that are generally the most profitable for the time and investment that you put into them.

*Social Medias - A little on the time consuming side, but the more you tweet, post and chat, the more traffic you'll get to your web site.

*E-mail Marketing - Use your existing clients as low hanging fruit. Send monthly updates on specials and new industry information via e-mail and keep yourself top of mind with them.

*Offer Referral Incentives - If you don't ask, you won't get! For everyone that refers new clients to you, give them a big hearty thanks by providing them discounts or special incentives for doing so.

*Offer a frequent buyer program - This is especially beneficial for retail establishments, restaurants or service based industries that thrive on repeat business. They will be coming back for more if they know they will be rewarding for using your services rather than your competitions.

*Networking Groups - These groups are a dime-a-dozen in all major markets. And most of them will only allow a one or two people in any given industry to be part of their clique.  The beauty is that it becomes a captive audience for your message and turns you into their personal expert in your field.

*Write a BLOG - Let everyone know about what you do and what happens in your industry on a weekly or monthly basis.  Funny stories, entertaining banter, or relevant timely issues relating to your business will let people familiarize themselves with you on a personal level.  this will make them feel more comfortable when they come to you for services or products.

If you have any questions about any of the topics I have discussed here or in any other of my posts, or would like to discuss how we can help you to push your business into the next level, please feel free to contact us at your convenience.  We are always here to provide you with our expertise!
Mojo Media Miami International, e-mail us at clientservices@mojomediamiami.com or call us direct, 786-200-9169.

Surviving the Slump

All of us would love to have a 1.2 million dollar budget to advertise our business. The reality is that no one, not even “BIG” companies have that kind of budget in this economy. Small business owners are finding it hard to retain enough money to pay their current employees, much less PAY for advertising that is not rendering the business it used to before. So what do we all do now? Unfortunately there have been many local businesses that have not been able to answer that question. It’s sad to see them close. But in this economic crisis it IS survival of the fittest. Our killer instincts must come back into play and part of that is being smart about how you spend your money while still making it. What successful business owners will tell you when asked what to do in this economy they will tell you one thing… ADVERTISE. With all of these businesses closing their doors around us, there is much more market for everyone else to gain. Now I’m not saying to pray that your competitors down the street to close so you can hoard all of their business. What I am talking about is staying top of mind. Advertising doesn’t have to be millions of dollars shoveled out your doors. But it is money that is spent in areas that will bring a return on your investment. One of the most profitable ways of promoting your open doors is by becoming a social butterfly. Get on all those social media sites like Twitter, linked-In and Facebook. These sites are not just to chat it up with friends and to tweet every time you take a drink of water. Use these Medias to get your business name out there. And since you are already part of a social network of people, use them as low hanging fruit. Subtle reminders that you are still in business, or that you have introduced a new product or service, are the best way to keep people interested. Instead of Tweeting that you are going to a concert this weekend, tell them that you are having a sale on some of your products or direct them to a web link. Of course all of this is not going to work for EVERY business. Professionals such as attorney’s of Doctor’s that rely on their reputation shouldn’t go around telling people they are having a half off sale on retainer fees for Law Suits or plastic surgery procedures, (wait that might actually bring people in!) In these professions, separate your private life from your work life. Create a “Fan” page and blog about what you have done in science or in law. Give people indirect advice by sharing stories about jobs you have currently worked on. (Please remember your client/patient privacy privileges though.) A word about Blogging: DO IT! People love to read (contrary to popular belief). Especially if something relevant to what is going on today. Talk about being a business owner, give people instructional help on how to do small fix-it jobs around the house if you are a handy man. And if they can’t do, they will go to you! Use Blogging as your own personal plug! Websites like Blogspot.com are abundant on the internet. A small blurb at least once a week about a job you just did or an answer to a question that one of your clients had for you would be enough to get people reading about you and your business. And ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS remember to plug your website. I can’t stress the importance of splattering your website out there as many times a day as you humanly can. The more traffic you get to your site, the higher up you will move in the natural listings on all those search engines out there! This means that more searches will pop up with your information first! Using all of these FREE, (Yes FREE) tools will help to give you back some more of that market share you may have lost in our recent slump. If you have any questions or would like to get some more information on how to survive the slump, please feel free to give us a call. We are more than happy to help! Written By: Melissa Neyor, President of Mojo Media Miami, Inc. www.mojomediamiami.com

The ups & downs, Turn that frown around!

I recently had a chance to speak to a long time associate of mine about hosting one of my seminars at a local venue that she and her family own.  She was talking to me about the hardships they have been going through lately, not only with her newest business venture, but also with her personal finances.  She was on the verge of closing her business and, to top it all off, loosing her home.  I hate to say this, but this is a more common situation that anyone would like to admit. I have run into more and more people that have been experiencing this same exact scenario.  I would like to offer some insider wisdom to everyone... There is a light at the end of this long and dark tunnel.  I myself can attest to the same economic down-turn that everyone has been going through these days.  The trick is to remain positive and don't give-up.  It's so easy to throw your hands up into the air and throw in the towel. (The analogies can go on and on with this topic.)  But don't give in just yet.  In a recent economic study conducted by the University of Boston, the economy is actually on an up-swing.  Apparently we have all reached rock bottom at this point. So in reality, there is no where to go but up!  Business is starting to pick-up for everyone. Take it from me that I handle over 30 different advertising budgets for local and national businesses.  They are ALL reinvesting in advertising and putting the word out there that they are around and want to do business.  They want to let people know that they are out there and are giving concessions to everyone.  A discount, here, a discount there, discount everywhere!  But you know what... IT WORKS!  People are in the mind set to save money where ever they can.  Whether it's a coupon, a price reduction sale, or a month long celebration of just being OPEN and "Here ya go, there's a discount for you just for the hella-uv-it" gets people through your door and buying from YOU.  The other thing to do is stay positive.  No customer of yours, (or even potential customer) wants to hear that you are thinking about going out of business because business sucks.  HELLO..... They won't want to do business with you. Not only because of your negativity, but because you might take their money and run!  People are so weary of those types of scams, that even if they have known you for years, who is to say you won't do that same thing to them.  Keep your business finances and decisions to yourself.  This kind of TMI (too much info) can actually hurt you instead of help.  So keep your chin up and a big smile on your face and say, "Everything is fantastic. Now how can I help YOU!" and in reality, you will really be helping yourself and your business.

Blog It...and they will come (to your web site!)

Did you know that businesses that blog get 55% more traffic to their web site than those that don't blog? We'll how about that.  I am a true believer in the term, "The more you tell, the more you sell." Don't get me wrong, I don't want people running around telling their life stories in their marketing. But tactical information about what you do, what sets you apart, and how you can help your customers, makes a huge difference in your marketing efforts!  Lets say you have an advertising agency, like myself. Yeah, you do all the marketing strategies and analyzing, and place loads of media for your clients everywhere. But did they know that you also have an award winning graphic design department. Or that you build custom web sites for each of your clients at a fraction of what other designers charge! OR how about that you plan corporate events and manage them for your clients with internal marketing. (I can go all day with everything that Mojo does...) If they knew you did all that and then some, you would be their one stop shop for everything they need within your industry.  This makes you more marketable, more accessible, and of course, a whole lot heavier in the pocket book!

If you've never blogged, it's actually fairly easy.  There are loads of FREE blog sites out there, just like this one!  Blogger.com is owned and operated by Google. And since Google uses all of it's own resources first to find viable content for their search engine, this would be the place to blog!  Once you pick a topic you want to write about, do it in the way that makes you feel more comfortable.  (You don't need to have a major in journalism to write.)  Give relevant information about your industry like new trends, new methods and even specials you may be running for a specific product or service, and give detailed information as to how and why it will help the end user.  Once your article has been finished, make sure that you give yourself a big plug at the end and include a link to your web site. (and of course, make sure you put a link on your site back to your blog!)

Now your ready to market your blog.  Tell everyone you know. Using Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In and other social media resources to get the word out is the simplest way to mass distribute your information.  You can also use an existing e-mail database to send an note to your clients letting them know about your newest article and provide them the link to both your blog and your web site.

And there you have it, folks.  Blogging in a nut shell! So now that you know how to do it, do it well, do it often, and (my favorite marketing quote....) JUST DO IT!

If you have any questions about this or other article topics, or just need help marketing your business, Mojo Media Miami International is here to help you!  You can contact us directly at 786-200-9169, through e-mail at clientservices@mojomediamiami.com or visit our web site at www.MojoMediaMiami.com.