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Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa in San Diego
Monday, February 27, 2012
How Pinterest Is Becoming the Next Big Thing in Social Media for Business
Pinterest, an online bulletin board for your favorite images, launched in 2010 and is already experiencing wild growth. The site registered more than 7 million unique visitors in December, up from 1.6 million in September. And it's driving more traffic to company websites and blogs than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined, according to a recent report from Cambridge, Mass.-based content-sharing site Shareaholic.
Why should small businesses care? To answer that, you first have to understand how consumers are using the site. Pinterest allows you to organize images -- maybe pretty sunrises or wines you've tasted -- into boards for specific categories. When you "pin" something new, your followers will see it. They can like, comment or re-pin it to their boards. Like Facebook content, your Pinterest pins can go viral.
Brides-to-be can pin pictures of different wedding dresses to review, and people shopping for a new car can pin images of their options. When I joined Pinterest I started a board to show the Major League Baseball stadiums I've visited. The possibilities are unlimited.
Here's a look at why some business owners -- particularly retailers -- might want to seriously consider starting a business profile on Pinterest now.
How It's Being Used
Perhaps the most powerful business application is the ability to post images of your company's products on your Pinterest board and link them back to your website. It works as a sort of virtual store catalog.
But remember that this is social media. If you simply display images of your products without contributing other content or sharing other users' pins, you'll likely find that people don't pay much attention. After all, no one likes a self-absorbed blowhard.
Related: What's With All the Interest in Pinterest?
But savvy social media users know not to get too promotional. For example, Whole Foods Market pins pictures of delicious-looking food, food art and images of recycled or reused products to inspire customers to be environmentally responsible. Daniel Gordon, who runs Samuel Gordon Jewelers in Oklahoma City, pins pictures of his rings and watches, but he also has a board for images that make him laugh and other types of products he loves.
Driving Sales
Pinterest already is driving buyers to some websites. In the last six months, the retail deal site ideeli.com has seen a 446 percent increase in web traffic from Pinterest and sales resulting from those visits have increased five-fold.
"We continue the Pinterest conversation with [the] members by following their pins, and we love to give feedback outside of the shopping category -- whether that means commenting on a great recipe or [giving] a heart next to our favorite pet pics," says ideeli.com social media manager Sarah Conley. "We also see Pinterest as a growing resource to better understand our members and the larger retail landscape."
Is Pinterest Right for Your Business?
The site does have some drawbacks for businesses. If your product or service isn't particularly visual, your images may not tie directly back to your brand. Pinterest also doesn't offer business-oriented features, and its search function prioritizes pin and board subjects ahead of "people," the category that brands would fall into.
The best way to determine if Pinterest could attract buyers is simply to give it a shot. Set up an account and start pinning things that are relevant to your business but not too promotional.
Related: How to Use Social Media for Research and Development
If you run a lawn-care center, for instance, pin pictures of landscaping you find online or snap in your community. If you're a brick-and-mortar store, pin shots of the interesting sites and people around your neighborhood and photos you take at community events. You also can search through Pinterest's categories and add some inspirational, funny or beautiful images you find.
Then, follow interesting boards and individuals who post images that inspire you. Once you've done some pinning of other people's content for a week or so and attracted a few followers, create a new board of your products. Add descriptions and perhaps the price to the images. Make sure they link back to your website and start tracking pinterest.com as a referral source in your website analytics.
Next, try creating an image of a special deal or coupon just for your Pinterest followers. Upload it to a new board for Deals. Perhaps offer a prize to the person who gets the most likes or comments on a re-pin of the coupon, and then see who shares it the most. Don't fret about creating multiple boards. People who follow you will see them all.
In a month or two, see if you're getting referral traffic or sales. Depending on the results, you may need to tweak your boards with new images and words.
One thing is clear whether you're on Pinterest for personal or business reasons: the best images -- be they funny, beautiful or thought provoking -- attract the most attention and followers.
Jason Falls is an author, speaker and CEO of Louisville, Ky.-based Social Media Explorer, a social media marketing, digital marketing and public relations consulting service.
Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa in San Diego
3 Ways to Get in Touch With Your Creative Side
By Susan Kersley
Although everyone has a creative side, (known as your 'right brain'), and a logical side, (known as your 'left brain'), some people find it a challenge to get in touch with their creative side because they are conditioned to remain on a path which is conventional and proven.
Being creative means being prepared to think 'outside the box' and think of new and original ways to do things.
You may wonder how you could get in touch with your creative side. Here are three ways to do this:
1. Relax
When you want to be creative it's very important to release any tension from your body so that your mind can be open to new experiences and not be pre-occupied with dealing with tension or stress. It's possible to relax very quickly if you take three or four deep breaths while consciously thinking to yourself that as you breathe out you are releasing tension and as you breathe in you are taking in relaxation. In your relaxed state pick up a pen and start to write down all the potential ways forward you could take to achieve what you want. You might instead find that you would like to use paints instead or a musical instrument to express your new found creativity and explore where it leads you.
2. Visualize
Once you are fully relaxed begin to think about the project you are attempting to complete and allow your mind to wander over various possibilities rather than immediately going for the obvious logical way to do it. Close your eyes ask yourself what ways there might be to solve or succeed with your project and notice the scenarios which appear in your mind as you do this. You may notice pictures sounds or emotions or a combination of all three. Then imagine yourself moving into the scenario you are thinking about and in that way discover for yourself what might or might not work for you and others. While you consider each possibility and visualize or daydream as if you were already there, you can discover what other people might or might not be doing in relation to you if what you imagine actually happened, and what they are saying to you and others. Be aware of any emotions that come up for you when you visit the various scenarios. Keep a notebook handy to jot down your experiences and insights as a result of your visualization.
3. Experiment
It's easy to dismiss unusual or different solutions which you haven't tried before but it's important to be prepared to experiment and play with them. Sometimes what is needed is just doing anything even if you are uncertain of the potential outcome. People often think of all the possible ways that something won't work and as a result dismiss the idea of trying as an experiment to see what would happen. The reality is that we can't foretell the future however much we'd like to, so it's useful to go forward into it in a creative and exciting new way.
Source: Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Kersley
Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa in San Diego
Being creative means being prepared to think 'outside the box' and think of new and original ways to do things.
You may wonder how you could get in touch with your creative side. Here are three ways to do this:
1. Relax
When you want to be creative it's very important to release any tension from your body so that your mind can be open to new experiences and not be pre-occupied with dealing with tension or stress. It's possible to relax very quickly if you take three or four deep breaths while consciously thinking to yourself that as you breathe out you are releasing tension and as you breathe in you are taking in relaxation. In your relaxed state pick up a pen and start to write down all the potential ways forward you could take to achieve what you want. You might instead find that you would like to use paints instead or a musical instrument to express your new found creativity and explore where it leads you.
2. Visualize
Once you are fully relaxed begin to think about the project you are attempting to complete and allow your mind to wander over various possibilities rather than immediately going for the obvious logical way to do it. Close your eyes ask yourself what ways there might be to solve or succeed with your project and notice the scenarios which appear in your mind as you do this. You may notice pictures sounds or emotions or a combination of all three. Then imagine yourself moving into the scenario you are thinking about and in that way discover for yourself what might or might not work for you and others. While you consider each possibility and visualize or daydream as if you were already there, you can discover what other people might or might not be doing in relation to you if what you imagine actually happened, and what they are saying to you and others. Be aware of any emotions that come up for you when you visit the various scenarios. Keep a notebook handy to jot down your experiences and insights as a result of your visualization.
3. Experiment
It's easy to dismiss unusual or different solutions which you haven't tried before but it's important to be prepared to experiment and play with them. Sometimes what is needed is just doing anything even if you are uncertain of the potential outcome. People often think of all the possible ways that something won't work and as a result dismiss the idea of trying as an experiment to see what would happen. The reality is that we can't foretell the future however much we'd like to, so it's useful to go forward into it in a creative and exciting new way.
Source: Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Kersley
Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa in San Diego
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Outdoor Sign ABCs
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| Grossmont Center Banners |
Before you begin thinking about your outdoor signage, it’s important to become familiar with the sign regulations set forth by your city, and any permits that may be required. Some municipalities are rather lax with their signage rules, while others can be quite strict, and you may also need to adhere to sign criteria outlined by your shopping center or business park. It’s always best to know your limitations before you inadvertently violate them.
Many factors affect the placement and effectiveness of outdoor signs, including the following:
• Design and Branding. Your signage should follow the branding scheme of your stationary, business card and other marketing collateral. You must also make thoughtful choices with respect to colors, logo size and font, all of which are important to good design.
• Size. This will often be dictated by municipal guidelines. Your sign maker will also be able to weigh in on your options, basing recommendations on both what’s legal and your intent.
• Mounting. Safety is always paramount when it comes to sign mounting, but it will also affect design and placement. Be sure to have an experienced, licensed, insured professional handle installations.
• Height. Consider the fact that you want your sign to be viewable from as many angles as possible, and you may need multiple signs to attract customers from different vantage points, i.e., motorists from an elevated roadway as opposed to street-level car and pedestrian traffic.
• Environmental Issues. Signs that “live” outdoors must be constructed with maximum durability in mind, to withstand elements like sunshine, rain and wind.
If this seems overwhelming to you, don’t worry. We regularly deal with these issues and will be glad to serve as a trusted resource.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Take A Risk, Move Out Of Your Comfort Zone
By Dave Kahle
What sets the exceptional professional apart from the average? Regardless of what the profession, from sales to psychiatry, the exceptional professionals share certain characteristics. Here's one: The propensity to take risks.
Now, don't get the wrong idea. We're not talking about skydiving, nor are we talking about sinking your life savings in the new start up. We're talking about taking risks that force you to move out of your comfort zones on the job -- risks that will stimulate you to stretch yourself, to become more competent, to gain new skills, to expand your abilities and, maybe, in so doing, help you become more effective and more efficient.
Talk to someone in your profession who has become exceptionally successful. Ask him/her about the risks they have taken in their professional lives. You'll find that almost every successful professional has stretched himself/herself beyond comfort zones a number of different times. It's one of the characteristics of the highly successful professional.
If you can build an inclination to take these kinds of risks into your mindset, you'll grow faster and further than if you remain safely inside of your comfort zones.
Everyday Risks
As a salesperson, when you call on a different type of customer than that with which you have become comfortable, you take a risk. For example, when you call on the CEO instead of the marketing manager or production supervisor, you've stepped out of your comfort zone and taken a risk. When you choose a new way to make a presentation, or a new way to contact your clients you are taking a risk.
When you chose to question and then change some long-entrenched habit, you are taking a risk. When you expand your efforts in any direction that calls for you to stretch and attempt something new, you are taking a risk.
Increase Self-Assurance
Some of those risks will turn out well, others will become failures. Regardless, the simple act of trying something different and new will help you. You'll gain confidence in your abilities and you'll learn from both your successes as well as your failures. Your life will expand, you'll grow wiser and you'll become more successful.
That is the sure payoff for every risk thoughtfully taken.
Source: Dave Kahle is a world-class speaker who has presented in 41 states and six countries. He has published more than 1,000 articles, and six books in 10 languages, as well as numerous multi-media training programs.
Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa in San Diego
Now, don't get the wrong idea. We're not talking about skydiving, nor are we talking about sinking your life savings in the new start up. We're talking about taking risks that force you to move out of your comfort zones on the job -- risks that will stimulate you to stretch yourself, to become more competent, to gain new skills, to expand your abilities and, maybe, in so doing, help you become more effective and more efficient.
Talk to someone in your profession who has become exceptionally successful. Ask him/her about the risks they have taken in their professional lives. You'll find that almost every successful professional has stretched himself/herself beyond comfort zones a number of different times. It's one of the characteristics of the highly successful professional.
If you can build an inclination to take these kinds of risks into your mindset, you'll grow faster and further than if you remain safely inside of your comfort zones.
Everyday Risks
As a salesperson, when you call on a different type of customer than that with which you have become comfortable, you take a risk. For example, when you call on the CEO instead of the marketing manager or production supervisor, you've stepped out of your comfort zone and taken a risk. When you choose a new way to make a presentation, or a new way to contact your clients you are taking a risk.
When you chose to question and then change some long-entrenched habit, you are taking a risk. When you expand your efforts in any direction that calls for you to stretch and attempt something new, you are taking a risk.
Increase Self-Assurance
Some of those risks will turn out well, others will become failures. Regardless, the simple act of trying something different and new will help you. You'll gain confidence in your abilities and you'll learn from both your successes as well as your failures. Your life will expand, you'll grow wiser and you'll become more successful.
That is the sure payoff for every risk thoughtfully taken.
Source: Dave Kahle is a world-class speaker who has presented in 41 states and six countries. He has published more than 1,000 articles, and six books in 10 languages, as well as numerous multi-media training programs.
Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa in San Diego
Would You Like Fries With That?
By: John Boe
Take a cross-selling and up-selling approach to boost business.
While you may not have recognized it, the last time you ordered from a fast food restaurant or went to the post office, there is a good chance you experienced some form of cross-selling or up-selling. Cross-selling and up-selling are well-established and highly effective marketing practices used by many industries.
What is cross-selling? It is a proactive, ongoing sales process designed to provide your customers with a full spectrum of your company's products and services. What is up-selling? It is the attempt or effort to persuade a client to buy more expensive items or additional items. The good news is that cross-selling and up-selling are two of the most profitable and least risky endeavors a sales rep can undertake.
My first exposure to cross-selling was as a teenager in high school working part-time at McDonald’s during summer vacation. Looking back on my brief tenure selling hamburgers, I can still hear my manager’s daily refrain: Be polite, keep the counter clean and always, always ask if they would like fries with their meal.
A couple of years later while attending college, I took a part-time job selling shoes at the mall. I was paid an hourly wage to sell the shoes, but I received a commission whenever I cross-sold products such as shoe polish, socks or purses. This was my first taste of commission, and as a starving college student I took to cross-selling and up-selling like a duck to water.
A Comprehensive Approach
Some shortsighted salespeople might suggest that customers are irritated by cross-selling and perceive it as an aggressive sales technique. Interestingly enough, consumer research indicates the reverse is true. Most consumers surveyed actually prefer a full range of products and services and appreciate the convenience a comprehensive cross-selling approach provides. Top producing salespeople understand the power of cross-selling and recognize it as a critical component for promoting both customer retention and revenue growth.
Not surprisingly, two of the key elements that make cross-selling and up-selling work are trust and convenience. Your customers already possess a degree of trust in your company and this can be converted into additional sales that are not directly related to their existing products.
The best place to introduce your customer to the concept of cross-selling is during your initial needs analysis meeting. Unfortunately, many salespeople fail to take the time to conduct a thorough needs analysis and as a result do not uncover potential products and services that would be of benefit to their customer.
Uncovering Potential Needs
Effective cross-selling is all about guided self-discovery. Through a series of thought provoking, open-ended questions, successful salespeople assist their customers to uncover potential needs. During the needs analysis interview, I highly recommend using a checklist that incorporates all of your company’s products and services. Relying on your memory alone is a poor business decision, so take the time to jot down key information. Ask questions and take good notes.
Developing a systematic approach to cross-selling and up-selling brings in additional revenue with relatively low expense and effort. As you prepare for your next client appointment, I challenge you to look for cross-selling and up-selling opportunities that you can incorporate into your presentation. Sales reps who fail to implement an effective cross-selling program actually do a disservice to their customers and leave the back door open to their competitors.
John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker.
Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa in San Diego
Take a cross-selling and up-selling approach to boost business.
What is cross-selling? It is a proactive, ongoing sales process designed to provide your customers with a full spectrum of your company's products and services. What is up-selling? It is the attempt or effort to persuade a client to buy more expensive items or additional items. The good news is that cross-selling and up-selling are two of the most profitable and least risky endeavors a sales rep can undertake.
My first exposure to cross-selling was as a teenager in high school working part-time at McDonald’s during summer vacation. Looking back on my brief tenure selling hamburgers, I can still hear my manager’s daily refrain: Be polite, keep the counter clean and always, always ask if they would like fries with their meal.
A couple of years later while attending college, I took a part-time job selling shoes at the mall. I was paid an hourly wage to sell the shoes, but I received a commission whenever I cross-sold products such as shoe polish, socks or purses. This was my first taste of commission, and as a starving college student I took to cross-selling and up-selling like a duck to water.
A Comprehensive Approach
Some shortsighted salespeople might suggest that customers are irritated by cross-selling and perceive it as an aggressive sales technique. Interestingly enough, consumer research indicates the reverse is true. Most consumers surveyed actually prefer a full range of products and services and appreciate the convenience a comprehensive cross-selling approach provides. Top producing salespeople understand the power of cross-selling and recognize it as a critical component for promoting both customer retention and revenue growth.
Not surprisingly, two of the key elements that make cross-selling and up-selling work are trust and convenience. Your customers already possess a degree of trust in your company and this can be converted into additional sales that are not directly related to their existing products.
The best place to introduce your customer to the concept of cross-selling is during your initial needs analysis meeting. Unfortunately, many salespeople fail to take the time to conduct a thorough needs analysis and as a result do not uncover potential products and services that would be of benefit to their customer.
Uncovering Potential Needs
Effective cross-selling is all about guided self-discovery. Through a series of thought provoking, open-ended questions, successful salespeople assist their customers to uncover potential needs. During the needs analysis interview, I highly recommend using a checklist that incorporates all of your company’s products and services. Relying on your memory alone is a poor business decision, so take the time to jot down key information. Ask questions and take good notes.
Developing a systematic approach to cross-selling and up-selling brings in additional revenue with relatively low expense and effort. As you prepare for your next client appointment, I challenge you to look for cross-selling and up-selling opportunities that you can incorporate into your presentation. Sales reps who fail to implement an effective cross-selling program actually do a disservice to their customers and leave the back door open to their competitors.
John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker.
Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa in San Diego
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