Benefits of Creating a Business Facebook Page

With more than 400 million active users from around the world on Facebook, there is tremendous potential to build your brand and add potential clients through social media.

Many savvy business owners are finding out that Facebook isn’t just a fad for teenagers -- it’s helping build profitable business relationships. A recent Network Solutions/University of Maryland study of 500 small business owners found that 70 percent were satisfied with their social media efforts and 61 percent said it helped identify and attract new customers.

Developing a Facebook business fan page is one element of a social media strategy for small businesses. Benefits include:

Branding: A fan page is an added element in your branding process. The media, prospects, and potential employees can search for information about your company before even talking to you.

Conversations: You can use your page to generate an interactive dialogue with clients and prospects. Readers can ask questions, make comments, post their own content and ultimately engage in a two-way discussion with your company.

Website traffic: You can link to your corporate website site and blog throughout your fan page to increase traffic.

Information: Your page is an excellent vehicle for distributing news, photos, information about events and special promotions. And, readers won’t feel spammed by you, since they can pull and read your updates at their own pace instead of being inundated with e-mail blasts.

Analytics: You can gather demographics about your fans through your page’s Insights area. You can view data on who your fans are, their gender, age range, and what they are doing the most on your page.

And, consider this. If you don’t already have a Facebook business fan page – you are already missing out, since your competition likely already has one.

For more information, or to get started on creating your company’s Facebook fan page, contact The Leatherbury Group.

Authored by: Linda Leatherbury

Nine Steps for Building a Successful Website

Today, “sales” is not just about cold calls and shaking hands. Most often, your website is your company’s most successful sales tool. Consider these nine ways to make your site more effective.

1. Customize content for your target audience
It’s important to know your target market and give them what they’re looking for. On the home page, explain who you are, what you do for them, and how visitors can contact you.

2. Make the site user friendly
Keep the navigation simple and intuitive. People will leave a website quickly if the navigation is confusing.

3. Employ quality graphics
Use quality graphics to make your website is professional and appealing. This is often the first contact that prospects will have with your company. Make sure your site portrays a quality image that will produce the best results for your company.

4. Keep them coming back
Content on your site should be understandable and concise. Keep it fresh to give visitors a reason to come back.

5. Promote your company
Include a “What’s New” section to share company news and list upcoming events such as workshops or participation in conferences. Consider offering testimonials and case studies from satisfied customers.

6. Integrate social media
Increase your organization's exposure and reach new customers by including links to your Facebook fan page, LinkedIn page and Twitter.

7. Provide a call to action
Look for ways to collect visitors’ contact information to generate sales leads. For example, ask them sign up for an e-newsletter, register for a company-sponsored webinar or fill out a quick form to receive more information.

8. Increase traffic
Generate more traffic to your site through Search Engine Optimization – the process of making your website rank higher in the search results of major search engines and directories. Two of the most effective methods to enhance your search engine position are to increase the number of quality links to your website and include substantial content.

9. Market your site
Include a link to your site on all your marketing materials, business cards, social media sites, press releases and your e-mail signature.

For specific strategies to increase your website’s effectiveness, contact The Leatherbury Group, www.leatherburygroup.com

Authored by: Linda Leathebury

Key Messaging Essential in Attracting New Clients

Imagine yourself in an elevator with a prospective client who asks what your company does. Would you know what to say? Would your answer reflect the same messages conveyed on your web site, marketing materials and social networking sites? Would all the company’s employees answer the same way you did?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, then likely your company does not have an established set of key messages. These messages -- preferably no more than three -- serve as the foundation for all communication about a business. They give your clients and prospects a clear understanding of who your company is, what it does and why it’s better than the competition. Key messages often spell the difference between success and failure in your ability to attract clients, grow and prosper.

New mediums such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn make it even more important to ensure that your company has a platform of key messages that are consistently presented throughout all written, online, and spoken communication.

The Leatherbury Group has the proven ability to help you develop compelling key messaging that offers competitive advantage. Don’t lose another new client because you couldn’t differentiate your company and clearly define its benefits.

Authored by: Linda Leatherbury

Philanthropy: 2010 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Business

While we all resolve to do things like exercise more, eat healthier, and organize our closets in the new year, now is also the time to think about business resolutions.

This year, consider philanthropy as a business resolution for 2010. Not only does philanthropy work help communities, but it also provides a public relations opportunity for your company.

When choosing a business charitable venture, look for a cause that your employees will feel passionate about. And, consider hands-on ways to involve your employees. One way you can do this is by donating actual services your company provides. For example, an accounting firm could donate tax return help to parents at a local Boys and Girls Club.

There are many ways to publicize your business philanthropy work. You can write and distribute a press release to local papers and community newsletters. Also, you can add information about your charitable projects to your company web site, Facebook page, or Twitter account.

Personal stories of the people your company helps can also be pitched to local papers. When volunteering, be sure to personally engage with the people you are helping and take photos as appropriate.

True philanthropy work is more than just writing a check to an organization. It is an opportunity to personally give back to your local community and make a difference.

We hope in 2010 your business will find a philanthropic cause that provides both personal and professional fulfillment. Happy New Year!

Authored by: Linda Leatherbury

Keep in touch to stay top of mind

Staying connected with clients, prospects, people who could be prospects, friends of the firm and vendors is important for any small business. Here are some ideas for maintaining constant contact that can help generate referrals and new projects. Some are old-fashioned, and some use new media.

1. Thank You Cards
In the Internet Age, there's nothing like a hand-written note to make a lasting impression. It can be a simple note of appreciation – nothing fancy, but sincere and genuine.

2. Congratulatory Notes
Keep your eyes open for news about your clients and prospects’ achievements, awards, promotions, mergers and new business deals. Send a few words of congratulations and you’ll make a lasting impression.

3. Facebook
You can ping contacts with quick notes via Chat instead of e-mail or voicemail that requires login and fully crafted sentences. You can also help friends connect with other friends who can help them with personal or professional challenges.

4. LinkedIn
Watch for status updates of people within your LinkedIn network. Send a quick e-mail to offer comments or to share helpful information. It’s a great opportunity to keep your name on their radar screen.

5. E-mail on the iPhone
E-mail is the lifeblood of business, but sometimes the quantity is overwhelming and messages can be lengthy. You can stay on top of this with your IPhone or Blackberry by deleting or forwarding messages from the grocery store, or while waiting for the next meeting to start. It's quick and convenient and makes it easy to keep in touch.

Authored by: Linda Leatherbury

What are you doing to help your business succeed?

During a tough economy, media exposure can accelerate business growth. Learning to leverage the power of the media helps your company stand out from the competition. There are simple media strategies to consider that may help your business succeed.

You may have heard the phrase, “no news is good news,” but that is not always the case. For many businesses, no news may mean the company no longer exists. It is for that reason you should continue to communicate with the media, even if you don’t always have specific news to share.

Just because your company may not have a new product or a new hire to announce through a press release, doesn’t mean your company doesn’t have worthwhile media opportunities. Consider the following ideas:

Offer to write a regular column in an industry magazine

Apply for newspaper or magazine awards such as, “Best Company to Work For.”

Pitch human-interest stories that involve your company, such as participation in a charitable activity or an employee’s outstanding efforts to give back to the community

Serve as a subject matter expert for trend articles in which your company executives could be quoted

Look for editorial opportunities in which you can highlight past successful case studies.

Also, think of ways to keep your company’s name out there in social media and visible to your target audiences. Create a company Facebook page, blog, or “tweet” to share company information about new hires, promotions, industry or community awards, and board appointments.

Extra, extra, read all about it! Is your business doing everything it can to succeed? Adding media relations to your business plans is an essential component of your company’s overall success.

Authored by: Linda Leatherbury

Jumpstart Your Public Relations Efforts as Recession Ends

During these tough economic times, many companies have cut their budgets and shelved their public relations and marketing efforts. However, they have not recognized that the role of public relations during a recession is more important than ever before.

How will your key target audiences know the benefits of your viable company if you are not communicating with them? Recession or not, communicating with your target audiences is essential to help your firm stand out in a crowded marketplace where many businesses are failing.

An economic downturn provides an excellent opportunity for marketers to find the most effective ways to gain value for their communications dollars. Here are my picks for the top three most cost-effective ways to jumpstart your public relations efforts as the recession ends:

Upgrade Your Website: The most direct way people learn about your company is through your website. Now is the time to upgrade and update your site with fresh, consistent messaging, so your target audiences are aware of what your company has to offer and how they will benefit from your services.

Connect Through Social Media: Online communications using social media creates an instantaneous sharing of information and a two-way dialogue with your clients and prospects. Now is the time to create company buzz using social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.

Market Through Media Relations: Utilizing the media to tell your company’s story is an easy and inexpensive way to communicate with your target audiences. Now is the time to distribute press releases about relevant company news, serve as a “go-to” subject matter expert for an industry trend article or write a byline article for a trade or business publication. When the articles are published, be sure to merchandize your media coverage to build your brand. You can put a link to the article on your website and Facebook page and post the news to LinkedIn groups.

Don’t let your audiences think your business has gone under. Instead, use my three simple public relations strategies to get them texting, tweeting, and talking about your company. You’ll get a heads-up on your competitors and jumpstart your public relations program for better days ahead!