The fact is, Facebook has decided to make the format for Pages very similar to personal profile. This means your old Facebook Fan Page will now have a Timeline format with a cover photo at the top of the Page.  Landing or Welcome Pages will become a thing of the past.

Instead of moaning, complaining or whining, here are a few ways your small business can take advantage of the new Timeline format.

1. Create A Compelling Cover Photo and Profile Picture

Cover photos are in; photo strips and Welcome or Landing Pages are out.  Big, big change here.

Think pictures and storytelling to communicate your company’s message and brand.  Pictures are always worth a thousand words, so it’s time to get your creative juices flowing and your strategy refocused.

The good news, is that you can take advantage of the large cover photo to make a great first impression. Maximum dimensions of the cover photo are 850 pixels by 315 pixels which is a big piece of ‘real estate’ on Facebook.

If you are creatively challenged, a good graphic artist can help or if you are a photographer why not ask your clients to submit their favorite photos and select one for your cover photo.  What about an upcoming event? That could be a cover photo. Keep in mind you can switch your cover photos as often as you like.  Compelling visuals can be very impactful.

A word of caution, you are not allowed to have a Call to Action on your cover photo.  You are also not allowed to include your website address, phone number or mailing address. Gone will be the days when you asked a visitor who landed on your Welcome or Landing page to ‘Like” it or Share it.

Before you start throwing a temper like two year old Johnny, you can include company details in your About section or you could have a ‘Like” app as one of your app buttons.  Just no call to action in your cover photo.

Profile pictures are now 180 pixels by 180 pixels.  This is good news, because you can now size your logo or picture in a bigger square.  Your profile picture is usually what appears beside every post in the news feed.

2. Tell Your Company Story With Milestones

Here’s where your storytelling can really shine. Use Milestones to tell about your company’s history, provide interesting facts and figures, firsts, launch of a new product, talk about a special award or anniversary, whatever provides a history and story about the company. The more visually engaging you can make your timeline the greater impact on your fans.

Here’s how to fill out your Milestone information. Click on the line that runs down the middle of your Timeline and select Milestone.  Fill out the company information as shown and start your story telling!

3. Feature Pinned Posts and Starred Posts

With the absence of a Welcome or Landing page, featuring a “Pinned” or ‘Starred” post is the only real way to highlight a story, a comment, a status update, a video, a promotion, a video or whatever content you want highlighted or featured.  A “Pinned” post is expanded to display the full width of the profile.

“Pinned” or “Starred” posts can be kept on the timeline for up to 7 days

To do this, click the pencil icon in the upper right of the post and select Pin to Top

Take a look at how Starbucks highlighted their Kona promotion by using the ‘Pin’ post feature.

4. Create a Call To Action With The New App Buttons

The Welcome or Landing tab will disappear. You will now have twelve applications (apps) you can showcase, however, of these twelve only four will be promoted on your page.  The rest will be hidden but still can be viewed.  This is where you need to think carefully about the apps you want front and centre.

Please note that you cannot change the position of the photo app which will be the first position in the row.  The other three you can choose and switch around however you want. If you so choose, you can maximize ALL twelve apps (but remember only four will be visible).

Some of the apps could include videos, a welcome app, a current promotion, a contest, another social media channel and so on. Consider using one of the app buttons to create a call to action.

These are just a few of the changes that are coming to a Facebook Page near you on March 30.  Change can be good, so consider how your small business can use this as a big opportunity to shine and tell your story.

Will you be ready?  How do you plan to make your Facebook Timeline stand out?

In these days of tweeting, blogging, and even ‘citizen journalism’, it might seem that anything goes: just speak your mind. Well, not quite.  As we’ve been seeing, opinions can be risky business, even costly.  Spilling your guts and saying whatever you feel might not be the wisest thing especially if you are a public figure or a big brand with a lot at stake.

Take the case of Chrysler, who decided to part ways with New Media Strategies, an agency that handled its Twitter account. An employee of the agency decided to post a comment that read, “I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the Motorcity and yet no one here knows how to (bleep) drive.” Between “to” and “drive” was the F bomb.  Oops was little too late.

Yeah, you guessed it – the Chrysler machinery went in to damage control mode. Comments erased, agency apologized, Chrysler licking wounds, agency contract not renewed. As one would expect, Chrysler had to reach out to the Detroit community to win back their trust and confidence.

Then there was the Gilbert Gottfried/ Aflac blunder. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried the voice behind the squawking duck in most of the Aflac commercials posted at least 10 jokes about the earthquake and tsunami after the tragedy struck in Japan on his personal Twitter.  Suffice to say, Japan accounts for 75% of Aflac’s revenue.  Go figure Mr Gottfried!

Again, the PR machinery had to go into damage control mode and Mr. Gottfried’s contract was immediately terminated. Aflac pulled all television commercials with his voice and issued a statement decrying the insensitivity of the jokes.

So when you hear the squawking duck in the Aflac commercial, you know it’s not the voice of Mr. Gottfried.

Insensitive tweeting has had many a victim – private citizen to public personas. “Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work,” tweeted “theconnor”.  Needless to say the offer was rescinded. 

You see, “theconnor” didn’t quite get it when mom chided (him/her) to ‘watch your mouth’.  In today’s warp speed world, when everything is social and public, tread carefully and watch watch you put out there. It could be costly!

What about you? Have you ever tweeted something you later regretted and had to retract?

By: Dorothy Vernon-Brown

If your tradeshow event is to provide valuable face time for you then it’s important to get people involved on both sides of the interaction. The key to a successful tradeshow is marketing. It’s not about handing out brochures or hoping people will stop in at your booth.  Your best results will come with careful planning, a strategic focus and a commitment to measuring the results. 

The following are ten (10) Must-Dos for a successful tradeshow

1.    Create a proper tradeshow marketing plan

This is not a standalone venture but should be in alignment with your overall marketing plan. Determine what you want to achieve from the show.  Set clear, specific and measurable objectives.

 2.    Have a well defined promotional plan

A promotional plan is a significant part of your marketing plan.  Know what your pre, post and onsite strategies will be.  Sad but true – most exhibitors fail to have a plan. Set a budget, establish a theme that ties into your overall marketing strategies and determine how you will reach your target. 

 3.    Target Right

A good tradeshow is only as great as the visitors it attracts and their value as customers and prospects.  Know and target the audience(s) you want. Design your activities to attract the real prospects and minimize the non-prospects. Be very clear about whom you want to meet and what conversations you want to have. Go for quality versus quantity.

 4. Promote your tradeshow participation.

It’s foolhardy to rely on show management to get you all the possible business opportunities at the show. Pre-show promotions are perhaps the greatest under-leveraged opportunity so target the people you want to visit your booth. Start by using your own house list i.e. list of customers and prospects.  Design and mail an invitation that is totally benefit-oriented and makes an impact.

 5.    Give Visitors A Reason to Visit Your Booth

‘If you build they will come’ doesn’t apply; so forget it. Make sure you give people a reason to visit your booth. With competing booths and time constraints visitors need an incentive to visit your booth.  People are usually interested in what’s new, what’s different or how you save them time and money.  Satisfy one, two or all. 

 6.    Make Your Booth Memorable

People remember AWESOME they don’t remember mediocre or same. Make your booth awesome and memorable. Consider premium giveaways, entertainment or some creative show stopper activity that relates to your product or service.  Giveaways should help to communicate, promote or motivate.  Remember, it’s about your audience not you.

 7.    Make Your Booth Your Marketing Tool

Remember everything you do is a reflection of your brand and your booth makes a pretty strong marketing statement.  It tells who you are as a company, what you do and how you do it. Create an experience that allows your visitors to use as many of their senses as possible.  Go for large images instead of lots of copy.  Pictures tell a thousand words. Develop a strong key message that delivers a significant message.  Create a focal point in your booth.

 8.    Differentiate Your Products & Service

Be a purple cow and stand out from the crowd. That’s how customers and prospects will remember you. It’s important to move away from the ‘sameness’ of everyone around you (especially your competition). Remember – exhibitors are many and time is limited so ensure your product or service is memorable, creates impact or arouses curiosity.  

 9.    Make Your People Your Marketing Team

Choose your people well; they are your ambassadors and will represent your company. Brief them ahead of time on the what, when, where, why & how.  Ensure the message is clear; the process of engaging a customer or prospect is outlined and everyone speaks with the same voice. Set clear expectations and assign specific roles for executives. Don’t leave it to your team to figure out what you expect.  Avoid overcrowding the booth with unscheduled team members visiting.                                                               

10. Capture and Follow-up Promptly

Post event follow-up is really where the ‘rubber hits the road’.  This is your greatest opportunity for revenue generation.  Lead capture and management is a process which requires attention and diligence. It’s best to plan for follow-up before the show as other activities will be given priority once you return from the show and leads can go unattended.  The longer leads are left unattended the colder and more mediocre they become.  After all the investment of time and money who wants cold and mediocre leads? 

The essence – plan, qualify and follow-up.

By: Dorothy Vernon-Brown

Here is the final part in our How To series.  I hope you’ve found them useful. 

Twitter
Why:
• Helps to broadcast quick, succinct messages to interested parties. 140 character maximum.
• Helps you to listen to what others are saying. Creates opportunities to fill a need.
• Gives you insight into what customers, prospects, competitors and industry experts are saying – either about you or the industry you operate in.

How:
• Set up your Twitter account.www.twitter.com
• Create a compelling reason for people to follow you.
• A retail company could tweet about a special offer.
• B2B companies could post links about relevant industry info or trends.

Cost: Free

YouTube

Why:

• A powerful medium for spreading your message
• More than 2 billion views per day. Very, very popular online activity.
• Small businesses have an opportunity to jump on the video marketing bandwagon.

How:
• Set up your YouTube Channel – www.YouTube.com
• Your account name should be consistent with your business name.
• Put your video in the right category and make use of tags. Add tags that describe your business and products as well as the video’s subject matter.
• Write a good description for your video that contains your keywords.

Cost: Free

Do you feel you can become a Social Media expert? Well, maybe not yet, but this is a great start.

By: Dorothy Vernon-Brown

In this post I’ll share with you Why and How to get started with LinkedIn and Google Analytics.

I hope these small steps will help you begin to navigate the Social Media jungle with a little less trepidation and fear.

3. LinkedIn

 Why:

•  To network with other professionals and find others with similar interests.
• Find out about people and their background prior to meetings.
• Monitor your competitors.
• Find specific people in other companies that may be prospects (generate leads).

How:

•  Create a LinkedIn public profile – www.linkedin.com  (plan to spend several hours establishing your profile and network).
• Your profile page should reflect your professional interests, passions, and ambitions.
•  Be sure to include a solid headline that includes keywords relevant to your industry, a business photo, how you would to be contacted and what you want to be contacted about.
• To start building your network you can reach out to everyone you’ve emailed before and make a request to connect. LinkedIn also allows you to search for people you know to see if they are already members.

Cost: Free. Upgrades for a monthly subscription

 4. Google Analytics

Why:

•  Monitors your website traffic.
• Provides stats that help you monitor who is visiting your site, where they are from, what they are looking for and how long they are staying.
•  Helps you engage and convert more customers.

 How:

• Set up a free account www.google.com/analytics
• Insert code that Google Analytics provides you with into every page you want tracked on your website.  Your webmaster should be able to add the code for you.
• Set aside some time to get familiar with Google Analytics and what it can do. 
•  Monitor your site’s performance (hourly, daily, weekly – as you like it.)   

 Cost: Free. New features added often.                

 Stay tuned for the next post on Twitter and YouTube.

By: Dorothy Vernon-Brown

 Today let’s talk about blogs and Facebook.

1. Blogs

Why:

• An opportunity to provide free value to your customers and prospects.
• Elevate your status as an expert in your industry.
• Raise your website in search engine results.

 How:

• Write original and interesting content that’s relevant to your industry or business. Write to engage your audience.
• Do not turn your blog into a sales pitch. Remember it’s not about YOU! WIIFM applies.
• Add value to your readers; provide interesting content. Solve a problem, ease the pain.
• Platforms: www.wordpress.com /www.blogger.com

Cost:

Free (for basic service). Upgrades and add-ons available at a cost.

2. Facebook

Why:

• Highly indexed by search engines. One of the most highly trafficked sites on the internet.
• Facilitates social connections between people (i.e customers and prospects). Fans can quickly and easily share your message.
• Can use the Events section to plan and promote a business event or meeting, invite people on your ‘Friend’ list and see who will or will not attend.
• The Wall allows you and your fans to engage in a two way dialogue. You can post a topic for discussion and your fans can participate and express their opinions. 

 How:

• Create a business Fan Page.www.facebook.com/page/create.
• Customize your Fan Page.  Fill out the relevant details about your business. Upload a profile picture (could be your logo, company/team picture or a business picture.)
• Engage your fans and invite them to share stories, ask questions, upload pictures (relevant to your business).  Offer discounts, contests, giveaways to your Facebook fans only.
•  Focus on updating your status with company news etc, use the Events page to promote your events and post company photos to the gallery.

 Cost: Free. Facebook Ads available at a cost (similar to Google AdSense ads).

Next post LinkedIn and Google Analytics. Stay tuned.

By: Dorothy Vernon-Brown

The social media stats are staggering; 400 million users on Facebook; 60 million on LinkedIn and more than 50 million tweets per day on Twitter.  If Facebook was a country it would be the fourth largest in the world.

With these staggering stats and growing evidence of the effectiveness of social media, I go back to my original question – why does the adoption rate seem so low among small businesses?  If I were to guess, I would sum it up with one word – FEAR.  Yes, FEAR of what is unknown and unfamiliar.  

 The adoption rate among small business in the US is approximately 24% which means 76% are yet to venture therein.  In Canada the adoption rate is around 19% which means that 81% of Canadian small businesses are yet to adopt. Fear of the unknown is the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind says renown horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. 

If all the experts, pundits, gurus or whatever you want to call them are right, social media is not the Next Big Thing. It is The BIG Thing.  It follows then, that if your small business is not involved in social media in some way, shape or form; your business will become stale and outdated, and maybe, just maybe your competitors will leave you eating dust.

Do you realize that Google is now a verb?  These days if you are looking for information what’s the first thing you think or do?  That’s right – you ‘Google’ the search term. Most consumers now ‘Google’ a company or a product before a purchase decision is made.

Customers and prospects are turning to their peers for recommendations often looking to online communities and sites like Yelp.ca to read user reviews and then make a decision.

Want proof?  Consider the role social media played in getting President Obama elected. One of the most unlikely candidates in the early days, his use of social media is now a case study for the marketing books.

 Then consider the role Twitter played in June 2009 when those protesting the official outcome of the Iranian election used it to co-ordinate their actions and spread the word to colleagues and supporters within and outside Iran.

 Still unconvinced? How about Lucky Bucky Clothing in Tennessee who after using Facebook ads for only 4 months received over 40% of their click through on their website from Facebook pages. Naturally this converted to increased sales.

While it might be too late to be an early adopter, now is good a time as ever to get your small business found online and engaged in social media.  Why not start a blog and provide relevant content about your industry? No sales pitch please. How about tweeting on Twitter?  No problem if you are not chatty, the micro-blogging site only allows you 140 characters to say your thing.  Tweet about a coupon, discount or sale you might be running.  Not your style? At least join the 60 million professionals around the world who are connecting with each other every day on LinkedIn.  Why not tryout being a ‘fan’ on Facebook?  Once you see how engaging it can be  set up your own Facebook fan page for your business.  Bottom line ‘Just Do It’ as Nike says.

Every medium might not be the right fit for you but at least give one or two a try and see what works best for your business.  If you are still uncomfortable, research, ask or hire a social media consultant to guide you through the process; like traditional marketing it’s all about testing and refining.

If you still decide to sit on the sideline and play ‘hands-off’ here’s are just a few ways you could be potentially hurting your small business:

1. 1.    Your competitors have the edge. YOU DON’T

Other savvy small business will jump in and leave you eating dust.  They will engage your customers and prospects and eventually win them over. How costly is it to regain a customer?

1. 2.    Your customers and prospects are online.  YOU ARE ABSENT

Remember that saying “out of sight, out of mind”?  It’s true. If you are absent from the social media scene you leave that void to be filled by your competitors.  Fill they will. Your competitors will now have their finger on the pulse of your customers and prospects.

If they fill that void they take your share of voice, if they take your share of voice, eventually they’ll take your share of wallet.

1. 3.    Everyone else has a voice. YOU DON’T

Social media seems to be the great equalizer now.  Consumers have more power than ever before as they tweet, blog or Facebook about their preferences and positions; their rants and their faves.  Customers and prosects are taking back; they now have control of the conversation. If your voice is absent how then can you engage and listen? A shift has taken place; consumers have more power and voice. Jump in or become a dinosaur.

 4.    Your market is changing.  YOU ARE NOT. You seem irrelevant

 It’s true that the future belongs to those who will embrace change.  Make no mistake; the landscape is changing at lightning speed.  Your audience is changing and the market is shifting.  Do you realize that some Gen Ys might not recognize a typewriter or a cassette player?  If you market to the Gen Xs and Ys social media is not optional. How dated and irrelevant do you want to be?

 Jump in!  Social media is not that scary.

 This is just the tip of the iceberg. You might have some to share. Please do here.

 By: Dorothy Vernon-Brown

Don’t:

1. Try to be all things to all people – you cannot satisfy everyone so determine your market and laser beam focus
2. Go another month without a marketing budget
3. Ignore your customers
4. Put all your marketing eggs in one basket – try different ways of reaching your customers and see what works best
5. Lose sight of your competition and their marketing strategies
6. Under or over price your products or services. Be competitive
7. Ignore your company’s weakness. Determine how you will market around them
8. Be scared of Social Media. Accept that it’s part and parcel of the new marketing
9. Blindly believe industry gurus and experts – do your own homework.
10. Get complacent when you achieve some success
11. Misrepresent your products or services. Customers can sense FAKE
12. Choose a location that might not provide the necessary traffic or expansion possibilities
13. Package your products or services in a way that conflicts with your company image
14. Market your products or services to the wrong audience
15. Take rejection personally. Keep moving, you’ll strike ‘gold’ eventually

By: Dorothy Vernon-Brown

“You can have the best product or service in the world, but if people don’t buy – it’s worthless. So in reality it doesn’t matter how wonderful your new product or service is. The real question is – will they buy it?”
Noel Peebles

“The sole purpose of marketing is to sell more to more people, more often and at higher prices. There is no other reason to do it.”
Sergio Zyman

“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.”
Peter F. Drucker

“If you don’t believe in your product, or if you’re not consistent and regular in the way you promote it, the odds of succeeding go way down. The primary function of the marketing plan is to ensure that you have the resources and the wherewithal to do what it takes to make your product work.”
Jay Levinson

“Overused words do not work.  Instead of relying on words at all, offer evidence.  Offer the compelling stories — the case studies, awards, business growth, achievements — that make those adjectives unnecessary.”

Harry Beckwith

“Marketing takes a day to learn.  Unfortunately it takes a lifetime to master.”

Phil Kolter

“Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.”
Mark Twain

“What really decides consumers to buy or not to buy is the content of your advertising, not its form.”
David Ogilvy

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
Robert Collier

“You now have to decide what ‘image’ you want for your brand. Image means personality. Products, like people, have personalities, and they can make or break them in the market place.”
David Ogilvy

“To sound like an expert, hire one.”

Harry Beckwith

“No great marketing decisions have ever been made on qualitative data.”

John Scully

“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”

Jeff Bezos

“Your premium brand had better be delivering something special, or it’s not going to get the business.”

Warren Buffett

“And I’m not an actress. I don’t think I am an actress. I think I’ve created a brand and a business.”

Pamela Anderson

To sound like an expert, hire one – Harry Beckwith

Take Wal Mart for example, whether you love them or hate them, it was a slow and steady process of twenty years, yes, twenty years before Wal Mart really took off. Today they are the world’s largest retailer and Sam Walton would be twice as rich as Bill Gates.

The Facebooks and Twitters of this world have experienced phenomenal growth and success in very few short years. Twitter has now reached 50 million tweets per day up from 3.5 million in 2009.

For most business owners, that’s not usually how it works though. Solid and successful businesses take time to build and the people behind them work diligently and persevere until they reach the tipping point.

Here I present the nuggets of wisdom of some of the world’s foremost business visionaries and thinkers.

1. Warren Buffet, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Billionaire

It’s one of his famous sound bites he says you must be ‘fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful’.
It’s very easy to be fearful these days. The business climate is still shaky and the world’s most powerful economies still not out of the woods. I believe though and history has proven it that many successful businesses were born in times of recession, depression and even repression. Many have thrived because when the competitors zigged they zagged.
I’ve said it many times, but it’s bears repeating. Smart businesses should become more aggressive with their marketing efforts in times like these. Now is not the time to eliminate yourself from the game by being absent. Now is the time to tackle the game head on and get greedy.
If Warren Buffet says it, then it must be so. After all he has the goods to prove it. Therefore, go get greedy when others are fearful.

2. Jim Collins, Author, Built to Last and Good to Great. Management Consultant

In one of my recent readings I was struck by an answer Jim Collins gave to the question of what was the one single philosophy he swore by more than any other – in business, life or both. His response was a nice reminder, when he said ‘ “Don’t be interesting – be interested”.

A lesson he said that changed his life in literally 30 seconds in one of his encounters with John Gardner, the great civic leader. He goes on to say ‘if you want interesting things to write about, be interested. If you want to meet interesting people, be interested in the people you meet – their lives, their history, their story. Where are they from? How did they get here? What have they learned? By practicing the art of being interested, the majority of people can become fascinating teachers; nearly everyone has an interesting story to tell.”

When was the last time you were truly interested in your customers and prospects? Not interested in selling you’re your product or service to them.

3. Simon Cooper, President and CEO, Ritz Carlton

Under Simon Cooper’s leadership the Ritz Carlton Hotel has won many accolades and awards including Best Luxury Hotel Company and Most Prestigious Luxury Brand. In 2007 and 2008, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company won #1 ranking in the J. D. Power and Associates North America Hotel Guests Satisfaction Index Survey.

Simon Cooper believes ‘He Who Says It, Does It’. He goes on to say that execution and commitment are absolutely essential to any strategy or initiative in an era of plans, processes and procrastination. He Who Says It, Does It. Small businesses are you listening?

4. Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and former CEO, Xerox

Mulcahy believed in ‘face time with the customer’. During her tenure as CEO at Xerox, Mulcahy says the mantra around Xerox was to ensure that the customer was connected to everything they did. So every senior leader, from the head of human resources to the general counsel was assigned a customer account to cover. She, herself made hundreds of customer calls each year so she could hear firsthand from customers about their relationship with Xerox.

5. Carol Bartz, CEO, Yahoo!
Her wisdom is simple – you’ve heard it many times over. Bartz has a core belief that says – if you think you can’t you’re right. She feels you can do anything if you try, sometimes you just don’t know, so the goal is to learn how.

Sounds simple enough – right? Simple isn’t always easy. As small business owners, we tend to talk ourselves in and out of why we can’t be as innovative or creative as our medium to large size brethrens. I agree with Bartz, it’s all in the mind. Anything is possible for the small business.

Do you have any small business wisdom you’d like to share?

By: Dorothy Vernon Brown