More Than A Few Words

When it comes to your website there is always something new.  A new feature or tool.  This week we share some of our favorite web enhancements, things you can do to improve the functionality and user experience of your website.    If you enjoy the podcast, consider downloading our white paper on this same topic for even more suggestions. .  

When it comes to your product or service, who are the influencers? Who will others look to when they need help deciding what to buy?  Do you have a specific plan to get these people on board to help you market your product? Allison and Lorraine discuss who is and isn’t an influencer, and how to reach out to these critical word-of-mouth marketers.

While the big social networks of Facbook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google + get lots of attention, there is a vast "underground" or private internet that bypasses these platforms completely. Increasingly, we're seeing a shift away from the kind of mass broadcast social media that has dominated for so long toward a smaller, more intimate social experience. While this shift was lead by younger adults and teens, it is now spreading as all users are recognizing that not everyone needs to know everything about you. As a user, I think this healthy; as a business owner, it presents real challenges. If people are fleeing Facebook, how do you connect with them socially? This week, we talk about this growing trend, and how you as a business owner can stay one step head. In addition to the broadcast, check out Allison's blog post on the

For businesses which have formed in the era of the internet, we have grown accustomed to getting our tools for free.  But things are changing.  Innovative tech firms have discovered that building a sustainable business requires a revenue model built on finding ways to get users, visitors and community members to pay for some or all of the services they receive.    It is going to be more expensive for small businesses, but Lorraine and Allison are actually in favor of the decline of free software. Listen now to discover why  

Does your brand really need to have an opinion on everything?  We don't think so.   For example why exactly did the childhood favorite brand of canned spaghetti feel the need to comment on the 72nd anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor? Was their content relevant or even remotely touching?     Actually no, and the negative backlash from the social media community probably left them wondering why they ever thought it might be a good idea.    

After having spent several years building a strong Facebook community, it is frustrating to see posts with visibility to less than 10% of our community. That is no accident says Facebook as they look to increase advertising revenues.     Want more people to see your updates?  Well then you need to advertise. 

When you're busy (which, let's face it, is always), it's so easy to let a week slide by without writing any new content for your blog or responding to content sent over by your marketing company. It's understandable, but in order to have great content marketing, you've got to be consistent. In this week's marketing podcast, we discuss how to keep up with content marketing even when life's crazy. 

More than just marketing hype, your brand position statement is about creating an impression of your company in the mind of your prospective customer.  It is the basis on which all your other marketing should be built.  A positioning statement contains the following elements: Description of the target customer Benefits sought by the target customer to solve a specific problem Your unique solution   This week we kick around examples of good and bad position statements.  

Word of mouth has always been a powerful way to build your business.  Even in the age of the internet it still is. The difference?  The words are now being shared on line on referral sites like Yelp and Google+.     Are you taking advantage of the tools at your disposal?  You should be.   

What if you threw a party and no one came? These days with the internet, and especially social media that is highly unlikely. You can use your website to house event information, send email invitations, invite people to register online and share their experiences real-time.      In this episode, we look at how do you harness all these resources to really create positive buzz for your event.   For more on this topic, check out blog posts on Roundpeg.biz

What is content marketing?   It is information you share with prospects which help them reach a buying decision without overtly selling.  Content can be video, audio, pictures, eBooks, blog posts, email or social media update.     Using any of these formats you mission is to maintain an informative tone, while still leading the most qualified prospects to the decision they need to work with you. 

Some "experts" are seeing the recent declines in the time people are spending on Facebook as a clear signal that Facebook is dying.   I think their predictions are a bit premature.  Facebook is still huge social media platform so don't count them out yet.   This week we talk about some of the changes in demographics and user behavior, the addition of hastags, the over use of ads and most importantly, what all these changes mean to small business owners.