Stop Spending Tons of Money Trying to Acquire New Customers
By introducing evolving digital marketing strategies, reinforcing best practices, and sharing processes, your local, small business will grow……
The Resource for Small Business
A New Chapter: Retirement
After two decades of dedicated service and relentless pursuit of marketing excellence, I am stepping away from the helm of Zen Marketing, the agency I founded and nurtured into a renowned name in the industry. This decision, while bittersweet, marks the beginning of a new, exciting chapter in my life.
Over the years, Zen Marketing has grown from a small start-up to a leading marketing agency, a journey that was both challenging and rewarding. Our success can be attributed to our innovative approach, unwavering commitment to our clients, and a team that continually pushed the boundaries of creativity. We have worked with a myriad of businesses, helping them connect with their audience, grow their brand, and achieve their marketing goals.
However, this is not goodbye.
While I may be retiring, and closing Zen Marketing, I am not stepping away from the world of marketing. I am excited to announce that all the content we have published over the years will now be available on this new website specifically designed for small business owners. This resource aims to empower entrepreneurs by providing them with access to valuable insights, strategies, and tools that can help them navigate the competitive business landscape.
The content available on the new website covers a wide range of topics, from practical tips on starting a business to in-depth guides on various aspects of marketing. It is the culmination of years of experience, research, and real-world application, all packaged in easy-to-understand, actionable content. And retirement affords me the time to write even more now, look for new articles about SMB marketing and business development.
I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved at Zen Marketing and equally excited about the potential impact of this new platform. My hope is that it will serve as a useful resource for small businesses and contribute to their success.
In closing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to every member of the Zen Marketing team, our clients, and partners. Your support and trust have been instrumental in our success. As I step into retirement, I look forward to watching Zen Marketing continue to flourish and make a difference in the world of marketing.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Here’s to new beginnings!
Why You Should Market in a Recession
Downturns or recession in the economy are bound to happen. We find that our phones and inboxes usually…
Marketing Fraud
There are many instances of marketing fraud; here is my recent story involving a very nefarious attempt to…
Is it a Numbers Game?
If I only had a dollar for every time someone hides behind a cliché to explain their abysmal…
Marketing for the Long Sales Cycle
Does your business involve a long sales cycle? How do you market where months will pass from the…
Diversify Your SMB Marketing Plan-Part 2
Our previous post looked at diversifying an SMB marketing plan through both behaviorally-driven and demographically-driven campaigns. Let’s look…
Overseer of Order: John Hyman
Why would anyone rely on a geek to handle the most important function in the future of their company’s success, it’s marketing? Top-line revenue acceleration is crucial to every small business. My team and I have the distinct privilege of working with some amazing small business owners who wanted to accelerate top-line revenue through better lead generation. And we accomplished just that.
Marketing is evolving at the speed of light. Fortunately, powerful marketing tools and automation, once reserved only for large corporations, is available to small business owners and affordable for almost any budget. We’ll be writing more about these tools on this site.
Featured Posts
Diversify Your SMB Marketing Plan-Part 2
Our previous post looked at diversifying an SMB marketing plan through both…
Diversify Your SMB Marketing Plan Through Writing
Diversification is essential to any marketing plan. Focusing on just one campaign,…
Marketing Collateral in a Pandemic
Now is the ideal time to revisit your marketing collateral and consider…
4 Ways to Generate Effective Content Ideas
There are many ways to create content ideas, but we choose to…
How to Improve Content Marketing
We’ve previously written about how to improve content marketing with How to…
The SMB Digital Divide is Closing
There is a digital divide that exists with every small business owner,…
Stop Spending Tons of Money Trying to Acquire New Customers
By introducing evolving digital marketing strategies, reinforcing best practices, and sharing processes, your local, small business will grow… substantially. Learn how to reduce customer acquisition costs and improve your brand’s reach
Why You Should Market in a Recession
Downturns or recession in the economy are bound to happen. We find that our phones and inboxes usually explode with small business owners who suddenly find their sales funnel drying up. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Marketing Fraud
There are many instances of marketing fraud; here is my recent story involving a very nefarious attempt to garner online attention.
Is it a Numbers Game?
If I only had a dollar for every time someone hides behind a cliché to explain their abysmal approach to marketing and selling.
Marketing for the Long Sales Cycle
Does your business involve a long sales cycle? How do you market where months will pass from the initial contact to the closing of a sale?
Diversify Your SMB Marketing Plan-Part 2
Our previous post looked at diversifying an SMB marketing plan through both behaviorally-driven and demographically-driven campaigns. Let’s look at two other types of campaigns.
Diversify Your SMB Marketing Plan Through Writing
Diversification is essential to any marketing plan. Focusing on just one campaign, technique, or demographic might yield success, but it is more likely to produce underwhelming results or simply fail.
“Hi, I’m calling from …”
If you’ve received a phone call that begins with “Hi, I’m calling from Google…”, it is highly likely you are the target of a scammer. Often these calls are from third-party companies trying to scam small businesses.
What My Dad Gave His Shop
Every now and then you ruin across an article that is so special, so “real” you feel compelled to share it with anyone and everyone. This morning I read such an article, and I encourage you to read it as well.
Marketing Collateral in a Pandemic
Now is the ideal time to revisit your marketing collateral and consider how an update or addition may help your top-line revenue growth. Here are seven areas you should focus your analysis.
Do You Brush Your Teeth Every Day?
There are many reasons you should brush your teeth daily. But have you ever thought about applying those very same reasons to your small business marketing? In this short video (actually, it’s a slide show we made into a video), we’ll illustrate how the rationale is appropriate for every business provided your goals are to…
4 Ways to Generate Effective Content Ideas
There are many ways to create content ideas, but we choose to focus here on these 4 ways as a place to get you started.
How to Improve Content Marketing
We’ve previously written about how to improve content marketing with How to Write Content Answers and How to Write Content in Times of Upheaval. But what good is investing in a content marketing campaign if no one reads it? We’ll show you how to improve content marketing below.
The SMB Digital Divide is Closing
There is a digital divide that exists with every small business owner, despite that the first two decades of the 21st century brought about digital transformations in sales and marketing. Too many SMB’s still look at their customer buying experience from an out of date perspective. How is your small business narrowing its digital divide?
How to Write Content in Times of Upheaval
We’ve previously written about How to Write Content for Answers and have realized it is also important to learn how to write content in times of upheaval. The current pandemic has severely impacted what your audience is prioritizing, along with how they may view your brand. This pandemic and any other future disruptions are sure…
The 4 Steps of How to Write Content Answers
We’ve previously written about How to Connect With High Value Customers. In that fashion, we want to show you how to write content answers for the questions your potential clients may have. Let’s break down what it will take to effectively answer your prospective customers by expertly answering the pressing questions they have about your…
The Essential Guide for Quality SMB Teleconferencing
If you are feeling trapped in uncertainty, then it’s time to pivot. You must pivot in a big way. In this post, I’d like to zero in on the use of teleconferencing, a process that used to be strictly for corporations with big budgets but have evolved.
Professional Services Marketing and COVID-19
Professional Services are not immune to economic downturns and must consider their post-COVID-19 marketing response today in order to resume a path to success. Inbound marketing is a proven marketing method that is ideal for every professional services business. We’ve previously written about How Lack of Marketing Plan Blows the Budget. Let’s continue that trend by…
Connect with High-Value Customers
It’s a goal most entrepreneurs ascribe to, enrolling high-value clients. . The truth is there are a few things to be mindful of before going out on a campaign to harness a tribe of top-level prospects and convert them.
Lack of Marketing Plan Blows the Budget
A look at the importance of a marketing plan as exhibited by a restaurant owner, plus some suggested ways to improve the marketing performance.
Revealing the Top 3 Secrets of Email Marketing
This is Part 1 on a new series: Revealing the Top 3 Secrets of Email Marketing Have you noticed how so many people bitch and moan that their emails never seem to get opened? They spout the percentages the media likes to throw around, like: “The national average open rate for email is less than…
Marketing Your Small Business 4 Pennies
Hang on a minute. Does Marketing Your Small Business 4 Pennies even make sense? It does if you have no marketing budget and are hard-pressed to find new prospective customers. Marketing your small business for pennies is a concept that many very small businesses use to get off the ground. While traditional marketing and advertising…
Why Brands Are Blue Over Green
Brands like Whole Foods, Aldi, Tata Harper, The Good Trade, Honest Company, and many, many more are leading the way towards a lower carbon footprint, healthier people, environmentally healing action towards the critical issue of degradation of our world. Have you documented your company’s environmental sustainability plan yet?
Is Your Website a Crime Scene?
Is your website a crime scene? Do visitors find their expectations exceeded and have a great experience when they open it?
Beware the Sales Tax Nexus
The Official 2019 Tax Season may be over, but the discussions regarding Interstate Sales Tax isn’t and that brings to mind the sales tax nexus. If someone isn’t careful, this Sword of Damocles known as uncollected sales tax hanging over the heads of retailers and service providers may become a reality. Nexus, also called “sufficient…
Top 5 Ways to Avoid Online and Offline Content Violations
Avoiding online and offline content violations, and the possibility of litigation should be on the minds of any serious small business person actively blogging and other forms of content production. The 5 ways we’ve found to avoid content trouble is to follow these recommendations. Now, please realize this is NOT legal advice of any kind,…
Your Ideal Client – Who Is It Really?
As a business owner you probably think the world is your market, and that anyone with money is your ideal client. You couldn’t be more wrong.
Bogus Email; is the Third Time the Charm?
If you are anything like me, you’re sick and tired of bogus email that attempts to corrupt your computer, steal your information, compromise stuff like identity, bank information and all sorts of other nefarious deeds. As a business person you are in charged with positively impacting your clientele (or target audience), provide information through a…
Is 2019 the Year to Rediscover Yourself?
Here Are 6 Things to Consider in Doing So It’s barely the end of the first month of this New Year and already the gyms are beginning to become less “busy” with resolutions falling off by the day. What started out as compaction is now settling back to a normal member flow, and the machines…
Email Marketing: Care and Feeding
In every aspect of business there is always room for improvement. Your email marketing tactics are no different and require some care and feeding along the way. Yes, you’ve probably been achieving your email goals but there are still opportunities to find a new approach to your content creation, drive new subscribers to your database,…
How is Multi-Channel Content Delivery a Lot Like a Pizza Taste Test?
We’ve all seen the blind taste tests for soft drinks, wines, beers, and even bottled waters. I think a Pizza Taste Test is a lot like a multi-channel Content Delivery strategy.
How is Email Marketing a Lot Like Dating?
A lot of small business owners shy away from email marketing and marketing automation out of a lack of understanding. Email marketing automation is a lot like dating, like a person seeking a mate. Now, hear me out and you’ll see the correlation in a minute. Attract A person seeks a mate, so they go…
Why Automate Your Email Marketing? Let Me Count the Ways
Automate your email marketing, and marketing automation in general, are two of those terms that are often a intertwined mistaken notion, depending on who is shouting it and who is the receiver. If a MA sales person speaks to a Fortune 1000 company, it means one thing. To a small, local store owner it may…
Wouldn’t a Disruption-Free Business in 2019 Be Great?
While you are focused on finishing out the year as strong as possible, disruptions are working against you. More importantly, a similar set of distractions await you on the other side of New Year’s Eve.
At least 20 ways to keep your loyal subscribers loyal
Do you struggle with a process to keep your loyal subscribers loyal? One of the easiest things to do is to establish an email sequence to keep nurturing your prospective clients,
Uncovering Your Alpha Audience
I am confident you understand what an ideal audience is. They may be referred to as your Avatar or Persona as well. But your Alpha is a bit more specific.
Print is Dead, or So Said Egon
Remember the original 1984 film Ghostbusters? The late Harold Ramis, playing the character Egon (the brains behind the group of ephemeral-capturing knuckleheads) coined that line as no one else could. Today, “Print is Dead” was perhaps the most relevant quote of the film as we take stock of the printed word.
Facebook – When is Enough, Enough?
Amid all of the spotlights on the stage of social media, Facebook remains center stage clearly in high light. When is enough, enough? Here’s 1 more reason to stay in the headlines for Facebook, from the perspective of a Constant Contact Solution provider, but all CTCT users and many other social networking aggregators will be…
Bad marketing can hurt you
In my own new business development process, I come across businesses all too often that simply don’t understand good marketing vs. bad marketing. And while that’s a good thing for me, I suppose, I nonetheless want to share some tips for how to avoid bad marketing pitfalls and instead use good marketing tactics and better…
Cold Calling versus Acceptable Behavior
A lot has been published on societal polarization, usually relating to political ideology but I contend it also relates to sales, especially cold calling.
New York Furniture Expo
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Small Business Marketing Plan for 2017: The Time is Now
Have you created your new marketing plan for 2017? If you’re like many busy entrepreneurs, the answer might be, “Not yet,” or “We’re using the same one as last year,” or worse, “I don’t have one.” Yikes! If you’ve been flying by the seat of your proverbial pants, you may be suffering from what’s known…
Email Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
There was, and still is a fair amount of divergence as to how and where email became what it is. Some believe that it came about as a tool of ARPANET1, the interconnected mainframes between the Pentagon and universities. Some interpretations explain that the ARPANET was created to perform doomsday scenarios of nuclear attack sequences,…
Top 3 Reasons to Be Hyper-Vigilant with Your Inbox
In today’s internet reality, you simply must be hyper-vigilant with your inbox. What do I mean by this? I decided to write this article as a result of one of my clients contacting me with disturbing questions. I answered my client with what I think are the top three reasons to become hyper-vigilant when it…
Do you know spam when you see it?
Do you know spam when you see it? If your inbox is like mine, you probably do. But inboxes across the globe are also seeing a new threat, a usually-malicious email purportedly from a friend, or sometimes even from ourselves.
Best Reason Ever to Have a Professional Email Address
I just finished reading something that is very timely. It’s the best reason ever to have a professional email address.
How Can Direct Mail Bolster Email?
A lot has happened in the world of marketing since the dawn of the digital revolution. Email and direct mail marketing have mostly been used independently, but savvy marketers are today joining them together as a multi-channel strategy. If you’re not getting the results you expect from an email-driven campaign, even after A/B testing, consider…
Faster, Better, and Cheaper
In the web design and search engine optimization business, creativity rules just ahead of intellect and expertise.
Can email marketing build engagement and grow organic referrals?
Email marketing is a process of which everyone is aware. How can one build engagement and grow organic referrals through email marketing? The answer might surprise you. When a client asked me the other day which email marketing platform was the best one to use, I turned the question around on her. “What are your…
Do You Use Direct Mail to Enhance Email Campaigns?
To suggest that a lot has happened in the world of marketing these past couple of years would be laughable, wouldn’t it? Email and direct mail marketing have long been used successfully yet mostly separately. But today’s smart marketers are joining these proven tactics together as a multi-channel strategy. If you’re not getting the statistical…
Do Newsletters Really Work? Here are the Top 5 Reasons they do.
Do Newsletters Really Work? Are they still relevant in a point in time when social networking and blogging are all the rage? How can you leverage newsletters for more business and better customer engagement? You probably write a blog every few days, at least twice a month I hope. You’d like to convert more of…
Craft Direct Mail Pieces Like a Pro
Implementing an effective direct mail campaign is not as easy as it might seem. It involves content creation, graphic design, audience targeting, and an understanding of human behavior.
Do you dread learning that someone has un-subscribed from your email list?
Do you dread learning that someone has un-subscribed from your email list? Everyone who uses an email marketing platform dreads the email notification of people who un-subscribe, usually following an email distribution. People opt-out for many reasons, usually: – They changed positions within a company. – They departed their current company for another one. –…
Should an SMB Take on Every New Client?
Sound business marketers place a great deal of emphasis on targeting the audience with whom they wish to attract. It makes sense, because why spend your advertising budget on an inappropriate clientele? Following that logic, shouldn’t they be just as selective in deciding whom they chose to do business with? For new business development, as…
5 Effective Techniques for Marketing a Business on Facebook
5 tips and tricks to effectively marketing your business on Facebook that you may not have heard about yet.
How Hip Hop is Like Running a Small Business
Small business owners could learn a lot from this perspective. You and your business’ products and services make you unique. You need to capitalize on what makes you special and different. Merely copying someone else, or relying on someone else to “get things done” simply will not work
Your small business should use video
It is estimated that over half the population watch a YouTube video every day! And this demand profile isn’t limited to only consumers. One report suggests that 92% of business to business customers regularly watch online video.
Is your event marketing process diminishing your brand?
In a few circumstances, “free” can be a good thing, especially for when operating a business on a small budget. But if you are a small business or organization looking for the best way to promote your events, what does “free” really provide you?
ISIL/ISIS and Your Website
If keeping your website operational is important to your business, look for a hosting partner that has a process for continual security improvement, someone with a laser-sharp focus on research and a motivation to anticipate where new vulnerabilities may come from.
Whenever Google changes its algorithm, it’s a big deal
However, if you’re getting 30% of your site’s traffic from mobile, and that traffic is going to various pages on your site, and organic traffic is a key revenue driver for your business, you may want to act quickly.
Enhancing email layout and design
Data shows that >50% of email opens are taking place on a mobile device.
Understanding the CMO’s Role in Today’s Business World
Today it is all about what we in the business like to call conversion. Converting a completely unknown contact into an interested party, encouraging them to be interested to learn more, converting that person to then become a customer, then converting them to a raving fan.
What are the Top 5 Benefits of Social Media Marketing?
These numbers demonstrate the massive potential for social media marketing to increase conversions and grow a company’s customer base. The key for businesses is to maximize their social media efforts. Following are 5 ways that social media can be used to increase your business.
Nigerian Prince Wants to Send You Money
Ever get the email about the Nigerian Prince who wants to send you money? Email Hackers really know their stuff and recently have been stepping up their game.
How Can I Rapidly Grow an Email Marketing List?
Unlike direct mail, it is far more challenging to institute an email marketing campaign because most SMB’s, and every start-up, lack large quantities of email subscribers. Growing a list is a good goal and easily resolved with the implementation of a sound marketing strategy.
Do Black Friday deals or offers typically apply to doctors?
an you imagine your dentist offering a Black Friday special? “Come in Friday from 3 am until noon and have two cavities filled for the price of one!” Or perhaps your cardiologist offering a BOGO on heart valve replacements. Can you consider a cosmetic surgeon advertising for “Black Friday Nose job Special. Purchase a rhinoplasty and receive a liposuction and tummy tuck for half-off.”
How a content marketing campaign can drive new business
You have probably heard or read it before: content marketing is important to your online campaigns. Content is a leading channel of digital and inbound marketing – any reputable marketing firm, agency, or consultancy can tell you that content marketing drives new business for your brand through a combination of benefits that work hand in…
Blogging and Small Business
Blogging and Small Business are a great fit. In today’s world of social media and content marketing, it seems as if the rules for optimization change on a daily basis. Whether it’s Google’s Algorithm updates or the introduction of new features on Twitter or Facebook, change is a common normalcy in inbound marketing. However, blogging…
To Blog or Not to Blog
If you aren’t familiar with the power of blogging, then you’ve missed some of the most important developments in advertising from the last few years. Here are some of the main reasons why you should work blogging into your marketing plan – or avoid it in its entirety. To Blog: The Power to Get Noticed…
Not blogging? You should be…
Introducing a blog to your business’ website can help your business grow in more ways than one. For far too long (especially for small businesses) those in charge of marketing have seen websites as strictly the place where people come to get some basic information about the business, and maybe make purchases. We refer to…
Does my small business need a blog?
Blogs are one of the most popular forms of online content – just about anyone can start one, but many people worry that their blog is never read… or, if it is, that the readership doesn’t justify the time spent maintaining it. Does my small business need a blog? Let’s take a look at some…
Networking and Referrals Tops with SMB’s… Maybe?
Networking and Referrals Tops with SMB’s… Maybe? When asked for their best sources of lead generation, a recent article and poll suggests so. But is this really the truth? A friend and business owner I admire recently shared a magazine article that addressed lead generation strategies. According to the article, the use of websites and…
Inbound Marketing is Dead
“E-mail is Dead”… according to Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook at the time of the quote “The Internet is Dead”… according to Chris Anderson, Wired Magazine 2010 “Digital Marketing is Dead” … Marc Pritchard, P&G, speaking at Dmexco 2013 None of them are actually dead. In fact, e-mail as an engagement tool is fantastically effective…
Trade Show Success is in the Follow Up
Trade show success is in the follow up. No doubt those of you who are exhibiting at an upcoming trade show you are busy organizing your collateral and displays. Got enough business cards? Check. Found last year’s raffle bowl? Check. But there is an important aspect that often gets overlooked when preparing for a trade show…
Sharing Tactics for Your Blog Article Promotions Strategy
When last we wrote about how we promote our blog articles and how you could as well, we mentioned there was software to make the process easier; there were additional spots on the web where you could also post them. This article will hopefully encourage you to make better use of the Internet in the…
If Bloggers Get 5 Times the Leads – Why Don’t You Blog?
There is a real disconnect when I come across a business professional that doesn’t have an active blog on their site. It’s not that I don’t respect them as business people; they have a right to manage their business any way they wish. It just seems to be counter-productive to have a website and NOT…
Lead Your Competition with Content Marketing
We have covered the value of creating content marketing to allow prospects to find your website and you for quite a while now. One way to lead your competition and establish yourself as an industry expert is by creating engaging content in a variety of media. You not only bring valuable attention to your brand,…
DIY Marketing & the Top Website Mistakes Most SMB’s Make
Most businesses, even solo-preneur’s have taken the time and invested in a website. Any small business that wants to be noticed stake their claim on a domain name and put up a site. It is more or less how business is done these days. The vast majority of business feels adescribe the image certain obligation to…
There is Never a Penalty for Quality in Inbound Marketing.
One of the questions Zen Marketing receive a lot relates to search engine optimization and website design. Search engine optimization is really about driving the prominence of your website in a search, but seldom do you read about the website in its entirety. A good SEO plan should improve the search engine results plus the…
Social Media and Marketing Your Business
Over the past year or two I have shared quite a lot of information of the continual evolution of marketing. Social media might have been mentioned somewhat infrequently; mostly I spoke of inbound marketing activities, branding, content and content management, reputation management and just about every other aspect of marketing. I’ve touched on social media…
Marketing: The Care and Feeding of Your Email Marketing List
If you are new to email marketing or are in the process of building your first list, you are to be congratulated! Email marketing, despite all protestations to the contrary, is alive and well, and will be for the foreseeable future! On top of that, it is still the one essential piece that needs to…
New to Social Networking? Here’s a Quick-Start Primer.
If you are new to the social networking swimming pool, don’t feel bad. There are lots of companies yet to get into the water, but it is high time to stick your toes in. Here’s a quick-start primer on what you will need to accomplish in order to develop a sound social media strategy. Online…
Don’t Get Fleeced from Advertising Providers! Use the LOU Principal!
Our company, and many of our client companies, relies on the services of outside advertising providers, consultants, coaches, and salesmen. These outsourced providers make many promises and while most deliver on those promises sometimes a services falls short of expectation. Owners and managers should regularly review the performance of their services, especially those on a…
The Definition of Insanity (as it pertains to inbound marketing)
It doesn’t matter at what stage of growth your business resides; napkin idea, start up, emerging enterprise or seasoned business, it will always need your attention. When it comes to growing your business, are you insane? What I mean by this query is there is a saying (attributed to Albert Einstein, by the way): Doing…
Internet Marketing: What Your Home Page is Saying
We all know there are a million things that can go wrong with internet marketing; far too many to name. Getting a handle on every single one of them is impossible, but we all do the best possible when it comes to generating leads and growing our businesses. Your marketing efforts can be sabotaged by…
Closed Loop Marketing for Accounting Firms
Closed loop marketing probably wasn’t a terminology taught at Pace University or other fine schools with a focus on accounting. But it probably should have been. With time to focus on things other than late tax filings, closed loop marketing is a great follow up our article on Relationship Management. Remember the discussion about data,…
Your Customer Relationships Require Management
Your customer relationships require management. Especially given that the summer is approaching and you may be considering taking some time away to regroup and refresh. Why not use the momentum to further develop new clientele relationships? Your existing customers and those who will join you deserve a great relationship with you, don’t they? You can…
The Beginner’s Guide to Inbound Content Creation
Regardless of your business entity’s status; a start-up or seasoned, when it comes to content creation, you may need some coaching at the beginning. Here are some easy tips to consider when the beginner of an inbound marketing strategy takes on the role of copywriter. Start with the end in mind No matter the effort,…
Email Marketing for Accounting Firms
Email marketing is a great way for you to attract or shore up some of the client base, and accounting firms know that once the April rush begins, there will be no rest until it is all put aside. It won’t be long until tax filing season comes into focus; no sooner than the holiday…
Content Marketing Adoption and Success
We have been writing about content marketing, also known as inbound marketing, for more than 18 months, and our clients are enjoying the greater exposure and qualified leads this marketing approach provides them. Yet we occasionally are invited to meet with prospective client firms that are reluctant in adopting the concept. I thought it might…
Don’t Speak Jargon to Your Buyers- Use Plain English
If you want to get your point across and make a friend, use plain English. Industry jargon may be fine for working around your coworkers, industry friends and associates, but it should not be used in sales presentations. Jargon is one of the greatest frustrations for a buyer. The inability to grasp what is being…
Deceptive Sales 101 (A great plug for Inbound marketing)
Or why pretending to be someone’s Grandmother isn’t going to help you get that order. My latest favorite term is Sales Prevention Officer… borrowed from Jonathan Farrington on the Eyes on Sales blog. Professional, effective sales processes are a combination of art and science. A great sales person is trained in acting, engineering, politics, relationship…
Hosting an Event? Use a Hashtag for Marketing It.
If your business regularly uses events such as workshops or public speaking engagements, whether for promotional purposes, or actual revenue generation, then you’ll know how difficult it can be to generate a buzz around your event. But without genuine excitement in your target audience, how can you be sure that enough people will attend to…
Pay Per Click is Probably Not the Answer to Better Lead Generation
For many a small business, especially those that rely on generating as many leads as possible online, pay per click is an easy answer, but it may not be the answer to your marketing dilemma. Your lead generation is what drives your business, and your marketing budget must yield as large an ROI as possible,…
Facebook Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
Even if you don’t use it you already know Facebook is one of the most powerful social network platforms. You have probably come to realize that it’s not just for teenagers and socialites, but also for the small private business as well. Why? Because Facebook gives every business owner an effective and affordable marketing tool.…
The Cold Calling Conundrum
While the world has “gone digital,” cold calling is out of date to say the least. However, there are cold calling statistics that make me wonder; well sort of; it’s a bit of a conundrum actually. In the past I posted articles relating to the cold calling marketing strategy. One article alluded to the fact…
Inbound Marketing is Cold Callings Best Friend
What inbound marketing does really, really well is eliminate the cold call. After all, when you have scores of interested people taking the time to visit your landing page or blog and then leaving you their contact information the odds are pretty good your call will be taken. This behavioral bridge is amplified when they…
Rising Annual Revenues? Disaster May Be Near…
The aphorism “a rising tide lifts all boats” is associated with the idea that improvements in the general economy will benefit all participants in that economy. Many businesses see changes in their top line revenue in this same fashion. Everyone on the planet is aware of the economic storm wreaking havoc on the bond market,…
Strategic Marketing Crucial During Stagnant Economies for CPA’s
Strategic marketing is crucial during stagnant economies for CPA’s. Regardless of this time of year, the current economic storm we find ourselves in does not seem to be relinquishing its grip on the market. It is tax time, and everyone in the financial services field is busy taking care of clients. Let us not forget the…
Reverse Cold-Calling, or How to Lose a Customer in 10 Seconds or Less
We know it as Cold Calling 2.0 (in our office we refer to it as interruptive sales) but there is a tactic in telemarketing and phone sales that is guaranteed NOT win the hearts and minds of your potential customers. Don’t know to what I am referring? Reverse – cold calling is the act of…
Does Your Marketing Strategy Include Data?
Does Your Marketing Strategy Include Data? Professional services firms (PSF’s) rely on many things to accomplish their revenue goals, and marketing strategy certainly plays a big part. But do CPA’s, Lawyers, Architects and other PSF’s incorporate data into their marketing efforts? Whether traditional advertising methodologies or the use of digital, inbound marketing, or even a combination…
Maximizing Your Direct Mail Campaign in the Digital Marketing Era
You rarely hit a home run in small business marketing; small ball works best. A well defined marketing plan around a realistic number of differing tactics will run up the score nicely. But because of restrictive budgets (or sometimes attitudes) many small businesses try a tactic and when the home run doesn’t happen abandon it…
Lead Your Competition with Content Marketing
We have covered the value of creating content marketing to allow prospects to find your website (and find you!) for quite a while now. One way to lead your competition and establish yourself as an industry expert is by creating engaging content in a variety of media. You not only bring valuable attention to your…
Top Three Great Reasons to Hire an Inbound Marketing Agency
While there is a plethora (love using that word!) of good reasons to utilize the services of an inbound marketing firm, it is our belief that they all boil down to the three most important, as outlined below. We at Zen Marketing Inc., a fully digital inbound marketing agency believe that we can build your…
How to Join in the Social Media Conversation
Social media is the new word of mouth, so when the conversation online with customers or prospects begins, the friends and contacts that like what they see and react, and are going to join the conversation as well. Perhaps you aren’t monitoring your social media feeds; in that case you are missing out on information.…
Email Marketing for Accounting Firms
Email marketing is a great way for you to attract or shore up some of the client base, and accounting firms know that once the rush begins, there will be no rest until it is all put aside in late April. It won’t be long until tax filing season comes into focus; often this is…
Five Reasons Why Accountants Should Do Their Own Marketing
There are five really great reasons why architects, Lawyers, CPA’s, financial planners, consultants, and other professional services providers should be responsible for their own marketing. You are intelligent beings, after all. The list below makes all the sense in the world, right. Let’s see if you feel this way. I learned to write reports and…
The Power of Content
It really does not matter in which industry you serve, everyone markets to their prospective consumer. Some call them clients, some call them customers, some even call them members; they are all experiencing the effects of your marketing. That friends, is the power of content. Tailored correctly, content that is “persona-fied,” that is, crafted directly…
Inbound Marketing & the False Beliefs in Customer Loyalty
What do we mean by inbound marketing & the false beliefs in customer loyalty? While it is a long-standing tenet of business, “the customer is always right” may not be so, at least in the eyes of the traditional sales professional. Customer loyalty is part and parcel of good business, but when sales professionals insist on…
Inbound Marketing – The 2013 Cure for Business Anxiety?
New Year, More Anxiety for Local Business Owners – From a column we produced running in The Hunterdon County Democrat and NJ.com While 2012 may have been a lackluster year for business, this curative approach could dispel much of the pent up anxiety small business owners may have experienced in 2012. The New Year often brings…
Lead Generation & Nurturing for Your Accounting Firm – Part Four
To wrap up this series on Lead generation and lead nurturing, we’ll explore the ideal prospect, how to actually construct a lead nurturing system, and more. This is the final installment in a four part series dedicated to lead generation and lead nurturing process. No business can be successful with new client development without a…
Lead Generation & Nurturing for Your Accounting Firm – Part Three
Part three of four This is the third installment in a four part series dedicated to lead generation and lead nurturing process. No business can be successful with new client development without a strong understanding of this phase in the sales cycle. You can read the initial installment which can be found here. Here are…
Lead Generation & Nurturing for Your Accounting Firm – Part Two
This is the second installment in a four part series dedicated to lead generation and lead nurturing process. No accounting firm can be successful with new client development without a strong understanding of this phase in the sales cycle. You can read the initial installment by clicking here. Obviously, trade shows are not the only…
Lead Generation & Nurturing for Your Accounting Firm
Lead Generation & Nurturing for Your Accounting Firm is vitally important. Regardless of the methodology of lead generation you employ, in all probability your accounting firm will spend considerable time, energy and financial resources on lead generation. Some firms utilize direct mail, telemarketing, referral or customer-based marketing, trade shows, networking and a host of other strategies…
Is Inbound Marketing Effective for a Start-Up?
Is Inbound Marketing effective for a start-up or should I start cold calling? In a recent online post I was asked,” When starting a new business and trying to generate qualified leads, are there any tricks when you are cold calling or is it purely just a numbers game”? This is a common question, especially from…
Is Emailing Newsletters Still Relevant Today?
Is Emailing Newsletters Still Relevant Today? Perhaps less than you think.
The Evolution of Referral Marketing for NJ Attorneys and Architects
The Evolution of Referral Marketing for NJ Attorneys and Architects is fascinating. Remember when commercials were only about products for sale on television? There were “new and improved” this and that, “try this new” whatever. That sort of thing constituted the bulk of television advertising. Websites, content marketing, social media and blogging did not exist. Marketing…
Sales Team Motivation and Inbound Marketing
We are approached by many companies who are looking to grow their revenue line, and in the process of understanding their approach to business development one question is universally asked – “How Do We Motivate Our Sales Team?” Sales Team Motivation benefits greatly from Inbound Marketing. First off- you cannot really motivate anyone. Motivation comes from…
Can Architects Create Sustainability in Business Development?
Can Architects Create Sustainability in Business Development? We believe that they can… Your business development or sales organization has been very busy. Think about all that time spent drafting emails, responding to voice mails, writing proposals with little or no real relevance, pitching to non-decision makers and not holding prospects accountable to commitments… in actuality that…
Can Accounting Firms Get Sustainability in Marketing with Inbound Marketing?
Can Accounting Firms Get Sustainability in Marketing with Inbound Marketing? We believe so… Your business development or sales organization has been very busy. Think about all that time spent drafting emails, responding to voice mails, writing proposals with little or no real relevance, pitching to non-decision makers and not holding prospects accountable to commitments… in…
Inbound Marketing: the Best Way to Drive Sales to New Levels
Do you sometimes feel like your company is using social media and blogging but not getting the volume of leads you had hoped for? Are you stressing over the decision to invest more time, talent, and treasure into your marketing effort? Or are you stuck in the old cold-calling paradigm? Heck, can a company survive…
Leadership: Does Your Company have a No-Texting Policy?
Does Your Company have a No-Texting Policy? Would you like to avoid the liability that employee accidents create while driving on the job, while improving the safety of your employees? We have all seen someone texting while they were driving, a huge problem on our roadways today. Trying to craft a message and key it into…
Top 4 Reasons Services Business Fail
Why do professionals services businesses fail? In this fast-paced world of business, mostly professional service firms such as lawyers, architects, structural engineers and financial service providers, are hesitant to move toward social media as a means for growing business. If your intent is to stay the course with your current marketing and sales methodologies, you…
Inbound Marketing is the Fuel Source for Successful Sales Teams
Inbound Marketing is the Fuel Source for Successful Sales Teams. In your organization, is customer acquisition a “Seek” or “Get Found” mentality? If it is the latter, then you are ready for inbound marketing. If your firm’s belief system is that the sales department is responsible for lead generation, then, I am sorry to say, you…
Top Three Questions Business Leaders Must Ask
If you have walked into a department or big-box store in the past few years, you have noticed that the once “intelligent, knowledgeable and courteous sales professional is no longer there. Gone are the days when consumers (whether they are individuals or companies) sought the services of such a specialist prior to making their purchase.…
Marketing’s Convergence with Technology
Marketing’s convergence with technology is both sudden and amazing. A major paradigm shift is happening within the field of marketing involving the convergence of technology with historically proven marketing tactics. Its impact on private business owners has been pronounced. It is fairly evident in the manner in which businesses are conceptualized, planned and executed. This is…
The Olympics, Inbound Marketing, and Your Succession Plan
The Olympics, Inbound Marketing, and Your Succession Plan… If you are like me, you were practically glued to the television and enjoyed the competition that is the Summer Olympics. Sports, like business, is about more than just competition but also involves decision making, preparation, planning, and especially desire. One of the stories in the most recent…
Inbound Marketing and History Lessons Can Work Together
Inbound Marketing and History Lessons Can Work Together. A favorite saying in business is “those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it”. In today’s economy, this lesson can often be disputed. It is easy for a business owner to develop a rear window perspective and allow their business development to be determined by…
Inbound Marketing and the Affordable Care Act
Is there a correlation between Inbound Marketing and the Affordable Care Act? The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provides a classic example of why it is important to have a good marketing plan and a succinct message. The 2,700-page healthcare law known as Obamacare is incredibly complex and poorly understood by the small business community.…
How to get the most from your web presence
How to get the most from your web presence is a struggle for many small businesses. No matter what the size of your business, it’s important to have a relevant message, delivered through an effective, optimized website. Small companies often comment that they get much of their new business from referrals, but that doesn’t mean that…
How to Explain Inbound Marketing to Professional Services Firms
How to explain inbound marketing to professional services firms is a question we get from colleagues often. Not every marketing agency uses or understands a growth process centered around inbound marketing so we have come to expect this question. If you were to have the ability to deliver your very best, top ranked Keynote Presentation…
Why Professional Services Firms Need Inbound Marketing
Why Professional Services Firms Need Inbound Marketing is easy to explain. CPAs, Architects, Doctors, Dentists, Lawyers, and Financial Services firms all use some form of marketing to gain new business. Some use informative dinner invitations to persuade unknown potentials to listen to their pitch, while others use display advertising, couponing, radio, television and a host of…
Integration Efficiencies With The Right Inbound Marketing Platform
There are many integration efficiencies with the right inbound marketing platform. The entire business world is undertaking extensive efforts to market in these uncertain times. Typically, business goes about the routine, but the economic storm, which we are experiencing, has made each step a cautious one. Combine the fact that budgets are tight, the future uncertain,…
Inbound Marketing Levels the Playing Field
Inbound Marketing Levels the Playing Field for businesses in almost all industries, scales, and annual revenues. Large or small, multi-national or local, family-owned, companies today have as much of a chance at winning business for one very big reason; the internet. Yes, it’s true, the internet greatly impacts how business is won today, compared to just…
Unfortunate By-product of Effective Inbound Marketing
There is an unfortunate by-product of effective inbound marketing. According to a recent report from Symantec®, web-based attacks increased last year by 36%, with over 4,500 new attacks each day. What’s more, mobile vulnerabilities continue to rise. Internet Security Threat Report, Volume 17, can be found here. One of the unfortunate by-products of an effective inbound…
Why Cold Calling Doesn’t Work…
Cold calling does not work for a number of reasons, primarily because consumers and decision-makers hate telemarketers as much as they hate disruption. There is enough to do all day at work (and at home for that matter) without having to answer an annoying phone call from someone interested in “saving you time or money.”
5 Things Accountants Don’t Understand About Social Media
There are 5 things Accountants don’t understand about social media. There are many things social media is and is not. Although the popular belief among professional businesses is that social media may be a complete waste of time, or only for the young and restless, it can be a valuable tool for all financial services firms.…
Leadership for Consultants – the Client Expects to be Lead
What do we mean by… Leadership for Consultants – the Client Expects to be Lead? Simply, it is the most important concern affecting consultants – the client expects to be lead. Let me repeat myself; your client or customer expects to be lead. She/he is receiving so many market signals that it is difficult to make…
How to Bring More Value to Your Clients
Do you know how to bring more value to your clients? Clients and/or customers make purchasing decisions based on numerous factors, but particularly through identifying value in their selection of products or services. Therefore, bringing value to your clients should be paramount in your thinking. How does one do that, you may be asking. Let’s take…
Just How Effective is Cold Calling Anyway?
Just How Effective is Cold Calling Anyway? Let’s be honest for a moment; no one likes cold calling. Cold calling was once the standard method of gaining new business for many industries, the number one lead generation technique, especially financial services. For everyone from the boiler room operations seeking donations to the New York Stock Exchange…
What Does the NJ Supreme Court and Inbound Marketing Have in Common?
What Does the NJ Supreme Court and Inbound Marketing Have in Common? If you follow the local industry news you know about the March 6, 2010 NJ Supreme Court unanimous decision on KPMG LLP’s previous Appellate Court negligence ruling. Big Win was the title of the article. Big Win indeed. What does the NJ Supreme Court…
Direct Mail vs Digital Marketing Stats May Surprise You
Direct Mail vs Digital Marketing Stats May Surprise You. Both digital marketing and direct mail have their place in the world and come with their own advantages and disadvantages. But painting digital marketing as more ecologically friendly is actually a misconception. Here’s what you should know about direct mail: A study from the U.S. Postal Service…
CPA’s and Financial Planners Must Market Differently
CPA’s and Financial Planners Must Market Differently. It isn’t a question IF accounting firms, CPA’s and financial planners convert to internet marketing, it is more of a question of when. The traditional marketing model is broken, as people shy away from traditional marketing efforts like telemarketing, direct mail, television and radio advertising and other “old school”…
Is Blogging a Good Investment for Accountants?
Is Blogging a Good Investment for Accountants? Many of those in the accounting world assume that blogging is a platform mainly for those who are involved with Internet marketing as their main business. The truth is, many major companies have blogs, even those that are not directly involved in the technological field. Blogging can be a…
How do CPA’s Reach New Clients?
How do CPA’s Reach New Clients? Accountants, CPA’s, financial services firms and financial consultants live to “get found!” Those accounting firms that have already embraced inbound marketing are experiencing significant growth in lead generation, lead capture, internet marketing “buzz” and have differentiated themselves from their competitors in new client development. Let’s face it, the traditional model…
Is the customer always right?
Is the customer always right? Is there a bigger falsehood in the retail or service industry than “the customer is always right”? It is right up there on the international list of famous cliches with “I am Not A Crook”, and “Everything is Under Control”. Once upon a time stores demanded sales associated be properly trained…
When is the best time to make sales calls?
One of the questions I am frequently asked is, “When is the best time to make sales calls?” I’m always hesitant to answer this question, simply because I despise cold calling and believe that anyone who tells you they enjoy cold calling is either a liar or a sales consultant. Yes, I never want to…
The 5 critical stages of creating an internet marketing sales process
The 5 critical stages of creating an internet marketing sales process are less known than the traditional descriptor. Marketers usually prefer the term marketing sales funnel, as the top of the pipeline is wider than the bottom, where many prospects (suspects?) enter, but through qualification, choice and follow through determine how many actually proceed from suspect to…
What is Inbound Marketing?
What is Inbound Marketing? We love deploying inbound marketing strategies for companies looking to enhance their new client development or brand awareness. It is an incredibly effective method for enhancing a company’s marketing because it integrates: Search Engine Marketing Social Media Content Marketing Public Relations Email Marketing Search Engine Optimization Inbound Marketing easily supports pay-per-click or other online advertising campaigns. Moreover…
Why Isn’t Your Business Blogging?
Why Isn’t Your Business Blogging? If there is one thing that I learned from my involvement with HubSpot, it’s that everyone should be creating content in one way or another. Blogging is best when it is a team effort. This encourages a fun, creative, and expressive energy an fosters real team collaboration. Not only should everyone…
Can Inbound Marketing System Can Increase Revenue?
Can Inbound Marketing System Can Increase Revenue? By now everyone knows that the Internet has changed the way business gets done. As a business owner, whether you are a manufacturer or service provider, the question you might be asking yourself is: how can I use the Internet to make my marketing more effective and boost sales?…
Will Your Search Ranking Result In More Conversions?
Will Your Search Ranking Result In More Conversions? How do you insure that a good search ranking will result in more conversions to clients or customers? A significant investment in traditional local SEO may not bring in a lot of new business. EG: A high ranking for a search string like ‘Edison Managed IT Services’ will…
Inbound Marketing Begins With Good Search Tactics
Inbound marketing begins with good search tactics. We all want to see great organic search engine results. Where else can we get a daily (hourly?) measurable snapshot of a result in our business? And many small business owners, especially retail enterprises and craftsman/tradesman, need to be found by people residing or playing in a few specific…
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FRANCHISOR GOES BANKRUPT?
For the past three years I have been working on a book, chronicling my experiences as a franchisee and sharing the experiences of other franchisees in a broad variety of industries. As you would expect as a business coach I am often sought out by new business start-ups, many of whom are exploring a franchised…
Want to define your company’s culture?
Want to define your company’s culture? Herb Kelleher, the CEO who made Southwest Airlines famous, once said the following:“Southwest’s communication, its message, is its people.” That comment tells volumes about the culture at that company. It means that the employees are so engaged, and have been provided with the necessary coaching and training to be an…
How to get the word out about products and services.
How to get the word out about products and services.? Small to medium sized companies all struggle with how to get the word out about their products and services. The best have found that there is no magic marketing formula or technology that produces instant results, and that every entrepreneur has to create their own unique…
Buy Local: An Interesting Idea Whose Time May Have Come?
Buy Local: An Interesting Idea Whose Time May Have Come? As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give…
Don’t Make These Branding Mistakes
Don’t make these branding mistakes; there can be legal implications. Branding is not only a marketing concern. Here are a few do’s and dont’s when it comes to designing your brand. DO make sure your brand graphically promises what you deliver. Meeting expectations is one of the best ways to avoid legal problems. DO be different.…
