Entrepreneurs go into business for themselves for a few reasons. They are looking for longtime financial freedom. They are tired of the commute. They no longer want to work hard and build someone else’s dream. We get it.

However, starting and growing a business is hard work. The hardest job you’ll ever have. It never stops because, if you have a fire in your belly, you’ll never stop thinking about ways to make it better…. to do more…to expand and reach new customers.

The problem is that people work their companies to build the very best widget and provide top-notch customer service. But, they often fail to invest time and money into the one thing that is guaranteed to expand their reach…to drive traffic to their website or store.

Yes, I know. You have a marketing plan. You likely have a website that has been around for a while. Maybe it’s updated, maybe it isn’t. Here’s what I know for sure: it isn’t driving business the way you want it to — or you wouldn’t have time to read this blog post.

I read something recently that got me thinking. The article said, “Very few people are intentional about their own values and beliefs. Additionally, very few people are proactive about designing their environment.”

The article quoted Dr Marshall Goldsmith, who said: “If you do not create and control your environment, your environment creates and controls you.”

For those of us who do business on the Internet, your “environment” is your website. Your digital marketing strategy is what you use to control it.

And, quite frankly, if you aren’t controlling how people find you and then doing everything in your power to compel them to click or call, rest assured that your environment — in this case, your competition — will control you.

Now, it’s also been said that “If you spend each day moving forward toward your dreams, you’ll be shocked how far you go. We have more than enough time to do an enormous amount of good in our lives if we use the time we have.”

If takes commitment to succeed and grow. You know that. You may even have the desire to do what it takes to commit but neither the time nor skills.

That’s ok. I doubt Harmonia Media can do what you do best. So, this is a case you get by with help from your friends. At Harmonia Media, we’ll hold your hand and/or do it all for you while you focus on your core business.

We’ll work your digital marketing strategy daily, as your partner. When you can’t spare the time to make the commitment, rest assured, we will.

Let’s talk. You don’t know what you don’t know. (But I think we do!) Contact Harmonia Media for a free phone consultation. And, get ready to drive business directly to your bottom line.

Soapbox time. Thanks, in advance, for allowing me to vent. I promise the point I make in the next two minutes will change your perspective.

Ready? OK.

Are you a leader or a follower? You’ve probably heard that question, asked that question of others…heck…wondered why some think the answer is such a big deal.

It should not be a big deal to others, but it is an interesting way to view yourself.

Case in point…

I know I’m a leader. I want to be in charge. I have lots of ideas and opinions and, at least according to the coffee mug my coworkers bought me, “You’re entitled to MY opinion.”

Yes, I’ve been called bossy. The horror! Bossy people get sh*t done.

But I digress…

The fact is that I’ve noticed the organizations that ask if you are a leader or follower think they want lots of leaders around. No one wants sheep, right? They want to attract vibrant go-getters — strong people who are willing to jump in and IT is done.

The problem is that those are the very organizations who already know how they want it done. In fact, for better or worse, ’til death does them part, there’s no changing “the way we’ve always done it.”

The situation can, and for me, often is,  infuriating. You want my money. You ask for new ideas. And then you do it the same way, without an upgrade, it’s always been done.

I hate this because I am a Queen Bee, not a worker bee.

Why can’t we do it a new way? In fact, in business, we have no choice to change and grow. People change. Options change. Grow or die.

And, the truth is, doing the same old is detrimental for many reasons.

• Real leaders disengage if they are treated like sheep. 
  

• If you don’t try something new, it’s impossible to enjoy the benefits of something new. 
  

• Plus, we grow from mistakes. Never taking a chance means you guarantee stagnation.
  

Some say, if you do it the way you’ve always done it, the results will be what you’ve always gotten.

No, ‘Fraid not.

At best, you have a lot of disgruntled sheep and some leaders who get very good at complaining from their perches about “doing all the work.”

There’s always a new way. Often, a better way. This doesn’t mean throwing away the tried and true.

This lesson is especially valid in the world of digital marketing.

Google tweaks its algorithms daily which means best practices on how to optimally drive web traffic or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) changes daily.

Great content requires constant upgrades because let’s face it, your business is constantly evolving. New products and offerings increase your bottom line. And even if you aren’t adding to your business, upgraded high-quality content makes Google happy.

Rinse and repeat.

If your digital marketing company has always done it the same way and your web traffic and sales reflect that stale behaviour, you owe it to your client and customers to find a new web company.

At Harmonia Media, there are no bad ideas. In fact, we’ve got lots of great ones about how to increase your bottom line.

Let’s talk! Contact us for a FREE phone consultation and we will show you why we are different from the competition.

Your inbox is probably full of them. It seems everyone is sending out a newsletter to current customers and prospects. How many do you open? Further, do you ever click through to go to the website, read the article or scan the offer?

It’s been at least a minute since you looked at your email. How many of those many newsletters do you even remember?

Yeah. That’s the problem with newsletters. Companies pour tons of money and brainpower into developing them and managing their email lists but few hit the mark. It’s discouraging for certain…

Let’s start with whether or not you need a newsletter. Let me ask you this…do you want to communicate with your customers? Do you want to share news of sales and other offers? Do you want to be top of mind when someone they know asks for a referral? On the prospect side, do you know how steep your competition is?

Assuming you answered “yes” to every one of those questions, I’ll answer the big question the same way. Does your company need nurturing e-newsletter? YES!

“Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs Content Marketing 2019 reports found that 87% of B2B marketers name email as their top tactic for nurturing their audience while 80% of B2C marketers named it as their top tactic,” according to an article on Top Rank Marketing.

Tip 1. Focus on the Reader NOT Your Company

Huh? What’s the point of a newsletter if you aren’t going to share your news, right? Yes, and no. It’s all in the presentation. Just like with a great sales pitch, it’s important to focus the letter on the needs of the reader. They don’t yet know they need what you are emailing about. They do know what they need right at this moment. Focus on how your product or service fills the need they might have.

An example: Let’s say you sell cars. Instead of writing about your new car that just hit the lot or the great finance deal you have, focus on the grind of getting to work in rush hour in a car that might be less than optimally viable.

I’m frustrated and the last thing I want to think about is car shopping. But…when it’s hot out and I have no AC and you tell me about how I deserve to be more comfortable…well now I’m listening.

Tip 2. Offer News They Can Use

Oh, and by the way, we mean news that isn’t about you. Of course, connect your company in a subtle way to the point of the letter. However, focus on something your readers don’t know but want to learn.

Again, refer to No. 1 above. Never lose sight of what the reader wants to be reading. The moment you do, they won’t be reading your email anymore.

Tip 3. Personalize All Email Correspondence

Let’s go back to my very first point. We are all inundated with so much email that there simply isn’t time in the day. You can hit the target with Tips 1 & 2 listed here, but what will it matter if no one reads your newsletter.

Therefore, narrow the focus on your subject lines. You may not attract the attention of every recipient but you will catch the eye of those who need to know about what you are emailing them about. Choose a different focus to capture another area of your market in the next newsletter.

Another lesson we should all keep in mind is that there will inevitably be people that our content is NOT for. Ann recommends focusing on our “Doris” and not on those people who our letters are not intended for.

A recent survey of people who are employed as digital marketing professionals revealed what’s new in the world of driving web traffic. The key to increasing customer interest in your brand online is very simple: personalize everything about your prospect’s experience when they look for you (and find you) on the web.

In fact, here is an important takeover statistic from the survey: “98% of marketers agree that personalization improves customer relationships.”

Now, to be clear, we said the key to online success is simple. We didn’t say it was easy, nor did we say it happens overnight.

How we personalize a customer experience on your site is as individual as your company and your customer audience itself. Harmonia Media specializes in website personalization and we would be happy to offer you a free phone consultation to learn more about your needs.

Contact Harmonia Media for a FREE

phone consultation about your digital marketing plan

While we can’t go into detail about how to personalize your online presence, we can review WHY it’s so critical to make sure each and every customer feels as though you have what they need and are ready to treat them the way they want to be treated.

Use it or lose it. You have a very small window to get someone’s attention when they get to your website. A person either gets the feels or they don’t. They decide quickly if yours is the kind of company they want to do business with and shell out hard-earned money.

So, don’t waste even a split second of time with anything other than getting to the heart of the matter — namely answering their questions and making sure they know they are in the right place.

Personalization requires some back-end technical work that allows a website to capture information about visitors to, essentially, customize/personalize the experience. An example is when you return to a website and you are greeted with a big “Hello (your name!) Welcome back!”

Another type of personalization is making sure that you are shown items related to your previous search and/or purchase. It stands to reason, for example, that is you just bought a washing machine, a return visit to the site may be for a clothes dryer.

Consumers know that Google is collecting information about them all the time. In this speeding high-tech world, we may not like that our online activities are being tracked, but we accept they are — for the most part.

All we can hope is that honest companies, like yours, are using the information to personalize experiences to delight customers. Who doesn’t love to be remembered by name? And if you can save a customer time by directing them to their next purchase they’ll love you more.

The bottom line is that personalization is here to stay and it’s only going to become more important. As a company looking to drive web traffic, embrace personalization and use it for all it’s worth. Because make no mistake about it, it’s worth a lot!

Are you happy with your website and digital marketing strategy? Wondering if you can attract more customers to your site and compel them to buy? Contact Harmonia Media for a FREE phone consultation about your digital marketing plan

I had three conversations this week that have changed my perspective on business and life. Pretty profound, huh? Fifty-three years, three phone calls and BAM! I’m seeing things in a new way. (To be fair, the following three things actually solidified my point of view and serve as great reminders about facts we take for granted.)

Let me explain.

• The first conversation happened with a man I’ve known for a while but we were talking about Harmonia Media helping his company grow. He said he hadn’t really put much effort into his digital marketing strategy because he thought his business was about “who he knew” and relationships. Could a great website with compelling content really make a difference in terms of who he knows?

         You never know until you try.

• The second conversation was with another prospective Harmonia Media client. But this time around, he knew he absolutely needs a digital marketing strategy. The company has a decent website but they are doing very little to drive traffic. When I asked him to tell me more about his company, he started in the best possible way. He said that the company’s philosophy is that it doesn’t matter what you sell, it matters how you act before, during and after you sell it.

How you treat people is the most important thing.

• The third conversation was a bit different. On this call, I was the “customer.” I was asking someone to get me something I needed. You would have thought I was asking him to help me move! I needed him to email me a photo he had taken the day before. On the first attempt, he sent me a screenshot that was very low resolution. I asked again. He replied saying he deleted the first photo. Didn’t offer to take another shot. So, I had to ask for a replacement. He sent me Photo No. 2 – it, too, was not usable. When I asked if there was any way he could figure out a way to help me, he told me his phone can’t do any better.

         Like phone, like an owner.

So, what did I learn from these three interactions that changed my worldview?

• Everything and I means everything, is about relationships.Who you know…who you can assist…how — with a little help from your “friends” – you can succeed. I explained to my new friend that great digital marketing strategy can help spread the word about the fact that he is someone worth getting to know and that his service is well worth knowing about. I believe this to be true about everyone.
• How you treat people is your calling card.When you talk the talk, people want to walk your walk. When this prospect described his company as “client-centric” instead of telling me about his products, I had a very clear understanding of who this man was and what his company stands for. I went to the website and made a purchase. We are all the sum of the company we keep. I want to surround myself with people who are doing good — for the right reasons.
• We can’t expect people to be better than they are. This guy spent a lot of time telling me how he couldn’t get anything done. Something simple. If he wasn’t able to come up with a solution to grainy photos, he is likely not someone I want to have to rely on for much, if anything.

Bottom line, some people are just jerks. Stay away from those people. There are plenty of people worth knowing. And, I guess, in this story, two out of three ain’t bad.

At Harmonia Media, we want to get to know you and your company! When you have a message you think is worth sharing, we can help! Take advantage of a FREE phone consultation because we are worth knowing.

In the world of digital marketing, the first shot on goal is getting a prospective customer to make contact — by phone, email, online contact form, even in person when possible.

One problem we hear a lot is that companies don’t know exactly what to do when they receive the ultimate prize — that voicemail, email or contact form requesting more information.

Now, you may think: what’s the big deal? Pick up the phone. Answer the email. Reach out to the contact form client in the quickest way possible. After all, you have a fish on the hook and you want to reel them in before they getaway, right? Besides, people are widely fickle these days and customer activity is all about timing.

For example, I may be interested in booking a venue for a party. I Google my local options and  I narrow down my choices. Maybe I pick up the phone or send an email. Maybe I simply request more information via an online form. Regardless of how I make contact, I am now an official “lead.” The challenge for the company is that they need to get back to me when it’s convenient for me to communicate.

A return phone call or the email may come at a time when I can’t focus on my party. And, the time has a nasty way of changing plans and priorities. Next time I think about my party planning, I may or may not reach out again. And, if I do, the company better have the information I need or I’ll get frustrated quickly.

This is simply the world of online commerce. It’s about being at the right place at the right time with the right information and the right price. It’s about making a connection with the prospect so they want to continue the conversation. In my example, that venue needs to get me to actually come in to take a tour and discover what the venue has to offer.

There is a huge leap between filling out a contact form and actually getting someone to show up for a meeting.

Therefore, it’s important to have a strategy in place about the best way to follow up on a new customer inquiry.

Make sure your entire staff is on the same page.

Since you may only get one shot to get the prospect to take action (make the appointment, purchase, etc.) your “talk track” has to be solid.

Don’t be afraid to role play customer interactions with any staff that may make contact. Have a script on-hand with answers to common questions. And, very important: have a particular way of handling the contact if your team member doesn’t have the information being requested. It’s important to make the prospect feel taken care of and that their inquiry is of top importance to you.

A Thought about “Cold Calling.”

In this particular case, cold calling refers to someone who is either inquiring about general information (a warm lead) or when you have been given the name of someone you feel may be interested in what you do or sell. Think of this as a very lukewarm lead.

First things first, you have to decide whether you will respond by email or phone call. Many experts suggest there is a lot of wisdom in going the email route.

In his book “Cold Calling Early Customers,” author Robert Graham suggests there are three reasons to start the conversation via email.

1. You get to layout the information YOU want to share. You can offer background, a special deal, and/or education about what you sell so the prospect can have a clear path to action. You basically are telling them what they can do and making it easier for them to do it.
2. An email gives you the ability to ask for a phone call. This way, the call is made at their convenience and they are more likely to be open to the conversation and sales pitch.
3. Lastly, an email is a great conversation starter that doesn’t leave the company open to questions they might not be able to answer at the moment. It’s a slow entree into the relationship.

However, it’s important to remember that regardless of how you make the first connection, your company has to step up its game to close the deal and keep the customer. There is plenty of competition out there.

Our advice? Use the best digital marketing practices and some ahead-of-the-curve strategies to attract traffic and win new customers. Learn more by contacting Harmonia Media for a free phone consultation. We promise we’ll be ready for your call!

Why Even Hardcore DIY Business Owners Need a Digital Marketing Consultant 

Almost by definition, small business owners enjoy being involved in day-to-day business activities. After all, you’re the one with skin in the game and if the business doesn’t grow, the buck stops with you.

That being said, entrepreneurs and growth-oriented business owners cannot possibly do it all…well. It’s just not possible. There aren’t enough hours in the day. Besides, anyone who thinks they know everything about everything is in for a rude awakening when it comes to being successful in business.

We aren’t suggesting you shouldn’t take a healthy hands-on approach to your business, but it’s just as important to know what you don’t know. And, the best way to do that is to contract with consultants who do what they do best.

Hiring a consultant, an expert in a particular field — such as digital marketing — is a win-win proposition.

• First, doing so allows you to focus on your core business.
• Second, you have the benefit of working with experienced professionals who can help you take your business to the next level.

Let’s Face Facts.

To save money, and keep a tight hold on what’s happening in the company, it’s not unusual for business owners to look for someone already on staff who can handle work better left to the experts. You may think it’s worth the cost savings to have your administrative assistant handle social media or take on blog writing on your own.

Sorry, but you would be wrong. Statistics reveal small business employees are already doing multiple jobs. When time gets tight, do you want them to ignore their “day jobs” in favour of important marketing tasks? Plus, there is a big difference between doing something and doing it effectively. And, surely, you already know that you don’t have time to write blogs, correct?

The truth is, we are all about being smart about saving money. However, by not managing your online marketing activities properly, you are not only losing money by failing to drive traffic to your website but you are likely spending money that isn’t working for you. (Remember, hiring ad hoc marketing help only saves money if the person hired is great at what they do. If not, you are burning money.)

So, if too much of your time is already spent on activities that do not core to your business — shake your head “yes” — you should really consider hiring a business consultant who can help you get on the right track to success. This is especially true when it comes to web marketing. If your prospective customers can’t find you to buy from you, why are you in business?

What to Look for in a Digital Marketing Consultant

First and foremost, a good digital marketing consultant will be clear about what they will do for you during the contract period. To do this properly, they will need to assess your current digital marketing plan and offer a “State of the Union” assessment.

Next, you should be able to rely on a marketing consultant to create a new marketing strategy based on your business goals. Look for questions about your products and services, your clients and target customers, your competition and more.

Last, but certainly not least, you’ll want a strategy for driving web traffic using great SEO, social media, high-quality content, email marketing, paid ad strategies and a wide variety of other online marketing tools designed to attract customers to your digital doorstep and to compel them to take action!

Harmonia Media would love to help you with all your digital marketing needs. From business consulting to website development and implementation to content that “wow” and the real, honest SEO strategies that drive traffic, you can rely on our expertise to assist you in growing your company.

Contact us for a free phone consultation and learn why Harmonia Media’s clients say we are different than the multitudes of companies that talk the talk but fail to walk the walk. Read about Matt’s story...

By the way, if you are already in a digital marketing contract with a company that isn’t doing what they promised, Harmonia Media has an option for you. Contact us about a short-term consulting arrangement where we can not only assess your current digital marketing plan but help you move toward a new strategy.