Social Media is no doubt here to stay, we’ve seen this grow and be a key part of a developing business of the last few years, how they engage and reach out to their customer base, so here our the key trends for another successful year of social media marketing for your business.
Engagement is should be top of your list
Facebook often updates its algorithm and for us the key one was made in early 2018 when they announced a focus on meaningful interactions. So what does this mean? well their algorithm started favouring content that sparks a genuine conversation, which should inspire your business page owners to really try and create more engaging content. So as this organic reach becomes far more harder, the only way for a business to reach out to new and existing customer is to ensure that their content is interesting, appealing and engaging so its time for 2019 to really think of what your business strategy for every channel to continue reaching your followers where ever they may be.
Influencer marketing and the rise of micro-influencers
You will no doubt have heard all about influencer marketing and how big brands are using trend setters as part of their marketing mix and indeed for influencers the benefit is being able to reach a dedicated audience and they can make considerable sums through things like paid sponsorships and the like. For a growing business the big influencers are becoming more expensive so this is where the micro-influencers come into play, maybe its a instagrammer with a massive reach in the Devon restaurant trade or a school mum, both of these nano-influencers could work for your business if you have a restaurant in Torbay or a book shop for example. The key part is that you don’t require a big budget to work with them but you may need to spend more time on the research to find the perfect one.
The use of social media for selling
The use of social media is moving from awareness and engagement and moving towards consideration and sales enablement in your business sales funnel: does your business have a plan for this?
Artificial Intelligence and customer service
The use of automated bots and automated messaging have already shown up in many businesses customer service and indeed if you have a GMail account this is already reading your emails and suggesting suitable replies. There can be no doubt that social media has made it easier for customers to reach a business and this in turn leads to customer expectations about a far better response time from the business concerned. It is our prediction that in 2019 this will bring an ever increasing adoption of artificial intelligence as part of social customer service and it’s time for business to give it a try.
Stories, stories, stories
The use of stories has grown massively in 2018 since Snapchat first rolled them out, they have been adopted by competitors social networks and are emerging now as a key element of customer engagement simply as they’re seen be far more genuine, in short stories are short user-generated photo and video collections that disappear after 24 hours.
The end of fake followers
It used to be that a business could overnight have 10,000 followers, they bought these for a fee and for any social media concerned about its reputation this had to stop as they all want a social network where people (and brands) can grow their community through genuine interest and engagement, not fake followers. This significant change started rolling out mid 2018 and we predict that 2019 will prove that the number of followers will not be as relevant anymore comparing to the actual influence and engagement that you’re having within your community.
So in summary your business should not be chasing an increase in followers on any social network if you’re not already engaging with your existing ones. A smart business in 2019 will spend more time on growing their community organically increasing engagement with interesting and relevant content.
We would be delighted to listen to your business goals and help you realise them, please get in touch today on 01392 241653 or contact us through our website here, we’d be delighted to have a no obligation chat to see if we can help your business grow.
Tags:social media, social media strategy, Trends
Good quality communication is always about the recipient. To reach out to your customers you need to speak their language and tell them what they need to know in a way that they understand. It is tempting as a business owner to talk about ‘our products’ or ‘our solutions’ but people are coming to you because of their desires or their problems. Speaking the language of your customers is essential in making a sale, and as a customer focused marketing agency we can help you to identify how to speak to them in the best way possible for your business.
Using the right pronouns – When selling to your customers as we’ve already said you always need to talk about their problems and needs. Using the words ‘you’, ‘your’ and ‘yours’ makes the sale or product about them instead of being about the company. When you talk about what ‘we’ do, you are excluding the customer from the conversation. It is essential that the customer is included in the conversation by telling them how ‘they’ will benefit. Make it personal to the customer to engage them more effectively.
Use common language – There is a difference between the words you can use to describe a product or service. This difference between the words you choose can either alienate or engage the customer. While both choices of word may be correct, you need to tailor your language to the customer and not to yourself. Remember that your understanding of your business will in most circumstances exceed the customers and you need to speak to them in a manner that they will clearly understand without all your industry background and knowledge. The key is knowing the demographic of your target customer, including their level of education, interests and experiences. This will help you pitch your choice of language and style of how you address them correctly.
Explain everything – While it may be easier for you to refer to things with acronyms or jargon, this is not easier for the customer to understand. A customer may be left confused by jargon which can leave them unsure about the purchase they are making. They will be unlikely to know what HPWB (high pressure water blasting) means, but they will understand that you are cutting the material. When communicating with a customer you should lead with the features and benefits and avoid using industry shorthand and technical terminology and should instead explain everything and why such details matter to them as the end user. It may take longer but this will lead to greater customer understanding, which in turn will culminate in better buy-in and results. A good trick is to imagine you are explaining the information to a child or friend.
Make the decision today and call us here at to discuss your specific requirements , I am sure we can help you and at the end of the day it’s just a phone call !
We would be delighted to listen to your business goals and help you realise them, please get in touch today on 01392 241653 or contact us through our website here, we’d be delighted to have a no obligation chat to see if we can help your business grow.
Tags:communications, content creation, content marketing, customers, email marketing, online marketing, social media strategy, top tips
Why outsourcing to a marketing company is a no brainer ?
- Feeling lost by the digital marketplace ?
- Need your time to be more productive ?
- Want much less stress in your life ?
- Really need help but can’t afford a new employee full time?
That’s just a tiny few of the many many reasons you should and could talk to us today, there are just so many ways in which Gleave Media can help your company.
From a practical perspective we can do so much for you in the Digital space and our services go far beyond merely writing a few email campaigns for you, our services here are geared to specifically take the marketing workload off your shoulders in every way you can imagine, so we can nail down to driving your business in the right direction generating sales leads and enquiries for your business.
Ask yourself how many more clients you could take on or would win with our marketing strategy help?
Make the decision today and call us here at to discuss your specific requirements , I am sure we can help you and at the end of the day it’s just a phone call !
We would be delighted to listen to your goals and help you realise them, please get in touch today on 01392 241653 or contact us through our website here, we’d be delighted to have a no obligation chat to see if we can help your business grow.
Tags:communications, digital marketing, email marketing, gleavemedia, inbound marketing, online marketing, social media strategy, website development
With the deadline for GDPR fast approaching you still have time to get your business ready and this checklist may help you do just that.
Your current business data
Your business will undoubtably hold data already and the questions to ask is do you know what this data is, i.e. name, address, job title, contact details? Where it came from, i.e. sign up forms, events etc. Why you have this data i.e. marketing, admin? and finally do you share this data with anyone or any other company. This is whats called a data audit and if you’ve not done on then you need to.
Is everyone in the business on board?
The implementation of GDP effects everyone in your business, so everyone needs to be aware of it and what the implications are. This is likely to mean changes are required but how will you know if you don’t bring your employees on board. We are all in some way data collectors so we all need to be a ware of our responsibilities when we collect data from anyone.
What information do you need?
Even business will need a privacy policy that covers what you do with data you collect and a key question to ask in this is what information you need and why you need it, it may well be you need a post code for possible deliveries or a phone number – please don’t ask for information you do not need.
Consent
For the data you hold and plan to use do you have permission to use this data, this will include things like how you got consent and did this include consent to use in the way you wish to do so. Also if you got consent through a simple form that the owner must be able to withdraw consent in a similar way, certainly it should be an easy process and no more difficult than how it was gained in the first place.
Unauthorised Loss of Data
Every business will need a procedure in place that covers the potential loss of data you hold, so you need to make yourself aware of what you need to do and what timescales are in place to fulfill this requirement. It is worth mentioning that the penalties can be unlimited by the Information Commissioners Office if you have a loss of data and you do not have a plan for managing this.
Getting your business facing these challenges and have them working for you shouldn’t be an afterthought – the businesses that succeed will be the ones that have a clear plan in place. If you need help in ensuring your business has the right tone of voice then please call us on 01392 241653 or contact us through the website here for a no obligation conversation.
Also if you need help with a GDPR documentation we can recommend Herbert Ball LLP and you can visit their website here.
Tags:communications, content marketing, customers, digital marketing, email marketing, GDPR, online marketing, social media strategy, top tips
In 2018 your business needs a digital marketing strategy and this needs to constantly evolve if you hope to stay ahead of your competition, we have a wealth of experience in managing this and developing new strategies for customers as their businesses evolve . As alot of it involves staying on top of current marketing trends and keeping your website and social media profiles properly updated their are also some key issues to be aware of, so here are a few things that you can do that will help your business work better online.
Consistent tone of voice across all social channels
A customer should be able to recognize your business through the look of the business and how you ‘speak’ online, if you want one of the best examples ‘Just Do It’ is one of the simplest, most recognisable slogans of all time – a line Nike has used for the past 15 years – what is your business tone?
Multiple Devices are here to stay
Now more than ever your strategy needs to focus away from only how your business features on a computer screen, to how it features on mobiles, tablets. So your digital marketing strategy should cater to that with ads scaled to fit mobile devices and webpages that can be viewed easily on any device. Mobile ads should even take priority over television and radio ads, especially if you’re targeting a younger demographic.
Time to automate your Content Marketing
There area a multitude of tools that marketers can use to publish content across multiple social media platforms and these tools have evolved to allow you to create and publish content automatically with the push of a button. Social media is even more important than ever in 2018, and the ability to quickly post content to a wider audience will help you stay ahead of your competition.
Please ensure that you share useful content
As important as it is to come up with your own content, you shouldn’t hesitate to share other people’s content if you find it useful and interesting. This is a great way to share links back to your own content and reach a wider audience, especially if you stick to content that is relevant to your own company. You should read out post Social Media and the rule of Two Thirds for more helpful advice on getting this right.
These are just a few things that you can do to stay on top of digital marketing trends during the coming year. As simple as they may seem, they won’t help you if you don’t put in the proper effort. Always work to keep your website and social media profiles updated, and pay close attention to your competition. Digital marketing changes quickly, and you want to make sure you aren’t left behind.
More than ever in 2018 developing a digital strategy for your business shouldn’t be just an afterthought – the businesses that succeed will be the ones that make it integral to their business growth from the start. Now the sales bit, if you need help in creating your digital strategy for your business then please call us on 01392 241653 or contact us through the website here for a no obligation conversation.
Tags:digital marketing, email marketing, facebook, Google, inbound marketing, online marketing, Pay Per Click, PPC, seo, social media, social media strategy, top tips
As a small business, one of the many challenges that you’ll face is how to stand out from the crowd – especially when that crowd includes big names in your industry with huge marketing budgets. One thing you can’t skimp on in order to meet your goals is a solid content strategy for your online presence. With the right elements all working together, you can get more traffic, more attention, and more customer loyalty, without that Big Name budget. Here are the key elements of a successful content strategy to enhance your brand’s presence online:
Website and Storefront
For most small businesses today, an online storefront is a vital part of expanding your sales opportunities. But your website must be more than just a place to sell goods. It is also a place to introduce quality content to your audience. With an excellently maintained website or blog, you can present yourself as an authority in the industry, and build your brand’s identity in a way that will be very clear to the audience. This is the most important aspect of any content strategy, so be sure to focus the most time and energy on having a well-crafted website.
Social Media and Customer Interaction
Social media can’t be ignored in today’s online culture. While your website should be your central hub, social media should be the place where you can interact with customers on a regular basis. Be sure that you are always presenting your brand’s mission and unique personality in your social media presence. Organizations that interact, rather than just post, on social media are far more likely to convert one-time buyers into loyal customers.
Advertising Profiles and Guest Appearances
One thing that many companies overlook online is the power of connecting with other companies. Consumers like knowing that they are buying from experts, and gaining credibility from other sources is a great way to show your expertise. Seek out guest appearances on other blogs, collaborations with popular taste makers, and create profiles on popular advertising sites such as Yelp, to give your audience the sense that you are well-established as a leader in your niche.
These six elements are the key pieces of creating a successful content strategy for small businesses. With a strong website as your central hub, an engaging presence on social media, and other industry leaders lending you credibility through partnerships, you can begin crafting a powerful online presence that keeps your audience coming back.
Getting your business facing these challenges and have them working for you shouldn’t be an afterthought – the businesses that succeed will be the ones that make it integral to their strategy from the start. If you need help in ensuring your business is listed correctly then please call us on 01392 241653 or contact us through the website here for a no obligation conversation.
Tags:communications, content creation, content marketing, ecommerce, inbound marketing, online marketing, social media strategy, top tips
The customer relationship management system or CRM is a powerful tool for managing all aspects of the customer experience. As a business concern starting out, one of the most important investments that you can make is in a CRM system capable of managing customer profiles, determining how best the business delivers on its promises and rewarding customer loyalty for continued support and advocacy in terms of referrals and additional business.
The CRM however is not the end all to be all with respect to your management of the customer relationship. The information contained within the CRM is useless if not used in an effective way for you to make process improvements or deliver on the expectations that your customers have of you and the business. Here is a look at what is beyond the CRM and what you should do to better manage information and make it work to your advantage as a new or emerging business owner.
What should a CRM Should Drive My Business to Do
CRMs represent a dynamic tool that can integrate various functions and processes within the business. This integration allows different departments and disciplines to communicate with one another and provide support to customers, the critical lifeblood of any organization. Through the full utilization of the CRM and all its functions, both as a data mining tool and as a interactive communication hub, you can develop a way to involve, engage and fully meet the needs of your customer. This helps distinguish you from our competitors and put you in position to grow at a potential unseen.
Understand that CRM relates to an aspect of the customer relationship but does not take place of the physical aspect of the customer experience. If you do not follow-up on the information being provided to you, whether it is an answer to an inquiry by a customer, a request for information, a follow-up call on a complaint, etc. you miss an opportunity to meet the expectations of the customer. Such a missed opportunity could prove a detriment to you down the road, particularly if you are a business who depends on its reputation and word of mouth as an aspect of your marketing and outreach. The more you humanize the customer experience beyond the CRM, the better you will be at retaining long lasting customer relationships.
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Tags:communications, CRM, customers, digital marketing, email marketing, social media strategy, top tips, training
Your company’s digital marketing strategy needs to constantly evolve if you hope to stay ahead of your competition in 2017. As challenging as this may seem, much of it involves staying on top of current marketing trends and keeping your website and social media profiles properly updated. Here are a few things that you can do that will help you with that once the new year rolls around.
Optimize Your Content Across Multiple Devices
There was a time when advertising on the Internet only required you to develop content that can be viewed on a computer screen. While that is still very important, people these days are more likely to use their smartphones or tablets to view content. Your digital marketing strategy should cater to that with ads scaled to fit mobile devices and webpages that can be viewed easily on any device. Mobile ads should even take priority over television and radio ads, especially if you’re targeting a younger demographic.
Automate Your Content Marketing
Thanks to tools such as HootSuite or SproutSocial, marketers have been able to publish content across multiple social media platforms for some time. This is obviously very useful, and these tools have evolved to allow you to create and publish content automatically with the push of a button. Social media could become more important than ever in 2017, and the ability to quickly post content to a wider audience will help you stay ahead of your competition.
Share Useful Content
As important as it is to come up with your own content, you shouldn’t hesitate to share other people’s content if you find it useful and interesting. This is a great way to share links back to your own content and reach a wider audience, especially if you stick to content that is relevant to your own company.
These are just a few things that you can do to stay on top of digital marketing trends during the coming year. As simple as they may seem, they won’t help you if you don’t put in the proper effort. Always work to keep your website and social media profiles updated, and pay close attention to your competition. Digital marketing changes quickly, and you want to make sure you aren’t left behind.
Developing a digital strategy for your business shouldn’t be an afterthought – the businesses that succeed will be the ones that make it integral to their business growth from the start. Now the sales bit, if you need help in creating your digital strategy for your business then please call us on 01392 241653 or contact us through the website here for a no obligation conversation.
Tags:communications, content creation, CRM, digital marketing, inbound marketing, New Year, online marketing, Pay Per Click, PPC, social media strategy, top tips
Creating a clear digital plan can have clear benefits for any business no matter what size, indeed we know from experience that small and growing business usually gain significant benefits when they create a digital plan as it gives the business real focus and engagement opportunities for everyone in that business to get on board with. In fact its fair to say that in the current business climate especially post BREXIT, we believe that a business not having a digital plan effectively means not having a plan at all.
So how do you go about creating a digital plan and seeing the benefits for your business? These are our top tips….
When you create a Digital Plan you undoubtedly will find that you dont need to change your business, you just need to empower your employees to engage with your business and your customers and this is likely to be through smartphones or tablets in a way that suits the customer and prospects not you and your business, so if you supply football memorabilia then you need to be active on Saturday’s when games are played and in the evening as that is when potential customers will also be active on social media and more receptive to your message.
So work together with your team, ask them who is confident on instagram or facebook for example and you’ll find a champion wanting to take the production of this on and manage the day to day updates after you give your plan as to who/what/why and when you want to engage your customers. Don’t forget you may need to invest in the right tools for them to do the job, a new smartphone maybe even a private company facebook group to pull together the management of all this.
We know that all small businesses need people who understand the digital world we know live in and who can see the potential of technology and then convert this into real business growth. For some that will mean looking towards young people, our those digital experts who seem to naturally possess those skills that means it all comes really easily to them. Also you may have some other staff members keen to get involved, whichever way you turn as a business you need to invest in and nurture that talent as they will help your business grow.Now is the time to ensure that, no matter what the size of your business, you can make the most of digital technology and its benefits.
Developing a digital plan shouldn’t be an afterthought – the businesses that succeed will be the ones that make it integral to their strategy from the start. Now the sales bit, if you need help in creating your digital plan please call us on 01392 241653 or contact us through the website here for a no obligation conversation.
Tags:communications, Digital Strategy, email marketing, gleavemedia, inbound marketing, online marketing, social media strategy, top tips
Owning a small business is rewarding, but also a lot of work. For most small businesses, outsourcing elements that are not core to your business makes sense. With outsourced digital marketing, you gain a number of benefits – an experienced company can quickly ramp up marketing efforts, help you gain new perspectives on your business and give you easy access to the skills you need. All of this is accomplished without adding a large salary or lengthy commitment. These are the reasons why many small businesses prefer to outsource their digital marketing efforts:
Skills and experience
Often, business owners think they can do it all. They will do the marketing themselves and learn as they go. While this sounds great in theory, most owners quickly learn that their days are finite and some important things go undone. Additionally, without the skills and experience needed, it adds a learning curve for a business owner as well, and that takes precious time, too. Of course, you could hire a marketing professional in-house, but that requires a hefty salary and a long-term commitment.
Alternatively, you can partner with a digital marketing agency with a wealth of experience and skills in the industry. This can quickly and inexpensively get your business up to speed, and without any lengthy commitments.
Budget constraints
When you outsource your marketing efforts, you have more strict control over what is spent. You can negotiate rates and projects with your digital marketing agency, and can follow their lead or design your own path. You will find that our agency is easy to work with!
Strategize
You probably know who your target customers are, and have some ideas for reaching them. Digital marketing professionals can offer fresh ideas and valuable insights about your marketplace, and offer some strategy ideas you may not have considered that will produce very well for you.
Getting it done
Once your solid marketing plan is in place, executing the plan is crucial. This is where a digital marketing firm can really shine. While you are handling daily business needs, the agency is quietly working on your behalf in the background.
Outsourcing digital marketing today makes so much sense; it offers flexibility and affordability for almost all small and midsized businesses. A solid marketing plan will increase your sales and revenue, and help your business grow. Our agency is well-skilled and experienced and ready to get to work for you, you can find more about us here along with testimonials from clients and our contact details are here – we look forward to speaking with you soon.
Tags:digital marketing, Digital Marketing Agency, inbound marketing, online marketing, social media, social media strategy, top tips
