Small business owners, non-profits and government agencies alike are feeling stretched when it comes to marketing.
Small business owners have to focus on operating their business. They are already torn between the needs of their clients, getting and keeping good staff, paper work, and paying the bills. Non-profits are often run by volunteers. God bless volunteers – without them the world would be in a far worse place than it is now. But volunteers are human, with their own family and work priorities, and with their own skill set. Most government agencies have faced serious cut backs in human resources. Many public servants are already doing the work of 2 or 3 employees previously and again, it is unusual for them to be marketing savvy.
Bottom line: we are all open to an elegant solution – a silver bullet to solve our marketing problems – because we all feel stretched and most are confused.
On the other side of the coin, today’s consumer doesn’t trust big business. We don’t want to be sold anything. We want to do our own research, get third party recommendations and find great deals. This is evident by the success of Amazon, Groupon, Expedia, and good old fashioned coupons.
So what does a stretched person do? Set up a web site and a Facebook page and wait for the hoards… only that typically doesn’t work. It isn’t that easy. We learn we are competing with about a billion other web sites for the consumers’ eyeballs. Oh, well, we’ve invested all this time and money – now what? Ok, we’ll relaunch our web site and set up a Twitter account – more time, more money. Ugh, it’s no wonder we feel stretched.
Remember when the fax machine was going to simplify our lives? Then it was email. How many emails do you receive each day now? 50, 100, 200, more?
Yes, we want to embrace the digital world, but we all know that email has evolved from a simple delight to a massive burden. Texting and Skype has been the communication rage for a few years but that is now being replaced by WhatsApp and FaceTime. With the constant evolution of the digital world, about the time you get your Web Site up and running, you Twitter Account to 10,000 Followers, your YouTube Channel populated with 25 good videos, and your Facebook page liked by 1,000 people, you are told that all that is irrelevant – now you need to have a big presence on Pinterest!
What a minute. Who has time for all of this… 12 year old girls and 20 year old college students? Certainly not small business owners, non profits and government agencies. Good grief!
It’s funny, isn’t it? We live in an age where we expect instant results. We realize we live in a global community, but we are all so busy trying to attract the world to our door, that we are forgetting the 2nd part of the old saying:
Think globally, but act locally.
Web traffic and social engagement can’t be forced; it occurs organically. It is the product of outstanding customer satisfaction. Build your brand in your local market, serve your customers well and allow the digital world to find and recommend you. Get back to basics. Focus on your local marketing strategy and execute a print campaign that supports it. Then, pick one digital platform that resonates with your customers and focus on that app or profile. Devote twenty minutes 3 times a week (sounds like an exercise program!) to that one digital platform for a solid year and then evaluate how well it has served you.
In the meantime, look around in your travels at visitor information centres, attractions, and farmers’ markets to see what free publications are being read by locals and tourists. Identify which publications best reach your customers and invest in the creation and placement of an effective print ad to enhance local awareness of your product/service.
Tired of feeling stretched?
Get back to basics and let the youngsters have their fun. The digital world can be a seductive vortex that consumes all the time that you have, and more. You would arguably be further ahead to take a day off each month, pick up a copy of Experience the Mountain Parks and go for a hike in the mountains.
Need help with your local print marketing campaign? Let’s talk.
It’s an amazing post for all the web visitors; they will take advantage from it I am sure.
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a coworker who has been conducting a little homework on this. And he in fact ordered me lunch due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending time to talk about this issue here on your website.|
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say superb blog!|
Hello, yes this article is truly good and I have learned lot of things from it on the topic of blogging. thanks.|
Your way of telling the whole thing in this piece of writing is really nice, every one be capable of effortlessly understand it, Thanks a lot.|
Hi there, I found your blog via Google while searching for a related topic, your website came up, it looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Thank you so much for providing individuals with an extraordinarily pleasant opportunity to read articles and blog posts from this web site. It is always so pleasant and as well , stuffed with a great time for me and my office mates to search your site really 3 times per week to read through the new guides you will have. And indeed, I am also always happy with all the very good thoughts served by you. Selected two points on this page are particularly the most suitable I’ve had.
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to see a nice blog like this one today..
I like the helpful information you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I’m quite sure I’ll learn many new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!
I’m really impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a great blog like this one today..
Unquestionably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the web the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people consider worries that they plainly don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
I’m commenting to make you know what a cool encounter my cousin’s daughter developed reading the blog. She discovered a good number of details, including what it’s like to have an ideal teaching nature to have a number of people easily know precisely some problematic topics. You actually exceeded our own desires. Many thanks for rendering such beneficial, dependable, explanatory and as well as fun tips on this topic to Mary.
LOLOLL! Derzz, awesome stuff.
Normally I don’t read post on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to try and do it! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thanks, very nice article.
I blog quite often and I really thank you for your content. The article has really peaked my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new details about once per week. I opted in for your Feed as well.
Wealthy and traveling wherever and whenever I want with my doggie, plus helping get dogs fixed, and those that need homes, and organizations that do thus and such.
I simply want to say I am new to blogs and truly enjoyed your blog site. Very likely I’m likely to bookmark your site . You absolutely have superb stories. Kudos for sharing with us your blog.
When should I expect my first letter?
I appreciate your work , thanks for all the great blog posts.
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It will always be exciting to read through articles from other authors and use something from other web sites.
I truly love your blog.. Pleasant colors & theme. Did you develop this site yourself? Please reply back as I’m hoping to create my own personal blog and would love to find out where you got this from or what the theme is called. Cheers!
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I don’t know who you are but definitely you are going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already
Cheers!
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
Feeling S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d? – CMI Publishing cool post
i have heard this before but can’t recall where i did, still interesting though,
This excellent website really has all of the info I needed concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Feeling S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d? – CMI Publishing cool post
May I simply say what a comfort to uncover somebody who genuinely understands what they’re discussing on the internet. You certainly know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More and more people should look at this and understand this side of the story. It’s surprising you are not more popular since you definitely have the gift.
I read this article awesome post
Thanks for your article. Another issue is that to be a photographer involves not only problem in capturing award-winning photographs but hardships in getting the best photographic camera suited to your requirements and most especially hardships in maintaining the grade of your camera. This is certainly very genuine and evident for those photography addicts that are straight into capturing the actual nature’s interesting scenes : the mountains, the forests, the particular wild or perhaps the seas. Going to these amazing places unquestionably requires a digicam that can surpass the wild’s tough conditions.
Aw, this was a really nice post. Finding the time and actual effort to produce a superb article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and don’t seem to get anything done.