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THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL FACEBOOK MARKETING

8/9/2017

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You may think, “I’m too busy to manage social media for my business”. However, the key to successful inbound marketing is to find out where your audience is and increase your visibility there. Therefore, with over 1.7 billion users logging on daily, you can’t afford not to be on Facebook.
 
THE BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
 
Interactive communication with your audience
The beauty of social media is that it provides the opportunity to communicate directly with your audience.  It’s the “social” in social media that allows for conversations to take place. For instance you may post an image that is of particular interest to your audience and ask them to share their personal experience or thoughts on the topic.  
 
Widespread Visibility
Social media is a key strategy for any inbound marketing campaign. Consistently posting a variety of content that speaks to your audience’s needs and interests will enhance awareness and engagement for your business exponentially over time. 

Enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
One of the key goals when posting content on Facebook and other social media sites is to drive traffic back to your website.  By posting fresh content on your site (blog posts, sale items, etc.) and sharing links to that content on social, you will drive more traffic and visitors to your site which in turn will enhance your ranking with Google. Simple as that.
 
Increased leads and subscribers
Your website is your home base.  It’s where you are able to convert visitors into qualified leads, and leads into customers. By occasionally posting offers to intriguing, valuable, original content (video series, ‘how-to’, article, eBook, etc.) that require an email address for access, you will increase your leads and subscribers and gain permission to stay in contact with them via email.
 
EFFECTIVE  FACEBOOK  MARKETING TACTICS
 
Business Page vs. Personal Profile
One of the main reasons you shouldn’t use a personal profile page to promote your business is that it goes against Facebook’s Terms of Service. However, you can share your business page posts on your personal profile for even greater visibility.
 
However, a Facebook Business Page provides the ability to increase audience reach by creating advertisements that target more people than just friends of your friends. With a Business Page, you can actually get feedback and monitor analytics for your page to determine the preferences of your audience and how many likes and shares your page and posts are generating.   
 
Ads and Boosted Posts
When it starts getting hard to pierce through the noise of your competition, Facebook offers your business page away to boost your posts’ visibility. You can distribute boosted posts to potential clients based on demographics and interests. You can also choose who to target based on age, gender, location, and interest.
 
Facebook Ads provide a powerful marketing tool that uses enhanced targeting criteria to reach a specific, focused audience. With a straightforward interface, you have complete control over your advertisements. Overall, Facebook Ads are much less expensive than traditional forms of advertising, with greater visibility to those who are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
 
Live Video
Videos are known to garner a stronger engagement rate from audiences. That’s why Facebook Live has been so popular since it launched, simple posts may not always be enough. That’s why Facebook has designed Live videos to work a little differently, built to boost more visibility to audiences.
 
The authenticity of live videos allows you to connect on a deeper level with your audience and interact with them in real-time. Building anticipation for the event through teasers and offering rewards encourages more subscribers.
 
A compelling title and description title will help the event stand out among others. While it should appear to be unrehearsed and unscripted, it’s a good idea to know what you’re going to talk about ahead of time and limit the length of your video to prevent ramblings and hold the attention of your viewers.
 
To create a more compelling video, utilize the front and rear-facing camera to both showcase and give a behind-the-scenes look into your business. Acknowledge the audience every so often either by answering questions and comments while shooting the video.
 
The Benefits of Groups
Facebook groups are communities of like-minded people who come together to share ideas and interests. Reach out to new customers and make new connections by joining groups related to your business or create your own group. Engaging with group members by offering help and support will provide visibility and help establish you as a thought leader in the industry.     
 
Mobile vs. Desktop
In this era of users on the go, mobile has become the primary medium for accessing social media newsfeeds. Keep this in mind when creating image and video content, and follow Facebook’s guidelines regarding resolution, file size & dimensions.  
 
BUILDING THE PERFECT POST   
 
Create and Share Stand-Out Content
One of the first goals for content posts on Facebook is to always be creative and address the interests of your audience. Remember, you are competing with family, friends, and competitors for attention and should strive to break through the noise of the other posts and content that constantly flow through the audience’s news feeds.
 
Attention Grabbing Headlines
Grabbing the audience’s attention is the first step in getting them to read your content. Create headlines with “thumb-stopping” action to make viewers want to pause and read the post or watch a video. Titles need to be descriptive, but it should be short and simple so don’t go overboard. When posting content that links to a blog, video, or an article, add engaging quotes from the linked content to draw in audience interest.
 
Emotional Connections
Draw in audiences by evoking sentiment, by making them laugh, or by contributing positively to their day. Creating an emotional connection is a great way to create impact and help your posts stand out.  
 
Timing & Scheduling Posts
Timing is everything, and the right timing is important to ensure your audiences are even going to see your content. It’s a good idea to avoid hours when your audiences might be asleep or at work. Even if you can’t always be around to post content, there are sites like Hootsite and Buffer that allow you to schedule posts and publish them for you automatically.
 
GOALS & MEASURING SUCCESS
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Setting specific goals as related to key performance indicators such as increased number of fans, engagement (likes, comments & shares), conversions (subscribers, clicks, sales, etc.) and then measureing the success of each post and ad through the use of FB insights, google analytics and reports available through social media scheduling tools such as Hootsuite or Bufferapp, will clearly define the topics, posts and type of content that best resonates with your audience. This final step with ultimately make your efforts worthwhile because without a clear understanding of what’s working and what’s not, there can be no true success.
 
 
GUEST AUTHOR: LARISSA HOLMES
Larissa is a graduate of the University of Findlay with a degree in English & Equestrian Studies, and served as a summer intern with Equine Office Solutions.
 

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
 
5 Tips to Creating an Unbeatable Facebook Ad Campaign
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/unbeatable-facebook-ad-campaign/
 
10 Little-Known Facebook Marketing Features and Hacks You Can Try Today
https://blog.bufferapp.com/10-hidden-facebook-marketing-features
 
Success Stories | Facebook Marketing Partners
https://www.facebook.com/business/success
 
8 Reasons Facebook Will Beat All Other Digital Marketing Channels
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/286441
 
Facebook Video for Marketers: Strategy for Future Success
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-video-for-marketers-strategy-for-future-success-jay-baer/
 
5 Benefits of Using Facebook Live Video
http://www.business2community.com/facebook/5-benefits-using-facebook-live-video-01773422#vZ86GkOMcMwCTbOL.97

Five Crucial Tips for a Successful Boost Post on Facebook
https://komarketing.com/blog/tips-for-successful-facebook-boost-posts

Tips for Using Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/best-practices/live

Facebook Live – What Marketers Need to Know
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-live-what-marketers-need-to-know
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How to Choose Between Facebook Profiles, Pages, and Groups
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/marketing-your-business-on-facebook-how-to-choose-between-profiles-pages-and-groups

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Carol Aldridge Partners With eTherapy Equine for National Premier of BEMER Vet for Horses at the Winter Equestrian Festival

3/13/2017

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The unique, patented BEMER signal has revolutionized the medical field.  Over 18 years of successful testing has resulted in 5 worldwide patents and a million+ users including top level athletes, whole sports teams, and a cooperation agreement signed with NASA.   The unique FDA Registered device is proven to enhance blood flow, resulting in increased oxygen supply, enhanced recovery & regeneration processes, reduced stress and improved hydration. And now, this ground-breaking technology has been adapted to meet the specific requirements of equine athletes.

“BEMER is taking the equestrian industry by storm! Short, daily sessions are natural and safe, assisting with optimum performance for both horse and rider.” –Candice King, World Class Grand Prix Show Jumping Champion and USET Gold Medalist with multiple FEI Titles and Awards.

“After using the BEMER Vet on countless horses, I have seen remarkable improvements in performance, behavior and health. Horses love the BEMER and you will too!” –Linda Tellington-Jones, Hon. Ph.D, Animal Ambassador, Teacher, Trainer and Author of 21 books in 15 languages.

The new BEMER Vet for horses will premier March 15-April 2 at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.  Contact Carol Aldridge to learn more, and be among the first to receive priority information when their new shipment arrives.  Then plan to visit eTherapy Equine’s booth near ring 9 to schedule your personal demonstration.

Carol Aldridge has partnered with eTherapy Equine as their Digital Marketing Manager and East Coast distributor.  eTherapy Equine is managed by Chris Raborg Insurance Services, Inc., distributor of BEMER Vet for the 2017 Winter Equestrian Festival.

BEMER was founded in 1998 by Peter Gleim and now operates in the medical engineering sector, conducts and supports research in the area of microcirculation, and develops physical treatment procedures to positively influence the aforementioned. The multi-patented and market-leading technology of the physical vascular therapy BEMER is available in different, innovative product lines, which the company distributes through its own, widely spread direct specialist distribution and the corresponding local representation in over 40 countries. The company’s registered office is in Triesen, Liechtenstein, where over 50 employees are employed.

For more information, contact:

Carol Aldridge​
​Carol@EquineOfficeSolutions.com
​Ph: (859) 361-9416
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EQUINE MARKETING INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE

2/14/2017

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Equine Office Solutions is seeking a stand-out intern with a focused desire to gain in-depth knowledge of today's best inbound marketing practices. Proven, professional writing skills and the desire to learn prominent online applications and marketing strategies required.

​This position will provide hands-on learning experience in creating and implementing interconnected systems associated with company branding, lead generation, seo, email marketing, media relations, content marketing, online event management, social media. website management, designing marketing plans, analytics and more.

Duration: approximately 3-5 hours per week. Internship may be structured to best suite student's schedule. Minimum 3 month commitment.

Compensation: College credit if applicable

To Apply: Send cover letter, resume, writing samples & references to Carol@EquineOfficeSolutions.com
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HOW TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COMPLETE FACEBOOK DATA ARCHIVE

1/14/2017

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Did you know that you can create a historical Facebook archive by downloading all of your posts and data, including images, messages and more? Just go to "Settings" and in the "General" tab you'll see an option to "Download a copy of your Facebook data". You'll be asked to enter your password, and a few minutes later you will receive an email with a download link. My personal Facebook page archive downloaded today contains 43mb of data, and includes just about everything, even a history of the people I've poked! LOL.  But seriously, this is a valuable option for securing your data, so give it a try, then leave a comment below. I'd love to hear your thoughts. 
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14 Free Business Tools for 2017

12/22/2016

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Being a business owner and entrepreneur means wearing many hats, all the time. Fortunately, in this ever-advancing age of technology, there are a multitude of valuable, web-based tools to help you efficiently and effectively manage your business.

Here are some of the best:  14 Free Business Tools for 2017

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BUILDING YOUR MARKETING PLAN - STEP 4: MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF YOUR EQUINE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

10/27/2016

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Let's face it - marketing is time consuming and can be expensive. But without a doubt, it's necessary for the overall success of your business. Further, considering the details of your marketing results will help you gain insight into what’s working, what isn’t, and how to adjust your efforts as needed.  Luckily, since so much of today's marketing is focused on inbound, digital campaigns, we now have clear-cut methods for measuring success.
WHAT METRICS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?

The results you choose to track will depend on the goals you have set and the strategies you have in place. Here are some examples:

Growth in organic web traffic – how many website visitors did you have?
Social engagement – how many new page likes, post likes, comments and shares were gained on FB and other social media platforms?
Lead generation – how many new subscribers have you received?
Conversion rate – how many new customers or inquiries did you earn and where did they come from?

TOOLS FOR TRACKING RESULTS

Google Analytics is by far the most valuable tool available to you as a marketer (and yes, unless you have a professional, paid staff to handle your marketing efforts, as a business owner you are a marketer.) It is an extremely robust platform and can be somewhat complicated, however learning the basics will be well worth your time.

Aside from the standard dashboard and statistics provided by Google Analytics, it also offers a a powerful tool called “Link Builder”. This allows you to create unique URLs (called UTM parameters) for each specific link you wish to track.  For instance, if you want to place a link to your most recent blog article in your email signature line, in an email campaign, in a Twitter post and in a Facebook post, you would create 4 specific links, all pointing to that one webpage. This VIDEO by KISSMETRICS explains exactly how to create your own UTM parameters.

SOME OTHER HELPFUL TOOLS INCLUDE

Surveys - Ask your customers how they found you.
Promo Codes - Request that your customers enter a code to get a certain item or discount, and use different codes with different campaigns.
Email Analytics - Use services such as Constant Contact, Mail Chimp and others which provide excellent link tracking services.
Social Media Analytics - Utilize Facebook business page and other social media platforms statistics on your individual posts and page engagement.
Google Alerts - Receive email notifications when your business name or blog post titles are mentioned online.

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER - CREATE A MARKETING DASHBOARD

Excel is an excellent tool for tracking and analyzing your marketing results. List each individual campaign on the left side, then assign a column to each metric you want to track, then be sure to include the title of each campaign, the linked URL and the date.  Of course you'll want to list your goals either monthly, quarterly or by campaign, so you can compare them to your results to determine where you may need to adjust your efforts. 

Setting goals and systems for tracking your marketing results is critical to assure your progress is based on informed decisions rather than squandering your time and money without a clear path for success.   If you need help creating a plan or implementing smart strategies with measurable results, contact Carol@equineofficesolutions.com.  Then contact us to schedule a personal strategy session to learn how you can take your business to the next level and beyond. 
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Carol Aldridge is an Inbound Marketing Strategist & Business Support Specialist serving the equine industry for over 20 years. Her clients across the United States and Canada enjoy customized services designed to relieve workload pressure, streamline office procedures and maximize marketing results.
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If you haven’t yet subscribed, you can do so ​HERE. You’ll also receive our Zero-Budget Marketing Plan For Equine Business Owners! 
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BUILDING YOUR MARKETING PLAN - STEP 3: ENHANCED STRATEGIES AND TACTICS

5/7/2016

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A well thought out marketing strategy consists of several components. How one utilizes and deploys them will ultimately determine the success of that plan. Step one of this series focused on defining your target market, and step two discussed shaping your business image and goals. Today we will discuss several key tactics for better promoting your business and driving sales through enhanced marketing strategies.
Once the basic systems are in place, your primary marketing goal is to draw interested prospects to your website, to engage, inform and eventually convert them into paying customers. As we all know, your greatest business assets are your previous customers. Why? Because they KNOW you, TRUST you and have EXPERIENCE with your services or products. They are also your best source for valuable referrals and testimonials. Testimonials should be found everywhere in your marketing materials and on your website. Also, never miss the opportunity to ask for a referral from a previous customer, and then reward them with incentives.

KEY COMPONENTS:

LIST BUILDING & CONTACT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: Building a list of current contacts, as well as past and prospective customers, is fundamental to a successful marketing plan. Segmenting the various customers in your list, will allow you to best leverage your list of through the use of a Contact Relationship Management (CRM) system that integrates with your email system to keep track of correspondence, set reminders, trigger posts in social media, etc. Recommended CRMs include Highrise HQ, Insightly, Contactually and Sales Force, just to name a few. Adding pertinent information to each new contact’s record, such as what product or service the individual expressed interest in, will be valuable later when you offer promotions via email marketing. Lastly, creating a sign-up form and subscriber incentive on your website will help grow your list and the potential for obtaining more customers.

EMAIL MARKETING is still one of the most effective tools for reaching out to and following-up with customers and potential customers, if used correctly. Besides having your list segmented, it’s crucial for your emails to clearly represent your unique brand, be delivered regularly and offer helpful information for your readers. Creating an email template will provide consistency, building a familiarity with your audience that will ultimately increase the likelihood of them opening and reading your emails.
Some important tips to remember as you create an email include:
  • Clearly identify yourself in the “From” line;
  • Be specific in your “Subject” line as to what the content is all about;
  • Provide an opt-out link so readers have the option (and it’s the law);
  • Don’t spam! Only send to your subscribers.

Your email marketing campaigns should ultimately incorporate your blog, social media, and lead capture strategies. Notable platforms include Constant Contact and MailChimp.

CONTENT MARKETING is another extremely valuable component of any successful marketing plan. Your blog is your home base for all of your content, and provides links to direct your audience back to your website.  Most engaging content is brief yet packed with information.  Some examples of effective content types include YouTube videos, podcasts, articles, eBooks and interviews. Establishing relationships with editors of key publications can also expand the reach of your content and rapidly build your audience.

SOCIAL MEDIA is also an indisputable component of any successful marketing strategy. Here we want to connect individually with our audience and build relationships that will create a following. A number of post scheduling tools are available such as Hootsuite and Bufferapp, allowing you to engage more consistently with less effort. And always remember to personally check in on your social media platforms at least once or twice a day to respond to comments and engage with your community.   
The most common social media channels include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube. Those most effective for you will depend on your business focus and the demographics of your audience. If your products lend themselves to visual promotion, Pinterest or Instagram may be for you. If your promotions are more content driven, LinkedIn will be very effective. Take your pick to or employ them all, but use them and do so regularly.  Join those groups on Facebook and LinkedIn where your audience gathers. Build relationships by supporting others, commenting on active threads and offering your expertise. Posting photos and videos along with your content regularly can be a highly effective tactic in any marketing strategy. The goal is engagement and lots of it! The more engagement your posts receive, the more visible they will become in the newsfeeds of your followers.
 
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS can open doors to new audiences and promote your business on a much wider scale.  There are many types of collaborative ventures such as hosting a webinar or sharing a booth at a trade show. Things to consider when building collaborative partnerships include:
 
  • Identify those individuals with whom you already have a solid relationship, and who provide complementary but not competitive services or products;
  • Ideally they should have an extensive contact list and an engaged audience;
  • Brainstorm to outline how you will join your services and products;
  • Sample each other’s products and services;
  • Create a solid agreement.
 
The possibilities are endless and so are the benefits of such strategic partnerships. Being creative and bold will open up new and exciting marketing options and potential business for both partners.
 
A great way to promote such partnerships is by sending out a press release. Press releases are brief and to the point and can reach a large audience of new followers with similar interests. Be sure to include a personal introduction to each press release and information about you and your website. Overtime, growing your media relations will help you gain even more significant exposure.
 
In summary, your strategic marketing plan needs to be hand-crafted to best meet the needs of your individual business. It is not a cookie-cutter, one plan fits all.  The strategies and tools described above are available to all, and implementing them with creativity, focus and dedication will lead you to success greater than you’d ever imagined.
 
Stay tuned for the final installment of this series, where we’ll outline the best methods for “Measuring the success of your efforts and putting it all together.”
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Carol Aldridge is a Marketing Consultant & Administrative Support Specialist serving the equine industry for over 20 years. Her clients across the United States and Canada enjoy customized business support services designed to relieve workload pressure, streamline office procedures and maximize marketing results.
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If you haven’t yet subscribed, you can do so ​HERE. You’ll also receive our Zero-Budget Marketing Plan For Equine Business Owners! 
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BUILDING YOUR MARKETING PLAN: STEP 2 CREATING YOUR BUSINESS IMAGE AND FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE

1/29/2016

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By: Carol M. Aldridge   |  Equine Office Solutions
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The first step in building a marketing plan for any equine business is to define your target market. Our previous article defines what a target market is, how to determine yours, and understanding their needs and wants. Once you have accomplished this, you’ll be well on your way, and can turn your focus toward market analysis and establishing your value proposition.
 
BASIC MARKET ANALYSIS
  
Performing even a simple market analysis will help you become acquainted with your current audience and your competition. It will help you create a value proposition, produce strong and attainable goals, and help determine a clear focus for your specific marketing campaigns.
 
       1. Review past sales & business activity: first, review sales for the past two years. How did your customers find you? What did they buy? What needs did you fill? What are their demographics? The answers to these questions will provide valuable information that will help shape your future marketing focus.  
       2. Research your competition: Determine who your competitors are. Visit their websites, follow them on social media, and subscribe to their newsletters to keep informed on what they are doing to stay competitive in the market. How do they differ from you? How are your businesses the same? Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of both.
       3. Poll your customers: Send a brief poll out to your current and past customers to help shed light on what you are doing right and where you may have room for improvements or enhancements. What value have they found in your products or services? What would they like to see you offer in the future? How did they find you?  You can even go a step further and invite them to write a recommendation for publication on your website.
 
YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION
 
Once you have completed a basic market analysis, you are ready to shape your value proposition. A strong value proposition will differentiate you from your competition and give you a significant competitive edge. Finding clear ways of being unique and positioning yourself as a visible expert in the market will help attract your target audience.  
    
Ask yourself: “What are the problems I solve and the results I enable?”
- Define the problem(s) you are looking to solve
- Evaluate whether your offer is unique and compelling
- Measure the ease of which the customer can find and use your offerings
- Build your Value Proposition
 
Tag Line:   Consider developing a tag line to communicate your value proposition in about 10 words or less.
 
ESTABLISHING YOUR MARKETING GOALS
 
One of your main goals should always be to draw interested prospects to your website where they can access your contact information, learn more about your business, your unique value proposition and your products and services, and perhaps even read recommendations from customers and colleagues.
 
Additionally, setting a series of long and short term goals will help you maintain a specific focus, and will allow you to measure the success of your marketing efforts.
 
Some items to consider:
-craft very specific goals, as they lead to much greater success than general goals
-take care to assure your goals are realistic, attainable and measurable
-set long-term goals first and then short-term second (step-by-step to support long-term goals)

Suggested Marketing Goal Categories:
 
1. Sales/ Income
2. Subscribers
3. Web Traffic
4. Social Media Page Likes & Post Interactions
5. New Customers
6. Prospects
7. Email Marketing Campaign Opens/Clicks
8. Collaborative Partnerships
9. Media Coverage
10. Blog Comments
 
In conclusion, inbound marketing and reaching out to your targeted audience are most successful when there’s a plan in place and steps have been taken to establish a clear and focused presentation and realistic goals.  Watch for future articles in this series, where we will explore enhanced marketing strategies and measuring the success of your marketing efforts.  

RESOURCES:
Defining Your Competitive Edge:
http://www.marsdd.com/mars-library/defining-your-competitive-edge/
 
How to never run out of customers again
http://www.progressivebusinesssolutions.net/smart-business---blog/how-to-never-run-out-of-customers-again
 
Building a compelling value proposition
http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelskok/2013/06/14/4-steps-to-building-a-compelling-value-proposition/
  
Setting Business Goals:
http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/06/setting-business-goals.html
 
Steps to Successful Business Goals: 
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alanhall/2012/12/08/6-steps-to-insanely-successful-business-goals-for-2013/
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Carol Aldridge is a Marketing Consultant & Administrative Support Specialist serving the equine industry for over 20 years. Her clients across the United States and Canada enjoy customized business support services designed to relieve workload pressure, streamline office procedures and maximize marketing results. 
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If you haven’t yet subscribed, you can do so ​HERE. You’ll also receive our Zero-Budget Marketing Plan For Equine Business Owners AND all of the recent replays to the Movers & Shakers of the Horse World Series!
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BUILDING YOUR MARKETING PLAN: STEP 1 - DEFINING YOUR TARGET MARKET

10/24/2015

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By: Carol M. Aldridige
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When asked who their target market is, many equine business owners reply, “horse owners” or “equine business owners”.  Keep in mind that targeting a smaller, niche market will result in much greater success. It will allow you to focus your brand message and marketing efforts on a specific group of consumers who will be more likely to buy from you than others. When your audience feels that your promotions are “speaking directly to them” they instantly connect with what you are offering.  This is a much more affordable, efficient, and effective way to reach potential clients and generate business.
Here are some tips to help you define your target market:
 
ANALYZE YOUR CURRENT CUSTOMER BASE
 
Take note of who is already buying from you. What characteristics do they have in common? Which customers bring in the most business? What do they value most about your business? You may even choose to present a brief survey to your customers in an effort in an effort to gain a better understanding of their needs.
 
RESEARCH YOUR COMPETITION
Your competition may be apparent or you may need to search for them. Whatever it takes, understanding who they are, how they are reaching their audience, what they have to offer will be extremely helpful in shaping a clear picture of your general audience.
 
DEFINE THE BENEFITS OF YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
 Write out a list of the products and services you provide. Then list the needs each of these fulfill. Next make a list people who have a need that your benefits fulfill.
 
DETERMINE SPECIFIC DEMOGRAPHICS TO TARGET
The previous three tips should give you a fairly clear image of your ideal customer. Now, let’s look at specifics. What demographics do they have in common?  Some general demographics to determine include: Age, Location, Gender, Income level, Education level, Marital or family status, Occupation, Ethnic background.

UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE
Your target audience should now be coming into focus. For example, let’s say you are targeting women over 40 in the Real Estate business with an income of $80,000 or more. Now you can begin to expand their profile beyond demographics to their interests and lifestyle. Perhaps they enjoy traveling; you could consider advertising in a high-end travel magazine. Or if they are interested in the arts, you could begin networking in a LinkedIn group focused on the opera. In essence, be present in the places chosen by your target market is so they can find you.
 
EVALUATE YOUR DECISION
 
Finally, take a look at the target market you’ve chosen and ask: Are there enough people to sell to? Can they afford what I am offering? Am I truly meeting their needs? How can I best reach them with my message?
 
Remember, you can have more than one target market. Defining your audience is a bit of work, but the benefits will be worth your while. You will save time and money and receive a better return when you direct your message specifically to each niche.

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Carol Aldridge is a Marketing Consultant & Administrative Support Specialist serving the equine industry for over 20 years. Her clients across the United States and Canada enjoy customized business support services designed to relieve workload pressure, streamline office procedures and maximize marketing results. 
If you haven’t yet subscribed, you can do so HERE. You’ll also receive our Zero-Budget Marketing Plan For Equine Business Owners AND all of the replays to the 2015 Movers & Shakers of the Horse World Series! 
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BUILDING CUSTOMER LOYALTY - THE POWER OF THE FAMILIAR

7/20/2015

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If you’re like most business owners, you are constantly looking for ways to draw in new business. When it comes to marketing, never underestimate the most overlooked and underestimated resource - your current and past customers. They are undoubtedly your most valuable source of profitability, as they have already established a sense of trust in your business. That’s a huge value to you and your marketing efforts.
Here are some quick tips to help you utilize your customer base more effectively:

GET TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS
  • Include a field for “website” on your contact and purchase forms. Then visit their site to learn more about them.  Gather as much information as you can about their business to help you shape your understanding of your target market.  
  • How did they find you? Add this question to your forms and your follow-up contact as well. This will be very helpful when determining your most effective marketing strategies.

TARGET YOUR MESSAGES
Segment your contact list, and then target your marketing campaigns directly to each group. They will feel you 'know' them and have a sense for who they are and what they want. This grows trust and loyalty.  The more you focus your message on each specific audience, the greater your return will be. Let your messages 'speak' to them.

THE BENEFITS THAT LOYAL CUSTOMERS CAN PROVIDE
  • repeat business
  • referrals
  • subscribers
  • testimonials

WAYS TO REWARD YOUR CUSTOMERS
  • offer special deals and discounts 
  • create a loyalty program
  • provide exclusive content
  • recommend other helpful products and services 

FOLLOW-UP PERSONALLY
Add your most significant contacts and customers to a CRM program such as Insightly, Highrise, Contactually or Sales Force.  Be sure the program integrates well with your email system to track correspondence.  Research their business and enter as much information as possible. This will give you an immediate overview of that client. This information coupled with their account history will provide a complete customer profile for reference and relationship building. Then schedule follow-up reminders.  Drop them a personal note or email with helpful
 information, a happy birthday wish or just to check in. They will remember you and appreciate your extra effort. 

These management practices may take some extra effort, but they will pay off exponentially in the long run.  In the future, when your customers are in need of your products and services, or their friends and colleagues ask for a recommendation, your business will be top of mind. And the experts all agree that word of mouth is the most effective form of advertising.  
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Carol Aldridge is a Marketing Consultant & Administrative Support Specialist serving the equine industry for over 20 years. Her clients across the United States and Canada enjoy customized business support services designed to relieve workload pressure, streamline office procedures and maximize marketing results. Learn more at www.EquineOfficeSolutions.com.

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