Blog – Through Sams Eyes

2023-10-012023-10-01

Unlocking the Potential of Social Media: A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses

In today’s digital age, businesses must not overlook the power of social media. It has become a dynamic force that shapes consumer behavior and plays a crucial role in a brand’s success. Whether your goal is to boost brand awareness, drive sales, or enhance customer service, social media platforms offer a myriad of opportunities to achieve these objectives.

Social-Media-GUIDE-FOR-BUSINESSES-Infographic-1 Download

Our latest infographic, “Harnessing the Power of Social Media: A Guide for Businesses,” provides an in-depth look into each of the social media platforms, what makes them unique, and how each platform can be leveraged to your business’s advantage. We’ve broken down the seven major social media (also known as SNS) platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube. Each platform offers unique ways to connect with consumers and promote your brand. From the vast audience of Facebook to the professional networking opportunities on LinkedIn to the creative, short-video format of TikTok, there’s a platform to suit every business need.

For example, a local restaurant might use Facebook to advertise daily specials and receive customer feedback in real-time, while a fashion retailer could host live fashion shows on Instagram or collaborate with influencers for wider reach. By understanding the unique features and benefits of each platform, you can craft a social media strategy that drives engagement, boosts brand awareness, and ultimately increases revenue.

Dive into the infographic and discover how you can harness the power of social media to propel your business forward.

Stay tuned for more insights and tips on how to maximize your digital marketing efforts.

2023-09-202023-09-30

Will Chat GPT change the way that we blog?

Generative AI is changing the way that information is researched, retrieved, and aggregated and the way that businesses and individuals write but will it replace the way that we blog? Or are blogs a pure form of pure expression and raw writing distinct from the need to support and substantiate comments with facts and references as a business article or academic journal should. As generative AI becomes more entrenched in the way that most people write will be loose the capacity to blog? Perhaps the days of free expression and open ranting are on their way out. Perhaps the fun of writing and sharing your thoughts and opinions publicly with others is a dying art. I for one hope that it isn’t and that the skills of blogging do not go the same way as reading a map to find a driving route between two places have gone, replaced by digital maps from Google and Apple. Technology transformations can be fun and very convenient, but I can’t help thinking that unless we are careful that they come at a great cost.

2023-09-182023-10-01

Is Direct Mail dead?

My COO asked me about direct mail the other day and if we had a marketing strategy around this mode of getting the message out.

At first, I was shocked because I haven’t discussed direct mail campaigns in years. The subject was on a list of agenda items to discuss with my Chief Marketing Officer many years ago and when we got to this item on the agenda she just laughed and moved on the next item, so I naturally assumed that direct mail was now dead and buried. After-all few people in my generation even go to the mailbox to collect the mail let alone read anything inside. I usually take a trash can with me once a month and simply scoop the contents into the trash. But surely old people still read mail? The question really is does it work?

Many marketers view direct mail as old and antiquated that’s for sure. Others claim that direct mail is one of their most effective channels. I guess a lot depends on what industry you are in. I work in cybersecurity in the B2B space so not a lot of mail checking going on there among the techies we pitch to, but if I were marketing a product like replacement home windows or a new burger joint that had opened locally perhaps this might be a better mode of marketing than an email blast.

In 2016, The Data & Marketing Association reported that the direct mail customer response rate increased by 43%. Even better, the prospect response rate increased by 190% compared to 2015. And statistics don’t lie. Direct mail has an ROI of 29%, putting the ROI in third place behind email and social media which has almost zero cost. Social media is ahead by only 1 percentage point. Now compare that number to email, which has a response rate of only 0.6%.

In a world where consumers are being bombarded all day long by email and popups perhaps the marketing mode of old is more personal – akin to a personal meeting with a prospect rather than a phone or zoom call and we all know how effective phone and zoom calls can be some times!