Brand Tweet # 32: "Plan your marketing month" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

Plan what you are doing this month to market your company. Are you writing a blog, answering questions online, sending out a mailing, updating your website, all of the above? Make sure you schedule things appropriately allowing yourself enough time to get the work finished and spacing the events throughout the month so you don't overload yourself. Also, you can cross-market to build your audience. Your Tweet could read "Don't miss this month's special offer in our Newsletter, Sign up now!" Multiple touchpoint marketing should reinforce itself, increasing the visibility of your company.

Brand Tweet # 33: "Where to Network?" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

More importantly, Where do your clients network? Because that is where you should be. If you are an accountant do not go to an accounting society event to get business. Go there for contacts and vendors. If your firm serves the construction industry then find those organizations. You will be the only accountant in the room. A much better ratio for you to find potential clients. Look at the Encyclopedia of Associations, which is available in reference libraries. NOTE: Not all libraries are reference libraries; usually only the larger ones in an area are, so call ahead and ask.

Brand Tweet # 34: "Is there a path for your visitor to follow?" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

I'm on the site for 3.5 seconds. What do I want to do? There are 5 choices in front of me. Is it a clear decision? Is there a path to the information I need? This is hard because people need different levels of convincing. Usually as the item price goes up, the complexity of the sale increases, and the amount of information necessary to review for the sale to move forward also increases. How do you plan for this? Try looking at this book "Web Copy That Sells." It is a good place to start.

A little bird told me - Brand Tweet # 35: "Newsletters" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

Newsletters are a great way to put yourself in front of your client base and let them know what you have been doing, industry news, what is on your mind and what is coming up. They take some time and effort but can easily be streamlined by using a service if your industry supports one. Design professionals can also do most of the work for you as well.

Brand Tweet # 36: "Referral Partners" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

When building your business you need to identify your referral partners - those who can refer business to you and whom in turn you can send business back to. The partners that you can form this dual direction referral exchange with can sometimes even be viewed as extensions of your company. When treated well, these people will become a great source of clients for you. Ask yourself what is in it for them? Give it to them and they will become loyal partners in business.

Brand Tweet # 37: "Milestones" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

From your annual marketing plan, you need to define milestones for tracking purposes. Whether they are time or event driven, make sure there is an ability to track progress incrementally and a process of review and revision in place. If you haven't created your annual marketing plan (Tweet #81) and defined your KPIs (Tweet #40) you won't have any reference point to judge the success of your marketing.

Brand Tweet # 38: "The Buddy System" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

This is an excellent way to network if you are good at not speaking to the other person very much. You go together and immediately head in opposite directions when you get to the room. During the course of the night you look out for opportunities for each other and introduce prospects back and forth. You are acting as each other’s walking testimonials.

Brand Tweet # 39: "Link Check" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

It only takes a few minutes. Go to http://validator.w3.org/checklink and check your site for broken links. This can bring down your rankings with the search engines and be extremely annoying to your visitors. Have your webmaster clean up the situation. OR go to this great little site: http://www.dead-links.com. It will allow you to check your entire site by simply entering your domain. Check it out!

Brand Tweet # 40: "What is a KPI?" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator. It is a specific marker or goal determining the success of a project. In marketing, you might have several KPIs, for example number of visitors to a website might be the first, followed by conversion rate, then by actual sales made from conversions. This would determine the cost of acquisition of a customer. It is important to specify the KPIs at the beginning of the project so you can make sure they are tracked throughout.

Brand Tweet # 41: "What do you want them to do once they arrive at your site?" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

Why am I here? What am I supposed to do? Once a person hits your site you have approximately 2 seconds to keep them or lose them. You need to decide what you want them to do once they arrive and lead them down the path to a goal.

A little bird told me - Brand Tweet # 42: "Signage: Sometimes the Truck Says It All!" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

Have you ever seen a truck that looks like a sign shop threw up on it? There is everything including the kitchen sink on there. I saw as much content as was on their website! Who is going to read all that at 60 MPH? Keep it simple: logo, tagline, phone or website. Most people will not have a pen handy so the phone number must be catchy, or the website should indicative of the product.

A little bird told me - Brand Tweet # 43: "Refer a Friend" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

Make sure you include a “refer a friend” link on your email blasts. I know I will send useful information to others in my network as a way of staying in touch and provide value with minimal effort. People appreciate that you are thinking about them. Now do you know anyone who would appreciate receiving the Brand Tweets? Of course you do. So what are you waiting for?

Brand Tweet # 44: "Weeding Out" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

Checking for all out of date materials on your site is critical to keeping your site fresh and relevant. Look for "Last updated on …" or current events or in the news article that have past their prime. What about upcoming events from 2 years ago? Placing these sections on your site also places a commitment on you to be a regular provider of updates. If you don't have the time or want to do this, then don't add that kind of section to your site.

Brand Tweet # 45: "What is your USP?" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

Your USP or Unique Selling Proposition is a result of your market position (See Tweet #55). It is the core benefit of your company, service, or product. It is the culmination of your market research. What is your USP? What sets you apart from the competition in such a way that no one can touch your offering? Can you offer a quality guarantee? Can you remove all barriers from buying? Can you provide a money back guarantee? Do you believe in your USP?

Brand Tweet # 46: "The Card Dealer"

We've all met this guy. He is dealing out his cards faster than blackjack in Vegas. Don't be that guy. Have a conversation and if it makes sense, they will ask for your card. If they don't, then you ask for theirs and they will reciprocate.

# 47: To show, or not to show?

Where should you be showing off your stuff? It seems like the general biz expos are falling by the wayside in favor of targeted shows and other venues for interaction with markets. Companies with a very specific target market can do very well using trade shows to build brand awareness, make industry contacts and monitor trends. Trade shows aren't for everyone and I would advise you to take a season and go to every relevant trade show and ask the competition how things are going. Inevitably they will say great but gauge for yourself the floor traffic, the attitude of the crowd etc. then for the next year you can develop a trade show operating plan. The initial costs are high but the prep before and follow up afterwards is essential for success. Make sure you have people and systems in place to maximize your ROI

# 48: What are Keywords?

Keywords are an index term, subject term, subject heading, or descriptor, in information retrieval. They are a term that captures the essence of the topic of a document. The proper use of keywords is essential for indexing your information whether it is an article, website, web page or news item. This is how potential clients will find you online based on their search terms.

# 49: A Question of Quality

I have had small business owners tell me to design something for them and they want to print it out on their desktop printers. I generally advise against this for anything other than forms and letterhead. Even letterhead should be printed professionally and then run through a desktop printer for a letter. It really makes a difference when you do it this way. It is the proper way of doing it because it looks professional. Don't think you are fooling anyone, you are not; your printer really isn't that good. Something so minor and simple can change people's opinions of you and hurt your brand image. On a per piece basis, it is always cheaper the have it done professionally than to do it yourself.

# 50: Minimize THREATS

Outside forces often threaten a business. Sometimes we can do something about it, sometimes not. Look for threats you can mitigate either through planning, insurance, or a change in business strategy. Some common ones are: having a single client who represents over 20% of your income, not having a Business Owner’s Policy, Errors & Omissions Policy, or other necessary insurance coverage, or being weighted too heavily in one industry. Look at external threats and deal with them before the problem becomes real.

# 51: Spel cHek Anyonee?

Please spell check your copy for the website and all your marketing materials. It sounds obvious but you have no idea how many typos I have found on websites. Improper grammar is also a challenge. Don't just run a spell check, it won't identify misspelled words from (form) other correct words. It is worth saying this twice.

# 52: Announcing...

Using email-marketing announcements are a great way of drawing attention to an event, new product or service, award, or just about anything. The key is in the images and copy. Do they generate interest? Excitement? Do they make your recipient want to respond? If not, it hasn't done it's job, which means you haven't done yours. Get a copywriter to create some sizzle. Make sure your list is up to date and eliminate bounces. Check that your list is the correct one for the message.

# 53: Define your Target Market

Before you do anything you need to define whom you are selling to. If you don't know that then how can you craft an effective message? How can you figure what your value proposition will be if you don't know what the potential client base needs and wants? Get a clear picture in your mind of the end user. How old are they? Men? Women? Rich or poor? Interests and hobbies? Places they congregate? Organizations they belong to? When you have a clear picture, go find ten people to sit in a focus group and give you their opinions about your product or service. It takes time but it is time well spent.

# 54: Networking Dress Code?

It depends on your industry and the group or firm, but a good general rule to follow is to dress one step above the rest of the people you will be with. If you are unsure? Wear a suit. It NEVER hurts to overdress. Human beings are visual. If you dress well you will be taken more seriously. Seems shallow, I know, but that is how we behave.

# 55: Positioning: Why should I buy from you?

Are you going to make my life easier? Are you going to make me rich? Are you going to help my business succeed? Is everyone going to be jealous of what I’ve got? Why do I want what you are selling? Once you figure me out, you will make the sale. If you solve my problem, you make the sale. Come on, convince me you are the only one for me.

# 56: Exploit OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities are the candy in the store window. Choose carefully and follow up earnestly with those that seem worthwhile. Not all opportunities are a good thing, be selective and you will be better off in the long run.

# 57: NOT MySpace

Unless you have a product or service that directly sells to the teenage/twenty-something market, I would stay away from this site. It is entirely playtime for the very young. If you do target that market, make sure you spend a lot of time researching how the community communicates.

# 58: Where the hell do I click?

Making site easy to navigate is essential in retaining visitors. If they can't quickly and easily locate the information they need, they will go somewhere else. The attention span of your visitors is extremely short. Make sure when you design your site it provides your visitor with a direct link to where they want to be.

# 59: The Handshake

Strong eye contact, a firm (but not crushing) grip and a single pump works best in new encounters. An open, honest face, with the hint of a smile welcomes someone. Men, traditionally it is the woman who should offer her hand first, otherwise do not offer yours first. I do not know how much this relates to those 40 and under, they seem to be much more informal but those with business experience understand this implicitly.

Brand Tweet # 60: "Shore up WEAKNESSES" http://www.pmw.net/tweets 100 days to building a better brand!

Weaknesses are often created when we don't have someone on our team with a particular skillset or area of expertise. It is a hole in our abilities. Either find someone with those skills or develop them in yourself. Beware, no matter how motivated you are there is no one who can do it all. We all need help sometime. It can also be a blindspot in hiring, we tend to hire people who are similar to ourselves because we are comfortable with them. We also need to think about complimentary skill sets.