He indicated a busy businessman would pay $20 month to have their Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo or Bebo account updated, messages replied and so on and this would be way cheaper than hiring a new employee in-house or contracting independent U.S workers.

Sounds reasonable right? Well I guess it is if you want a surefire way to go out of business quickly in this new day and age. Look…haven’t we had enough experience with what a bad idea this greed driven approach is yet?

The notion you can use ‘canned’ conversations, get rich quick schemes, famous quotes, and other non relevant chatter to build real relationships with customers in the ‘socialsphere’ is just plain gimmick and lazy approach thinking to try and capture consumers. People are way too smart for this!

Today’s consumer not only can read right through this type of hype and pitch…they will absolutely loathe you for it.

Am I saying having a 3^rd party service your social media marketing is a bad thing? Absolutely not! In fact, it can be a brilliant action on your part and certainly position your business probably faster and more effectively than you can on your own.

What I am saying here is don’t think you can be lazy or half stepping this stuff.  The work necessary to provide targeted and relevant content that is sincere and meaningful on behalf of your business rather than a bunch of noise, will and should rest on your shoulders. That means you have to be willing as well as sincerely committed to doing the work it takes to successfully engage with your customers and potential clients in the online social scene. It should be placed as a priority right up there with the other things you are doing to grow your business.

In my experience working with clients it saddens me to see many are not willing nor do they see the importance of truly committing to adding Social Marketing into their everyday marketing mix and strategies. And don’t think that I’m finding this with just small business. The folks over at Social Times posted an article on this very thing… 50% of Companies Entering Social Media Have Plan. Their take on a couple of recent reports on this topic revealed even large corporations are not investing their time, money and efforts to create meaningful strategies and plans in order to ensure their company is emotionally connecting with their target markets. Many think you can rest on your brand, just ‘show up’ or put on a charade to appear you are in the trenches with 21st century marketing and they are in with the customer.

Not true! Today’s new business era will no longer support or tolerate status quo mindsets and approaches. Just like having an offline relationship takes lots of personal investment, so it is with online. No free rides for marketers. No free rides for business. People do not care about your brand like you think they do. This is the age of the great awaking for anyone in business. Integrity, intent, motives and transparency are the tell-tell signs of what a business really wants from and with a customer.

What about you? Does your business have a plan, well defined strategies for incorporating Social Media into your marketing and business processes? If not, would you if you knew how to get started? Let me hear from you what you feel you need in order to transport your business into the 21^st century way of doing business.

This has stemmed mainly from the fact social media opportunities are powerful marketing options today.

My concern with this is someone in business may think these self proclaimed digital marketing experts preaching this point of view really know what they are talking about. Some do for sure…but I find that loads of them don’t.

To suggest a business does not need to have their own business website real estate clearly indicates to me this person has not been on the marketing scene very long and they certainly do not understand marketing in its entirety nor do they understand today consumers and what motivates them to emotionally connect with a business, online and off.

In my 20 years in marketing and sales and the past 13 years in digital media development…I have worked with businesses from all types of industry sectors both large and small and I know firsthand the real value of what I call business digital assets.

I also know firsthand that many business clients are a bit confused on this fast moving vehicle called digital marketing so they rely heavily on their “web people” or “digital marketers”.

Hey… I am both of these and I am proud of that. What I am not proud of though is I am sad to say I have seen too many clients taken advantage of because they don’t really know enough about this arena and what really is best for their business. It is for that reason I decide to address this topic and offer my perspective and experience on this so that I may bring to light what I believe are  advantageous reasons why if you are in business today…you must have a business website!

Reason # 1
Your business needs a ‘Homebase’ (your website) online. No other type of web presence you invest your time and money into can provide you the ability to “own” your customer base like your own website. Here is where you can really develop the trust needed to begin to build a huge email list or digital rolodex and other connections which you own. When using 3^rd party websites and platforms, you do not “own” your customer…they do! When I say “own” your customer, I mean that in the most respectable way of course, but you get the picture of what I am saying I’m sure. It’s simple…he who owns the customer wins!

Reason # 2
Your website or websites can be strategized and designed to fit your target audience to the tee. You have the creative freedom to really connect on a deeper level with your customer or potential customer on a deeper level than any other digital platform available can offer because the content, format, message, landing pages, emotional value, etc. can be specifically tailored to that audience therefore providing fertile ground to create a powerful emotional connection with your audience which in turn gives your business the credibility and relevance needed to build lasting relationships which are so vital in this new business era. Personalization and customization are very powerful tools today.

Reason # 3
A professional business website can give you instant credibility and leverage. By the way, when I say professional I don’t mean some template cookie cutter website. I mean a website that has been strategically and creatively designed to benefit both the customer and your business. But…that’s another topic for another time. Research has shown most people who are doing organic searches for a product or service or people who have heard of you in some manner…go to the internet search engines (Google) to look up your website! They don’t go to look for the social networking site your business is a member of, or email campaigns you have done, or online ads you invest in, etc. No…they usually go directly to your website first if it is listed. Yes, those other digital presence destinations you have may be important to them but it is not the initial point of credibility they identify with you at.

Reason # 4
A business website is a very valuable business asset. Just as your domains, digital media, graphic designs and images are. Yet after 13 years in this business, I still am surprised at how many clients not only don’t know if they own these assets which in most cases they paid lots of money for…they don’t even realize the value of these digital assets to their business overall.

Digital assets are like your cyber fingerprints so to speak because they most likely will follow the life of your business and are key identifiers for your digital front door to the world, your digital access,  protocols, and even branding.  Of course this will be ever evolving if your business is really invested in staying fresh on the digital side of business but none the less, these are very valuable assets. So much so, I know digital assets have even been key factors in the determining the net worth of a business.

So the next time you hear some so-called digital expert state your business does not need a website…I highly suggest you not be swayed by this ridiculous opinion but rather see the incredible value your business website can and should be as it adds to your bottom-line and overall marketing approach. For more on this topic see my article Why You Better Stop Treating Your Website Like a Redhead Step Child!

Show some love to your website!

Ahh the mature woman! Something all of us girls grow up to be…well hopefully. As I have embarked on this leg of my personal journey I have noticed more than ever the lack of significance placed on my role, generation and participation in the marketplace.

Is it marketers have counted me out? Do they think I am over the ‘hill’ and no longer am a substanable source of revenue for their bottomline?

It could just be our fascination and even obsession with “being young” but whatever it is…marketers that ignore this market segment are pretty stupid in my books.

November 2009 a white paper titled “The Rise of the Real Mom” was published by Advertising Age written by Marissa Miley and Ann Mack. It’s a refreshing look at just who today’s mom really is and what she really wants. A clear indicator of how out of touch companies are with women in general not to mention mature women!

In one of my favorite blogs covering marketing to women (Wonder Branding published by Michele Miller) she bares witness of how mature women are being undeserved in the marketplace and of all areas…in fashion!

In her article Forgotten Online: Older Women it was stated…

“When asked why the fashion industry continues to focus on ages 18-34, David Grant of ShopFlick (and formerly of Fox TV) responded:

It felt right because it’s what I’ve been doing all my career.”

Mr. Grant is 53.

Not to take the fashion crowd too much to task for virtually ignoring women 35 and older (especially ages 55-64, the fastest growing segment), but too often it seems that the industry can’t see the forest for the trees. The Internet, combined with societal shifts and a changing economy, will be a major force in the “great shake-out” of companies that do what they’ve always done, vs. businesses flexible enough to invent (and re-invent) themselves in ways that cater to the majority market [...]

I love what she said about the ‘great shake-out” of companies! Too bad many of these companies are not listening and not willing to transform. I for one have seen this coming for awhile now and believe we will see some major trouble in the retail sector very soon.

Mature women have been major contributors to the prosperity of business in our country. Yet, I have been seeing a sort of ‘hater’ attitude towards the mature generations going on out there on blogs and media sources and certainly by the fact companies are not focusing much of their marketing on the mature client thee days.

This really disturbs me because despite our generation’s downfalls…we have made and continue to make significant contributions to our world. We certainly made significant contributions in the pockets of the marketplace! Why now are marketers and companies undeserving us? Especially women.

I recently read a post titled ‘Welcome to the frustration decade’ on one of my favorite blogs by one of my favorite forward thinking leaders in 21st century business, Seth Godin. In this particular post he lists two of the most important trends he sees for this next decade one of which is is titled ‘Frustration’.

He states…baby boomers are getting old. Dreams are fading, and so is health. Boomers love to whine and we love to imagine that we’ll live forever and accomplish everything. This is the decade that reality kicks in. And, to top it off, savings are thin and resource availability isn’t what it used to be. A lot of people ate their emergency rations during the last decade. Look for this frustration to be acted out in public, and often[...]

While I agree and even marvel at many of Seth’s observations, I have to say this comment somewhat rubbed me wrong because it joins ranks with those persuasions that have sort of thrown us baby boomers out with the bath water.

The point I am trying to make here is that women have radically changed!  She is smarter than ever, more financially stable than ever, more savvy than ever, more connected than ever and certainly a market segment to be respected and served. Businesses that don’t welcome and embrace the mature woman consumer do not deserve our business. She is not your grandma of old. Surely there are plenty of new businesses out there looking for a profitable niche to serve? Well…come and get it!

Although I this one is last, it can be just as damaging for a business as the other three I have already covered.

I call this Business Suicide Mentality #4: The “I Don’t Have Too; I Don’t Want Too, I Will Not Change!” Mindset.

Yep, Change…it’s a word we all know yet often we find we are naturally opposed to the meaning of this word.  We find change is disruptive and unsettling, so we resist it.

The dictionary defines change as…

Change

to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone: to change one’s name; to change one’s opinion; to change the course of history.

to transform or convert

to transfer from one (conveyance) to another:

When it comes to business, resisting change can be a deadly mindset, especially in today’s economy! I can pinpoint some of my worst business decisions and business problems from not embracing or anticipating change in my business.

Here’s something interesting I have observed in the past few years as a digital strategy business consultant and coach. I am realizing many businesses are not really interested in understanding the great change which is occurring in the marketplace today.  Rather, they are more interested in maintaining status quo or using what I call the ‘band-aid’ approach. Read Seth Godin’s book Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing out of Sync?

The band-aid approach boils down to businesses taking a “patch-it-up” approach rather than a ‘reinvent it’ approach to their business operations. This process usually involves incorporating a few things which make them appear they are with it, or they are cutting edge (whatever that means) such as a website, some new customer service technology, a Facebook presence, etc. but in reality, they are still the same old company using the same old model, same old mindsets, and same old same old…just still the same.

I find this happening among entrepreneurs and with large businesses as well. Anyone locked into the old way of doing things, the old way of looking at things, and resisting the change necessary to be relevant to today’s market…will find using a band-aid approaches will not work for very long and often will backfire.

Here’s my observation and strong belief on what’s going on with the marketplace. The world has changed. I mean it just up and changed…fast! Therefore business has changed, marketing has changed, the customer has changed so it makes sense…your business has to change if you want to be profitable and stay the course. Yet, in all my years in working with businesses of all sizes have I seen such a resistance to change and yes, even a fear to embrace this changing economy we are experiencing every day.

As I have said before, 21^st century businesses are going to be those who are of a different cut, a different DNA. It does not matter what kind of business you have, from the local cleaners to a top line retailer, you are being forced to change in many ways you have not had to deal with in the past.

Some will have to create and redefine new business models for themselves. Some will have to hire completely outside of their industries and set aside their old hiring model standards (like requiring degrees) to get the kind of talent that can help transform their business. Some will have to invest in professionals and experts that can help them get re-educated and reposition their businesses. Some will have to invest in research and statistics to re-chart their course. Some will have to seek out strategic alliances in marketing, services, events, etc. to add value for their customers. All will have to fall in love with their customers, vendors, suppliers, etc. again. Sadly, some will have to just close the doors.

Change.

It is happening, and has happened already!

We can’t control it or stop it. The best we can do is to embrace it. Even better though, is to anticipate it.  To not give this serious thought and consideration is sealing your doom as a business. You simply will not be around if you don’t understand what is really going on in the marketplace today and embrace it and in some cases radically change to transform yourself into a New Era business.

As a business coach and consultant whose specialty is in digital marketing strategy and positioning, I believe many businesses can get a jump start on coming up to speed on all this by connecting and securing the services of the right professionals who offer services to help guide you and coach you.

A word of caution on this though, everybody says they are a social media or internet marketing expert these days. I saw this happen in the web development industry. We have had a web development company for 13 years now and have accumulated lots of experience and skills sets under our belt to in fact claim we are experts in this field. But more and more we begin to see everyone and his High School son was a web designer and this industry became saturated. Of course, most businesses don’t really know how to select a web development professional that will really give them an online business solution. So they look at price and the ‘shiny’ stuff to make that determination in most cases when in fact there is so much more that is vital to web success that most designers or developers don’t know how to deliver like…the marketing strategy defined and built-in to the website, marketing metrics to determine if what you are doing is working, a clear understanding on how to emotionally connect with the user so they will take desired actions, and on and on. Don’t get me started:)

My point is, no…not everyone who says they are a marketer, coach, consultant, guru, etc. are. If you want to really excel in making changes to reposition your business and are looking for outside help (which you should) I suggest you focus on three key areas for assistance. The first is strategy, the second is emotion, and lastly is creativity. These three elements are in my opinion the driving forces of business transformation. They are the jump off points to rethink your business and determine your new roadmap for change.

P.S. The most fearful and resistant business types I have come across regarding the drastic changes occurring in this crazy, evolving, marketplace are small business owners. Especially the baby boomer crowd (OUCH). It’s true though. And sadly, they are the major holders of small business ownership in the U.S. I’m not trying to make this a generational thing as I (and I say this with pride) am a baby boomer as well. But I fear this group has the most at stake here but offers the most resistance. I’m sure I will get some comments on this and I really welcome them!

However, I would have to add to his statement…

“More important by far is creating a desire to share”.

But I add to that…before people will even take note you have created a desire to share, they are going to do a “Motive Check”.

Motive is more important than ever in today’s marketplace because we have just had it with all the hype, lies, switch-n-bait, etc.

And yes, making the effort to ensure your “Motive Check” hits the mark and you are in fact genuine in your interactions with the marketplace may take you a bit longer in reaching your target market and getting results, your integrity will far out pace the Hypie crap pitched everywhere online and offline today.

I have had a web development company for over 13 years now and have been a digital marketing consultant before it became cool One of the greatest web presence problems I have encountered when it comes to designing a web site is the client does not really understand (or care to in some cases) how to market online with a web site nor do they understand the online consumers wants and motivations so they don’t really know how to take charge of their marketing goals for their web site.

What happens in most cases is they leave the entire project in the hands of the web designer; graphic artist or programmer and most of them are not marketers!

Even if they were seasoned marketers like me…the business owner of that web site must be totally engaged in the development strategies and business plans for this amazing marketing tool if they want a return in their investment. Your web presence is not just a bunch of pages online. It’s a business asset…and a valuable one at that!

You cannot leave your front door to the world to just some cool effects, colors and things that go pop-up in the night! You must be in control of your web assets. The day of just loading that off to your web person is gone if you want to remain relevant and compete in this new business economy.

In all fairness to business owners, I understand many don’t know how to market using digital media and online strategies. That’s why I call upon Seth to help spread the word about the availability of those of us who are Digital Marketing Coaches. A short time ago he put up a post on Squidoo explaining the need for digital coaches who would help those who were in need of a tech coach. There is even a greater need for Digital Marketing Coaches that help bridge what I call the Great Business Digital Divide!