Branding Innovation Creative Inspire Concept

Turning brand narratives into reality

by with No Comment BrandingBusinessWeekly Blogs

Introduction

 

In the dynamic landscape of branding and marketing, storytelling has long been recognized as a powerful tool. However, there’s a paradigm shift underway – the evolution from storytelling to “storydoing.” This transformative concept posits that brands can no longer rely solely on narrating their stories; they must actively live them.

 

In the realm of branding and marketing, the power of storytelling is well-known. But what happens when storytelling evolves into “storydoing”? This transformative concept embodies the idea that brands can no longer merely tell stories; they must actively live them. 

In this blog, we’ll dive into the art of storydoing, exploring how businesses bring their brand narratives to life through tangible actions and experiences. We’ll uncover the real-world examples and insights, showcasing the pivotal role of storydoing in shaping the identity and success of modern brands.

 

The essence of storydoing

 

Storydoing transcends the traditional boundaries of brand communication. It is a philosophy that calls for brands to move beyond mere words and delve into the realm of action. Instead of merely telling tales, brands are now challenged to embody their narratives through tangible and meaningful experiences. This shift represents a new era in brand engagement – one where authenticity is not just spoken but demonstrated.

 

Living the narrative: Real-world examples

 

Let’s explore real-world examples of companies that have successfully embraced the art of storydoing. Patagonia, the outdoor apparel company, goes beyond marketing campaigns by actively engaging in environmental initiatives. By aligning their actions with their commitment to sustainability, they don’t just talk about protecting the planet; they do it.

 

Similarly, TOMS, the shoe company, doesn’t just sell footwear; it operates on a “One for One” model, where for every pair of shoes sold, another pair is donated to a child in need. Their narrative of making a positive impact on the world isn’t confined to advertisements; it is woven into the fabric of their business model.

 

The impact on brand identity 

 

Storydoing is not just a fleeting trend; it has a profound impact on brand identity. When customers see a brand actively living its narrative, it creates a deeper connection. It builds trust and loyalty because actions speak louder than words. Brands that practice storydoing are perceived as genuine, committed, and socially responsible.

 

Challenges and considerations

 

Embracing storydoing comes with its challenges. Brands must ensure that their actions align with their narrative authentically. Inconsistencies between words and deeds can lead to scepticism and undermine the brand’s credibility. Additionally, the commitment to storydoing requires a long-term perspective – it’s not about quick wins but sustained, purposeful actions.

 

Conclusion

 

In conclusion, the era of storydoing marks a significant shift in how brands engage with their audience. It’s a call to action, challenging brands to step off the pages of their stories and into the real world. By turning narratives into tangible experiences, brands not only differentiate themselves but also forge lasting connections with their audience. As we navigate this evolving landscape, one thing is clear – in the realm of modern branding, it’s not just about what you say; it’s about what you do.

How to Hire a Marketing Freelancer

How to Hire a Marketing Freelancer

by with No Comment BrandingTechnology

Trying to run a business?  Have other tasks that you need to do? Need a break from marketing?

Well you’re in luck. Today, it’s easy to outsource all or part of your marketing efforts to freelancers. Furthermore, freelancers won’t just save you time, they also usually have the skills and connections to take your marketing to the next level. But that raises the question; How do you hire a freelancer?

Let’s find out.

Defining What You Need

If you’re considering outsourcing your marketing efforts, the very first thing you should do is define exactly what you need done. For example, if you need a new blog post for your company’s blog, you’ll need guidelines on length, subject, tone, other articles to link to, your promotion strategy, and more.

Once you’ve defined what you need, make sure to communicate it to the freelancer in detail.  Because freelancers are not full-time employees, they often don’t have full information about your company and your marketing goals.  If you don’t provide clear guidance, you risk wasting time and resources.

In addition to defining the task, you should give some thought to what kind of skill set you need in a freelancer.  Do you need someone who can write a few simple tweets? Or do you need someone with a PHD to optimize your ad spend program or to make sense of your marketing data?

Either are fine but if you hire the wrong person you’ll either spend way too much or get a poor quality of work which ends up costing you money. Once you’ve roughly defined the person you need to hire and the task you need accomplished, the next step is to actually find a freelancer.

Finding a Freelancer

Although there are many ways to find a freelancer nowadays, the two easiest ones are through referral or through a job board.

Referral

The easiest and best way to find a good freelancer is to ask your friends and colleagues if they know someone. Once you’ve defined exactly what you need, email or call your friends and explain what kind of person you’re looking to hire.

They will often know someone who is willing to make a few extra bucks or will even do the task themselves.  As a result, referrals are free or close to free. Furthermore, referrals are also great because you already know the freelancers will perform good work.

Job Board

The other avenue for freelancers is through job boards, especially boards that specialize in freelance work. Two of the best ones are Upwork.com and Freelancers.com.

On both sites, you can simply log on and enter the project you need done like “Content Writing” or “SEO” and you’ll be presented with a list of freelancers who specialize in that topic. Aim to select freelancers who have a high success rate (meaning they were able to complete the project) on previous projects, have positive reviews from past projects, have the specific skills you need (i.e. don’t hire someone who writes medical articles to write a piece on education) and are offering a fair rate for your project.

Hiring a Freelancer

Once you’ve found a freelancer who seems like a good fit from either referrals or job boards, you’ll want to do some due diligence before hiring them. With a freelancer, you want to focus more on ensuring the candidate has the skills and the time to complete the project.

You don’t need to spend as much time as you normally would with a candidate for a full-time position because things like cultural fit are less important.

Communication

Once you’ve hired a freelancer, focus on communicating well. Because a freelancer doesn’t fully understand the goals of your organization, if you don’t communicate well, they may make some incorrect assumptions which leads to a poor outcome.

Here are some guidelines for communicating with freelancers:

  • Establish guidelines for when you will be available for questions and how long of a delay you expect before you receive a reply.
  • Communicate in writing, even if you initially say something in person or over the phone.  Writing helps ensure that a freelancer can check what you said later and specifics aren’t lost over time.
  • Establish milestones and progress report timelines so that you can keep track of how the project is progressing.
  • If there seems to be any confusion, don’t be afraid to reiterate what you’ve said in the past.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can find freelancers nowadays for almost any task your business needs to accomplish. However, hiring a freelancer is a bit different than hiring a full time employee.  You’ll need to be clear about what skill set you need in a freelancer and the project you need done.

Then you’ll need to communicate it effectively. If all goes well, you’ll be able to take your business to the next level. And remember, if you find an awesome freelancer, keep them around and refer them to friends to build the relationship.

Top 5 Tips for Startup Marketing

Top 5 Tips for Startup Marketing

by with No Comment BrandingBusiness

Attracting customers is one of the top challenges for startup businesses, especially if you do not have any marketing background yourself. However, the principles of marketing are common sense and can get you a long way without excessive expenditure.

1. Know Yourself

Time spent on working out what makes your product or service special (its unique selling proposition) is time well spent because it helps you differentiate yourself from the competition. Clarifying your mission and values will provide you with a framework for positioning your business.

2. Know your Customers

Who is supposed to buy your product or service? Be clear about who you want to sell to. Even if your service or product theoretically could be of interest to almost everybody, pick a customer segment and start marketing to it. Once you have decided on a market segment, it will be easier to decide how to reach potential customers and which channels to focus on.

3. Set a Budget

Making a marketing plan and allocating a fixed budget can help you keep an eye on costs. It is easy to overspend; having a budget will help you focus your mind and your marketing activities. Beware of advertising scams: Unscrupulous fraudsters systematically target new businesses. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t any good at all. Don’t commit to anything over the telephone, and don’t be shy to say “no thank you”.

4. Care for Contacts

Referrals and word-of-mouth are a fantastic way to get new customers. Think about who you know who could help endorse your business. Ask for testimonials, referrals and recommendations.

5. Be Visible

A website is a must for any new business, but it can be simple and inexpensive. The three most important elements are: Your contact details, a compelling offer and an attractive design. The same applies to any other promotional material such as leaflets, flyers and posters.

A complete guide to opening Facebook Shops

A complete guide to opening Facebook Shops

by with No Comment Branding

In today’s world, everything revolves around social media and networking. Constant updates, posting, sharing of information, and ideas is what keeps people busy. Everybody is aware and in the loop 24*7. Especially for businesses today, it is extremely important to establish your presence on various social media platforms and get the right kind and amount of engagement. 

If one wants to be successful they can’t just sit back and wait for the customers to reach them, they need to reach out to the customers. In today’s world where most companies are using multiple platforms, it is tough to beat the competition if one doesn’t know where their customers are hanging out. Facebook just happens to be the hotspot of all such activities. 

How to open a Facebook Shop

Facebook is the largest social network in the world, with more than 1.09 billion people logging in daily. In fact, it has been observed that Facebook users spend an average of 40+ minutes per day on the popular social networking site. Out of that, a good chunk of the time goes towards Facebook shopping.

A Facebook shop is a tab that one can configure on their Facebook page to promote and sell their products directly to users on the platform itself. When Facebook users click on a product, they’ll be shown an expanded product page. On this page, they can see product pictures and videos, and read the product description.

Therefore, it’s time to take advantage of Facebook as a selling platform. Facebook might not give one as many e-commerce features, but you definitely get everything that is truly essential for you to start selling your products. 

Benefits of Facebook Shop : 

The most crucial benefit of the Facebook Shop is that one can run their entire operations via Facebook without the need of any pre-existing online store. But that is merely the beginning, there are multiple other advantages such as 

  1. Being able to add an unlimited number of products
  2. Organizing the products into various categories and collections 
  3. Being able to communicate with the customers directly through the page
  4. Checking the stats on sales, visits, and much more
  5. Getting products to appear on the Facebook Marketplace, giving one access to a much larger base of potential customers

The steps to open a Facebook Shop page :

Before we get to the steps on how to do it, there are a few basic requirements to keep in mind. Those are –

  • A Facebook (obviously!)
  • A Facebook business page 
  • One can only sell physical products, hence there is no way to sell downloadable or digital products through Facebook Shop
  • Agreeing with Facebook’s Merchant Terms

Now coming to opening a Facebook Shop Page, that can be done in a few simple steps that are mentioned below. 

  • Change the template 

This step is only necessary if you don’t see the Shop tab below your Facebook cover photo. (Settings at the top of the Page > Templates and Tabs in the left column > Edit next to your template > View Details > Apply Template > OK.)

  • Click on ‘Shop’ in the left menu

Following the Add Shop Section link, you’ll find what this section allows you to do. Click to continue upon reading. 

  • Agree to Facebook’s Merchant Terms and Policies

Read it carefully before agreeing. This could include information about what you are permitted to sell, for example, it could also tell someone how to handle any problem regarding return and refund policies.

  • Select Checkout Method

Once you agree to the terms and policies, you can select the type of checkout you prefer. Basically it is about choosing the method of payment. Generally, there are 2checkout  methods – Message to Buy and Check Out on Another Website. This means that a buyer will be able to purchase the product by sending you a message. 

The other option allows you to send people to other e-commerce websites, from where they will complete their purchases. 

  • Select the currency and hit save

Choosing the wrong currency or wanting to change the checkout method will mean deleting the shop and creating a new one. All the goods and services added to the shop will be deleted too. To do that, click on the Shop Tab and select the gear icon in the top right corner and choose Delete.

  • Describe your product

A little box will appear, where you can put general information about what you’re going to sell, in 200 characters.

  • Start adding products 

The form requires adding a photo, name, price, description, and visibility of the product/s. There are some other toggles that one can use as well. One can’t publish a product without using at least one picture. It is best to use a picture which matches the preferred dimensions of Facebook. It is also possible to add a video as well. 

  • Add collections

If you want to sell many products of different types, Facebook allows you to create collections with them. Categorized collections make navigation easier for buyers and improve their shopping experience. This feature becomes visible when some products have already been added. Next is to create a name for your collection, add products, and choose “Feature this Collection” to make it stand out in your shop. 

  • Change the Call to Action button

Facebook creates a call to action button on the right corner under your background image that leads to the shop on your page. It can easily be customized later, and one can even add a link there to their website.

Well, now that the shop is set up, there are just a few easy activities one can undertake to promote it. 

In general, there are three possible ways to spread the word. 

  • Sharing the entire shop

    – Choose “Share your shop” on the right top corner and add some text. If you run several pages or groups choose different pages and post on them as well. This post’s link will be active and the clients will be redirected either to the Facebook shop, or real one when they tap on a visual.

  • Promote separate products

    – Tag it in your post, select the last item under the text box and type the product’s name or ID. It’s that simple!

  • Sharing collections

    – Collections are also shareable in the Facebook shop section. They’ll appear nicely in the form of a Carrousel when shared.

After this is done, you are set to go ahead and make the most out of selling and take your business forward.

Also read:

10 survey tools to aid your business

Different ways in which forums help small/medium businessmen

 

9 tips to improve the marketing strategy for your small business

9 tips to improve the marketing strategy for your small business

by with No Comment BrandingBusiness

We all know that the business world is ever-growing. This deeply impacts small businesses too. There is a constant need to be up to date with all the new technologies and advancements to help one grow. One needs to be on their toes all the time and push their business towards success. 

In doing so, one might often need to change their existing strategies and plan of action. The same old way of doing things over and over might not work out all the time and after a point becomes redundant. Hence it is essential for businessmen to have an open mind and keep an eye out for newer, more effective tricks. 

An entrepreneur or businessman always needs to be prepared to enhance themselves and embrace growth. Especially for small businesses, it is even more so. 

9 tips to learn from and improve the marketing strategy for your small business:

Here are some ideas and tips that could help you learn new strategies and concepts which could, in turn, boost your business. Let’s see what they are. 

1. Make your marketing more adaptive

COVID-19 has wreaked a lot of havoc in every sector, but especially a lot of businesses have been very badly affected. It is important to note that your marketing strategy and plan has to be adaptive and change according to the given scenario. At a time like today’s your plan cannot be to sell your product or service and try to entice the customers, instead, it has to be focussed on reassuring them and making them feel comforted. 

2. Measure how impactful technology is for your business

Technology plays an important role in business processes. It is a determining factor for what all is possible. Technology impacts businesses largely and how they operate. Hence it is essential to know what is the kind of technology you are using, how you are using it, and in what way it can influence your marketing and ultimately success.  

3. Know the four P’s of marketing by heart 

If you are going to be marketing anything, it is a pre-requisite to know the four P’s of marketing very well. Product, price, place and promotion. Before getting into strategies, you need to get your basics in place. 

4. Shuffle up your advertising strategy

Marketing and advertising strategies keep changing and re-inventing over the years. A lot of different trends come and go. Something that worked 3 years ago, or even 10 months back for that matter won’t work today. The times are changing and COVID has made a significant difference to this game. Therefore it is time that you start rethinking your advertising strategies. 

5. Text Message Marketing is an undiscovered gem

Most of the brands these days are only centred around only search and social media marketing and tend to neglect text message marketing and the benefits it can provide. It is actually a great way to communicate with your customers. If you are a small business, this is the right opportunity for you to grab. Get started with text message marketing and set yourself apart. 

6. Procure information about franchise profits 

When you are thinking of starting a franchise business, you should everything there is to know about it from head to toe. All your operations and your business need to start being successful as soon as possible. There are a lot of things to keep in mind while making calculations, such as the cost of setting up, location, marketing, hiring employees etc. 

7. Visuals are key for better sales

Your content needs to be very wholesome and all round. Just having well-written material won’t do the entire job. You need to direct a lot of attention and focus towards visuals too. The visuals you put on your website helps in drawing a lot of attention and leaves a really good impression in the mind of the customers. It really boosts customer experience. 

8. Dedicate time for Social Media Engagement

There can never be enough stress put on how crucial engagement is. Many brands create messages and posts to be shared on social media and numerous social media marketing campaigns. But no matter how good these are, it can never be a substitute for engagement. Engaging on social media is much more essential than just sharing messages with customers and marketing. 

9. Get well-versed with Google’s ranking factors

We all understand and acknowledge the significance of search engine marketing and that it is very beneficial to a business. They play a very big role in your marketing strategy and therefore always remember to be updated with Google’s ranking factors. 

For best in class advice and mentorship regarding your small business, or any other business-related help that you require whether as a budding entrepreneur or an established businessman, click here. 

How to Create A Not So Boring B2B Social Media Strategy

How to Create A Not So Boring B2B Social Media Strategy

by with No Comment Branding

When you start to make a list about all those companies that are killing it in the domains of social media, the first ones to come to your mind must be B2C (business to consumers) organizations. You can hardly name any IT or management company making it big on Instagram or Snapchat. But it does not translate to impossibility, B2B companies with successful social media strategy do exist, but they are in the minority.

For the most part, either B2B companies seem to struggle to grasp the concept of social media marketing, or they just flat out turn a blind eye to the strategy full of progressive potential. Despite the success B2C is collecting through social media marketing, B2B still heavily relies on the more of traditional methods like call calling or attending business network lunches. Don’t get it wrong, these techniques are also useful, but they should not be used instead of social media.

Action- Packed B2B Social Media Marketing Techniques:

Creating a social profile and then sending out a few tweets, B2B social media marketing is not just that simple. Any brand can do this, but this does not interpret a strategy that yields results. Every now and then we see a brand falling out of social media. Usually, because they fail to generate any engagement and scrolling through their page is just as exciting as watching the clock tick.

Build A Personality

The best way to fail at social media is to be a bore and insipid. Unfortunately, since several other B2B companies are going that way, you should steer clear. Since B2B consider social media as an added feature only, their post lack personality.

The fear of being too vexed usually keeps them from being creative. Not everyone can ace being sassy like Wendy. However, businesses to not have to be a troll to sound like a human. All you need is a conversational tone, engagement with users instead of just advertisement, a little humor and you are all set.

Know What You Are Aiming For

Be specific about what you want to achieve from social media, shooting arrows in the dark won’t do you good. Be sure of what you are aiming to achieve through it, whether it is branding you are interested in or you want to increase traffic to your website.

Know Who You Are Dealing With

With social media, you can easily reach the global audience relevant to your brand. Which is why the emphasis is on customers and not brand. Confused about how to find apt customers or conversations? Here is how you can do it, keywords, influencers, hashtags, and competitor’s audience.

Identify Your Social Media Platform

Determining which social media platform you are going to target plays a decisive role in whether your strategy will stay successful or not! For B2B, following four social platforms can play a decisive role, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. As an estimate, almost 93% of B2B market experts consider Linked to be the most potent lead generation site.

Undeviating Attitude

Consistent attitude is a must. Being steady and unvarying allows customers to recognize your brand. Plus post should be more frequent to reach a large volume of the customer without having to opt for paid methods. But it a lot harder then it may sounds. B2B marketers usually fail consequent to their lack of consistency.

Biggest Myth about Social Media Marketing

You must have heard of it from time to time or even think about it yourself, “Social Media won’t work for me because it not for boring B2B industries”.

Abolish this thought completely. Social media is not merely reserved for beauty and fashion brands. There are billions of people on social platforms, and you can bet that there must be a little chunk of audience interested in your brand. All you need to do is find them. There are various successful examples like Novartis, a pharmaceutical company, etc.

Ready to Formulate a Killing Social Media Strategy?

We are no longer at the point where we need to decide whether social media works for B2B or not, in this competitive era, it has become compulsory.

While devising a robust social media strategy, it always comes down to setting specific goals, planning, and understanding the nature of social media. Moreover, it is imperative to create content keeping your target audience in mind and also maintaining visual uniformity.

 

text 'Brand Arc 1

Brand archetypes: The essence of iconic brands

by with No Comment BrandingBusinessWeekly Blogs

Introduction: 

Behind every memorable brand lies a powerful narrative that speaks to our deepest emotions and desires. These narratives often align with timeless personality archetypes, making brands relatable and unforgettable. 

In this blog, we’ll unveil the fascinating world of brand archetypes, dissecting the primary personality types that iconic brands often embody. By understanding these archetypes, businesses can craft compelling narratives that resonate with their target audience, forging lasting connections and loyalty.

 

Let’s get into it!

 

  1. The Innocent Brand:
  • Innocent brands display purity, simplicity, and optimism. They believe in a better world and often use imagery of youthfulness and cleanliness. Think of brands like Coca-Cola, whose timeless appeal is rooted in the innocence of sharing a refreshing drink.

 

  1. The Sage Brand:
  • Sage brands are knowledgeable, wise, and trustworthy. They aim to educate and guide their customers. Examples include TED, which provides a platform for sharing wisdom and ideas, or National Geographic, renowned for its insightful documentaries.

 

  1. The Explorer Brand:
  • Explorer brands inspire adventure, freedom, and discovery. They often challenge the status quo. Consider brands like GoPro, encouraging people to capture their daring escapades, or Jeep, synonymous with off-road exploration.

 

  1. The Hero Brand:
  • Hero brands represent courage, resilience, and the triumph of good over evil. They often feature bold individuals conquering challenges. With its “Just Do It” slogan, Nike epitomises the hero archetype by motivating individuals to overcome obstacles.

 

  1. The Outlaw Brand:
  • Outlaw brands are rebellious, unconventional, and provocative. They challenge societal norms and push boundaries. Harley-Davidson, known for its rebellious spirit, embodies this archetype.

 

  1. The Magician Brand:
  • Magician brands are transformational and visionary. They promise to make dreams come true or to change the world. Apple, with its groundbreaking products, exemplifies the magician archetype.

 

  1. The Regular Guy/Girl Brand:
  • Regular Guy/Girl brands are down-to-earth, relatable, and friendly. They connect with customers through everyday experiences. Brands like Wendy’s and Southwest Airlines embrace this archetype.

 

  1. The Jester Brand:
  • Jester brands bring joy, humour, and spontaneity. They thrive on entertaining and making people laugh. Brands like M&M’s use humour to connect with their audience.

 

  1. The Caregiver Brand:
  • Caregiver brands are compassionate, nurturing, and devoted to helping others. They often focus on family and well-being. Johnson & Johnson, a trusted brand in healthcare and baby products, embodies this archetype.

 

  1. The Creator Brand:
  • Creator brands are imaginative, innovative, and driven by a desire to build something meaningful. They emphasise self-expression and originality. LEGO, known for its creativity and endless possibilities, represents this archetype.

 

  1. The Ruler Brand:
  • Ruler brands are authoritative, organised, and seek control and order. They often cater to those who value structure and leadership. Brands like Rolex, synonymous with precision and luxury, embrace this archetype.

 

Conclusion: 

Brand archetypes are the threads that weave the tapestry of iconic brands, making them resonate deeply with consumers. By identifying and aligning with these archetypes, businesses can create compelling narratives that connect with their target audience on a profound level. In a world where brands vie for attention, understanding the psychology behind archetypes empowers businesses to stand out, foster loyalty, and leave an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of consumers. It’s not just about what a brand offers; it’s about the story it tells and the role it plays in fulfilling our deepest desires and aspirations. Embrace the power of archetypes, and your brand can become a timeless legend in its own right.

Marketing B2B How to Succeed Online and Beat the Competition

Marketing B2B: How to Succeed Online and Beat the Competition

by with No Comment BrandingBusiness

B2B marketing has changed drastically in the last couple of decades, taking the vast majority of activities from the real world to the digital environment. Today, social media gather over two billion daily active users, while there are more than 50 million business pages on Facebook alone.

At the same time, running a successful small business without a website or email marketing is unimaginable. But how can you combine all these channels to create a comprehensive B2B marketing plan? Are you really able to get the foot in the door and outperform competitors?

If you are not sure, keep reading to learn nine ways to craft an all-encompassing B2B marketing strategy.

1. Set Goals


Business goals set the foundation for the marketing strategy. Only 45% of B2B companies have a formal marketing plan in place, which is a great opportunity for you to step up and distinguish yourself from the biggest competitors.


Business goals set the foundation for the marketing strategy. Only 45% of B2B companies have a formal marketing plan in place, which is a great opportunity for you to step up and distinguish yourself from the biggest competitors.

The plan of activities depends on what you want to achieve, so think about your objectives. Is it to raise awareness, boost customer loyalty, generate new leads, or something completely different? The way you answer this question will tell you where to go and how to do it most effectively. At the same time, business goals give you key performance indicators (KPIs) that you can follow and measure the results of your strategy.

2. Design a Beautiful Website

A website is the first thing B2B clients search for when they want to analyze your company. For this reason, it is critical to design an attractive site that looks amazing and is easy to use. The structure of the B2B website must be simple because you want to allow visitors to find whatever they need with only a click or two. Of course, it is also necessary to optimize a site so as to be mobile responsive, improve page load speed, use the best visuals, and add all those little details that can make your company look fully professional.

3. Publish Quality Content

Do you know that over 90% of B2B buyers want content with more input from industry thought leaders? Genuine assignment masters interpret this stat as a chance to win over their audiences by proving that they have the skills and expertise to solve customers’ problems.

In the B2B universe, content creation is highly demanding because you have to discuss every aspect of the topic and support statements with data-driven insights. Don’t hesitate to use supporting files such as charts, graphs, infographics, and all other types of multimedia that can prove your thesis and make it sound more convincing.

4. Local Search Optimization

Small and medium-sized companies usually have physical branches or stores, so it’s always a good idea to optimize your business for local searches. That way, you allow users who search for your kind of products or services to find you effortlessly. The only thing you need to do is to create a Google My Business account and enter fresh business-related information such as address, opening/closing hours, and phone numbers.

5. Social Media Marketing

We already mentioned that social media have billions of daily active users, but this marketing channel demands further elaboration. For instance, YouTube is excellent for publishing video case studies, while Instagram is perfect for product-oriented organizations.

But while it can’t hurt to create accounts on these platforms, keep in mind that LinkedIn is by far the most important B2B social network. According to the research, 80% of B2B social media leads stemmed from LinkedIn in 2017. The platform targets industry professionals, so it’s up to you to take advantage of LinkedIn and post content that closely relates to the needs of your target audience.

6. Influencer Marketing

Most marketers consider influencers to be focused on the B2C niche exclusively, but the fact remains that popular industry figures can play a major role in B2B as well. If you can find a person who really nurtures the same style and values, you are good to go with influencer marketing. This mechanism is slightly different than standard B2C influencing, but it delivers just as successfully.

7. Email Marketing

Almost 80% of B2B marketers believe email is the most effective distribution channel for demand generation efforts. However, we strongly believe that email newsletter serves another very important purpose – it allows you to nurture long-term relationships with the clients.

Consistency is the key factor here because you need to send newsletters regularly. It can be once a week or once in 15 days, but it’s crucial to get the subscribers used to your content. Doing so, you will build a feeling of anticipation among potential clients and prevent them from forgetting your business.

8. Event Marketing

While it is true that digital content is dominating modern marketing, B2B companies should never underestimate the value of good old events. What makes this tactic so valuable? It gives you the opportunity to meet customers face-to-face, which is always the best ways to seal the deal. Besides that, it allows you to acknowledge regular clients, raise awareness, and build brand affinity. B2B events come in different forms, so you can organize exhibitions, road shows, VIP dinners, conferences, etc.

9. Business Analytics

The last tip on our lists rounds up the whole story. If you want to maximize the productivity of B2B marketing, you have to analyze the results of your strategy. Tools like Google Analytics, Buffer, Ahrefs, and many others provide users with real-time insights, so you can rearrange and adjust marketing operations almost instantly. But in order to do so, you need to come back to the business goals and KPIs (as explained in the first section) and compare it with the actual results of your marketing plan.

Conclusion

Running a profitable company without a comprehensive marketing strategy is almost impossible. If you want to stay competitive in the B2B niche, you just have to invest a lot of time and efforts into promotional activities.

But it’s never an easy task because your competitors definitely want to do the same thing. In this article, we showed you nine ways to design a great B2B marketing strategy that could make your business flourish. Keep our ideas in mind and don’t forget to leave a comment if you have other suggestions or questions – we would be glad to discuss it with you!

The Best Productivity Hacks For Work

The Best Productivity Hacks For Work

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Productivity is one of the most important and challenging skills to learn. It’s easy to get sidetracked and think that you’ll complete all of your tasks on time. Sadly, this rarely happens as we end up working late and get stressed out by how many tasks we need to complete. Inevitably we all get stuck in a rut with our productivity. No matter what we do, it just doesn’t seem to be enough. The good news is, there are a few simple things you can do that will instantly make you more productive.

The Pomodoro technique:

The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you work more efficiently.

It’s been around since the 1980s, and it’s still one of the most popular organizational tools today. Why? Because it works!

Here’s how it works: you set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on one task during that time. Once the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. Then repeat.

The main benefit of this method is that it keeps you focused on your work without letting yourself get distracted by other things happening around you. It also helps prevent burnout by giving you regular breaks so you don’t get too tired or stressed out!

Practice the two-minute rule:

The Two-Minute Rule: If it takes less than two minutes to complete a task, do it right now.

The Two Minute Rule is one of the most effective productivity hacks out there. It’s simple and easy to implement, and it’s backed by tons of research. The idea is that if something can be done in less than two minutes, you should just do it immediately instead of putting it on your to-do list or doing something else first. The reason why this works so well is that we tend to put off small tasks for later—and then never get around to doing them. By forcing yourself to complete these small tasks right away, you’ll end up being more productive overall by giving yourself fewer things left over at the end of the day!

Write it all down:

The first step to getting organized? Write it all down.

Write everything down: your to-do list, your calendar, and even your random thoughts and ideas. It’s okay to have a lot of notes—you don’t want to forget anything!

You should also write down what you’re working on at any given time. If you’re working on three projects at once and get distracted by something else, it’s easy to lose track of what was going on before that distraction came up. But if you write it down, you’ll have a record of all the work that needs to be done before the distraction can be addressed.

If you’re trying to get more done in less time, the first step is to write everything down. It sounds like a simple thing, but it’s really powerful. Instead of trying to remember the things you need to do, just write them down.

You can use a notebook or post-it notes, or even just open up your email and send yourself some reminders. Just get it all out of your head and onto paper where you can see it—and then refer back to it later when you need to make sure you’re on top of things.

Steal time from your commute:

If you’ve got a commute, you might be spending a lot of time on the road just getting to work. That’s not lost time, though! You can use that time to get ahead on your work. If you’re listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or music (or even if you’re just thinking), your commute is perfect for brainstorming and jotting down ideas.

The best part? It doesn’t require any extra effort from you—you’re already going somewhere anyway!

Take breaks:

The best productivity hacks are simple, but sometimes the best advice is just to get more sleep.

We know it’s tempting to stay up late and get a few extra hours of work in, but the productivity gains you’ll get from pulling an all-nighter won’t last long. Research has shown that people who sleep less than six hours a night are significantly less productive than those who sleep for seven or eight hours.

So what’s going on here? Well, getting enough sleep helps your brain consolidate memories from your workday so that you can remember what you did and what needs to be done tomorrow (or later today). If you’re exhausted from staying up late and have trouble remembering things, then it’s likely that you’re missing out on some pretty important brain functions.

This one may seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks makes you more productive. When you take a break, your brain gets a chance to relax and rest, which helps it come back to work fresh and ready to tackle the next task.

Taking breaks also gives your eyes a chance to refocus on something other than the computer screen. It can take as much as 20 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust from looking at a screen to looking at something in the real world.

So instead of fighting the urge to check social media or browse Instagram, try getting up from your desk for five minutes every half hour or so. You’ll be surprised by how much more productive you feel when you return!

There you have it—These awesome different ways to be more productive. Many of these ideas will help you save time and energy, while some can increase productivity indirectly by improving your mood or reducing the stress in your life. But most importantly, they’re all simple—that’s the key here. You don’t need any elaborate “system” or complex management technique to make these work for you. Simply use them when you need them, and keep their lessons in mind when evaluating future potential changes to your workflow.

The above productivity hacks will help you increase your productivity. Choose those that work for your needs and jump into a more productive lifestyle starting today!