Man turning knob with different stages of sales process to convert strangers into promoters. Successful inbound marketing campaign concept.

ARE YOU WINNING THE 4TH QUARTER

by ArticlesCommunications
Winning Customers

The Christmas creep is once again upon us and Pumpkin everything is being taken over by early Black Friday sales. Businesses are keying in on how to drive sales, increase consumer interest and create limited-time offers. Where in the mix is Thanksgiving?

If your company is looking to take advantage of seasonal marketing ideas, it’s best to look at some of the biggest brands in your space to see what they do to drive sales and pique consumer interest in your own business. Small businesses can compete by delivering unique products, outstanding customer service and using hashtags in posts that will pop up in social media when consumers are searching.

1. Look for easy seasonal hype
One of the easiest ways to jump into seasonal sales around the holidays is to prepare for and participate in Black Friday sales and holiday shopping days such as Small Business Saturday, which encourages people to shop locally. These days are already ingrained into people’s minds as shopping events, so it’s an easy way to jump on the bandwagon. When plugging into the seasonal sales events be sure to hashtag your social media postings.

We recently worked with a hair salon to help them plan the remainder of the 4th quarter. This included a food drive collection, special pricing on gift cards, bundling of unique products for sale on Small Business Saturday, and posting holiday hours well in advance to ensure clients were able to get their services done. Branded social media images can help increase awareness days and prescheduling posts can save time and eliminate the pressure of last-minute planning.

2. Develop an annual marketing plan
How are you incorporating monthly awareness events and fun days into your social media plan? For example, we worked with a mobile dog groomer and in her social media plan, incorporated “National Cat Day”. Restaurants have “National Taco Day”, “Chocolate Day”, etc. Think about how you can align your business. Did you know in November that it’s Military Family Appreciation Month, Men’s Health Awareness, National Hospice Month, National Literacy Month to name a few? December brings about Cat lovers month, Write a Business Plan Month.

If you are a B to B or a B to C – aligning with some of these causes and adding hashtags will help to increase your brand awareness.

3. Capture Emails and Go from Seasonal to Subscription or stay in touch with news updates
By increasing your email list, you can touch your “fan base” with news, offers, and discounts. Use the list to create a subscription service. For example, restaurants may have a VIP wine club that members pay a fee to belong. What does that get them?  Perhaps access to specialty wines nonmembers can’t experience, wine pairing events, as well as other perks.

If you are a B to B, we utilize a given process to increase your newsletter subscribers. Why is that important? It keeps your company top of mind to supporters and people who you want to do business with. For our construction clients, we share news on new projects, project updates and community involvement.

4. Plan your own seasonal sale
It’s planning ahead to take advantage of one-off discount days. Where I see businesses fall short is they lack the advanced time to promote and plan. Think about your celebration and consider offering this on an annual or quarterly basis.

We work with an eye doctor and they have an annual back to school sale. Every year in August and September they promote this sale. Their customers know it is coming and they are booked solid. They don’t discount prices throughout the year, only at this event.

The holidays may be right around the corner, but by planning ahead, your business can create its unique holiday promotions that will help you increase sales, grow brand awareness and connect with customers. Need help in pulling a plan together? Email us or call 724-612-0755 and ask about our Business Marketing Planning Package.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Hiring-The-Right-Fit

Hiring The Right Fit

by ArticlesCommunications

Hiring the right personWith college out for the summer the pool of candidates you have to hire has more than likely grown. Whether you are looking for summer help or a new full time employee, there is never a better time to hire. That being said, hiring the right person can be the difference between a happy employee-employer relationship and one that creates more stress and turmoil for you and your other employees.

There are several steps to take into consideration when you are looking to hire a new employee. The most common mistake I see in the business industry is hiring someone simply to have a warm body to fill a position. While initially this may lighten the load on your schedule, a wrong hire may end up making more work for everyone. Having the right staff will ensure your business has the greatest chance of success!

If you are at a pivotal point, or have a pressing project, there are many consultants and outsourced services to consider. This will allow you time to find the right employee, or may provide an alternative solution as you grow your business.

As a business owner, keeping the right staff on payroll is an ongoing process, and one that you should never stop. Even when you are fully staffed there are steps you can take to help reduce the time it would require to replace an employee should someone leave or not be a good fit with your company’s culture.

The first step is to always be interviewing. Ideally a company will get the perfect team of employees and no one will ever leave. That however rarely happens. Even if you have dedicated employees, as a business owner, you need to have a plan on how to prepare for growth. If you overload that perfect team you will, in most cases, see the work start to suffer. Or even worse they may look for other employment with a less stressful environment. For these reasons, it is always important to have your hand in the talent pool knowing who and what skillsets are out there.

Having a candidate, or a few candidates in mind if the need arises for growth or replacement will help to reduce the stress on your team. If your team is going gangbusters and have reached their capacity, you may also want to consider adding new positions to fulfill different functions. Consultants and outsourced services are a great way to bridge the gap when you’re not quite to the tipping point.

Some business owners may feel that once they hire someone they are stuck with them. If you hire a candidate and have a gut feeling they aren’t going to work out, cut your losses during the first 60-90 days. That’s why many companies have a probationary period. Begin searching for their replacement and be prepared to make a move once all the pieces are in place. As you begin the process of interviewing, be sure to give yourself the time needed to properly interview and find the “right fit.” An HR consultant can help screen and narrow down potential candidates based on the position’s qualifications, thus saving a business owner time and money.

It is becoming a common practice, and a good one I might add, to have your top candidates meet with the team that they will be working with. Keep in mind that they are the ones that will have to get along with your new employee. If you like the candidate and your team doesn’t, your business could suffer and your perfectly functioning team can become that of conflict and strife.

Now that college is out, it’s the perfect time to knock the rust off your interviewing skills and look through the pool of possible candidates. Take your time, vet the possible candidates and be sure you find the right person who will complement your current workforce. If you’re not quite ready to bring on an employee or need an experienced senior level staff person on a part time basis, consider hiring a consultant.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Increasing-your-productivity

Increasing Your Productivity

by ArticlesCommunications

Increasing-your-productivityDo you have a desk at work? To most of us the answer is yes. A question that is often sought after by those of us who do sit at a desk every day is, “How can I be more productive?” To answer this question, you need to get up and walk away.

Now obviously walking away from your desk isn’t going to make you more productive however it’s what you do away from your desk that can. Many people try caffeine, or other energy boosting supplements to increase productivity, however exercise may be your answer. Going to the gym isn’t all about getting a six pack abs or bulking up. Having an active lifestyle will also help to improve your brain power, which can result in you being more productive.

Anyone who works in the corporate world knows all too well of the stresses and anxiety that can come along with it. Those who don’t let stress get the best of them are usually the ones that perform the best in high stress corporate positions. Exercise is the one way that these types of people often overcome stress in the workplace.

Want to give your brain more cells? According the process of neurogenesis, the rate of which your brain cells grow will decrease as you get older. In 2008 a study showed as we age, brain cells of people who exercise on a regular basis have a higher brain growth rate. This means that those who choose to be more active throughout their lives are more productive in the workplace. In many cases brain cell growth for active individuals advances at a higher rate than those who don’t regularly exercise.

Exercising also leads to you having more energy. Most of your cells contain mitochondria, which are often referred to as the “powerhouse” of the cell. Mitochondria help to produce the energy that your body needs. As you exercise your body produces more mitochondria, which in turn leads to you having more energy. This additional energy will help you to be more focused, and therefore more productive.

So whether you are looking to have more energy or to be more productive, the answer is as simple as walking away from your desk. On your work breaks go for a short walk, do some steps or other simple exercises to help get your blood flowing. This will help to lead to a happier, healthier, more productive work day!

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

business-pulse

The Pulse of Your Business

by ArticlesCommunications

business-pulse As a business owner, it is important to know the pulse of your business. What does this mean? It is a solid understanding of why people buy from you, what your customers think, how you react to unsatisfied customers and your willingness to accommodate specific customer or client requests.

Whether you sell a product or service, successful business owners know the value of paying attention to the pulse of their company. Delivering on promises and following up with customers will help to ensure your business is meeting expectations, growing and maintaining a high rate of customer satisfaction.

Let’s start with the question of “how well do we deliver on what we promise?” This is the foundation of your company’s reputation in the community. This one simple question should be the cornerstone for everything the company delivers on – whether it is goods or professional services. While one or two unhappy customers may not hurt your business, it is important to address their concerns. With the power of social media, these unhappy customers have the ability to reach a much larger audience.

That’s why it’s necessary to address any negative comments publicly and to then offer to address the problem off line. By doing this, you have shown that resolving the issue is important. Likewise, when people give you positive reviews, always be sure to thank them. A satisfaction survey is a good tool to use to follow up with your customers and clients to ensure that their expectations are being fulfilled. Lastly, it never hurts to pick up the phone and ask your clients how things are going.

Willingness to adapt. You will find that situations often arise when it becomes quite clear that your customer or client is requesting something out of the ordinary. Can your company adapt and flex to meet the customer’s needs? Accommodating your customers will not only create a strong business relationship, but will also result turning them into loyal customers. Loyal customers become your cheerleaders who will tell others how your business has helped them.

Everyone is human and mistakes are made. But, if those mistakes occur regularly, it’s time to look at how your business is run. Here’s an example. Imagine that a customer orders delivery food from your restaurant, and when the food comes, part of the order is either missing or wrong. The customer now faced with the decision of calling the restaurant back and complaining or accepting what was wrong. The customer realizes that they didn’t get what they paid for. The positive experience of food delivery from the restaurant has just decreased. It is important to provide the product or service that was promised the first time. This prevents your customers from taking one of three courses of action: 1) addressing the mistake, 2) accepting the mistake or 3) telling others of the poor experience and choosing not to use your service again.

Customers have a choice where they spend their money. Keep a pulse on your business and know how customers perceive your service. If they aren’t willing to recommend you, it is important to find out why and fix the problem.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

comfort-zone-to-stretch-zone, Edmiston-group

What Zone Are You In?

by ArticlesCommunications

comfort-zone-to-stretch-zone, Edmiston-groupDo you find as a small business owner that you often feel like you are peddling as fast as you can and are going nowhere, or not near as far as you had hoped? Many of us do. Effective time management and the development of solid people skills will help you set yourself for success and accomplish more.

As a business owner it is important to have people skills. Knowing how to handle other people has a large part to do with how successful you are in in life, as well as business. Many people overlook the fact that these skills also involve you. Recognizing gaps in your own skillset or knowledge base is the first step to becoming better and more efficient at running your business.

Step Out

Becoming more efficient starts by setting goals that are above your abilities. While this sounds crazy, it forces you to improve. Let’s look at three personal zones that you can achieve when setting goals – the comfort zone, the stretch zone, and the extreme zone.

By staying in the comfort zone you essentially stop your learning process. You remain comfortable in the status quo. You have your set clients and you’re happy. Nothing rocks the boat right? As methods of doing business and technology change, you choose to resist change. Efficiencies that come with those technologies are lost and you continue to work harder, but accomplish the same amount or less due to increasing demands. Perhaps during that time one of those long term clients decides to take a different, more progressive direction and leaves you behind.

As you step into the stretch zone you begin to stretch your abilities. This is where you push the envelope on what you are comfortable with. You have stretched your knowledge base and with guts and fortitude learned how to accomplish these tasks in new ways. As you continue to learn new things, you may receive more responsibility at work, or develop a new product line if you’re a business owner. These things didn’t appear to be viable without the stretch so you’ve opened yourself up to new possibilities and opportunities.

Last we have the extreme zone. Entering this zone can be dangerous as you are reaching into an area where you simply don’t have the skill set necessary to be successful and thus can set you and your self-confidence back. You can’t go from couch potato to a triathlon participant in a week. Without proper training, sacrifice and learning how your body reacts to this preparation, you set yourself up for failure.

How you venture into the stretch zone depends on your personality. Some people prefer to take small steps while others jump in with both feet. Reaching into this zone will help to build your confidence and enable you to gain skills that will allow you to move onto tasks that perhaps were originally in the extreme zone. Knowledge is king.

Set goals.

Setting goals helps to keep moving you forward toward reaching that goal. Attainable goals that are set with deadlines will also force to keep you to stay on track and measure your results. The 80/20 rule is also called the “Pareto Principle” named after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto from 1895. What this means is that 80% of result comes from 20% of the focused effort.

Our daily to do lists can be overwhelming and it’s tempting to complete small tasks throughout the day, but at the end of the day, feel like we’ve not accomplished anything. Setting focused goals and blocks of time in your schedule when you’re fresh and where you’re laser focused can help you achieve those goals. Successful people work toward their top two or three goals all the time.

Often goals can be overwhelming and leave you wondering where to start. Fortunately there is a simple solution. Just as dissecting a big project, breaking your goal down into smaller segments with target dates can help to make the goal seem more achievable.

While at times you may feel like these smaller goals are insignificant, be sure to step back every now and then and look at the bigger picture. So tell me…are you ready to stretch?

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Near Year Strategy, Edmiston Group

A New Year A New You!

by ArticlesCommunications

Resolutions and Vision, Near Year Strategy, Edmiston GroupAre you like the thousands of Americans who have made a New Year’s resolution?  Have you made them in the past and struggled or failed to be able to keep them?  In 2016, I made a commitment to take control of my health.  For me, a little extra motivation was the fact that my son was getting married and I wanted to look healthy and fit for his wedding.  It was a nine month journey, not without its sacrifice, setbacks, trials and times when I wanted to give up.  But with consistency, planning and focus on the goal I was able to achieve the end result.

How does that equate to being a business owner you may wonder?  For me, eating healthy, exercising and feeling better about myself was a great boost in productivity and self-confidence.  Business has grown, projects are larger and more complex.  But, I feel I can tackle them.

A New Year’s resolution can vary greatly from something personal such as being more active, getting in better shape or eating better, to performance goals at work.  Whether it is a personal goal or a business goal, you can take steps to help ensure that you are able to stick to your New Year’s resolution.

Resolutions and Vision, New Year Resolutions, Edmiston GroupWrite it down or create a vision board.  For me…I found my mother of the groom wedding dress that I fell in love with and bought.   It was a size I hadn’t seen in years.  I needed to say on track with diet and exercise to still fit into it for my son’s wedding.  I looked at it regularly, tried it on occasionally and knew I needed to stay with the program to have it zip!  Focus on the goal.

Studies have shown that when you put things in writing it is easier to stick to your goals.  Don’t just jot it down and throw it in the bottomless pile of papers on your desk.  Put it somewhere that you can see it and hold that dream, touch that piece of paper or whatever you need to do to fulfill that dream and not become complacent.

What do you want for your business?  How many new clients or projects do you want?  How much do you want to grow your retail business?  As an employee, what education or training don’t you have that you should obtain?  Is there a next level of position you seek?  If so…what qualifications are required and are you willing to educate yourself to ensure you have those skill sets?

Make your goals attainable.  Most people give up their weight loss resolution by February.  They look at the total number of pounds they want to lose instead of breaking that total number down into smaller goals with attainable numbers and dates.  As a business owner, it’s pretty unrealistic to think you will turn your start-up business into a million dollar company in 3 months.  Start out small and know that you can always give yourself new goals as the year progresses.  Shoot for goals such as to lose 10 lbs., walk 7,000 steps, then 10,000 steps and then compete in challenges with fit bits or friends.  Look to increase your business by 5-7%. Add one or two new services or products in the coming year. These are things that are attainable.

Create a plan. There is no better way to get to your destination or goal than to have a path laid out as to how you plan to get there.  It may be to cook your meals on Sunday and have healthy snacks ready.  Perhaps instead of browsing social media for the latest in what’s happening with friends, you take an online class or volunteer at a nonprofit organization.  You gain experience and expand your network.

For the business owner, simply saying you’re going to be more profitable with no plan as to how you are going to do it, will often leave you empty and discouraged.  Have dinner with trusted colleagues and discuss your plan.  Then put the plan to paper and execute.

The New Year is a great time to start a new steps in the right direction.  Be sure to set yourself up for success and create a path to follow.  Little reminders of what your goal is and being able to see the progress will help you continue down the path the success! Take time to celebrate the little victories.  I will tell you that it’s easy to slide back into old habits.  Commit to eating right, exercising and plan for your next position or business growth opportunity.  Be the best you can be in 2017!  Are you up to the challenge?

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Edmiston Group

Plan Ahead to Make the Most of Your Tradeshow (Part 2)

by ArticlesCommunications

Getting ready for a trade show can be overwhelming, but with the appropriate direction, pulling off the perfect trade show can be as easy as 1 * 2 * 3.  In part 2 of this 3-part series we focus on creating the perfect Display for your Booth.  Part 1 (Marketing Materials)   Part 3 (Promotional Products)

Step 2:  Prepare Your Booth with the Perfect Display

“3 Seconds!  That’s how long you have to capture the attention of a potential customer.  Grab it with an eye-catching display”

We talked with Lynne Arrington of Speedpro Imaging in Cranberry Township regarding best practices for selecting trade show display items.  Here’s what Lynne had to say.

Q: How far in advance should exhibitors contact you for new displays?  Lynne:  The ideal answer is the sooner the better.   6 – 8 weeks gives time to think about options and get feedback on proofs. Even when updating graphics on an existing display, time is needed to order replacement hardware.

Q:  What budgeting tips can you provide for deciding which display items to purchase?  Lynne:  Before selecting a display product, think about how long you will be using the display and for what purposes.  Do you want the display to be used repeatedly?  Can you repurpose the display and use it in your store, at a chamber event, at presentations?   Should the display be portable, should it have changeable graphics?  As an example, retractable banners stands can used to promote your brand or can be made for use with additional graphic cartridges that will promote a rotating theme or promotion.   Your expected usage will help to determine which display will best fit your needs.

Q: What is your #1 tip for creating the perfect display?  Lynne: Hone your message.  Your message should be simple, your graphics clean.  You have 3 seconds to grab someone’s attention, so you don’t want to overload information.  You DO want to pique interest.   Once your display has caught your potential customer’s attention, your trade show rep can get to work determining the best way to be helpful.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group ~ The Edmiston Group provides senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis.  Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

tradeshow

Plan Ahead to Make the Most of Your Tradeshow (Part 1)

by ArticlesCommunications
Trade Shows

Getting ready for a trade show can be overwhelming, but with the appropriate direction, pulling off the perfect trade show can be as easy as 1 * 2 * 3.  In this 3-part series we cover tips from local industry experts on how creating marketing materials, putting together a display, and selecting promotional products will help you make the most of your tradeshow.  Part 2 (Display Booths)    Part 3 (Promotional Products)

Step 1:  Create your Marketing Materials

Have your more expensive brochures on hand, and use them if engaged with a potential customer, but don’t put them out for the masses.  Chocolate candy is always a draw!

Autumn Edmiston of Edmiston Group discusses best practices for creating marketing materials for trade shows.

Q: How far in advance should one begin developing their marketing materials?  Autumn: If possible, begin planning two to three months prior to the trade show.   It will also allow time to order any promotional products prior to the show.  This will also allow time to create particular show offers, obtain targeted marketing materials as well as notify others that you will be attending the particular show.  The show exhibit announcement can be sent out in your monthly newsletter or as an electronic “Come See Us” invitation.

Q: What budgeting tips should one keep in mind when creating marketing materials?  Autumn:  Create high quality colored flyers – they are more cost effective than a multi-page brochure or in some cases print take away flyers on bright colored paper.  Line cards (sometimes called rack cards) can be cost effective in highlighting your core service offerings without breaking the bank.  A nice door prize with a well thought out registration slip is a sure draw to capture names, addresses, e-mail addresses and ask some pertinent questions pertaining to your business. i.e. would you like to receive our electronic newsletter, are you interested in learning more about marketing services.   Have your more expensive brochures on hand, and use them if engaged with a potential customer, but don’t put them out for the masses.  Chocolate candy is always a draw!

Q:  What #1 tip should organizations keep in mind when creating marketing materials?  Autumn: Make sure you have a clear message – explain who you are, who you help and how you do it.  Utilize display units such as display holders to put information at eye level creating a dimension to your table.  Perhaps put a client testimonial on display.  A professional pull up display can be a cost effective way of setting you apart from the competition.   Make sure the display follows your brand.   If creating a show offer, put an expiration date on the offer to create a sense of urgency to take action.  Have extra business cards.  Be sure to have an extras bag for incidentals, scissors, tape, extra pens, extension cords, candy.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group ~ The Edmiston Group provides senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis.  Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.