It’s How You Look

Anytime you want to know about a company, a brand, or a person, you Google them.  The results usually bring you to a website.  This is the first impression.  What does your website say about you?

I am going through entire website change right now.  As my regular readers know I am changing my core business to meld with culinary.  This requires all new information.  To go along with a new website I am creating a new logo. 

As I go through this process, it is giving me a chance to think about what a potential client will think.  Will they get my business at first glance?  This is really important.  If they don’t, I can lose them before I am even given the chance. 

I believe it all starts with the logo.  What does your logo say about you?  Is it eye appealing?  Does it explain your brand?  As we are building the website, my web people built the home page first without the logo.  They kept asking me what I thought.  I did like the page but without a logo I just can’t see the page.  The home page needs to revolve around the logo. 

We are now working on the logo.  Now that we are really close to having the logo complete I want to see it on the home page.  My guess is that we will need to re-work the page because the logo will change the overall look.

Today, a website might just be your most important marketing tool.  Make sure it tells your story.  Make sure your customer loves it!

Engage In Online Conversations

As with last year’s Event & Arena Marketing Conference, everyone at this year’s conference wanted to hear about non-traditional marketing.  Why are we still calling it non-traditional marketing?  This is 21st Century marketing.

Everyone wanted to know how to use Facebook and Twitter for their venue or show. The key to social network marketing is starting and engaging a conversation.  Web 1.0 was all about one-way communication (websites).  Web 2.0 is two-way communication.  Getting your fans/customers involved in the show or event is the best kind of marketing. If you use Facebook, you may have been invited to join something or go to something.  You can respond to the invite with yes, no, or maybe. 

Peer marketing is an important key.  Think about when you were in high school.  How many times did peer pressure come into play?  Why not engage your fans and ask them to tell their friends?  “I am so psyched to see … you need to go see them too”.

Reward is always a good incentive for spreading the word.  Give them a reason to talk about your event online.  Ticketmaster has created a new program called Ticketmaster Street Team.  You can spread the word about upcoming TM ticketed events. When someone you told buys a ticket (you have to prove this) you get paid a commission.  This is a virtual street team using the internet.  This program is perfect for Facebook and Twitter users.  It also works great for mommy bloggers. 

Many marketers are afraid to create conversational opportunities.  They don’t want people to say bad things about them.  If you are one who thinks this way, you need to get over it.  Today’s internet is going to spread the good, the bad, and the ugly anyway.  Don’t you want the opportunity to talk back or even let your fans talk back for you?  The “boo birds” will always be out there. Why let them voice their opinions alone?  I would rather they say it in my forum then someone else’s.