Promote Your Brand with Social Media
October 22, 2011 by MaryEllen · Leave a Comment
The growing impact of social media forces small business owners to take it seriously.
A recent study suggests that companies of all sizes are re-evaluating their social marketing strategies.
More than 80% of those polled said their companies were failing to implement world-class social media strategies, although the majority acknowledged the rewards of social media programs outweighed the potential risks.
From a practical standpoint, mastering the learning curve of social networks is critical.
A course offering from UNMCE (University of New Mexico Continuing Education), “Marketing with Social Media,” addresses the problem, helping participants jump start their process.
About the course
The nine-hour series offers a strategic approach to social media. An assessment helps participants understand the gap between where they are and where they want to be, goals are established and tactical steps outlined.
Throughout the series, customized solutions are discussed. Expert case studies offer examples of successes and failures in the social world.
As students dialogue their own options, practical answers begin to form. Systems and processes are discussed.
Homework specific to business marketing furthers understanding. Finally, a short term and long term strategy helps each learner understand how best to use social media.
Additional topics covered include:
- Social media for brand promotion
- Integrating the website with social media
- The growing importance of location-based services
- Advantages of selecting one social platform as a company hub
- The difference between broadcasting messages and conversing with customers
- Creative marketing strategies for small business survival
- Realistic schedules for social marketing
A recent UNMCE Infobyte previewed this class.
My talk was filmed and you can see it here.
“Marketing with Social Media” details:
Class # 556236pm – 9pm, Monday and Wednesday evenings, November 7, 9 and 14
$229
Register online
Will you be part of the classroom?
Communication Presentation at Santa Fe Business Incubator Discusses 2012 Realities
September 24, 2011 by MaryEllen · Leave a Comment
Seasonally New Mexicans turn off swamp coolers and winterize their homes in October. The fourth quarter with its
cooler temperatures requires a different approach for comfort.
Similarly, businesses might evaluate communications in preparation for the New Year. The realities presented by 2012 demand a freshened marketing approach.
Traditional marketing plays the numbers game. It uses sales, advertising, promotion and public relations to send the message out.
The average person gets more than 2,000 outbound messages a day.
Trade shows, direct mail, television, radio and print advertising, all examples of traditional marketing, continue to lose effectiveness.
Studies show today’s customer chooses inbound communication, finding information on their terms. Can your business meet the demands of “real-time?”
In a presentation to clients at the Santa Fe Business Incubator, I listed five communication realities represented by these changes:
- Because of the attention economy, now more than ever, your message must be defined and honed for your ideal customer.
- Smartphones already play an important role in our lives. How mobile-friendly is your business?
- New tools to consolidate information emerge daily. Your competitive advantage may well depend on your use of technology.
- Interactivity is essential in all communication. This means the brochure website is dead. Not only must your website be interactive, but business must make responding to customers online and offline a priority.
- Nothing substitutes for smart goals and good planning. Begin now to define your benchmarks for 2012.
Evaluate your business against these five realities. On a scale of one to five, with five being strong, how confident are you about your current situation? Download the pdf now. Are you prepared?
Get Press Release Savvy and Generate Publicity for Your Firm
September 15, 2010 by MaryEllen · Leave a Comment
You may think that a press release is strictly “old school,” in a web 2.0 world. Now that you use social media to promote your business, is there really any need to worry about that “ol’ PR thing”?
In a workshop for businesses owners, “Do-It-Yourself Publicity: Using press releases to generate visibility for your firm,” Mary Ellen Merrigan shows independent businesses the five elements of a strong press release and why they are even more important today.
- Learn how press releases maximize visibility for your business.
- Discover why today’s reporter depends on a strong press release.
- Get follow-up tips for print, broadcast and online news media.
- Identify three magic phrases to use with any media person.
Press releases offer additional advantages when it comes to search engine optimization and this workshop emphasizes that fact. Add “juice” to your efforts by concentrating on keyword phrases. Market 24/7 when you post your release on one of the free PR sites online.
Participants receive a FREE 25-question business analysis and a 15-minute customized follow-up session.
Seminar details:
- “Do-It-Yourself Publicity: Using press releases to generate visibility for your firm”
- 10am-12noon, Thursday, September 30, 2010
- Albuquerque South Valley Small Business Development Center at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, 1309 Fourth Street SW
- Call 505-248-0132 for more information.
About Merrigan Group, LLC
Mary Ellen Merrigan of Merrigan Group LLC is a marketing consultant and founder of ProfitMeister. She has developed successful, sales-building D.I.Y. (Do it Yourself) smart marketing strategies for a wide range of clients and promotes the benefits of combining traditional and social media in online media rooms and more. She is the author of “The Six Week Master Marketing Plan: An hour a day to take your business to the next level” available online at http://www.SixWeekMarketingPlan.com. Follow Mary Ellen’s blog to learn how you can use smart marketing to achieve a positive bottom line.
City-sponsored Workshop Helps Local Businesses Do Smarter Marketing
August 18, 2010 by MaryEllen · Leave a Comment
85% of all marketers say social media efforts generate exposure for their business.- 65% of marketers have only been involved with social media for a few months or less.
- The number one question marketers most want answered is how to track social media return on investment.
–Source: 2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, Michael A. Stelzner, SocialMediaExaminer.com
As a local business you can’t afford to ignore the social media phenomenon. You must: conquer the time drain, decide exactly where you will focus your efforts, and act immediately to claim your share of the market.
In a presentation entitled “Social Media: Get Strategic, Get Results,” Mary Ellen Merrigan positions social media for local usage. The 45-minute presentation includes:
- Best practices for Facebook pages, the hottest social media turf out there today
- Examples from Albuquerque businesses making effective social media efforts
- Tip sheets you can use to elevate your brick and mortar visibility starting immediately
“Social Media: Get Strategic, Get Results” is part of a half-day marketing and communications workshop sponsored by the City of Albuquerque Business Center. The purpose of the business resource center in city hall is to make the daunting job of starting and growing a business easier.
The workshop, presented 8am – 12:30pm, Tuesday September 21, 2010, at the WESST Enterprise Center, 609 Broadway NE, includes these additional offerings:
Tom Carroll, Carroll Strategies “Basic Marketing 101 – The ABC’s of Marketing
Doug Turner, DW Turner, Inc. “Press Release 101 and Earned Media – How to achieve successful PR”
For more information or to register, call 505-768-3222.
About Merrigan Group
Mary Ellen Merrigan, owner of Merrigan Group LLC, has developed successful, sales-building D.I.Y. (Do it Yourself) smart marketing strategies for a wide range of clients and promotes the benefits of combining traditional and social media. A known marketing trainer and speaker, Mary Ellen recently published “The Six-Week Marketing Master Plan,” a workbook offering a step-by-step guide to marketing. Learn more at http://www.sixweekmarketingplan.com.
The immediate past president of Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance, (AIBA) Mary Ellen knows well the problems facing today’s entrepreneurs. She delights in presenting practical, low-cost solutions that help you achieve a positive bottom line. Follow her blog, ProfitMeister, for DIY smart marketing strategies.
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