Perhaps the best way to explain Social Media is to break it down a little bit.  Printed media like a newspaper is a one-way communication—you read it but you don’t tell it what you thought of the article. Maybe you call a friend and tell them about it, but you don’t sit there talking directly to your newspaper. 

If you do talk to your newspaper, we’ll just back away slowly and let you continue…

Ahem.

Anyway, Social Media, on the other hand, allows for a two-way communication between you and whatever you’re reading or experiencing. The term Social Media can be applied to many different things--it can refer to a review website like Epinions.com which allows users to log on and share their opinions regarding a wide assortment of products and services, or it can be more complex like Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare, or Twitter.

Are you sitting there with that frustrated look on your face because you don’t know what Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare or Twitter are exactly?  Don’t worry.  We’ll get to each of those and explain them to you thoroughly over the next few weeks. First, we have to talk about why you care in the first place.

You care about Social Media because contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about people making friends with each other and “liking” this and that and posting goofy pictures of their cats for everyone to enjoy. It’s about way more than that now.

Social Media has become an extremely valuable and cost effective tool for helping businesses grow.  It’s a way to get new customers, increase brand awareness, and stay connected with the public and even your competitors! 

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be talking about all the how’s and why’s of some of the most popular Social Media sites like the above-mentioned Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Foursquare, and what each of them can do for your business. Come back next week as we explore the wild and wonderful world of Twitter!

What in the Twittersphere is going on over there?

Tweet! Tweet!

It's that time of year again.

As the calendar year winds down, countries across the country are evaluating (and re-evaluating) their projected ad expenditures for the new year. And in light of an anything-goes economic climate, those budgets will be under more scrutiny than ever.

So, what can you do to make sure your ads are being all they can be [pardon the shameless appropriation from the U.S. Army]?

First, keep in mind the Golden Rule of advertising: the goal of any ad campaign -- whether on radio or TV, or in print -- is not to sell a product or service.

You heard it right. Rather, the more immediate goal for your ad is simpler: you want it to be remembered. And more specifically, you want the ad to be remembered long enough for your prospect to engage in a desired action.

"So," you ask, "how do we do that? How do we communicate enough information so that our prospects know who we are and what we do, and still be memorable enough that they call us?"

That, as they say, is the $64,000 question. (Maybe more, maybe less, depending on your ad spend.) Rest assured that there are literally dozens (or hundreds) of ways to find data about what audiences respond to, how they act, what motivates them to change behavior, and even what words do or don't work for them. You can engage in a custom market research initiative, use online for-fee services or even survey your current client base.

Regardless of what tack you use, learning who your target is and how they like to receive information can inform how you choose to apportion your advertising resources.

Once you've decided how you want to use your ad spend, the next step is to develop the creative. Here's where your agency can help.

And of course, there are some simple rules to keep in mind:

Refrain from poly syllabicating. Or to be more succinct, use short words. There's a whole science around how people learn and retain information. The important thing for you to keep in mind when marketing your company is that if the audience doesn't understand what you're saying, they won't remember it.

100% Guaranteed. Sound familiar? These words can be the death knell to a fledgling client relationship because if you fail to live up to your promise -- even once -- you've lost valuable credibility that you may never recover. The moral of our story? Make sure you can deliver on your promises -- every time.

And then, this one time, at band camp... Ever had a conversation with someone who loved the sound of their own voice? (If not, you may actually be that person. Sorry.) Now is not the time to love yourself. Your advertising should be focused on your prospect's needs. Let me say that again: your advertising should be focused on your prospect's needs. Forget about what you want to say; think instead about what they want to hear.

Don't worry if this sounds like a more daunting task than you expected. As you move forward developing your ad campaign, it's important that you're working with an experienced agency. So, before you sign on the dotted line, check out their portfolio to be sure they know how to design radio, TV and print ads.

Next month, we'll wrap up our series by reviewing the importance of networking and creating a buzz to promote your brand.

Note: Due to a scheduling change, this month's article addresses both October's topic (radio and TV advertising), as well as November's topic (print media).

Choosing to exhibit at a trade show is a strategic decision. Perhaps now more than ever, the decision "to show, or not to show" is fraught with huge financial risk. Costs for services like labor and freight continue to rise, and travel expenses are becoming an even larger part of the pie.

That said, the trade show arena (the figurative one, not the literal one) offers some unbelievable bargains. The payoff in terms of face-time opportunities with clients and prospects is still one of the most cost-effective and time-efficient ways to connect with your audience.

And the impact of a trade show exhibit on your brand perception and brand equity can be significant. Imagine what the trade magazines would say if Ford didn't exhibit at the International Auto Show in Detroit?

So to help you decide if you should show (or not show), here's the list of things your competitors wish they'd known.

• Know your audience. Before you spend thousands of dollars to attend a show and put on a great display, think about who you want to see. Does your target audience attend trade shows and conferences? If so, which ones? And who will attend the show: a key decision maker who you've been dying to meet in person, or her top-notch assistant who loves to travel and get free goodies? Make sure it'll be money well-spent before you invest $5,000 to rent exhibit space where you don't need to be.
• Communication is key. Assuming you're ready to take the plunge and exhibit, think about what you want to accomplish with your exhibit. Do you want to introduce a new product line to the masses? Provide a quiet refuge where your reps can converse with key prospects away from prying eyes? Encourage people to visit your booth and nest for a while? Tell your design agency what your goals are before they start designing so you don't end up wasting their time and your money.
• You get what you pay for. When it comes to purchasing an exhibit, don't be afraid to invest in quality. With relatively minor maintenance, an exhibit can easily last for 20-30 shows or 5-7 years, whichever comes first. So that extra 10% you pay now could save you huge headaches in the long run.
• Don't be a know-it-all. When you do decide to invest in an exhibit or graphics, be smart about it. Hire a reputable firm who understands what it takes to build an exhibit that makes a good 3D impression and listen to them. They're the experts when it comes to knowing what materials will last and wear well (laminates and fabric) and what materials won't (metal and glass).
• Love me for my body. Don't buy an exhibit from someone just because he's a nice guy. Remember that your salesperson is the face of the company, and will probably not be the one who will actually build the exhibit, so make sure there's a strong, capable body of people behind him who can deliver what he promises. And speaking of bodies, exhibit display companies come in all shapes and sizes, so find one that fits you.
• The fine print. Pay attention to the details of what is, or is not, included in the price you're paying. If you're unsure of what something means, ask. While the trade show industry has its quirks and foibles, it's not brain surgery. So if it doesn't make sense to you, be persistent and make sure you know what you're paying for.
• Going through a growth spurt? If you already have an exhibit and want to book a bigger space at next year's show, you may already be worrying about the additional cost to build a new booth. Fear not: there are smart ways to augment what you already own, so you may be able to have another year or even two to save for the next generation of your exhibit. Talk to your agency about custom rental components, alternate configurations or low-cost large-format graphics; they may be just what you need.

Exhibiting at a trade show can lend credibility to your company, reach a number of key clients and prospects quickly and easily, and be a great investment as you grow your company. Doing some homework beforehand will help ensure that you reap much more than you sow.

Next month, we'll look at ways to make your use of direct mail more... useful.

You’ll notice that we’ve deliberately refrained from posting a “best of” list for 2007. And for good reason.

We believe in using the past as a learning tool, but it doesn’t pay to get too overwhelmed or to drift into morbid reflection. Because today—as every day—we’re moving forward…ever forward.

What do we look forward to in 2008?

• More online video. It’s impossible to escape the pervasiveness of online video as a marketing tool. Whether it’s a flash presentation on your website, a training module broadcast around the globe or the latest “Will It Blend” segment on Youtube, we are all hooked on video content. And with the prevalence of mobile video streaming, it’s likely that this trend will continue growing.
• Green is in…for good. It’s no longer only the granola hippies who recycle and compost. Going green is now mainstream, embraced by Nokia, Toyota and Frito Lay …and this movement shows no sign of slowing down. (Can you hear the planet’s collective sigh?)
• Video games: no longer just for those with thumb dexterity. Thanks to galactic leaps forward in technology, games that create an interface between onscreen action and live motion are all the rage. Think wii, Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Even the “regular” at-home console games are well beyond their Atari beginnings. (Have you seen PS3?)

Long story short: 2007 is over. 2008 is just beginning. And from here, it looks like it’ll be one to remember. (At least until next year…)