Modern marketing has lost its way. In recent years, the spotlight has focused on which new tools and technologies will yield business success. Executives are scrambling to find the latest automation software that will solve all their problems and deliver sales. Michael Karg, CEO of Razorfish, contends that “intelligence, rather than image” will shape the future of marketing. We would argue that the collection of data and technology makes a business more efficient, but doesn’t necessarily make the brand more likable to consumers and prospective clients. Data gathering is a tactic, not a strategy. Strategically, businesses still need to be asking themselves, “How does our image align with our core competencies and values? What do our customers expect to see from us? How can we convey professionalism through design?” Aesthetic considerations and web copy wording used to be the primary focus, but is now overlooked in pursuit of analytics, tech solutions and automation. Looks […]
A recent survey of nearly 2,000 B2B marketers found that LinkedIn is the most valuable marketing channel — even better for getting leads and networking than Twitter and Facebook. The LinkedIn platform has a reputation as a place for professionals — more so than the other social networking sites — and remains an ideal channel for corporate storytelling. Marketing firms, including Mod Girl’s team of digital marketers, use the following strategies to get the most bang for client buck out of their LinkedIn B2B marketing efforts. 1. Make the most of your experience with a premium account. If you have the budget for an extra $59.99 a month, give LinkedIn’s 30-day trial premium membership a whirl. With a business account, you’ll be able to access advanced search results for leads, view the expanded profiles of everyone on the site, send email to 10 – 25 people beyond your network, and see […]
Last year, we discussed the merits of HootSuite for social media marketers. While we do still use HootSuite and find value in their social media tools, we prefer to use Sprout Social for most of our needs. Here are eight reasons why Sprout Social is a MUST-HAVE for anyone looking to save time, collect more data, and market more efficiently. Our Sprout Social Review for 2015 1. Control functions through an even more user-friendly dash! HootSuite organizes functions through a fairly user-friendly spreadsheet format, but we prefer the cleaner, more streamlined look of Sprout Social’s tabbed dashboard. It’s easy to click and manage the main categories: Messages, Tasks, Feeds, Publishing, Discovery, and Reports. Instead of looking at a lot of little columns, you work in a larger window that is easier on the eyes. 2. Get all your messages in a single stream. Connect your Google+, Twitter and Facebook posts […]
It’s okay. We’ve all done it. We’ve all kicked our feet up on the desk and imagined what life would be like working for ourselves. We picture whopping paychecks, skipping out early on Fridays if duty calls, coming in late so we can get the kids off to school, borrowing from our own personal piggy bank, working alongside people who share our passions, and finally being able to call all the shots. Of course, we soon find the reality is that we’re working longer hours than we ever thought possible; continuously feeling frustrated and disappointed in other people; wolfing down fast food morning, noon and night; and pushing our sanity to the brink. Here are the top eight obstacles online entrepreneurs face. 1. Time Management There are many distractions in the online entrepreneur’s workplace. Social media can be a huge time-waster, especially if you are working on a client’s social […]
Not every small business has a monolithic budget to work with. Yet, creating an attractive, user-friendly website is the equivalent of having a birth certificate — you simply MUST have one if you want to exist! For some businesses, the website will be a place for web searchers to find the store location, hours, and basic information. For others, it will be a way of capturing leads, converting sales, and maintaining an audience. No matter what stage of the game you’re at, be sure you aren’t making these top 8 web design mistakes! 1. Your website was not developed with “SEO” in mind. Every good website begins with keyword research. There is no excuse for skipping this step with tools like the Google Keyword Tracker available for free! You want to find words and phrases related to what you do or sell that are low in competition, but high in […]