How to use Twitter For Business - Top 5 Tips

Twitter is touted as a social networking tool, but it has quickly doubled into a business networking tool, because it is so popular with businesses (and pro-bloggers) as a way to get word out about their websites or products.

Twitter is a great business tool. While it is "Free", it costs precious business time. You can hire a social media marketer to manage it for you, or let the Social Media experts at Promise Productions leverage their marketing know-how to maximize your results. We call it Social Media Marketing Management.

Used well, Twitter can provide good exposure for your business - making your products and services known to new prospects, but you can also stain your brand with social media marketing if you're not careful. As a business wanting to get positive results with social media marketing, it's worth learning the biggest dos and don'ts in order to use Twitter wisely.



Tip 1: Be yourself and be human. Social media is all about authenticity. In contrast to the distant and sterile approaches of corporate marketing years ago, the beauty of Twitter is that it's a huge global community of human beings. So do show your human side, especially when using your business account. Talk about things that matter to you. Join in with conversations that interest you - be friendly, show emotion, and use smilies if you want to.

 Social Media can get results all the slick advertising cannot - because it puts a human face to business.

But while you're being friendly and more personal, remember that you are a business professional and everything you say can be seen. So use discretion and tact.

Tip 2: Watch how you write


Some people write well, others don't. You don't need to be a professional writer to use Twitter, but it helps if you have basic literacy skills. As a business, you are expected to spell correctly, and keep slang minimal.

However good (or bad) your writing skills are, with Twitter's 140-character limit you'll need to be creative with your Tweets. Your Tweets need to be concise yet informative, and often you'll be trying to squeeze in a URL too (URL shortening services like bit.ly and tinyurl.com are lifesavers).

One definite don't is overusing "text speak" because it only makes you come across like a kid, not a business. If you are a businessperson who does not feel they write well for social media purposes, we are, after all, a marketing communications firm, so feel free to outsource your Social Media Marketing management to us.

Tip 3: Share and share alike


Being friendly includes a healthy dose of sharing. If you have some good news - related to your business or your personal life - share it; everybody loves a good news story.

 Do share links - to your website, your blog, your local news service, or anything else that interests your followers - this is a great way to get conversations going. Just remember to explain what the link's about, or your followers won't know why they should click it.

And don't Tweet the same link over and over; people will quickly become bored and may stop following you.

 Think "conversation." Do retweet your friends' links, too; they'll be grateful, and so will your followers if the link is interesting and relevant. (making sure, of course, you've looked at the material first yourself to see if you want your followers viewing it)

Tip 4: Be part of the community


Social Media is about being social - about a 2-way conversation. Don't treat Twitter as your personal billboard. It's not: it's a community, millions of members strong, and the community as a whole is not very tolerant of users who constantly advertise.

Try to stick to the 80-20 rule when you use Twitter for business: no more than 20% of your Tweets should advertise or self-promote, and at least 80% should be non-promotional.

Listen to what people are saying, and join in. Twitter is a network of conversations, so it's good practice to listen and respond to parts of those conversations that interest you; don't just stand in the middle of the room with a megaphone, shouting "I'm fabulous! I'm selling widgets at 20% off this week!" Again - if you wouldn't do it at a business networking event, don't do it on Twitter.



Do retweet your friends' requests for help (for example, charity appeals and sponsorship requests), and do introduce friends that are new to Twitter and could do with some followers. And again - do retweet useful, interesting links from people you follow, but always check links before sending.



Tip 5: Mind your language


Don't use offensive language when representing your business on Twitter; even mild swearwords can put sensitive prospects off following you (and besides - cursing in public is hardly professional).

 Use Twitter to answer customer questions and solve their problems, by all means; many organisations use Twitter as a customer services tool very effectively.

SUMMARY
Its not complicated, it is just a way to converse as a business that is more open and inviting! A way where your prospects can listen in on the things your tweet and get a sense of your values, your business' personality and decide if they want to come on in!

On Twitter, everything you say is out there for everyone to see, so leave your followers with the best possible impression of your brand at all times... the Internet has a very long memory and you want to uplift!

We call it ATTRACTION MARKETING. We're here for you in all aspects of marketing communications including Social Media consultation and Online Visibility strategies.

To your success, Promise Productions.
 877-858-0071

Video Marketing for more Clients & Profits

Social Media is all the rage, and for good reasons, chances are, your prospects are there -- on twitter, facebook, blogs, etc.. They are reading about your industry and your brand. That is where video comes in: video is the perfect way to reach these prospects. 

Video Marketing is about using the power of video to communicate beyond that of just words and pictures. Video can SHOW. Video persuades. Video demonstrates. Video makes your features and benefits come alive.

And another thing: video can share something else that is unique: what it is like doing business with you -- whether it is the people, the ambiance or the service. Video's ability to provide a virtual taste of what it is like to be your customers greatly adds to your attractiveness, whether your target market is consumers, other businesses, local or global.

 This is why we are talking about promoting yourself with video: both in your existing media and in your social media.

Choosing the Right Video Marketing & Social Media Campaign Strategy

So, you’ve decided that you want to include video on your website – this is an excellent decision, and we applaud your efforts to keep current. Now that you’ve made this stepping-stone decision, however, where should your video marketing strategy begin?

Launching Your Social Media Campaign With Video In Mind
While posting your videos on video sharing websites (like YouTube, Vimeo, Revver, MetaCafe, etc.) certainly has its advantages in terms of launching a successful social media marketing campaign, it is important to first consider your video goals.
• Is your goal to gain widespread brand recognition,
• Is your goal to up your conversion rate

A Search Marketing Firm That Knows Video
Obviously, if you’re trying to break into the world of video marketing and social media video marketing, you can benefit tremendously from teaming with a marketing communications firm that knows search marketing.

For example, as a marketing-savvy video production firm, we can advise you how to most effectively and appropriately showcase your brand in your video. One excellent idea is to interview “customers” (mind the quotes, as the “customers” can easily be substituted for actors), employees, or company executives in front of some sort of backdrop that features your company’s logo and website info…a la a Hollywood red carpet premiere. This is particularly genius because, if the video is subsequently copied from video sharing sites (this happens often), the branding cannot be removed from the video. Tips like these and more should be standard issue with the search marketing firm you choose to work with.

The key to optimum results is OPTIMUM STRATEGY. Let us guide your marketing strategy and video marketing along with social media marketing for higher profits. Call Promise Productions to learn how at 972-822-3587.

7 Strategies to Greater Business-To-Business Profits

Is your business one that makets to other businesses instead of individual consumers? Whether your company provides a product or a service, the rules of B2B marketing have changed in 2010.

Promise Productions is a strategic marketing communications firm. That's right: better strategy for better results.

We understand that the business-to-business customer has migrated online and is actively engaged in social media -- to stay informed, to get first-hand reviews of the products and services they are considering, and to help choose which brand to go with. This extends to everything from construction equipment to high tech to day-to-day items.


That means your promotion efforts has to be effective in online marketing and in social media marketing. Call us to learn how to:

• Boost ROI through more effective Lead Generation

• Make Social Media work to increase branding and generate leads
• Blend PR, Social Media and Search to drive more B2B profits
• Integrate Video to inform, persuade and drive sales

• Design high-converting Landing Pages specifically for B2B sites
• Implement the top 10 Paid Search strategies to improve ROI
• Integrate Search Engine Marketing into your B2B Marketing strategy
• Be seen as head and shoulders about the competition so your prospects want to use you without hesitation

We offer smart strategy and implementation, tailored to your specific needs. Whether your goals are immediate cash-flow, long-term marketplace domination or a combination of both, we welcome your call at 971-822-3587.

P.S. here's a free tip: video is your best tool, when utilized properly, to demonstrate your benefits, communicate - even business and technical information - in a personable, authentic and persuasive way. So don't forget to integrate video production as much as possible into all your online and social media promotions!

Flashy or Effective - How Much Marketing Results Do You Want

At Promise Productions, we make a distinction between expensive advertising and smart marketing. A lot of advertising just costs your business money whereas smart marketing generates new money. A great example of this are the recent SuperBowl TV ads.

Ad Age demonstrated in a recent article that these kinds of ads are indeed entertaining and likable. However, they do not generate results when it comes to actual sales! Call us silly, but communication without persuasion is useless. Surveys confirmed that consumers were not inspired to shop at the retailer whose TV Commercial they liked the best. In fact, the most-loved Super Bowl add of all time -- the Mean Joe Green Coke Commercial -- was canned within months precisely because it did not stimulate actual sales. It is clear that being cute and likable is no longer enough.

You see, we are in a social age, not a sales age. Selling is dead. We've been inundated for years with so-called advertising gurus treating the public like lab rats, and simply putting any product with beautiful, enviable, smiling people to give us a good feelings, and then inserting the company logo at the end. We are now immunized from such blatant selling that insults our intelligence.

Today we want to know there's value in our products and services. We don't want an actor acting like there is value; we want actual value! The "benefit" of the current financial recession is that we THINK before spending value time or money.

Friends, is your advertising making -- or just costing -- your business precious money? Do you want a higher degree of results from your efforts? Then abandon the old models that no longer work and come with us into the present age of effecting marketing.

Our new media strategies and social media marketing strategies are geared for positive results. So dismiss those flashy, "Super Bowl" approaches with hype and no substance, and turn to trust-based marketing -- for a loyalty you will see measured in significant cash-flow. We believe your marketing should be as unique as you are. Come, call your marketing communications resource. Call Promise Productions today at 214-703-0360.

Life Is A Story - tell it Powerfully with Covenant Designs

At Promise Productions, we are a visual marketing communications firm. That means we strategically make a huge difference for your business through a meaningful presentation of your distinct value. 

It means we capture the essence of your business identity or cause, develop a compelling digital story, and convert it into the forum of your choice – quickly and economically.

"We look at what you are saying to your prospects, and how you are saying it. The marketing communicators at Promise Productions are experts in the areas of publicity, digital web content and social media marketing.  Whether it’s the attention of a modern newsroom, streaming web video, an executive blog or a Facebook page, we translate your story into digital media presentation. Then we broadcast and narrowcast that message across the evolving landscapes of journalism, proprietary web media and digital networking. 

In short, we know how to leverage media content to your maximum advantage."

We’re not your typical ad agency, design or PR firm. We represent a hybrid breed of digital media communicators who know how to convey a clear, concise and compelling message. We are skilled both in the strategy and implementation for integrated results. We’re a media consulting and content creation agency. Think of Promise Productions as the ‘special forces’ of modern media – strategic, tactical to get the job done right. 

Our members come from Fortune 50, TV news, print design, direct mail, photography and video production. All of us are passionate story-tellers who want to help you develop and manage a great message. Our skill sets combine to make us quick and efficient for marketing campaigns of all shapes and sizes.

We infuse your brand or services with life and power by making them resonate with your intended audience. This way you don't have to try to sell yourself, rather your company attracts those who appreciate and value your services the most.

We find that companies like that – that they are happiest and most profitable, and that makes us happy in turn. So for targeted media visibility in print, online, video and social media, turn to Promise Productions for results in today's marketing.

Want to know more? Call us at 972-822-3587.

Los Angeles • Dallas • Houston • Sedona • Phoenix –972-822-3587.


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Social Media Is The Key To Powerful Word-Of-Mouth Marketing

"Social Media" is THE buzzword of 2010, friends, and every professional is wondering if it's here to help, or here to destroy, their business. Some practitioners say that all social media is good for is wasting time on the internet, while others swear by its potential.

Everyone agrees, however, that it changes all the rules about getting new business. The New Marketing is here, and here to stay. So the answer to is Social Media Marketing good or bad for you is it depends:

• Are You using social media to market in a strategic way?
• Are You integrating multiple social media sites to amplify their effectiveness?
• Are You reaching your prospects with value that is meaningful to them?
• Are You learning from their likes and dislikes?

Question: What's better than great word-of-mouth for your business?
Answer: great word of mouth ONLINE -- where it can spread to thousands, circulating on business directories and social media sites to prospects both locally and worldwide.

Social Media Marketing is key to enjoying these rewards. Every month, millions of people discover new products and services and share their experiences and opinions on them. People are already talking about your marketplace and your brand. Are you engaging with them? Are you joining the conversation, helpfully steering them to the benefits and value your company provides?

If your business does not have an effective strategy to do this, you are increasingly losing the listening of your prospects. And, sooner or later, that will spell the death of any business.

However, the reverse is also true: customers love to have the company interact with them. It makes them feel important and listened to. It can resurrect that near-dead holy grail of marketing -- brand loyalty. There are many more benefits (including Positive PR) and we will be happy to discuss them with you when you call 972-822-3587 for a strategic marketing consultation.

Happy New Year, fellow business owners, and here's to a bright 2010 for all of us!

Warmest regards,
Promise Productions Marketing Communications • 972-822-3587
Los Angeles  |  Dallas  |  Las Vegas  |  Houston

More Effective Social Media Marketing for Your Business

Social Marketing is a very powerful way to create massive online visibility, drive traffic and build prospects and sales leads. The challenge for many companies is how do you find the time to do what you need to do to be effective on each social media asset – and to do it in a way that does not take hours each day.

The good news is there are many ways to both automate and integrate your Social Media Marketing. Promise Productiosn provides social media marketing strategies to make the most of your time and still get powerful results. We offer full social media marketing consultation and social media marketing campaigns that support your:
• Business Objectives
• Public Relations Initiatives
• Integrates with your Traditional and Online Marketing

Social Media Marketing Automation - There are actions on each of the Social Marketing tools that can be set up to be done automatically for you, so you do not have to be there to take each action.

Social Media Marketing Integration – Many of the main Social Marketing tools can be set up so that an action (a marketing message) taken on one site will result in an action (other marketing messages) taken on one or more other sites.

Here are brief examples of Automation and Integration with 5 of the major Social Media Marketing sites.

Video Marketing – one of the smartest things you can be doing right now, because of the enormous amount traffic generated by sites like YouTube. But how do you get traffic to your videos?

Great question, here is a part of the answer: set up your YouTube account so that each time you upload a new video an announcement automatically shows up on Twitter and Facebook.

Strategic Blogging - In Social Media, your company blog is the hub of your system. From your hub you can reach out to Twitter and Facebook when you set it up so that each new blog post is also automatically announced on these two Social Marketing sites.

These two examples above of automation and integration means you take one action and get 3 results.

Twitter - Your tweets can be automatically sent to Facebook. Some people set it up to have every tweet sent. I recommend using the "Selective Twitter Status" app so that not every tweet is automatically sent. I've seen some companies who tweet dozens of times a day get their account suspended because of too many tweets or too many similar tweets being sent.

Facebook - When you update your Facebook status you can set it up to be automatically sent to Twitter. One action, two results.

EzineArticles - Set it up so that each time you have a new article published it is "auto-tweeted" to Twitter. The title of the article is displayed in your Twitter stream along with the link to your article.

For specific applications to best forward your business needs, contact Promise Productions for social media consultation and campaigns at 972-822-3587.

December Marketing - Position Your Company for the Best of Success

December is the time to implement some marketing strategy to position your company to enter the New Year strong and ON TOP. Don't accept the temptation to just coast through December -- too much is at stake.

"In fact, while other companies are slowing down, yours can be gearing up to dominate your marketplace... and its profits."

Let's explore who your most profitable clients are and how to attract them online. We then integrate your company website, strategic blog, twitter and other social media marketing assets. The right content, message and strategy will attract new customers, new orders and stimulate a steady flow of leads for increased cashflow.

Call Promise Productions to maximize your Winter marketing at 972-822-3587.

Got Value? Got Service? Got Profits?

As a business your very survival depends on providing value. Value means you are serving your clientelle -- giving them a product or service that truly benefits them.

If your company wants more profits, it needs to provide more service. It needs to GIVE more to its customers and prospective customers. Either you have a better mousetrap, a more convenient mousetrap, a less expensive mousetrap, or a mousetrap that will do more... also wash your windows :-)

So is this a post about best business practices? Yes. It is a post about innovation? Yes. Is this a post about customer service? Yes. But it is also a post about social media marketing services.

Social Media is the ideal way to interact with your customers by taking advantage of today's technology plus the incredible popularity of social media. Did you know, for example, today that more TV shows are watched today are through Social Media than through TV? Social Media is more used than TV, Cable, Newspapers and more -- all combined!

So what does this have to do with your business profits? Well for starters, Social Media lets you interact in a conversation with your prospects and with your customers. A smart social media marketing campaign gives you control over the conversation about your company, its brand, products and services.

LISTENING and conversing lets you know how best to serve (and thus profit) from knowing their needs and their "hot buttons". By knowing what they value, you can ensure you NEVER WASTE ANOTHER MARKETING DOLLAR EVER AGAIN by advertising using an ineffective value proposition. You've just cut out the guessing and gone STRAIGHT TO RESULTS.

If this is of value to your business (and it is), then call us at 972-822-3587 for your Social Media Marketing Strategy and Services. We look forward to making you shine!

Strategic Social Media Marketing Management

Applying Strategic Skills for Successful Social Media Marketing Campaigns

Learn how Promise Productions successfully manages your company's social media marketing campaign by harnessing our insight and strategy with the goals of your business. With the exploding growth of social media, 
the need to apply strategic thinking to your public relations and
communications campaigns has never been more critical. Join with Promise Productions and learn how to join forces to create ultimate
social media success.

Our Social Media Campaign Management Services will provide:

• A clear cultural understanding needed to communicate with social media tools.
• A framework for using social media in business continuity planning.
• An overview of how we choose the right social media tools to meet your objectives.
• A plan of attack for incorporating social media in your marketing, communications and business growth plans.
• Knowledge of how to transition your communications experience and know-how to social media.
• The additional skills you’ll need to manage a successful social media campaign.

Contact Promise Productions MarPromise Productions Marketing Communications at 972-822-3587 to get on the road to results!

Social Media Marketing - 4 Reasons to Launch Now

Friends, this is such a relevant article, we are re-posting Chris' material on our blog.

4 Reasons to Launch Your Social Web Campaign Now!

By Chris J Marentis

Social media marketing is the hottest "business reality-show" that's generating leads for businesses of all sizes. As every business owner knows, leads are the lifeblood of their companies. Getting a consistent flow of profitable leads today is hard.

At a time when customers use social networking to search, discuss and explore new ideas and opportunities, "Companies have no choice. This is where their customers are going," reported USA Today on August 27, 2009.

Advice on how to implement various social media marketing opportunities like Facebook, Twitter, Delicious and others abound. However, like any media campaign, you need to make sure your social media program is strategic, measurable and encompasses the entire spectrums of opportunities that are right for your business.

Four key reasons social marketing will lift your business prospects are:

1. You can easily dominate your market at little to no cost. Because social media marketing is SEO on steroids, it has the ability to reach across all the important places for your niche on the Internet.
2. Using the right content distribution and management strategy will get you a consistent flow of quality leads.
3. You have control and can literally get started within hours if you want. Even better, you don't need to go through a sales rep or purchase process.
4. You can leverage expertise and become an authority in your niche with "followers" in social media groups. You business will be the "first call" when customers want to learn about products and services in your niche.

Never in the history of consumer selling have companies, from one-person shops to multi-national corporations, been handed such an effective, low-cost opportunity to carry out promotional efforts. Learn how to leverage this effective new tool for your business or you will soon be left behind.

~~~

Bravo, Chris. We could not agree more. For smarter Dallas Marketing, call the firm of Promise Productions at 972-822-3587.

Social Media Marketing - Dallas Case Study

A Promise Productions Strategic Marketing, we've been preaching the virtues of Social Media Marketing, especially when wed to video production.

Why? Because everyone is looking for real results these days, and our marketing strategies DELIVER.

Here is a quick example of exactly what we mean by "deliver."

We have a specific search term our client wants to rank high in that has 118,000 competing websites. First, we created a short video for the client. We posted it to our strategic business blog (set up using our system). Then we used our social media video distribution service to spread it around. Within 24 hours here are the results:

We captured the #1 Google position. Not with the blog itself, but through our syndication with a major, highly ranked blog. Next, we captured Google's 4th, 5th positions from places we sent the video to. Lastly, we scored Google's 9th position with another blog that picked up and re-posted our video.

Results? Yes, basically HALF the first page in Google in 24 hours promotes the video, which also promotes the client's website.

This is more powerful than hundreds of dollars pumped into Search Engine Optimization of the primary business site. We will followup with a future post to see how Google's rankings unfold after a little more time.

For marketing results, Covenant Designs' strategies have incredible value. Get in on the smart approach to today's marketing -- call 972-822-3587.

Top 10 Social Media Marketing Tips For Businesses

Put a face to your business! As Social Media Marketing Specialists, here are the Top 10 ideas Promise Productions recommends for companies to succeed at Social Media.

1 • Know Your Distinct Value
It is not necessarily about what you think sets your business apart -- no, it is about WHY your customers actually come to you. To really know this, you have to be in dialogue with your customers. Know what sets you apart as specifically as possible.

This truth underscores why it’s important to be involved in social media consersations -- monitoring what is being said about your company. and reconcile your customers’ opinions with your story so that the brand message is consistent and credible.

2 • Knowing Your Value Proposition, maximize it!
Maintain excellence around your differentiators. Unlike ads, social media has permanence. Since what’s expressed about your brand is permanently searchable, if you are always changing the message of your value your business communications, you will confuse your audience and water down your brand.

3 • Be Visible Where Your Prospects Are
Set up your social network hub where your customers are. We recommend a presence on Facebook because it is the largest social network with over 300M users and is one of the top-trafficked site in many countries. The volume and the intent (sharing, lifestyle) make it suitable for any business.

4 • Use Social Media To Provide Value
Everyone wants value, so do your customers. Use content about your differentiators as “landing beacons.” Attract interested consumers to your hub with great content. You want consumers (and prospective customers) to be attracted to and stay loyal to your brand because of your value -- your differentiators.

5 • Make fans not friends.
Fans on Facebook and Followers on Twitter give users the power to opt-in to being associated with you, which is exactly what you want. It’s low risk (non pushy) for your fans, and you can stay focused on sharing the great things about your brand.

6 • Engage, not advertise.
Social Media is about sharing what you love. As a business, share what you are passionate about -- things that would interest your prospects. Do things that would please them, reward their loyalty, and personalize whenever possible. In this way you become ATTRACTIVE.

7 • Link to allies.
Simply take natural allies and promote each other's services. It is win-win, but you have to be willing to actually give of your time and energy first.

8 • Partner with brands that complete the picture
Your industry may synchronize closely with other industries. A lawncare service might partner (associate themselves) with a tree trimming business. Diamonds and gold go together. Wedding gowns and wedding photography might form a strategic alliance.

In your network, introduce the partners that best complete the customer's experience. Prospective customers of their business might be good prospects for your's too.

9 • Respond quickly, and with empathy, to negative posts.
Brands, like people, show their true colors when they’re under attack, so complaints, though unpleasant, can be opportunities for you to shine. Unless it’s a systemic problem, other fans will likely ignore the complaint, rise to defend you, or understand that the issue is between the complaining fan and you.

In most cases, they will appreciate that you did something, even if all you do is to request to address the issue offline with the complaining fan. Doing nothing makes observing fans wonder what happened.

10 • Develop a social media policy for your employees.
How many of the 300M Facebook users also work for you? Chances are, quite a few. Employees can be your biggest promoters… or unintentional detractors. As you venture into social media, make sure that your employees are on the same page as you.

Promise Productions is a Dallas-Based Strategic Marketing Communications Firm. One of our strengths is in managing company's Social Media Marketing Campaigns. For social media and other ways to be most profitable, call 972-822-3587.

Dallas Social Media Marketing Communications

Friends, past forms of advertising are still with us, but are losing ground every day to the emerging power of Social Media Marketing. As a marketing communications firm, Promise Productions is all about connecting businesses with the clients/customers they need to be most profitable.

That is why we made this very basic video to discuss how a business can effectively engage with social media as a communications and marketing goldmine:



Social Media Marketing is the NEW ADVERTISING, but not by interrupting or pushing your message at prospects. Rather it is entering into the already existing online conversation areas discussing your industry, your services, your brand and your products.

We are quick to emphasize that Social Media Marketing MUST be done with a smart strategy in a highly-integrated way in order to be effective. Given all the ways a company could waste their time and efforts in this new form of self-promotion, we encourage your business to consult with us to create the best structures and practices for social media marketing and to outsource your social media marketing to Promise Productions.

Advertising is no longer the same, and will never be the same. Don't be left behind in the new marketing, call Promise Productions Strategic Marketing today at 972-822-3587.

How to Convince Your CEO to Embrace Social Media Marketing

Let's get straight to it:

1. Tell your CEO that the way people research purchases has changed. Tradeshows, Direct Mail, TV, Billboards, Newspapers are all going down fast. Email marketing is becoming less effective, and cold calling is becoming more difficult. People have more tools for blocking out this interruption marketing (spam filters, caller ID) and even governments are helping customers block this marketing (CAN Spam Act, National Do Not Call lists). You might need to include some definitions and explanations of SEO, PPC, strategic business blogging, social media, etc.

2. Discuss how the company's marketing needs to change in response. If the way people research purchases has changed, doesn't it make sense that marketing needs to evolve as well? Talk to the CEO about how there are new, more effective techniques to get found by more qualified prospects and convert more of them to paying customers, and to stop wasting money on interruption marketing programs that continue to be less and less effective. Move where your customers are -- online, responding to video, responding to social media.

3. Show a current analysis of your company's Internet marketing effectiveness. Show some data about your company being able to "get found" by prospects in
(a) search engines,
(b) the blogosphere and
(c) social media.
To get the data specific to your company, do some keyword research using Website Grader and Overture Keyword Tool, search on Technoratifor blogs in your industry, then search on social media sites relevant to your industry (Facebook or Delicious or Digg or LinkedIn or others). Finally, use the Website Grader free marketing tool to prepare a report for your company in 1 minute. This will show how good or bad you are doing on the web in terms of marketing. Use the data from the report to show how you are missing large opportunities to reach customers that are looking for the products and services you buy.

4. Present a plan for transforming your company's marketing strategy to embrace the 21st century. You need to transform your marketing from being "outbound" (you broadcast your message to thousands of people and only 1-3% are actually interested) to being more "inbound" (people find you when they want to buy something - much more targeted and effective). In other words through ATTRACTION instead of PUSHING. This means you need to do SEO, PPC, embrace blogging and the blogosphere and participate in social media.

5. Bonus Tip: Having executives read the book "The New Rules of Marketing and PR" can also be helpful. Sometimes CEOs just need an established author to tell them something, rather than an employee.

Want to know more? We offer marketing communications services and consultation, including social media marketing and innovative strategies to make the most of your corporation's time and budget. Call Promise Productions at 972-822-3587.

Dallas Businesses Use Social Media Marketing To Attract More Customers

You business now has the power to leverage the Internet through Search Engine Marketing, Strategic Blogging, and Social Media Marketing to reach customers more effectively.

This includes connecting with customers where they already hang out online and engaging in conversations about the topics most important to them. Social Media Marketing includes joining the ongoing conversations our customers and prospects are already having... and not trying to control them.

Our strategies capitalize on the fact that people like doing business with people they like and love doing business with people they trust.

Unfortunately the few companies presently savvy enough to engage in Social Media Marketing almost always do so in a haphazard manner, watering down their results and leading to resignation. This is not necessary. What is missing is smart strategy for focused results.

Their lack of strategy is your opportunity to shine! Let Covenant Designs bring marketing communication distinctions to your social media marketing campaign -- orchestrating it for the sweet sounds of success. Call 972-822-3587.

8 Ways We Boost The Value Of Your Corporate Blog

At Covenant Designs we make your blog mean business. We utilize all the vital skill sets that corporate blogging requires –  marketing communications, professional writing, public relations, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and rich media + video to blog in a strategic way to promote your profits.

1 • Focus on what's important: we keep your blog on track with positive Public Relations pieces, responsiveness to Market Trends and Industry Changes.

2 • Blogging For Search: that means elevating the visibility of your business web site in Google and Yahoo. You cannot attract the right new business unless you are found by your ideal prospects.

3 • Social Networking: we orchestrate your social media marketing campaign so that all elements (including your corporate blog) is integrated. The synergy of a mass of signposts, articles and testimonials delivers the message of a unified voice promoting your products and services.

4 • Content and Volume: Search engines look at your content, so we optimize your social media marketing campaign to amass a growing number of positive key terms, words and phrases. That in turn attracts your most interested business prospects.

5 • Keyword Awareness: In keeping with the above, we blog in a keyword-aware way to make you "king" of the best terms for your marketplace.

6 • Keep It Simple: we deliver clear and concise corporate messaging. You audience will receive, understand and be motivated to trust and respond to your strategic message.

7 • Widespread employee blogging: we provide a focus point for all your employees' blogs. Think integrated social media for optimum impact.

8 • Measurable Results: we can track your reputation online, your visibility in search engines, the number of subscribers, viewers of your videos, etc. This way we can intelligently steer your social media marketing campaign to keep it on track for your best interests.

Conclusion

One additional tactic for effective corporate blogs is the promotion of your blog. We have strategies to automate and syndicate your blog  - spreading it where it makes the most difference. Putting your content in other places allows it to multiply and amplify the value of your content.

Your prospects already rely on Social Media for the real scoop on their products and services. For real results in today's marketplace, contact Promise Productions as your corporate Social Media Marketing source. Call 972-822-3587.

Social Media Marketing for Corporations

Fellas, let me say this one more time: ignore social media marketing and you ignore your market.

Corporations of all sizes need to face the fact that their customers have already been using social media (Twitter, Facebook, Strategic Blogging, etc.) for some time where they readily discuss their experiences with companies of all kinds (their dry cleaners, their local fast food, their bank...).

These social media conversations have a rapidly GROWING influence that a corporation is blind to at its own peril. Your company, your brand, your market and your industry is already being talked about through social media -- I guarantee. 

Serious Statistics

A word about the "Growing" statement above. Did you know that Facebook alone grew over 550% in 2009. Did you know that 30% of all human beings on the planet use social media regularly (in all age brackets) and the numbers only continue to grow at ever-faster rates?

If you are not actively involved in that online conversation, or hiring social media marketing experts (like us of course) to extract the benefits for you, then it is like a ship with no one at the wheel. Your reputation is at the mercy of the wind and waves and sometimes they are flat out cruel. Sooner or later you are going to shipwreck. 

I can say with all certainty that the companies that are prosperous come 4th quarter 2009 are the same companies that took hold of the wheel of social media marketing (in a strategic way) and steered their ship towards profits, social media responsiveness, and a positive online reputation. 

Let me switch analogies on you: the other day I watched a video on how science has recently learned that bacteria in our bodies communicate through a complex set of chemicals with each other. They are surprisingly social creatures. 

An average human body has a trillion cells and a bacterium is just one cell. So no matter how pathogenic it is, it will have basically no effect on the body all by itself. 

In fact, science has recently learned that disease-causing bacteria are able to communicate with each other to learn when their numbers in our bodies are of sufficient mass such that when they launch their attack on our immune system (in significant numbers) they will succeed. Amazing little buggers! 

Your company's PR and reputation in the body of social media is a lot like that. One complaint (like one bacterium) is not very dangerous to the health of your business. But complaints have a way being shared and a way of snowballing. If unchecked by positive social media (ask us more about how we do this), the social media complaints can, and have, taken down entire companies.

Example: social media was recently used to show how to simply disable a Kryptonite brand lock with a mere ballpoint pen. This proves that Kryptonite could defeat even Superman, but not the power of social media. Talk about a disaster for the brand -- they had no one steering their social media and now the company, for all its 50 years of work and building a successful reputation, is in the toilet nearly overnight. 

The word on the street: "They're worthless. I don't trust them anymore." (full story) In fact, a video demonstration sits right next to the corporate web site on Google! Your company is equally vulnerable to rogue social media but it does not have to be.

Friends, colleagues and CEO's, don't be the next corporate disaster story. You know blogs get read; you're reading mine! Proactively embrace a strategic business approach to your social media marketing campaign starting with strategic blogging. 

A little action goes a lot further than massive good intentions. Let Promise Productions Marketing Communications put social media to work FOR your company. Our experts can be reached at 972-822-3587.

Social Media Marketing for Corporations - Tar Pit #3

This post continues the discussion of avoiding Social Media Marketing Tar Pits that will sink your business into extinction.

Covenant Designs is media marketing communications firm. That means we leverage Social Media marketing as your most powerful marketing tool. Now, more than ever, businesses need to adapt to the communications revolution that Social Media continues to be. More than every they need to get both quick short term and long term benefits from their budgets (their PR, Sales, Marketing, and Business Development budgets).




TAR PIT #3: Talking AT instead of WITH your prospects and customers will doom your company to extinction. Until your business actively demonstrates its willingness to care and listen to its customers, they will not care to listen to you. They will instead turn to a competitor that does care to listen and engage socially about the products and services they want.

Corporations are notorious for communicating in a style where they are "on high" (untouchable). Corporations pretend they never make mistakes and this act only futher sinks them down into the tar of distrust that kills the very sales their "good act" hoped to promote! Acting as if you are inaccessible is passé. Acting as if your company is above neeing to bend to the desires of your customers is pretentious and deadly. It is business suicide in the era where customer service means standing shoulder to shoulder.

Social Media is about authenticity and relating to the needs and desires of your customer. Social Media enables and necessitates a two-way dialogue between company and customer (both B2B and B2C). Continuing to sell or market in a way that simply talks at your customers is a deadly tar pit that will leave you stuck while your business leaves you for greener pastures.

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Let us position you so that your customers want to do business with you and rave about you afterwards! At our core, we are about attracting the business profits you want.

Promise Production provides strategic social media campaign services so corporations can successfully outsource their social media knowing it is optimized to benefit them the most. For details call 972-822-3587.

Social Media Marketing for Corporatations - Avoiding Tar Pits

As a strategic marketing communications firm, Promise Productions is a leader in applying the advances in Social Media to corporate America. Now, more than ever, businesses need to adapt to the communications revolution that Social Media continues to be. More than every they need to get the most results from their budgets (their PR, Sales, Marketing, and Business Development budgets).

In that light, our next critical message to corporate America is how to successfully apply Social Media Marketing Campaigns by avoiding Tar Pits. Corporations are particularly susceptible to these 3 Tar Pits that will trap them into a quick extinction.




TAR PIT #1: Assigning your corporate social media to an existing internal department that lacks the the full array of communications and media skill sets that social media campaign success requires. Social Media success requires close integration with IT, PR, Marketing, Video and Writing skillsets. As such, you either need to form your own full-time social media department of 5-10 full-time professionals, or outsource it to a reliable expert firm such as Covenant Designs.

TAR PIT #2: Ignoring social media as a fad. Denial is a sure fire tar pit that will sink your business into extinction. Social Media marketing is big. It is here to stay. It is evolving so fast that it requires full-time attention.

Our next post will address The Third Major Tar Pit. Stay tuned!

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At our core, we are about attracting the business profits you want. Let us position you so that your customers want to do business with you and rave about you afterwards!

Promise Productions provides strategic social media campaign services so corporations can successfully outsource their social media knowing it is optimized to benefit them the most. For details call 972-822-3587.