I don’t mean to be alarming but this is an alarming topic. If you fail to strategize, any digital marketing effort you do make will amount to virtually nothing. Digital marketing is a multi-piece, complex puzzle that needs to be customized for your company and managed properly in order to be effective.

Are You a Statistic?

According to Smart Insights, approximately half (49 per cent) of companies don’t have a plan for managing their marketing efforts online. WHAT? That is rather incredulous considering the fact that the number of people who aren’t using the Internet to gather information, make buying decisions and, in fact, close the deal are dwindling in record numbers. (Who are these people?)

Let’s break that down.

“For many Americans, going online is an important way to connect with friends and family, shop, get news and search for information,” according to Pew Research Center data. “Yet, 11 per cent of U.S. adults do not use the Internet.”

In 2000, 18 years ago, 48 per cent of American adults said they didn’t use the Internet.

If you think you can do business and not be trying to connect with, inform, delight, and sell to people who use the Internet, I hope you are selling spaceships or something. If your competition doesn’t exist, you can probably get away with not having a digital marketing strategy.

For the rest of you: WAKE UP!

The same Smart Insights article mentions that some 34 per cent of companies think they are marketing on the Internet — through a general marketing plan. They aren’t able to tell you what their digital marketing efforts are though. .Again, sorry to say, not good enough.

First off, the world of marketing has evolved to the point where “digital” is an offshoot and, thus, its own entity.

Marketing companies may be focused on TV and other large media. The essence of branding and logo creation — also rooted in traditional marketing. It’s in this space where the ever-present giant Google has no say.

But web marketing is a different animal altogether. Online, if you want to be found you need to understand digital marketing strategy — backward, forward, upside down and centre. (More accurately, you at least need to partner with a company that’s at the top of the digital marketing game.)

• You need to do everything possible to stay in line with a moving target known as Search. Optimizing search (Search Engine Optimization or SEO) is a science.

• High-quality content is paramount. It’s not enough to put sentences together or to even be clever about how you market your product with words and slogans. These days, great content writers are harder to find than rocket scientists (who, by the way, probably don’t need web marketing either — different topic.) Connecting with the reader is key. What you say and how you say it are critically important. This is true of the content on your website, your blog, your social media and every other piece of communication you put out online.

As we edge closer to 2019, I urge you to take a hard look at your bottom line. Have you met your sales goals? Lead count – good or could be better? Have you closed fewer deals than predicted? If you can honestly say business is great and you don’t want more deal flow/sales, then I say “Right on! Keep on keepin’ on!”

But if you recognize there is always room for improvement, I urge you to wake up and embrace digital marketing strategy for real. You don’t need to understand how it works (though, at Harmonia Media, we would love to explain it to you!) You don’t even need to understand why it works.

You just need to know that digital marketing is here to stay and it does drive customers to your online home. Let the Internet work for you while you focus on doing what you do best.

We will help. Contact Harmonia Media today for a free phone consultation about taking your digital marketing strategy (and accounts receivable) to new heights in 2019!

 

Many people live and die by email. We get up in the morning and check our inboxes first thing. If you are uber-plugged in, like me, you check it all day long. Sometimes, it feels similar to opening the fridge several times in an hour. Maybe there will be something good to eat ready and waiting for me? Maybe there will be an email that will change my life in my inbox?

Indeed, while mortal human beings use email for simple communication, the world of digital marketing has long thought it to be a go-to resource for connecting and reconnecting with potential customers. And, for a long time, it was a very productive way of nurturing customers — dripping on them, we in the biz might say — and doing everything possible to remain top of mind.

Then, email became a naughty word. SPAM took over and people thought ill of email marketing. It felt somehow wrong to be in someone’s face all the time. We took to other means to connect — and that’s one of the reasons social media became so popular as a means of creating community.

However, email is back and better and more effective than ever. This is true because, when you think about it, it’s a private form of social media. With a few words, I can send you a message customized for you that arrives directly in your inbox — for your eyes only.

In fact, according to an article in Entrepreneur, “the power of email marketing — yes, even in 2018 — shouldn’t be underestimated. According to CRM giant Salesforce, email marketing earns a remarkable ROI: $38 for every dollar spent, or 3800 per cent.”

In fact, research shows, one of the best ways to retain customers and spark interest in prospects is with a great eNewsletter filled with highly relevant content. Consider that once someone has engaged with you — whether they made a purchase or simply inquired — you can stay top of mind with them by offering info they can use. We aren’t talking about commercials. High-quality content is content that informs, engages, excites and moves the reader to action.

Besides, as Harvard Business Review reports, customer retention is critical to a company’s success. “It can cost up to 25 times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one,” the Entrepreneur articles notes adding that “enticing your website visitors to receive your newsletters regularly builds your brand, keeps it top-of-mind and drives continuous traffic to your site.

So, if you have a list of emails of people who have purchased from you before or simply inquired about your services, you can become a source of reliable and credible information to ensure they don’t forget you. When a past customer needs something you offer, they will remember you. If they are asked for a referral, they will remember you. And, when someone who “kicked the tires” but didn’t buy decides to get serious about a purchase, there you’ll be — right in their inbox. They’ll remember you.

If you don’t have a solid email list to use, you can start to create a database by offering something visitors want and would be willing to offer contact info to receive. Think eBooks, discounts, whitepapers, access to some specific research, a webinar, a gift…the list of possibilities is endless. People want free stuff and it costs little — and often nothing! — to give it to them in return for their extremely valuable contact information.

You may need to create more than one newsletter and send it out to groups based on current customers and future customers. An eNewsletter must be creative and eye-catching. If you send a poor one out, you are likely to get people who unsubscribe or just ignore you.

To avoid being deleted, find someone who knows the ins and outs of email marketing. A company that will design, create and execute on an email campaign that will keep your customers and would-be customers engaged and involved in your conversation.

Hey, how about Harmonia Media? We’ve got you covered when it comes to content, design and strategy for kick-butt email campaigns. Contact us for a free phone consultation and let’s drum up some new business for you.

(This blog is part one of a two-part series on email marketing. Look out for part 2 where we discuss what goes into an effective eNewsletter.)

Have you ever encountered something so preposterous you just walk around shaking your head wondering how it’s possible? Yeah, me too. Almost too often actually.

Sometimes, I wish I could shake someone and say: “Dude! Stop for a second! Look at what you’re doing! Look at how you’re wasting money! Look at how you’re wasting time!”

Why don’t business owners see the correlation between lazy behaviour and lack of sales? Is it really that hard to understand that even the greatest digital marketing strategy in the world means nothing if YOU don’t close the deal? (By “you,” of course, I mean whoever answers your company phone, responds to messages and/or online contact forms, etc. If that person is actually YOU, pay attention!)

Mould.

I know, right? I may have some in my house. Not happy about it. My allergies are not happy about it. In fact, no one is really happy to be around me these days. Stupid mould.

So I’m searching for a mould testing company online. Would you believe, this process is adding insult to injury.

I feel like this should require a simple search. Done

Leave a message. Done.

Wait for a callback. Crickets.

One guy put me on hold for 23 minutes. I only lasted that long because I got busy reading articles about mould remediation. I. Can’t. Even.

Finally, I hung up. How many potential clients is that guy losing? Whatever, right? Move on.

So I called the next company that came up in the Google search. The phone rang and went immediately to a voicemail. The VM box was FULL.

Look, this seems like something so obvious that it pains me to have to write it.

The best digital marketing company (HarmoniaMedia) can create an amazing website, drive traffic to that site with stellar SEO, inform and excite your community with compelling blogs and offer must-act calls to actions throughout high-quality content.

Here’s what we can’t do: ANSWER your phone or RESPOND to your content form submissions.

If you are looking to make more money, cultivate new clients, create an online community — great! Harmonia Media can do that for you. However, you need to commit to a closing process that is at-the-ready 24/7– because the Internet works 24/7.

Not sure where to go from here? That’s OK. We will help you. Harmonia Media wants to be your partner for the long-term. We start with a consultation and figure out where you are today and where you need to go. Then, we will craft a digital marketing strategy that will drive traffic right to your online home. Amazing content will engage them and compel them to buy or inquire for more information.

Then, it’s up to you and your team. But, don’t worry — we can assist in setting up a system customer management system that will allow you and your team to provide excellent customer response so that you don’t lose a single prospect!

Learn more about the Harmonia Difference and the many services we offer. Then contact us for a free phone consultation. No obligations. You’ve nothing to lose and a wealth of new customers to gain.

Think about your own company. How important is it to provide great customer service?

Now, think about your service providers, including your marketing agency. How often do you find yourself thinking most other companies may talk that talk, but rarely walk that walk?

Same here.

At Harmonia Media, like you, we’ve experienced our share of being promised a fancy dinner only to get the scraps. In fact, our founder, Matt O’Grady, started this company because he decided he was sick and tired of being taken advantage of by agencies who have nothing to lose. (They didn’t even seem upset that they lost a customer. They just moved on…convincing some other sod they could change the world with mediocre SEO and crappy content.)

Harmonia Media is quite different. First off, we don’t fix things that aren’t broken. It’s possible that some aspects of your digital marketing strategy are working – maybe not. We won’t know until we look under the hood, so to speak, and do a proper analysis.

Second, at Harmonia, our clients are not some number in a CRM. You work directly with Matt and our highly experienced content strategist Bari Faye Siegel. They will provide the quality services — and customer service — that you need, want and deserve.

Hey, it’s your money. Shouldn’t you get what you pay for? We think so. Contact Harmonia Media today for a free phone consultation. More leads and sales could be one contact away. Fill out our online contact form or call Matt at (855)  535-4848.

 

Sorry, in advance, for the earworm you are about to get

On any given day you can find me in one of two places: in front of my computer or behind the wheel of my car. I’m a content strategist and also an unpaid, overworked Mommy Uber. I drive my kid and his friends around like it’s my job.

The other day, I was driving them from here to there and listening as the kids got into a conversation about their favourite fast food places. (I’m proud to say my son didn’t have much to add.)

So, the topic was, what’s better — a Big Mac or a Whopper?

One kid reported that he liked Burger King because his mom told him the burgers are flame-broiled and you could “have it your way.”

The other boy chimed in with how much he loves Big Macs.

Kid No. 1 says, “what’s even in a Big Mac?”

That felt like that was my cue. I said, “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.”

All the kids laughed and my son said, “WHAT? Where did you pull that out of…”

Ah, I admitted, that’s just one of the super important pieces of information I have stored in my brain from hours of watching TV and commercials — with no ability to fast forward.

My son immediately checked my memory online. When he confirmed I was correct, they all wanted to know what else I know.

That list would have to wait for another day. We were at our destination. But, as I drove away it got me thinking. How did that jingle stay in my head for 40 years? And “I am stuck on Band-Aid, cause Band Aid’s stuck on me.” And, “I’m a pepper, drink Dr Pepper.” And “Like a good nation, State Farm is there.” I could go on indefinitely.

When I got back to my desk, I did some searches and found out that a study was recently conducted on this very topic. Signs.com asked 504 people (of different ages) about whether they could recognize certain jingles. (Try it yourself here.)

So now all of that is on a constant replay loop in my head. I apologize to you now for the earworms.

But anyway, the point here is that advertising of yesterday included memorable jingles that would easily pop into your mind as needed.

I’m hungry….two all-beef patties, special sauce…. mmmm McDonalds.

“The best part of waking up…” I could go for a cup of coffee.

Nationwide is on your side…hmm insurance anyone?

Today’s most vibrant marketplace is online, where images and words have to stick like glue. That’s why it’s important to have a website that connects with your prospects and a social media community where people are talking about you.

If your company name gets lodged in their memory bank, when they need you, your business will pop into their head as quickly as you can eat a Kit Kat. (Gimme a break, gimme a break…)

Go look at your own website right now. Do you LOVE it? On a scale of “meh” to “THE best” does it score an “I don’t know?” Unless you are positive that your online marketing strategy is doing its job (now and creating a memorable imprint for future recognition) you need a website checkup. How do you know if it’s doing its job? Easy. Are you satisfied with your lead flow and sales? Could they be better? We can help.

Contact Harmonia Media today for a free phone consultation (or call 855-535-4848) about your digital marketing strategy. We are not Staples but when it comes to knowing how to drive traffic to your website, we got that.

Everybody who is anybody is on social media these days. Whether it’s FB or Insta, Snapchat or Twitter, we are all friending and liking and snapping and tweeting our way through the day. If asked why you take your precious time to bother with social media, what would you say?If you are a parent and your response is, “I want to keep up with or keep an eye on my kids,” we say your answer is on point. However, if you’re a business owner and your answer is, “that’s what I am supposed to be doing,” you may be missing the target.

Maintaining an engaged, compelling social media presence is critically important for your digital marketing strategy. You want your brand involved wherever your potential customers are hanging out. In today’s world, that’s social media.

However, it’s not just about loitering in the vicinity of the crowd, you need to be in the centre of the circle. You want your company, product, service, etc., to be garnering praise and worthy of conversation. Every share, click and like you get means exponentially more people have the ability to learn about you.

More eyes mean more buys. That’s a fact.

One concept marketers toss about is the idea of SMART goals. The idea of choosing goals that are “specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely” is especially important when it comes to social media platforms. You want to set very specific goals that are relevant to your audience. They must have measurable results that are possible to achieve in a set timeframe.

If you stick to these SMART goals, you will always be shooting at a solid target. Your social efforts will never be in vain because you can stop and redirect if you head off-course. Also, this process will help your entire team choose goals that can be achieved.

In other words, wanting to increase sales by 100 per cent by the weekend is unrealistic. Setting a goal that you know upfront can’t be met is bad for your balance sheet and team morale, But setting achievable goals with reasonable deadlines can rally a team to move the needle forward. So how about 10 per cent by the end of the next quarter? That seems realistic and, when paired with a concrete strategy, it’s a goal that can be achieved.

So, how do you contribute meaningfully to the Twitterverse, etc. when you are clueless about what is considered relevant conversation? Or, more specifically, when you don’t know what your audience wants to know?

The answer is fairly simple: you partner with a team that can do the heavy lifting for you.

At Harmonia Media, we are proud to say one of our primary goals is to represent our clients honestly and boldly in social media. We have the gift of gab and we know how to use it for your benefit. We’ll “get” your voice down pat and connect with your customers and prospects.

Ready to start the conversation? So are we! Let’s talk. Contact Harmonia Media today for a free phone consultation. We’re different from other digital marketing agencies. Give us a few minutes of your time and you’ll see why.

Messy desks and cluttered offices are signs of a creative mind. It’s true — at least according to a study published in Psychological Science.

I have to say, I apparently have known that all along because my office is absurdly messy. I like to believe I can find everything when I need it, but I’d be lying to myself. In fact, most of the time I have to go out and buy a second one of something I need because I simply don’t have the patience to find it.

And, because I think I’m so productive that it’s easier to stop looking and just get what I need — I mean Staples is so organized, right? Whatever I want or need. They got that. They promise.

The truth is, it seems, there are many reasons to stop lying to myself and clean up my office. One of them is that, according to the Cleaning Services Group, “viruses can linger on unclean surfaces.” (I know this but actually reading it is disturbing, right?)

The second reason we should all spend some time decluttering is that “a cluttered desk may well be reducing your productivity.” (See infographic for a bunch of reasons why a clean office is better for all of us.)

In fact, an experiment conducted at Harvard University revealed “messy, untidy workplaces can undermine people’s persistence in completing tasks, therefore affecting productivity.”

In other words, keeping your workspace neat will encourage all of us to get more done, meet deadlines and stay ahead of my responsibilities. OK, at least I’ll save some time and money not going out to buy duplicate supplies. That makes sense.

Do you know what else makes sense? Keeping your online office tidy, as well. Face it, your website is your digital headquarters and if it’s a hodge-podge of design with crappy furniture (content) and crumbling walls (your back-end development) then no one will hang out with you. Further, if the map to your office (SEO) is screwed up, potential visitors will never even find you in the first place.

Therefore, stop spending money with a digital marketing company (think clean-up crew) that simply moves piles of crap from one place to another and sweeps dirt (broken links, poor SEO practices, bad content, etc.) under the proverbial rug.

We are Harmonia Media. Nice to meet you. Please give us a shot at getting your digital house in order. We even do Windows…. (LOL, see what I did there?!) Now, where is my squeegee?

Contact Harmonia Media today for a free phone consultation about your website and digital marketing strategy. We got this. We promise.

Have you ever been in a real courtroom or watched a courtroom drama on television and heard the judge ordered the jury to “disregard” whatever was just said in open court?

If you’re like me, you think, “no one can unhear that.” Despite the judge’s request, the words loom large. It doesn’t matter that the utterance should never have been said out loud. As they say, you can’t unspill milk.

That’s how I feel about reputation in general. You get a few times in life, if you are lucky, to reinvent yourself. If you move, for example, you can use it as a way to get a fresh start in a new place with people who are meeting you for the first time. Similarly, a new job or going to college often present similar opportunities to begin again…to reinvent yourself.

It’s with that in mind that I just don’t understand President Trump’s decision — at first — to refuse to lower flags to half staff in honour of Senator John McCain’s passing. Eventually, he agreed to honour the American hero, the way every modern-day president before him has done when a member of Congress has passed.

But we’ll remember the hours when the flags flew high. We can’t unsee that.

Of course, we know that history is not kind to people in lofty positions who fall short of our expectations. President Bill Clinton…well, I needn’t elaborate on this point. We all know that Clinton will be known for a lot of things, positive and less so. And, he will always be the man who “didn’t have sexual relations with that woman.”

But did. And we can’t un-know that.

The issue is simply this: it’s true you only have one chance to make a first impression. It’s also true that you have day after day after day to put yourself in a better light. You can’t disappear a grievous mistake, but you can learn from it and try to do better. You can try to reinvent yourself.

For companies, operating without a brand-protecting digital marketing strategy is like sailing a ship without a captain. It’s going nowhere fast. And, chances are, it’s going to crash.

Attention business owners: don’t wait until you have a problem to fix it. Act, don’t react to market changes.

Partner with a digital marketing company that will not only protect your reputation but be by your side when something goes awry. A sound digital strategy for web design and development, optimization (SEO), high-quality content and social media management will keep you ahead of the curve and firmly on track for success.

And, if you have someone who decides to tweet errantly without regard for reputation, working with a partner like Harmonia Media ensures your access to a fixer, as well.

If your current digital marketing strategy isn’t overwhelming you with customers and sales, you owe it to yourself to find out about Harmonia Meda. Contact us for a free consultation today.

A new Clutch report revealed some not-so-astounding statistics about the way business owners view their online marketing strategy. First off, the vast majority of those surveyed recognize that digital is the way to go when it comes to sharing brand messaging and connecting with consumers. Smart.

Second, and this shouldn’t come as a revelation, the main objective for companies who spend on digital marketing efforts is “to increase sales and revenue.” Duh.

Other results of the survey, published on Adotas:

• Businesses are relying on social media, their own website and email marketing to reach customers.(This makes sense. You need to find your prospective customers where they are and surely most are hanging out on the web and checking their inboxes.)
• Small companies believe digital marketing is the best way to get their name out there while larger businesses think their online digital footprint is the quickest route to distinguish themselves from the competition!

OK, I’m not going to disparage the survey but this seems short-sighted for small and mid-sized companies. Competition for SMBs is exponential. Getting your name out there is not enough… you need to connect with customers and give them a reason to learn more about you.

Further, while digital marketing is, indeed, the best way to stand out in a crowd, the key to boosting leads and sales isn’t having the best message. It’s capturing the attention of the crowd and compelling them to take action.

• And, 83% of companies surveyed believe their digital marketing is working.

This is where I start questioning the numbers. For me, the real question is: how do you know what you don’t know?

• Do you think your digital marketing strategy is working because your web company tells you the numbers are up?

• Are you certain your current digital marketing company is doing everything possible to maximize your spend?
• And, even if you said “yes” to the first two questions: would you like to be driving more leads and closing more deals? Yes, again? Read on.

You owe it to yourself and your balance sheet to check out your web company’s competition. At Harmonia Media, transparency is the key to our success. We tell you what you need and we get the job done. (Our job is to get you more paying customers.)

If you think it’s possible that you don’t know what you don’t know about digital marketing strategy, contact Harmonia Media for a free consultation.