by Miriam Hara | Oct 23, 2014 | Communications, Latest, Social Media
How necessary is a business blog in today’s marketing arsenal? The “blog” is now a viable platform for communication and is becoming a significant part of the social media channel that is merging with what we now coin as content marketing. Couple that very real concept with the ever-changing Google search optimization criteria and you can’t help but acknowledge from any business perspective, the strength and necessity of content creation and its proper distribution.
The blog, which started out as the writing of random thoughts or musings in the hopes of connecting with like minded individuals and even became the focal part in the movie Julie Julia, is now being touted as the next “thing” for marketing to embrace. This forum of self expression has now become an important part of business marketing and communications. Like it or not, the business blog is here to stay.
There’s much ado about blogging and how business can utilize it as part of their marketing initiatives. Business professionals at the corporate level and entrepreneurs alike are all talking about it. Google is making blogging increasingly important criteria for business to ‘get found’. Even with the termination of Google authorship, Google still allocates considerable weight to content, its validity and its credibility when scoring for SEO ranking.
There exists a level of apprehension about the business blog.
Perhaps the essence of the word “blog” may be responsible for this way of thinking. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as follows: Blog – a Web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences. I think a better way of looking at blogging and what it can mean to business and brand is that it can provide “a group of like-minded individuals” content that is relevant to them and for them. This content can be in the form of photos, video or just copy and can cover a wide array of information such as tips and hints, how-tos, DIY endeavours and recipes, just to name a few. This isn’t anything new. In fact, the strategy of providing information that is not directly associated with brand or business is a marketing strategy that has been around for many years – decades actually.
Blogging isn’t just about musings any more. The business blog has come along and has evolved this type of communications into something very viable. To take a well coined quote Jean Luc Picard from Star Trek and modify it a tad… “The blog: To resist is futile”.
Have you taken to creating your business blog? If so, how have you utilized this marketing tool and what have been the results? Please share them here.
by Miriam Hara | Oct 20, 2014 | Branding, Latest, Social Media
What are Brand friendships?
Okay, I admit it, I’ve coined that term. But if you think about all that is being talked about in Social Media, brand friendship is really where it’s at. All the articles and blogs speak to the elements of engagement and ultimately it all adds up to viewers becoming friends with their brands. So what are the elements that brands need to implement in social media that make viewers want to become their friends? Here are a few basics in the development of brand friendships:
1) No one wants to be friends with someone who always wants something from you… the same applies for a brand friendship. Building a relationship with niche audiences isn’t going to go very well, if all your content speaks to brand only. You need to be helpful and a brand needs to speak to the concerns of it niche market, and yes sometimes it has to go “off” scope to provide some context. No one wants to be friends with someone who always wants something from you….the same applies toward brand friendships.
2) Not many people appreciate unpredictability in their friends, or at least someone they can’t really read… so why would they want to have that with their brand friendships? Develop a tone. Be engaging. Be social. Keep your voice to your content, whether it’s a Facebook post, a video on YouTube, an Instagram picture, tweet of a blog post, your message must be carried in the same way. Think of the brand as a person. A person may have many ways of expressing themselves…sometimes happy, upbeat or at times serious or sad…regardless of tone the content should remain consistent.
3) Being a good friend takes effort… from both parties. The premise here is that brand lives within a market, an environment. It shares that environment with its niche market and therefore, must be sensitive to their values, attitudes and viewpoints. So if there is a concern or a public outcry that has relevancy to the niche market, the brand must participate. Communication must be authentic, engaging and ring true. No one wants to be friends with someone that doesn’t evolve and makes no effort to take the relationship to a new level.
4) Don’t be a wallflower. If you’re only going to show up at the party and not engage…well then you provide no value… and really you aren’t working on developing friendships. Whether it’s enjoyment, knowledge or just simply inspiration, make sure that there is value in what you are bringing up. Brands need to offer up entertainment, information and value. There are many ways to do this, so just don’t pick one way, always. Variety is necessary to keep your friendships constantly growing.
5) No shows… are a no-no! You know how some friends are there and then they are not. Well that’s not cool. From a person or from a brand. Being present, being timely and being mindful is a must. Viewers that have decided to let you in their circle must be respected in kind.
These are only a few tips on developing brand relationships. I’d like to hear on how you’ve cultivated brand relationships here.
by Miriam Hara | Oct 14, 2014 | Business Success, Latest
Over the last three decades there has been a big shift in how business networking is perceived. Believe it or not, there use to be a time when “business networking” was a taboo. It was actually considered shameful to admit that you received access to a meeting or even information through a networking relationship. That meant that you couldn’t find a job on your own merits. Okay, so maybe I am dating myself!
Enter the late 80s to the early 90s – amongst all the right-sizing and downsizing, the term “business networking” became an acceptable practice and a powerful buzz term. What it meant was to get out and develop a business network. It became important to know the right people and to have business connections. It was an invaluable asset to developing business and finding jobs.
Now business networking includes another angle. It is no longer just about who you know, although that certainly remains helpful, it’s also about who knows you. And here’s the real difference – you don’t even have to know who they are.
Business networking in this decade is about getting found.
Social media is largely responsible for this shift in perspective towards business networking – the large and now mighty business platforms such as LinkedIn and Mosaic Hub come to mind. I can personally attest that LinkedIn has provided the forum for 3H Communications to receive referrals from not only our direct business connections but also from people we have never met.
How does this happen? Well for the large part, we have been active on these social media platforms. Business networking today no longer requires wearing a suit with a wine glass in your hand. Sites geared towards professionals provide the ability to reach out to possible business connections on a global scale and develop digital relationships that can be equally as significant as the ones developed face to face.
So how do you work your online business network? Well for starters you need to develop a personal brand, or your business’ voice. Once you have accomplished this, you need to do the following:
1) Join groups that are relevant to your objectives – whether it’s getting a job in a certain industry or developing contacts or potential clients. Join multiple groups, not just one or two. Reach is important to creating awareness and gaining traction.
2) Be part of the conversation. Don’t just listen and observe. Jump in. Offer opinions or advise based on your experience. Start a dialogue based your own knowledge.
3) Create content about what is relevant and important to your audience. You need to make some noise in order to be heard. Pretend you’re at a business event or a cocktail party for the sole purpose of networking. How would you start a conversation at either of those places? How would you present yourself and your knowledge? The same rules apply to creating content online.
4) Share your content. This action is equivalent to visiting multiple networking events in the same day. If you think about what that would mean in the the physical world, it just makes sense to share your content online.
Today’s business networking opportunities within the social realm are very diverse with few limitations. They are also much more efficient than ever before. Share with us some of your success stories networking within the digital space. We’d like to hear about them!
by Miriam Hara | Oct 9, 2014 | Business Success, Creative, Latest
I believe that creativity is inherent in an individual and that it can’t be taught. But by the same token I strongly believe that creativity can be nurtured and that everyone, in some way, is creative. Creativity isn’t limited to “design” or “painting” or “crafts”. Anyone from a mathematician, a web programmer to a janitor can be creative.
That being said, I recently started wondering if creativity has a “peak”? Just as a person matures, do the creative juices start ebbing with time? I have to say the answer, in my opinion is a resounding NO.
Creativity doesn’t have an age, but it does have characteristics that must be nurtured in order for it to thrive. Keeping these three “I” words in mind will aid in nurturing your creativity, allowing it to flourish and for you to remain young at heart.
Be Interested.
Practice the art of listening to those who speak to you. Be engaged in conversations – in real time. Get into social media and read about topics that are interesting to you or that have some bearing in your life.
Be Inquisitive.
Take a lesson from a two year old. Ask, “Why?”. It can be that simple. Don’t take things at face value. The key to being creative is to always be curious.
Be Informed.
What’s new? What’s exciting? What’s happening? Be it on the planet, in your industry or at your office.
Ultimately, creativity is a muscle and it needs to be exercised continuously. It needs new input and new challenges all the time. The ability to turn on the mind set of being in the “now” and being engaged is necessary. Age doesn’t have any bearing on creativity, it’s our attitude towards aging that dictates the effect it will have on our performance.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on this subject. Do you agree? Does the creative spark dim with age? Do we become complacent and don’t exercise our creative well? Or is it that with age, we become wiser in the ways to tap into our creativity?
by Miriam Hara | Oct 6, 2014 | Latest, Marketing, Social Media
What is social respect?
Social respect is about gaining credibility and earning trust from others through the use of social media. Social Media – so much hoopla (excuse the pun)! Businesses and those who manage brands and products are now are realizing that social media isn’t just a fad or phase. Accordingly, there is a new sense of urgency to ‘get in on the action‘. Often this leads to reactionary tactics without clear objectives, having no long term vision or strategy.
Understanding the premise of social media is the first step in achieving social respect.
The basic premise of social media is to inform, to start a dialogue and to engage. The scope of the engagement is based on the objectives put forth. Regardless of how broad or how niche your target audience is, the premise of earning social respect remains the same. Here are 3 key “must dos” to be well on your way to earning social respect.
1) Be relevant and add value.
It’s important to provide useful information that will aid your audience. Be helpful. Don’t create content just for the sake of creating content.
2) Don’t sell.
Social Media isn’t about selling, it’s about informing, assisting and educating. If someone is reading your content it’s because they landed there looking for information or an answer to a question about that topic. They don’t want to be sold to. They want to be informed. Social Media isn’t about your brand or business.
3) Be authentic.
Social Media isn’t a one-way conversation. It’s not the same as placing an ad somewhere to get the message out. It’s about creating a dialogue. It requires authenticity in order to do that. You need to not only put out relevant content, but you also need to contribute in the Social Media arena. Businesses need to listen and embrace the new way of developing relationships and connecting with their target audience.
Lastly, social respect can only be achieved if the content and the way you engage with your intended audience is respectful for the social media channel. Hopefully, I have provided you with some relevant information that might earn your trust.
by Miriam Hara | Sep 30, 2014 | Branding, Latest
When is it time to tear down your brand foundation and build a new one? Maybe the question should be: Is it time to build a new brand foundation? With this challenging and opportunistic economy, the changes and turnover within a brand’s marketing team are increasingly in flux. Gone are days when brand owners would be around to nurse and cajole their brands for 5 years or more. This is a key shift in brand marketing.
Brand foundation is at the cornerstone of brand building.
It’s important to realize that just because there’s something new and exciting out there, or that you’re what’s new and exciting to the brand, it doesn’t mean that you need to make a clean sweep and tear down everything that was previously built.
Like a house, brand needs a good solid foundation to build upon. And, it doesn’t mean that once the concrete is poured, the work is done. All of us have seen good additions and facelifts to existing homes. And, all of us have also seen poor executions of the same. The difference is in the planning and the respect given to the original structure when upgrading.
Here is a list of what should be considered when assessing the need to change the brand foundation:
Change for the sake of “new” is generally costly for a brand.
Be sure that the change implemented is one that can carry the brand for more than a promotion, a cycle or a year.
Changing the playing field, but not the expectation is unfair to a brand.
Too often programs are set in place and then changed or cancelled, while the objectives originally set don’t get revisited. The result is an unfair assessment and evaluation of the current brand foundation and what it represents.
Timing is everything.
When building a brand foundation all the key elements must come together exactly when they need to come together. Brand advertising must be met with the brand product on shelf.
Allowing short term tactics to dictate your brand position is risky.
It’s a very competitive world out there. The need to get instant results shouldn’t override the need to build for the future. Price is never a brand builder on its own.
The building and growth of any brand foundation must be handled with care and due diligence. So be sure to take care of it!
