Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you are enjoying the coldest and most family-filled months of the year and preparing yourself for a wonderful 2012. As you get ready to start a new year of selling, marketing and branding, consider the advice below.
1. Be Social
The impact of websites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter is growing. The time for not being computer-savvy has passed and online marketing is an increasingly profitable option. You do not need a personal profile to increase your brand’s online presence. You just need to make a company profile on LinkedIn or Facebook. Add a few posts and images every day to keep your page in the news feeds of your fans. If you are worried about fans, don’t be. This is an industry of salespeople which means personal relationships matter more than online connections. You already have the contacts and relationships so you can just take your relationships to the online level. It is often the quickest way to inform clients of deals, special prices and other industry news. Also, look through the recently published study on Facebook friendship trends. The study is useful for personal and business uses of social media.
2. Get Fancy
Despite a difficult economy (or perhaps because of it), your clients want to show that they are doing well and can still showcase their brand in an aesthetic and effective way. You don’t have to include glitter (although I highly encourage it), but you can use high-end materials, multiple imprint areas and products with mass appeal. Also, you can tie in your new social media knowhow to figure out what will enhance their company’s presence. A benefit of using social media for business is finding out hobbies and interests of your contacts that may not have come up in conversation. The information might be the difference when it comes to landing a sale.
