Why a Business Card Is Still Relevant in a Digital World

Everywhere you look, experts are saying that businesses have to focus on a web presence. Websites, social media profiles and search engine optimization have become industry buzzwords. Traditional networking methods may not seem relevant in the face of all this, but having a good business card is still just as important as it's always been.

Recognizable Format

Everyone recognizes a business card. The size and shape of this simple networking tool is standard for every business, and people of all ages are familiar with the format. This is important to keep in mind, especially if your company's products and services appeal to a varied customer base. You may be able to entice young consumers to check out your mobile site or Facebook page, but other potential customers might not be so tech-savvy. Having a business card lets you instantly connect with interested parties of any age, regardless of how familiar they are with the latest technology.

Quick Reference

A good business card puts all of your company's information in one place. The physical address of your office or store, land line and cell phone numbers, your e-mail address, social media profile links and more can all be included on one simple paper rectangle. Customers can see all of this information at a glance without having to touch their computers or Smartphones.

Fast Networking

Even if you have the most amazing, user-friendly website ever designed, it won't get you anywhere at a business meeting or trade show. You can't hand a digital page to potential customers. But business cards can be exchanged in a matter of seconds and referred back to just as quickly. Your card also makes a statement about your business. A concise, well-designed card tells potential customers that you care about details and organization, two important points which can put you ahead of the competition.

Doorway to Digital

Since the Internet isn't about to go away, you do want to have a digital presence. You can use your business card as a doorway to whatever Internet-based setup works best for your business. Including your website address and social media information on your business card gives people instant access to every aspect of your company's web presence. Interested customers can go to your website for an in-depth look at your products and services, while existing customers can "Like" you on Facebook or follow you on Twitter for up-to-date developments and real-time interactions.

Though many traditional business transaction and marketing methods have gone digital, it's still important to have a physical business card. A well-designed card gives you a quick way to connect with customers and clients while leaving a lasting impression that will make them want to come to you when they need your products or services.

If you're simply looking to refresh your cards, Snap business card printing professionals will work with your existing branding to create an eye-catching design that leaves a lasting impression.

Three Key Partnerships That Can Make Your Business Trade Show Exhibits Even Better

Veteran businesses working the marketing convention circuit understand that while there are many factors that go into measuring overall return on investment, the total number of guests that visit their trade show displays is the most critical. Without a consistent, streaming line of visitors to company trade show booths, generated leads, networking opportunities and prospects for closing business all diminish significantly. Thus, strategically-minded business leaders constantly endeavor to ensure that their trade show exhibits are armed with all the necessary tools to garner and hold the crowd's attention.

Don't Be A One Man Show With Your Business Trade Show Displays

While the quest to help your businesses' trade show booths can feel overwhelming, particularly for organizations making their initial foray into this promotional arena, it doesn't have to be. In addition to having aesthetically compelling and informative displays, companies can also strategically align themselves with affiliated partners that offer services that enhance overall crowd participation. Understanding three key partnerships to strike when participating in trade show displays can help ensure that your team best leverages every opportunity and maximizes return on investment at each event.

Affiliations Can Draw In The Crowd And Help Keep Them Engaged

Interactive Attraction: One of the best ways to entice visitors to your marketing stands is to offer an event that helps your booth stand out from the competition also working the function. When strategizing an exhibit draw, consider teaming up with an organization that specializes specifically in traffic building at these events. These vendors offer fun items such as golf simulators, prize wheels and even money machines to pique the interest of the attending guests and have them clamoring to get a closer look at what your organization offers. Whenever possible, work with a provider that not only offers services where the event is being held, but also offers a comprehensive assortment of options so your trade show displays can always offer something new and different at each event.

Keynote Speakers: Aligning your company with a team that specializes in keynote speakers can also help boost booth business. Offering seminars and speeches from industry experts is a great way to generate a little convention buzz and get the crowd excited about what you have going on. Again, always try to align your team with an organization that offers various speaking formats and presenters with a wide range of expertise to always keep the vibe in your stand fresh and current.

Staff Trainers: Finally, getting guests to your exhibits is only the first half of the success equation - keeping them engaged is the only way to generate leads and network. Partnering with a firm that offers staff training for these marketing conventions can play a critical role in the overall result. Work with an organization that offers various training models and customization options to ensure that your team hits the event floor poised to turn every conversation into a lead for the ultimate event experience.

Looking for award-winning innovations in trade show displays to help your business make a big impact? Skyline Canada can help. Offering cutting-edge options for trade show booths throughout Canada, Skyline knows how to help your trade show exhibits get the attention they deserve! Contact them today to hear more!

Is Your Business Ready to Blog?

Not sure if your company should be blogging?

Take this quick, 5-Step Blog Readiness Test to find out.

I hear this question all the time from business owners, "Do I need a blog?"

My answer is usually, "It depends." Every company is different, so answering the question about whether your business needs a blog requires a quick assessment. Answer these questions to see if your organization is ready to take on the blogging challenge:

Are you genuinely interested in writing a blog? Do you really want to blog, or would you just be doing it because you've heard that you should? If you don't want to write yourself, are you willing to allocate resources from you team (or hire someone) who can bring passion to your blog?
Are you committed to blogging consistently? Whether your posts come monthly, weekly or daily, you need a consistent blogging schedule. You can plan ahead and post later, as long as you establish a pattern your readers can depend on. Adding fresh posts on a regular basis will help build a loyal following of readers for your blog.
Do you have something to say? You don't need to have earth-shattering insights, but a unique point of view and interesting perspectives are important to the success of your blog. Repeating the same old information that can be found anywhere online only adds to the noise in the blogosphere. Add value instead.
Do you have the skills or resources required to optimize your blog? Maximizing the reach and impact of your blog takes some know-how. From keywords to design to SEO, getting the most from your blogging efforts may require you to gain some additional skills - either by learning them yourself or getting outside help.
Do you know who your audience is and what they want to read? Blogging isn't about you, it's about giving your readers what they want. What kind of information and ideas can you share with your readers to make them happy they took the time to read your blog? If you don't know who your readers are or what they are interested in, find out before you start blogging.

What's Your Score?

How many questions did you answer "Yes" to?

1-2: Baby steps. A blog might not be for you - at least not yet. Work on adding a few more "Yeses" to your list first.

3-4: Toddler time. You're walking now, but you may want a hand now and then.

5: Run and Play. Go for it! You're ready to blog, so why not start now?

Tell me what you think....Was this little quiz helpful? Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments below.

Joellyn "Joey" Sargent is principal of BrandSprout LLC, an Atlanta-based strategic marketing and management consulting firm. Joey brings fresh perspectives to challenging business issues, helping her clients succeed by building brand awareness, engaging customers and increasing market share.

A passionate advocate of entrepreneurship, Joey has founded 3 companies, was a key executive with two start-ups and has worked for Fortune 500 companies including UPS and BellSouth (now AT&T). With global leadership experience in branding, strategy, and communications, Joey advises business owners on strategies for dramatic growth, building high-performing marketing teams and leveraging technology for maximum impact.

Deciding What Your Business Is Worth

Lately, we've noticed some small business owners who were are designing websites for are confused about who their company is regarding their pricing. We find a lot of people saying that they can't compete on price anymore because there are too many other companies that are underbidding everything and their prices are below margin or some ridiculously low number that doesn't even make sense on how they can make a living charging.

Say our client, let's call them Reputable Services, has been in business for 15 years and stands by their product/services, treats their customers well, and was lucky enough to be around when the economy was looking nice. Business used to be great and then the economy went bad. Now let's say that Reputable Services now is in the position where they must go out and find new business.

Well because of the bad economy, many other businesses are in this position as well. Let's say there is another company called "Stinky Pete's". So Stinky Pete's likes to low ball every price for his product/service. Their strategy is to beat all prices in town and therefore get the job/order every time because "hey why pay more, right?" So now Reputable Services thinks that Stinky Pete's is going to bankrupt his business because he keeps getting undercut on price.
Well, no. That's not going to happen. You see if you are ever wondering "how can they afford to price their product/service that low??", guess what. They can't. Every business is in just one business, the business of making money. These companies forget one thing, customers aren't stupid. We know as consumers that the lowball guy isn't going to produce a good quality product because why should he? What's in it for them? It's not profit, obviously.

So what IS your company worth? I recently found this really good article:
Deciding What You're Worth - A very important key in starting a business is deciding what to charge for your services and/or product. There are many things to consider when setting you.

The most important thing in understanding what your worth is understanding what your customers are worth. Remember business is an exchange. You are trading a service/product for a monetary figure of money. The two items being traded must equal the same amount in value, otherwise the deal is a bad one. So if Reputable Company prices his services for what they are worth in value they provide their customers, then they'll be just fine.

For this and more visit: Simple CMS Design

Justin Throngard
Simple CMS Design
(208)740-1534
http://www.simplecmsdesign.com/

Repeat and Referral Business - 3 Mistakes That Companies Make With Their Existing Clients

Repeat and referral business is often referred to as the 'easier' business to bag. So, why is it that many companies struggle to gain such business?

What are the mistakes these companies are making with regard to their existing clients?

1 - They don't contact them at all.......

Lots of business people spend their time, money & effort really concentrating on bringing in new business. They succeed in their quest and that's where it stops........

No further contact is made once that first sale is made and then these people wonder why their levels of repeat business isn't up to much!

Remember the saying 'out of sight, out of mind'? Same sentiments here - no contact means no reminder of your company. The client is seemingly less likely to think of your company first when they require the product or service you provide, regardless of whether they've done business with you in the past.

2 - They only contact their existing clients when they want to sell.......

So, again, time, money and effort has been spent concentrating on bringing in these new clients, converting them to existing clients. These existing clients are like a pot of gold waiting to be mined. Their trust has been gained, they have bought from the company, yet the contact made with these clients is once in a blue moon! Then, to add insult to injury, the company is only making contact because there is something in it for them! ie. They want to sell their product or service........

What happened to regular contact, providing useful information, really adding value to your clients daily existence? If you follow this path, when you come to the juncture of making contact with the view to selling, the client is likely to be far more receptive.

Existing clients should be made to feel valued without the 'what's in it for me' syndrome on the part of a company.

3 - They don't keep in touch regularly enough to create 'Top of the Mind Thinking'.......

I already mentioned that saying 'out of sight, out of mind'. Never a truer word was spoken with regard to existing clients and the negative impact on levels of repeat and referral business.

Many companies do have the greatest of intentions to keep in touch with their clients. But, the contact is not nearly enough to have any sort of positive effect in terms of creating top of the mind thinking. They don't have a specific plan in place to ensure regular, consistent, targeted and effective communication.

What are the chances of ensuring their business is always at the forefront of their client's mind without regular contact? What chance do they have of ensuring their company is the one that is thought of first when there is a need for the product or service they provide?

Solution....... Keep in touch regularly and concentrate on adding value.

Treat your existing clients like they really matter - the truth is they do matter!

Research has shown that a huge 68% of clients leave their product or service supplier because of indifference shown by the supplier..........

Think about how you can stay in touch by using multiple forms of valuable marketing. Focus on incorporating added value through useful information. For example informative press items, web links, referrals, information on competitors in their industry and such like. Send this useful information to your clients. Or, you could think about rewarding frequent clients with an extra, unexpected service to let them know that you appreciate their business.

Focus on how you can differentiate your company from your competitors. Most won't be taking the time to keep in touch let alone making an effort to enhance the daily existence of their clients through informative articles or additional extras.

(Source: marketingweekly.co.uk) An article that looked at 'Top Trends in 2012' talked about how we are seeing a huge surge in digitalisation. As a result of this the desire for something tangible, maybe reverting to an analogue past will grow. People in general will want something that can be touched, held or displayed. Use this to your advantage with your marketing and focus on creating a good balance between digital and analogue. A corporate greeting card is a super marketing option to fulfil the touched, held or displayed need.

Personally Corporate offers all greeting card types, tailored to your requirements, along with the option of an automated mail out service. Aside from your company details and logo you can also choose to include a handwritten message to really make the card personal. You might choose to add a monetary voucher too - that would certainly resinate with any client!

So, how will you make regular contact and add value?

Visit http://www.personallycorporate.com/ and pick up your free 37 Top Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business

7 Ways To Grow Your Business!

Do you ever have days when you feel like you just won't make it? I can remember waking up some mornings, thinking - wondering - pondering - WHEN will IT ever happen? Success, that is.

As a woman in business, do you ever feel overwhelmed, with the sense you've got to do it all yourself? Well, then you are just one of many. Seriously. You are not alone.

The thing is that you have got to start doing things differently to achieve different results. I want to share a few basic tips on how to grow your business so you, too, can be a wealthy woman leader. Here are some of my favorites - looking back.

1. GET PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO - AND TELL YOUR FACE!

I have met so many women entrepreneurs who have been so caught up in the details of 'trying' to make their business succeed, that they have lost sight of the 'why'. They have lost their passion and their energy and are dragging their tired, sorry butts around town doing what they've always done - anticipating a different outcome. News flash! That's not going to work. Get back to basics - take some time to reflect - WHY are you in business? Get back to the passion of what you are doing - and look forward with excitement knowing that the world is waiting for you and what you have to offer.

2. GET INVOLVED IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Listen - I can remember, just a few years ago, when my younger sister got me involved in Facebook and I was thinking to myself: "Why in the world do I need just one more thing that sucks my time and energy in a day?" It wasn't that long ago - really! Things have changed, ladies. Social media is a critical tool in your marketing strategy. You need to have a presence. It's important to make connections, to be connected, to develop long-term relationships, to market, to learn about what's going on and so many more reasons. YOU don't need to learn the nitty-gritty of how all of this works - but you do need to have an understanding of the power of social media. Get a VA who specializes in this area to help you. I did!

3. ASK FORMER CLIENTS FOR TESTIMONIALS AND USE THEM IN YOUR MARKETING.

This is such an under-utilized 'tool' in your marketing kit. As woman, don't we always love to share and to spread the word when we catch on to something fabulous? Well, your clients are no different - you just haven't asked them yet. Get those testimonials and use them in your e-zines, your website, your warm letters, your presentations and so much more.

4. HAVE A BUSINESS LINE ON YOUR PHONE AND A PROPER MESSAGE

Does your current voicemail message say something like: "Hi, this is the home and the business for Sally. The family and I cannot come to the phone right now but please leave a message and one of us will get back to you." NOOOOOOOOO! Have a separate business line and ensure your voicemail message 'works' for you. Time it - that's no longer than a one-minute message - but a powerful one!

5. ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS.

Many of you are still really running a hobby, rather than a business. You are accepting payment by cash or cheque. Well, that's ok - however, it does not always make it easy for the client to pay. And that's what you want - easy payment. Ensure your website is set up with a merchant account and be sure to make it easy for clients to pay by credit card. That is just one more thing out of your (administrative) way - so you can go and grow your business and get more clients.

6. WRITE PERSONAL NOTES TO PEOPLE

This is such a lost art! Make the time to write at least 5 personal notes to people each week - just to let them know what you are up to - and ask for referrals. Be sure to include 2 business cards in with your notes - one for that person to keep, and one for them to give away. Never assume that people know what you do and know what you are up to - they don't. They have their own busy lives. Let people know how they can help you grow your business.

7. WORK WITH A COACH

Growing a business takes time, money, energy and resources. No one has all the answers. It can be lonely - challenging - frightening - overwhelming - confusing - and so much more. Work with a business coach who has paved the way. Choose someone with whom you have rapport because you not only want to work hard, achieve success and make money - but you want to have fun along the journey.

Women entrepreneurs are one of the largest growing demographic. We have so many things going for us - and it is my mission to help women achieve financial freedom. When you make money and your business makes a profit, your life changes. That positions you to make a huge difference in your world - perhaps in your family, your neighborhood, or beyond. It doesn't matter. What matters is that you have the power. Where are you getting in your own way?

Pat Mussieux is fast becoming regarded as a highly valued Canadian mentor for women entrepreneurs taking her own business from zero to a multiple 6-figure home-based business in less than 4 years. Much of her success can be attributed to her expertise in marketing, mindset and money!
Pat Mussieux is a business coach, author, speaker and radio host. You can reach her at http://www.wealthywomenleaders.com/

Text SMS Services For Business - Why It Is A Must?

Why do you need text SMS services for your business? Let me put it this way - there was a time when businesses felt that they did not need a fax machine. The same was said about having a P. C. If you can show me a business that does not use a P.C. I will show you a business that is unsuccessful.

The Secret To Profits Using Text SMS Services

Sure everybody has heard the buzz about text marketing. Although Text Marketing is one of the best forms of marketing on the planet at the moment, it is not a magic bullet. It takes effort on the business owners end. The secret to text SMS marketing is you need to build a list of subscribers.

This can be done in a number of ways and it is dependent on your current financial model. For instance if you are the owner of a diner you might place your campaign on your table tents, or simply have your hostess or waiters inform the customer.

If you are in the real estate business, you can show your lists 24/7. All you would do is add your campaign information to your current signage and watch your list grow. The leads will come to you on virtual autopilot.

Buyer Beware

There are two competing versions of text services competing against each other. The first is the most popular one, (because it was the first to the market) which is known as short code text marketing. The second is known as long code text marketing.

A short code is a special phone number that is usually 4 to 6 digits. The downside to using them is the text marketing service supplier will allot that same number to other companies. Before it is possible to setup your keyword, your service provider must make sure that the keyword is not already being used on the short code number that was assigned to you.

The best strategy is the 10 digit number method, which is the phone number that is assigned to you and you only e.g. the long code method. This is the most powerful method for the end user simply because it enables you to setup multiple campaigns on the fly using whatever keyword phrase you select within the predetermined character limit.

Cost To Get Started

This is hands down the most affordable method of marketing available to all business. For less than pennies per text message and $10 a month you could be up and running within minutes. No contracts, no worries, and no hassles.

Now that you know why you want a text service for your business, go setup your first Text SMS Marketing campaign and increase your ROI today.

Why Building 5 Quality Backlinks Per Day Will Benefit My Local Preschool Business

One easy way to boost your local preschool business is by increasing traffic to its website. As more people see the site, they learn about the preschool and the services it provides. The trick to building traffic is to create high quality backlinks. Back-links are links on other websites that lead back to your website. Building five valuable back-links per day is a smart idea. Why? Links build traffic, increase customer base, help build relationships with other child care sites and establish credibility.

Improve Search Engine Rank (and build traffic to your site)

Search engines look at backlinks to decide how well known and relevant a website is. The more valuable back-links a site has, the higher it ranks for an internet search. Sites with quality links coming from related sites rank high. More people find your local business and learn about your services. A preschool business that builds five quality back-links per day will improve its internet ranking and increase traffic to its site.

Reach a Larger Customer Base

Building valuable backlinks exposes your site to more people. When someone visits a related website looking for information, chances are they will see your link. Chances are good that they decide to click over to your site. Your preschool business gains a potential customer. These are people who might never have found your local business if it were not for the backlink. Build quality back-links and your preschool business reaches a much larger customer base.

Build Relationships with Other Child Care Websites

Building a small number of quality back-links per day gives your preschool business the chance to build relationships naturally with other well-known child care organizations. Choose only relevant, credible sites to link with and your local business becomes reputable. In addition, other child care sites may have valuable information to share.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

An important thing to remember is that not all links are equal. Link building services claim to build hundreds of links in a day. These are not quality back-links. Your preschool business especially, needs to be very careful in building inbound links. Build only five quality links per day. Make sure they are from only relevant, credible sites and your local business will slowly build credibility. Backlinks that are not quality will end up hurting your business rather than helping it.

Your preschool business can benefit from building five quality back-links per day. Great links improve internet position. They create the opportunity to build relationships with other related businesses, as well as bring new customers to your website. Lastly, building only five backlinks per day from great sites builds credibility.

Since 1994, Jeff Fisher has been helping entrepreneurs and business owners improve their businesses and marketing strategies. In 2011, Jeff focused his efforts on helping Child Care Leaders create and maintain their web presence.

Take advantage of Jeff's extensive internet marketing knowledge visit Local Child Care Marketing today to receive 11 Essentials To Marketing Your Child Care Business Online.

Be sure to stay up to date on current internet marketing strategies by visiting Jeff's Blog.

Marketing Ideas for Small Business - What Farm Animals Can Teach You About Marketing

Never mind bats in the belfry -- we've got avians in the air-vent.

It seems the external shutters have been broken at some point, and the sneaky starling has made a nest in there.

That's cool. It's rather neat, actually. Kinda brings the tally up -- we've got a hare in the field behind us (with four leverets), a fox who comes wandering by from time to time, and, of course, umpteen bullocks behind and to either side.

But here are a few funny things.

First, Mother Starling. Every time one of us leaves the house or walks towards the house from the gym or the other outbuildings, she rushes out of the nest and flies away from it... but not too fast.

Because she's obviously wanting us to follow her away from her babes. And the daft thing never learns. She never seems to get used to the idea we're no threat. She's just repeating the same old pattern of behaviour and is unable to break out of it.

And the bullocks?

Well... the other day as I left on my cycle ride, they were gathered by the fence running along the lane.

A couple of them saw me coming and gazed uncomprehendingly as bullocks are wont to do.

But most of them were head-down munching away.

And when I shook, rattled and rolled past them?

It startled them into charging away across the field.

Nothing particularly interesting there, right?

Right.

But what IS interesting... the ones who'd already seen me charged away, too. They, like the bird, it seems, are bound by their own programming.

But before you giggle too much and congratulate yourself on your superiority, just ask yourself how many behaviour patterns you're repeating for no good reason, and how many herds are you following just because everyone else is?

The guy who prints my newsletters told me yesterday he's had his best month for FOUR years. My guess is it's partly to do with putting his prices up -- in the middle of a Double Dip recession - after I told him that was the quickest and easiest way to increase his cashflow (and didn't anyone ever tell you increasing your prices is a genuine marketing strategy, because it sends a very clear message to your market?).

No dumbass herd-following there, Thank Glub.

And as with the clients I spoke to last week, it's no One Big Thing he can put his pinkie on, but whatever it is... it really IS.

I reckon... every month you're NOT following your own direction and instead are following all the other business owners out there... you're probably losing money. And that's not a claim I make lightly.

Earl Nightingale once said, "If you're in a situation and you don't have any clear way forward and want for clear advice, look around and see what everyone else is doing and do the opposite"

Sound advice.

So give it a whirl, and prove it to yourself.

I dare you.

Look... marketing success really does not have to be a struggle.

But it can be, if you don't know the easy way to do it. Jon McCulloch is perhaps Europe's top direct response marketing expert (and he's definitely the most irreverent and Non-PC one you'll ever meet).

So if you're feeling brave and you're not easily offended, then feel free to help yourself to his regular marketing tips by email, and a whole heap of free marketing goodies besides.

But be warned: these tips are NOT for shrinking violets or the faint hearted.

They're waiting for you here: http://www.jonmcculloch.com/free-email-tips

Are You Maximizing ROI On Your Business Trade Show Displays? Three Key Metrics To Watch

Seasoned veterans of the marketing convention circuit understand that setting up a trade show stand or even simple table top displays at any promotional event can deliver an extensive assortment of benefits. From cold hard numbers revolving around face to face engagements at the function itself to less tangible data like an uptick in online traffic, these advertorial outlets can assist companies in every industry to reap a comprehensive array of positive results that can help justify the fees and expenses associated with these trade show displays.

Businesses Must Carefully Monitor ROI Of Trade Show Displays

While the itemized list of perks gained by engaging in trade show displays proves lengthy, it's still something that business leaders need to stay focused on throughout the year. Not exactly sure how to best determine around your company's return on investment from setting up exhibits and table top displays? You're not alone. Many entrepreneurs struggle with how to monitor the general success of these functions, particularly the more abstract results that are often achieved post-convention. However, maintaining a steady focus on some key metrics can help ensure that your company is consistently considering and analyzing critical success criteria.

Important Criteria To Monitor At The Close Of All Trade Show Displays

At the conclusion of marketing conventions, it's imperative for your staff to convene and compile a post-event analysis. When assembling the data, always consider the following:

Product Demonstrations: Sure, guests may stop by your table stop displays to quickly peruse your promotional literature or (more likely) to grab whatever free handout you're offering at your trade show stand. But how many visitors actually take the time to ask for a personal demonstration of what your product does? Before the opening of each event, create a way to calculate the total number of merchandise demos offered throughout the course of the function. A basic tally will certainly set a benchmark for future events, but being able to jot down quick notes like "one on one" or "group" will give your team an even better idea of how a specific convention went and how it matches up to previous venues.

Leads Generated: It's no secret that collecting leads is a major reason why a business sets up a trade show stand at all. Generated leads are also a key metric that offers tangible evidence of ROI. Rent or procure a machine that automates lead compilation to efficiently streamline the accumulation process and save both time and stress. Also, taking the total cost of the event and dividing it by the total number of leads gathered will deliver a basic cost per lead formula to monitor how this event measures up to previous functions.

Always remember that the only way to convert leads to sales is to follow up with them. Create a plan with the team to connect with each and every lead collected. Be sure to log all contact activity in the company database to monitor the end result/event ROI of each new name collected. How many turned into appointments? How many purchased from your organization?

Online Metrics: Monitoring online activity is a great way to analyze some of the post-event positives delivered from trade show displays. Get a general idea of website visitors that check out your company page in the days leading up to the marketing convention. Once the show has ended, measure any upticks in user traffic. Major boosts in clicks are generally a good indication of convention ROI. Also, always analyze other Internet resources such as social media marketing pages and carefully track increases in your business' online network immediately following the event as well to compile comprehensive analytics of overall results yielded.

Xtreme Xhibits designs exceptional trade show displays in San Antonio that help businesses in every vertical stand head and shoulders above the competition. Whether you need compact yet innovative table top displays in Austin or a full-scale trade show stand in San Antonio Xtreme Xhibits delivers. Contact the team today for more info!

The Top Reasons Your Business Should Have a Mobile App

For many small business owners and entrepreneurs mobile marketing represents a growing business opportunity. It is true that as the use of mobile devices continues to explode the demand for mobile App development will continue to grow as well. Between December 25th and January 2nd, 2012 alone there were 1.2 billion Apps downloaded.

The App can quickly become one of the most effective marketing tools available to businesses and while developing a mobile App can be costly, it does not have to be. With different options available in the market today, any business can gain access to mobile marketing.

One of the things to consider is what platform to develop the App for. It is best to create a cross-platform App right from the start. Before hiring a developer one must consider all the functionality their App should have. The developer should be able to help each business develop a mobile strategy that will work and deliver results.
First, a mobile App should be equipped with the Push Notification capability. Push Notifications work just like text messaging and they deliver an astounding 97% open rate. The message is delivered immediately, not 2 days or 2 weeks later.
Business owners should also focus on building loyalty with their new mobile App. One of the best tools we've come across are check in offers. Every time a customer comes into a business they should be able to "check-in" and possibly unlock a special offer or a coupon.
Consider building an email list with the App as well. Business owners should focus on gathering as much information from their customers as possible and communicate with them via different channels.
A great use of the App is adding virality to the business, which is defined as "the degree to which a piece of content has or might be shared in a short amount of time." The business owner needs to give his customers the ability to share the news about their business with others via Social Media, text-messaging and email.
Finally, mobile ordering and payment is hot right now. Making it easy and convenient for people to buy from the business needs to be one of the priorities. Therefore, building a shopping cart into the App is a very smart move.

While developing an App can be very costly and some companies have been known for spending tens of thousands of dollars, it does not have to be. A small to a medium size business can find a solution that's right for their budget. The mobile App should easily pay for itself in a very short amount of time.

At the end of the day it's all about driving growth into your business and a mobile App is one of the best tools to do it with.

Now that you know what a mobile app can do for your business, please visit http://www.iminmarketer.com/. ImIn Marketer provides numerous marketing solutions to small businesses. Our mobile platform enables our clients to generate more revenue for their businesses. Mobile apps are effective and affordable marketing tools.