Harnessing the Power of Social Media

Posted on February 26, 2011 by admin

On February 11, 2011, Egypt’s president Mubarek stepped down, and the crowd of freedom demonstrators in Tahrir Square celebrated the moment in a way that was unique to most political uprisings in the region.  The people in the crowd were holding up mobile phones to take pictures, and they were texting and tweeting about the experience to friends throughout the world.  In no other time in history could this have happened, and it was perhaps the greatest testimonial on the power of a relatively new medium–social networking.

The phenomenon was so marked that a filmmaker from Stanford University and a former New York Times video journalist, Mehta, has developed a documentary project that will highlight the role of social media in even third world and emerging nations. The project, 18 Days in Egypt, asks people who witnessed the protests to label what they recorded of them on Twitter, Flickr and YouTube with specific tags. Eventually, Mehta will put the entries together to create an interactive narrative.

During the weeks of protests in Egypt, social media played the key role in conveying information to the rest of the world—even during the period when Twitter, Facebook and much of the Internet were shut down, YouTube began to highlight important footage, Twitter teemed with updates from Egypt, and Google launched a speak-to-tweet service that enabled users to send tweets using a voice connection.

So, how are you capitalizing on the power of social media?  How are your good ideas spreading through the world now that the barriers of entry have changed?

Even if you have a small business, you, too, can harness the cyber-world to motivate and excite your audience by emphasizing the value of your product or service.  The internet has blurred the lines between product and marketing, and one way you can make use of this fact is to provide your own blog, or discussion forum, which can be much more effective in selling a product or idea than traditional advertising.

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Keep it Fresh!

Posted on December 23, 2010 by admin

Recently I was asked to do some web consulting and writing for a California company that offers discount coupons to travelers in a resort area. Glancing through their current website, I noticed several glaring issues. First, the home page was ugly, crowded and jumbled–with little white space and no organized direction for the eye to move. But bigger than that issue was the fact that several of the coupons they were offering had already expired. And this was a coupon company!

The site did have a tab for articles and customer testimonials, but the last entry was over a year old. My bottom line impression was that this company was basically a one-man show, and that one man was over-extended with his time and technological capabilities.

So are small, busy companies doomed to display less-than-stellar websites? Not at all! Let me give you an analogy. When we sold our last home, our real estate agent warned us that the front door and entrance must look amazing as it is the customer’s first impression of the home. The customer will make instant judgments about the house based on how inviting the door looks, how clean the door mat is, how lovingly the plants at the front entrance have been tended… In the same way, your customers will take about one minute to size you up based on your website, and it will be difficult to erase poor initial impressions.

Well, what can you do? Pay attention to missing content, expired specials, dated blogs or articles, and anything that makes your site look too mom-and-pop. With little effort, you can raise the bar and change the way your company is perceived.

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Spread the Good Word!

Posted on December 23, 2010 by admin

I have a friend who runs a little audio studio in Atlanta, Georgia, and after reading his bio and hearing his music demonstration track, I realized that this guy is a total pro. He has sound mixing abilities and technology that far surpasses most of his competitors. And his website isn’t bad, either. He has a nice streaming video that shows off his place and contains a nice testimonial of a happy client. So, what’s the problem? He doesn’t know how to market himself to his target audience. He thought that paying for a good website would solve all his problems, but regrettably he was missing a few key factors to success.

What my friend didn’t realize was that having a clear and workable sales and marketing strategy is the key to a business’s success. Not only do business owners need a clean and current website, but they need to make sure that site is being viewed–a lot–especially by potential clients. One of the big ways this is accomplished is by constantly adding relevant content to your site (articles, blogs, news, coupons, specials, updates on key personnel, etc.).  Every time your web content is updated, it gives a reason for people to come back to your site and it favorably impacts your search engine optimization. My audio engineer needed to announce upcoming musical performances, create contests, offer specials…  His possibilities for fresh content are endless.

But it takes the next step as well. Successful businesses create a marketing strategy that includes measurable objectives.  In other words, for my friend’s company he might say, “By the end of 2011, I will have written 12 blogs, I will have a social media presence, and I will have increased my database through online subscriptions by 20%. The New Year is upon us, and what better time could there be to write out your sales and marketing goals?  Start simply–perhaps with three goals–to update your website, to start blogging, and to write down three measurable sales goals.

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‘Tis the season

Posted on December 2, 2010 by admin

‘Tis the season to be bombarded by a marketing frenzy!  You might find yourself hitting the delete button more frequently, but if  you are like me, you’ll find yourself opening emails from vendors that carry a particular product or service.  It is the time for buying so why not make sure your products and services get in the mix?  You might not appeal to everyone, but wouldn’t it be nice to increase your business this December?

A few of my current clients are getting it right.  Check out their holiday marketing efforts below.

THE CARROLL LAW FIRM PROVIDES HOPE 4 KIDS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

The Carroll Law Firm PLC will be donating 10% of all proceeds from Wills, Business Power of Attorney, Healthcare Power of Attorney, and Living Wills from now through New Year’s Day to Hope 4 Kids, International.  Hope 4 Kids International is a charity committed to serving impoverished children across the world by leading teams on mission trips, equipped with essential medical and dental supplies and other provisions. Hope 4 Kids strives to bring hope and necessary care to kids through dignity, health, joy and love. This holiday season, the Carroll Law Firm PLC is working to help needy children across the world by donating a portion of their earnings to this worthy cause.

The proceeds that we will be donating from just one Will can provide a child with a life-saving mosquito net in Africa. Proceeds donated from two of our estate planning documents can provide a child with shoes, provide medical care to 24 children, give a Romanian child a warm new coat, deliver a food basket to a family in Peru, or deliver school supplies to children in Africa.

If you or someone you know is in need of any of these essential estate planning documents, please consider coming in during this holiday season to have our attorneys prepare them. The cost of each document is $125. These documents provide protection for your family, as well as much needed help to children across the world. Call (623)551-9366 at any time to set up an appointment.

For more information on this client please go to www.anthemlawfirm.com

The Legal Limits of Holiday Spirit

With this past weekend’s annual Anthem Tree Lighting Ceremony at a close and the temperature continuing to drop towards the digits that make most of the country envy us Arizonians (at least during the most wonderful time of the year), it is safe to say that the holidays finally have come again to the Valley of the Sun. But along with the hallmark sounds of sleigh bells and carols comes a far less pleasant sound that is rapidly becoming a staple of the holiday season: police sirens.

As Arizona residents gear up for holiday festivities, police across the state are preparing for the sharp increase in DUI violations that come as a result of a little too much holiday cheer. Special DUI enforcement in Arizona typically begins with Thanksgiving weekend and carries through past New Year’s Day, and results in more DUI arrests than any other time of the year.

The number of DUIs issued last December accounted for 19% of the total DUI arrests for 2009. Goodwill towards men does not factor into these seasonal citations, nor does it have a bearing on Arizona sentencing guidelines, which continue to carry the harshest DUI penalties in the country. A person convicted of driving under the influence faces the penalty of jail time ranging from 15 to 120 consecutive days alongside thousands of dollars in fines, fees and court costs and a host of other penalties, including revocation of driver’s license and installation of an ignition interlock device.

So to keep your holidays merry, bright and DUI-free, remember the following:

“Many assume New Years Eve results in the largest number of DUI citations, but statistics show that the majority of seasonal DUIs occur over Thanksgiving.

  • Though the legal limit remains .08 year round, being below the limit does not necessarily mean you’re in the clear to drive. Even if you’re below the limit, if an officer has reason to believe that you are impaired to the slightest degree they do have the discretion to arrest you.
  • If you are stopped for DUI, mind your manners! Should the incident go to trial, the court often relies on the testimony of the arresting officer. Believe it or not, your behavior counts and will have an impact on the process.
  • The number of police cars patrolling the holidays will be matched by the number of taxis. Transportation companies also anticipate the increase of party-goers in need of a safe ride home. Furthermore, in the spirit of the season, many companies are offering bonuses such as a free ride back to your car the next morning.
  • Though the results of a breathalyzer or blood test do carry heavy evidentiary weight, an unfavorable result does not alone guarantee guilt or innocence. DUI cases often times relies heavily on procedural details, and it is important to have your case reviewed by a competent attorney who is well-versed in the common pitfalls of litigation.

On behalf of our attorneys at The Carroll Law Firm PLC, we’d like to wish you a safe and happy holiday season. We look forward to meeting all of your legal needs in the New Year!

For more information on this client please go to www.anthemlawfirm.com

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Calling Your Customers to Action

Posted on November 18, 2010 by admin

Last year my Christmas included absorbing the runaway best-selling book, “The Shack,” a somewhat controversial novel that portrays God in an unconventional way amidst the backdrop of a family’s tragedy.  Intrigued, I did some searching on the web, and I found a blog by the book’s author, William P. Young.  Though the writing was fascinating and shed light on the writer’s back story, it offered little information about his other books, his speaking tours, or any other relevant news.  And certainly there was no “call to action” on the site I found.  I had to wonder how many more books and other products Young could have sold with just a little more information and a healthy dose of marketing boldness.

The purpose of blogging, after all, is to draw people who usually like you already into the deeper waters of your business and current offerings.  It should never be overtly “salesy,” but blog readers should leave with a clear idea of what you offer and how they can access the latest and hottest in your business.  So you might be great at waxing eloquent on various interesting subjects–or telling stories, but it would behoove you to find a way to pull your thoughts together at the end and put a bug in your readers’ ears about what step they could take next with your company.

Now, a year later, I see that Young has improved his blog site, and readers can access a calendar of his speaking events or click on links that take them directly to his offerings on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.  In essence, the goal is to pull your people in through fun stories and compelling subject matter, but then leave them wanting more of what you have–and knowing how to get there.

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Laughter is Good Medicine and Good Business

Posted on November 17, 2010 by admin

Do you ever wonder how you can make your products or services more interesting?  Do all your competitors look and sound alike? 

Subways in Anthem, Arizona use local resident, social media, and laughter to drive people to their website and restaurants.

Posted in Social Media Marketing, Video Marketing | 2 Comments

Can You Be Found?

Posted on November 17, 2010 by admin

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a process by which a development firm increases a website’s organic page ranking on target search engines through a wide variety of processes all geared toward increasing aforementioned search engines’ perceived relevancy of said site.

Rephrased: It’s how we get people to find you on the Google machine.

Snapdragon’s proprietary search engine optimization process has recently proven itself to be well above the competition. And by well above we mean 300%!!

According to an SEO Standards study the average placement increase for tier 1* key phrases is approximately four ranks per month. Snapdragon’s most recent client, The Carroll Law Firm, has experienced increases totaling as much as 87 page ranks within a thirty day period. This is almost 300% faster than the average optimization firm is able to deliver!

Taking this a step further, the key phrases being targeted are well sought after phrases such as “bankruptcy Arizona”, “Business Law Arizona”, etc.

Snapdragon has effectively, in less than sixty days, made The Carroll Law Firm one of the number one contenders online.

*A “tier 1″ key phrase is a key phrase with at least 50,000 global monthly searches.

Posted in SEO | 3 Comments

Know Thy Blogging Audience

Posted on November 8, 2010 by admin

If you’ve ever been to a public speaking seminar, you’ve likely heard the teachers repeat the mantra, “Know thy audience!” Well, all the best orators have one big secret in common– they’re secretly speaking to one person. Though their eyes are scanning the whole auditorium, in the back of their minds they are handing a silver platter of delectable goodies to the one person they have in mind–that one who most needs their message. In the same way, one of the tricks for speaking on the radio without nervousness is to imagine that you’re speaking to your oldest, dearest friend–and telling them the top one or two things you’re most excited about regarding your book, business, product, or service. The message will be clear, and your genuineness will be apparent.
In the same way, you really need to know your audience before you start blogging, or you’ll find yourself speaking the wrong message to the wrong people. For example, your site might be targeting low-end customers and turning off your high-end, national accounts. Or vice-versa. You’ve got to ask yourself, “Who is really coming to my site? Where do I want to take them?” Then, start writing to the people who actually see and hear your message, and begin reworking your message in ways that help their lives and give them solutions.
It will take some time to research your audience, but like the old famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People points out, people love to be interviewed; and it just may be time to interview your customers or clients. If you can conduct formal research (like a national survey), by all means do. But anyone can undertake informal research. Ask your customers questions about what they need, want, like, dislike. Stop strangers in coffee shops and on the street…seriously. You can learn so much from every person you come in contact with, and your new knowledge will add freshness and relevance to every blog.

Posted in Blogging | 2 Comments

Keeping Your Blog Conversational–and Short!

Posted on November 4, 2010 by admin

This week I had lunch with Katie, a college grad who was excitedly chirping about her upcoming interview with a video production company.  Turns out she met them by consistently responding to their blog entries!  In perusing through the company’s website, it was clear to me that these filmmakers were doing something very right. Every week they were posting a fun, conversational blog about their latest movie and all the challenges they were encountering. (For instance, they were filming in Mexico, borrowing Tom Cruise’s trailer, when they woke up to find it had been graffitied in the wee hours of the night!  Ouch!)

Katie, a movie buff and aspiring film producer, had tuned in to the company’s blog months earlier when she found it with a quick key word search in Google. She found the writing to be light, fun, and readily inviting dialogue. Within a short time, she built an online relationship with one of the filmmakers, who particularly enjoyed her critical analysis of his work. Eventually he invited her in for a tour and an interview! Who knows if they’re not looking at the next female Spielberg?

So, how do you make your blog, or “web log,” this inviting? You keep it short and sweet, just like a chat with a good friend.  Forget dry commentary and verbose descriptions. You should “start with a bang” and “end with a boom,” beginning your entry with something eye-catching and attention-grabbing–like a personal story–and ending with an equally compelling quip that will bring the crowd back the following week.

What else? Invite your visitors to leave their comments and even message each other. And combine text, images, links to other blogs and other media related to your topic for an added boost to your site’s popularity. If need be, hire a writer with a good, conversational style, to keep you current with your blog. So how about it?  Are you ready to stand out amongst the 120 million blogs in the cyber world? It just takes a few minutes a week to add a relatable twist of personality to your blog and stir some engaging conversations about your company!

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Get Your Followers Involved

Posted on November 4, 2010 by admin

Here’s a great example of how a client is utulizing their blog to discuss hot, relevant topics:

Blog posted on October 27, 2010

In the Wake of The Real Estate Bubble

 Our nation has just experienced an historic drop in the market value of real estate. The so called “Real Estate Bubble Bust” has wiped out trillions of dollars in perceived value in real estate and has resulted in a gross devaluation of both residential and commercial real estate.  Read more

They then offered opportunities for followers to comment or ask questions. 

Dear Anthem Attorney,

I recently read your blog about the housing market bubble.  I thought it was very interesting, yet it put me in a pickle.  We own two houses.  We have renters in one of the homes which covers our monthly mortgage payment.  Even so, we are upside down about $125,00 on this home.  On our other property we are upside about $200,000.  Ideally it would make the most sense to short sale both homes and get into another property while the inventory is good, value is low, and interest rates are great.  The problem is that we have poor credit because we did loan modifications on both properties.  Should we just sit tight or do we have options?

Sincerely,

Anthem resident

Dear Anthem Resident,

            Thank you for your letter. You are correct that right now the real estate market is a “Buyers Market,” with lots of inventory, low prices, and decent interest rates. The problem is that banks are resistant to issue loans right now, particularly to people with low credit scores. Despite receiving bailouts, the banks are still resistant to grant loan modifications without first forcing people to let go of their credit. Unfortunately the ability to be approved for a mortgage is based upon having a good credit score, and it sounds like your credit score has already taken the hit due to the modification and short-sales will drop your credit score even more. Therefore, it may be difficult to purchase a new property right after a short-sale or loan modification.

            As long as the rent from your tenants in your rental property covers your mortgage payment, you probably benefit from owning that property, (especially if you have good tenants who take care of the property and make payments on time every month). On your own residence, you may be faced with the decision to remain in your home and continue to pay the mortgage, or let it go and rent another property for a period of time.  The good news is that there are a lot of rentals available right now, and even if you short sale your home, in two to four years most banks will be willing to approve you for a mortgage to purchase a new home, so long as you do not default on any other payments.  If you do decide to move from your current residence and rent a home, ask the landlord if he would consider a long term lease with the option to purchase. If the market does start to come back you may have locked in a good price, which will make your purchase in the future much more affordable.

            I do have faith that the market will eventually turn around, so if you are not struggling to make payments then I would recommend that you “sit tight” and ride out the market for now, but it may be a long haul. Before you take any action, I recommend that you consult with a Real Estate Agent experienced in “short-selling”, an accountant, and an attorney. 

Sincerely,

Jim Carroll

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