Local Social Buzz

Tagging Business Pages from your Business Page

Chrissanne Long — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:36:15 +0000

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Mobile Marketing Allows Customers to Dial in on Good Deals in Lakeland

Chrissanne Long — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:09:32 +0000

Green Mobile Marketing in Lakeland? Yes!

Quick! What’s the one thing you are most likely to have with you, wherever you are? I think it’s pretty safe to say you are not going to mention the Coupon Book, the Clipper Magazine or the Sophisticated Buyer, mailers, the newspaper or the yellow pages. The thing is, everyone, without exception has their cell phones with them at all times. As mobile technology advances, and more people are upgrading their phones to “smartphones” (by Christmas, 2011, Nielsen predicts that 1 in 2 Americans will have a Smartphone. (Nielsen, 2010), businesses today can do their part in saving and protecting the environment by shifting their marketing efforts away from printed coupons, mailers and advertisements that are more likely to end up in the trash can or forgotten at home, than the cash register.

Mobile Marketing in Lakeland is Sustainable

Sustainability is not a buzzword anymore. It’s a best practice for all businesses. Environmentally conscious or not, businesses need to pay attention to reaching their customers in more efficient ways. Mobile technologies provide an exciting solution for Lakeland businesses on several different levels. When a customer is mobile, (or not in front of their computers) they are still connected to their networks, via e-mail, Social Media, Text and even their Search Engines.

Businesses who have learned to leverage this are reaping the rewards and thriving, in spite of the recession. How? Because they are providing special offers that can be created once and recycled, updated and tracked and sending them to their customers on the one object they never leave home without – their cell phones.

Lakeland Consumers are Ready for Mobile Marketing

There are thousands of consumers in Lakeland that are eager for their favorite businesses and business they have never visited before, to give them a reason to shop with them and give them an opportunity to express their loyalty through their social networks. Mobile Marketing strategies are a no-brainer. It just takes a little strategic thinking to figure out how it can work for any business.

Here are a few ideas that businesses in Lakeland can use right now to reduce paper waste, generate buzz around their business and increase their bottom lines.

Businesses can partner with other businesses to create an SMS campaign that can offer special promotions to their Mobile Subscribers
Individual Businesses can have Mobile Contests, Like a Text2Vote or Text to Win Campaign
Mobile strategies like QR codes and SMS/Text campaigns can drive traffic to websites that have been optimized for viewing on mobile devices
Location-Based Social Media Applications like Foursquare, Facebook Places, SCVNGR, Gowalla and Yelp can be utilized to offer customers special discounts for “checking in” with their mobile phones and sharing with their social networks.

National Brands have proven the power of this marketing tool and have launched Green/Mobile Campaigns with incredible success. This proves that Lakeland consumers are likely looking for ways to enjoy these technologies locally too, because Buying Lakeland Makes Good Cents!

Chrissanne Long is a Media and Marketing Consultant and Partner with Marketing System Blueprints, an interactive Marketing agency that offers Search Engine Optimization, Video, Mobile and Search Engine Marketing services for local businesses seeking to improve their online visibility and brand awareness in Lakeland, FL and other local markets.

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Facebook Pages: More than Just Another Wall!

Chrissanne Long — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:20:51 +0000

The Benefits of Customizing Your Facebook Fan Page

Creating a Facebook fan page for your business is absolutely free. The problem is that most pages look the same, with a "wall" for comments and places for photos. If you're lucky, someone will start a conversation in the “discussions” tab, too. These pages are, simply put, somewhat boring.

The most successful Facebook fan pages are the ones that have been customized. They include modified landing pages, encouraging visitors to take advantage of a special discount or deal offered only to those who LIKE the page, before sending them to the main wall. Many include special tabs for coupons and some even run regular contests. The pages can be colorful, bright, and engaging – much like little websites contained within the social media platform.

In fact, they make it possible to continue your company's branding efforts right inside of Facebook… making your fan page a natural extension of your main website.

Ease of Use

The truth is that most people using the web today have relatively short attention spans. If they are on your fan page, they'll want to find all of the information needed right there. While some will gladly go visit your company's main website, others will reject the idea of being redirected elsewhere. Customizing your Facebook fan page will make your visitors feel as though they've landed on your website. You can add videos and information specific to different localities, if you want. The trick is to make your visitors feel like they've found a one-stop-shop for information about what you do. Don't forget to include a customized contact page so that your potential clients can get in touch without leaving a public message on your wall.

You'll Earn More Followers

Customizing your Facebook fan page will play a significant role in helping you to grow your fan base. The more engaging your content, the more likely people will be to participate in your discussions. Some major corporations offer free samples (via mail) to those who LIKE their pages and fill out registration forms.

The goal here is twofold. You're not only generating interest in your products but you will also create a platform for the receipt of feedback. Those who receive those samples will likely come back and share their thoughts about the product. You can use this information to make changes or enhancements. Those who love what you are offering will, of course, turn into regular customers.

Of course, the same outcome can be achieved by giving away a coupon (or other gift) that is "downloadable" online. You can require your new "fan" to LIKE your page before they receive their gift or you can add an email "optin" form and require that they subscribe to your email database.

Encouraging Interaction

A customized Facebook fan page will encourage your visitors to spend time on your page, interacting with your company and with other fans. It's also a great way to encourage your fans to participate in the growth of your page. Jillian Michaels, for example, has a space on her fan page where those who have used her products and workout DVDs can post before and after pictures. Not only is she encouraging user participation, but she's gathering proof of the effectiveness of her products for those who are still on the edge.

Growing Your Fanbase & Gaining New Customers

According to CNN, Facebook now receives more website traffic than Google's search engine. This is why it is so important for you to ensure that your company has a presence there. Facebook users are going to talk about the products and companies they love, and they are much more apt to speak well of those who engage them in a fun and informative way.

Another benefit comes from the "viral" effect on Facebook. As each new fan LIKES your page, that information is displayed on THEIR wall. In turn, their friends will see that they LIKED your fan page and this will bring you new customers and the ability to grow your fanbase virally.

Customizing your Facebook presence will give you a better chance of surviving in the growing marketplace – and you'll simply love the way your enhanced page looks.

Chrissanne Long is co-founder of Marketing System Blueprints, a full-service Internet marketing company, offering opportunities for local businesses to expand their online reach and survive in a down economy. Online lead generation requires multiple steps. Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Video marketing and Article marketing are all important elements in ANY business's Online marketing plan. Contact Chrissanne Today for more information about Customizing your Facebook Page, or any other Internet marketing strategy you have been considering!

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Shooting Video is Like Learning to Kayak!

Chrissanne Long — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:28:33 +0000

When I was a junior in college at Florida State University, I took a leave from my classes to live in Costa Rica. While I was there, I became a white water rafting guide. Since I was fluent in Spanish and English, I quickly found a job and was able to learn from the guides how to read the water, find the lines and I eventually was able to take my own rafts down the Pacuare River. As I was learning to be a guide, I became an avid "Kayak Watcher". On each trip there was a safety kayak that accompanied the rafts, in case anyone fell out of the rafts. It was awesome to watch how effortlessly these guides performed eskimo rolls, surfed in the waves, and navigated all over the place! I watched these guides for about 8 months, and then I bought my own kayak and was amazed at how easy it was! I learned how to kayak after watching and listening to the experts. I don't think it would have been so easy if I had just decided I wanted to learn, without having studied it before.

I have been watching video experts for a while now. I am by no means an expert, but I am surprised at how easy it is. In this video, I explain why I do what I do as an Internet marketing consultant for offline businesses. The audio is not perfect, there are some elements missing, but I am proud of this production and I wanted to share it with you today. As I create more, I will feel more confident, the camera work will become more professional, the lighting, the audio, everything will improve. But for now, I am thrilled to know that I have been watching the experts long enough to emerge and share my message with you.

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Optimize your Facebook Page

Chrissanne Long — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 22:48:50 +0000

I offer a tip to local businesses each day in a group called the Lakeland Business "Lead"ers. I try to offer ideas to help businesses leverage the power of Facebook to enhance and grow their Internet presence. If you are a business professional in Lakeland and want an opportunity to network with other people in Lakeland via Facebook, there are other wonderful professionals within the group offering Referrals, Leads and Excellent information. Please feel free to join us!

Today, I wanted to talk about how you can get the most from your Facebook Page using some simple strategies. Just having a page is not enough! All of the elements available within Facebook are there for a reason. Understanding those reasons and using the features to your benefit is just a smart way to leverage Social Media for your Business!

So, to optimize your Facebook Page, start with these simple (but powerful) suggestions:

Take a look at your "About" Box and make sure you have optimized this to its full potential. Consider changing this copy frequently, to match promotions or offers your business has. Don't forget to… add your website URL and make sure to include the http:// (to make it a live link!)
Under all of your "Fans" there is a "Share" button. When you click that (or one of your fans does) the information that populates in the link on the person's profile will be pulled directly from your "Info" tab in your Page. Make sure you make this content compelling content to make your page more inviting to others. So, Make the Copy of your Info Tab Count!
Upload Videos to your Page! When you upload a video directly using the "Upload Video" tab, anyone viewing your video will have the opportunity to "like" your page. A button will be visible while they are viewing your video which will make this easy for them! Imagine the opportunity this exposure will provide! To see a local example of how a video will appear and enable the viewer to like, view http://www.facebook.com/photographersniche – go down below the fans and the pictures to find the video!

Next Tip: Creating a Tab for FAN-ONLY content!

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Using Lists on Facebook

Chrissanne Long — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:32:40 +0000

Using Lists to Categorize your "Friends"

Today's reality is, that the Facebook meaning of "friends" has transcended it's traditional meaning. Many people are afraid of connecting with people they barely (or don't) know. However, the power in Facebook is in the ability to connect and build real relationships beyond the traditional "hitting the pavement" methods required in the past. If you are being asked to become friends with people you met at a networking event, but want to have certain privacy settings for some "friends" and different settings for your real friends, you will want to use lists!

Step 1. Click "Friends" in the menu bar on the left (under your profile picture)
Step 2. Top right, click "Edit Friends"
Step 3. Top Right, click "Create a List" (assuming you have no lists yet)
Step 4. Name the List (Lakeland Leaders Group, or High School Friends or Family
Step 5. Select the friends you want to add to this list (You Can also search by name)
Step 6. When you have selected the people you want to add to this list, Click "Create List"

You are Done! The next step will show you how to adjust the privacy settings for each list. But Creating and adding the friends to these new lists is a pretty big job, so I will give you time to complete that and then, next weekend, I will tell you how to take the next step! As always, let me know if you have any questions!

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Think Like a Customer, Get More Business

Chrissanne Long — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:38:47 +0000

More and more studies are indicating that people Search before they Buy. Think about when you are shopping in a retail clothing store. Do you want the sales clerk to swarm around you while you are browsing? Do you prefer to search on your own, without the stress of the hard sell to interrupt your shopping experience? Marketing your brick and mortar business is very similar. When the shopper is ready, by all means, you should be there, ready to answer questions and assist her in making her purchases. But how can you tell when a customer is ready?

The Great Divide from WebVisible on Vimeo.

With the Internet, you can't! That is why you need to anticipate where they will look when they are ready to buy, and make it simple for them to contact you and communicate their needs to you. But where are they looking? Online! Specifically, the search engines. According to a Nielsen study, 82% of searchers search online before they make a purchase! This means that you don't know who they are, or where they are or what they need, until they find you! If you don't think local businesses should be spending their advertising dollars on Internet marketing, I ask that you watch this documentary of real businesses who think the same way you do, and real consumers who think differently! It's not a about what you feel comfortable with, it's about getting your business in front of your customers. Putting your ears and eyes in their world, listening to what they want and being ready for them on their terms. But don't take my word for it – Watch the video and then tell me what you think!

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Why are You Doing What You Have Always Done?

Chrissanne Long — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:16:28 +0000

Traditions – Why Are You Cutting off the Ends of the Ham?

A few years ago, I heard the story of a young girl who was watching her mother preparing a holiday meal. She watched as her mother cut off first one end of the ham and then the other and then place it into the large pot for roasting. The curious girl asked her mother why she was cutting off the ends of the ham, thinking there was a trick to cooking the ham that she enjoyed so much. She was surprised at her mother’s response: “I really don’t know why, honey, it is just the way my mother taught me to prepare the ham. It’s how we have always done it.”

By the time the rest of the family had arrived to celebrate and all of them had gathered for their traditional Christmas meal, the mother had forgotten about her daughter’s question. The young girl, however, was not satisfied with her mother’s answer. She looked across the table at her grandmother and asked, “Gramma, why do we cut the ends off the ham before we cook it?”

“What do you mean, dear?” her grandmother asked.

“Well, today when Mommy was cooking the ham, she told me she cut the ends off the ham because that’s how you always did it when she was growing up. I just wondered if that was the trick to making the ham taste so good.”

With a puzzled look, the grandmother turned to her own mother and asked, a little louder, the question that her granddaughter had just asked her. It seemed the child had asked a question that neither her mother nor grandmother could answer.

The great-grandmother looked at her great-granddaughter and smiled, remembering. “No, sweetheart, there is no trick. I always had to cut off the ends of the ham because that was the only way I could manage to get the ham to fit in my small pot! There is no reason to do that anymore, because the pots are much bigger today than they were when I was cooking Christmas dinner so many years ago.”

Traditional Marketing – Do you have Enough Business?

There is no denying that traditional marketing still plays an important part for local businesses today. Yet, whenever I ask local business owners the question, “Why aren’t you marketing your business online? Why don’t you have a website?” I am shocked at their naïve response: “I get all my business from referrals and word of mouth.”

I have to think they are like the woman who cuts off the ends of the ham because that is just how it has always been done. The only reason they aren’t getting more business today is because they aren’t online, where thousands of new customers are looking for them, but finding the competition!

If you are satisfied with the business you are getting, if you don’t need or want new customers, then, by all means, keep doing what you have always done! But if you want to take your business to the next level, to stop feeling the strains of the recession, you need to consider these statistics:

80% of web users have watched a video ad online, 52% took action after viewing the ad. 15% visited the store and 12% made a purchase (The Yellow Pages)
97% of Internet users in the US use the Internet to shop (NPD Group)
81% of Internet users look for information online about a service or product they are thinking of buying. (Princeton Survey Research Associates, Intl)
82% of people searching online follow up with in-store visits, phone calls, emails and purchases (comScore Networks and TMP Directional Marketing)
54% of Americans have substituted the Internet for the phone book. (The Kelsey Group)

Chrissanne Long has a Master’s Degree in Internet Marketing and is a co-founder of local Internet marketing company Marketing System Blueprints. Her passion is helping local businesses understand the importance of having and improving their online presence. Her company focuses on all elements of a business's Internet marketing plan, to enhance their Search Engine Rankings (SEO) and Brand awareness across several platforms – Video, Mobile and Social Media.

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Happy Birthday, to my Mother, Ana Maria!!!

Chrissanne Long — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:56:27 +0000

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Are You Listening?

Chrissanne Long — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:42:06 +0000

Are you wondering what social media is all about? Meet Gary Vaynerchuk – A man who turned his passion for his business (Wine) into a multi-million dollar phenomenon. He's passionate and what he is saying makes sense! Are you listening to your customers? Do you really care about them? If not, that might be why Social Media isn't "working" for you! What does it take to get results with Twitter, Facebook and Blogging? The answer is pretty simple. Watch this video for the Secret to Social Media! Then, leave your comments and reactions to Gary's message!

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