Quote for Today: I continue to be drawn to clarity and simplicity. ‘Less is more’ remains my mantra. Stephane Rolland

The holiday season is in our wake and it seems everywhere we look there are some fantastic gifts starring us in the face. Everyone today is marketing something. It is just the way the world operates now from authors promoting their books, companies branding their product lines to non-profits creating awareness about their mission. What are we to do if we want our own offerings available for the world to see? Get more visible with a planned strategy to target our market.

What is one to do when first starting out promoting their products or services? We question what platforms will deliver the greatest results for our efforts and pocketbook. Looking around the Internet there is a huge array of selections for posting on social media. It is tempting to say “I want to use them all and receive the most for my start-up.” I’ve been in that mind-set too and learned that sometimes less is more. Clue: Fresh content, visuals, supporting apps are just a few of the commodities needed for each site.

My suggestion is to use the social media sites where your potential customers already are active. It is best to begin with two or three sites and as you build your community expand your reach to others or use your talent and energy to continue improving your existing sites.

My favorites for ease of use, targeting folks interested in my products and building a community that enjoys the same things are as follows: Google+, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.   And, I did not do these all at once. Each site is a work in progress that has been expanded as resources became available. It is a good to have a budget for paid advertisements on your social media sites. It is generally agreed that it is a better option than buying followers who may or may not be interested in your offerings.

Another option this holiday season is partnering with a company that already markets similar products or services. For example holiday specials in the hospitality industry, an established blog that promotes travel, food and entertainment would be a bonus. Note: This is one of my companies.  However, for Cross-Ties
the search is on for a partner (book seller) that will help my young adult novel go viral.

Keep it simple, know your audience and market accordingly.  Special note  for companies marketing to businesses, it’s hard to beat Linkedin for news and growing your network.

I look forward to your comments about what’s working for your marketing program. Hope to see you on social media. Cordially, Carolyn

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