Being either a small business owner or non-profit marketer have much of the same struggles... limited time, budget, resources, knowledge and did I mention TIME? So if you are going at it alone as most times both the new business or one-man marketing machine (or even the lone-wolf CEO) of the non-profit world seem to be, where can you look for resources if you don't have any other marketing-minded folks to turn to at the office?
We have discussed webinars in the past, and will eventually get to other ideas such as hiring a consultant to help you lay the groundwork, but today we will focus on the good ol' book section of the world. The general marketing world is littered with traditional books, e-books, books on tape and you name it. But where on earth do you begin? Here is a short list of books that I have had luck with thus far. And as we go on, I will get more in-depth on each.
Before we get to the list... let me tell you where to find these gems. You may think I'm crazy, but in a world where budget means everything, let's introduce you to a crazy concept... the library. Yes, they are still around and kicking, and at a very reasonable price, you can read all of the books in the place, for FREE! Unless you are me, in which case it's usually $0.25 per day they are late, so around a $1. Oops. But all joking aside, check your library's catalog for some of these books, chances are they have at least a couple. If the library is not an option, you still have Half.com and Amazon to look at for reasonable prices, and you can usually re-sell them when you are finished.*
Non-Profit Marketing Guide - Yes, I would recommend this even to the non-non-profit marketers. The struggles of a non-profit are similar to that of a start-up, and this book covers everything from setting up your website to how to handle your social media. And did you know that non-profits were actually the leaders in social media?
Social Media for Social Good - This book does not just focus on the traditional sense of social media as we know it today, but rather it begins with the basics of websites, as they can Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0.
Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs (New Rules Social Media Series) -
Millennials into Leadership - While not strictly related to marketing, this book is great for first time managers, especially those of the younger generations. It is a great little overview on how to work with employees and co-workers of different age groups.
*Please note that although I love reading books on an iPad, financially, I do not recommend buying expensive digital books... you cannot sell them when you are done!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
99 Designs or Graphic Designer
You've probably heard of 99 Designs by now, the online freelance design website where you can find a ton of people to design your new logo or stationary for an affordable price. The question is, should you use 99 Designs?
It depends on what you are really looking for.
Do you have a clear idea of what you want the design to look like, but just don't have the skills to execute? Then 99 Designs might be for you. Your best results will come if you have a clear description of your needs, and even some examples of designs you like. But my belief is that the best use for the website is when you have NO IDEA what you are looking for...
When you post your project on 99 Designs, you open up the design options to hundreds if not thousands of graphic designers who are looking to earn your business. If you just have a general guideline, you can end up with hundreds of great ideas to use. You may find your final design within these options, or you may have gotten a better idea of what you are and are not looking for. In this case, you can find your local (or internet-based, by individual) designer and have them create the final design based off of your new found knowledge and ideas.
My personal opinion is that a personal relationship with a designer will always be best. You never know when you need updates to stationary or want a new piece of collateral.
If you go with 99 Designs, make sure to give as much guidance as possible, and create several levels of the contest so you can go back and give feedback to have the designers fine-tune their work.
Best of luck with your designs, and remember... we do design too!
It depends on what you are really looking for.
Do you have a clear idea of what you want the design to look like, but just don't have the skills to execute? Then 99 Designs might be for you. Your best results will come if you have a clear description of your needs, and even some examples of designs you like. But my belief is that the best use for the website is when you have NO IDEA what you are looking for...
When you post your project on 99 Designs, you open up the design options to hundreds if not thousands of graphic designers who are looking to earn your business. If you just have a general guideline, you can end up with hundreds of great ideas to use. You may find your final design within these options, or you may have gotten a better idea of what you are and are not looking for. In this case, you can find your local (or internet-based, by individual) designer and have them create the final design based off of your new found knowledge and ideas.
My personal opinion is that a personal relationship with a designer will always be best. You never know when you need updates to stationary or want a new piece of collateral.
If you go with 99 Designs, make sure to give as much guidance as possible, and create several levels of the contest so you can go back and give feedback to have the designers fine-tune their work.
Best of luck with your designs, and remember... we do design too!
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Wonderful World of Webinars
Can you learn from webinars? Of course you can... as long as you haven't already taken a good amount. Having taken several webinars, I can tell you that a lot of them have very helpful and useful information, especially if you are just getting started in the marketing world. If you are like me though, you've taken so many, that a lot of them are starting to repeat.
Below is a list of great webinar resources, but beware, they do like to repeat information.
General Business:
- HubSpot - One of your best options, they constantly have great webinars and white papers.
- Cision
Non-Profit:
- Non-Profit Marketing Guide - Best option for the non-profit world. Check out their free archives or read her book (which I'll review at a later date). Otherwise you can pay for membership.
Most of these offer a lot of social media help, how to write newsletters, and how to tell your message. But note, most stop at the beginner level, so don't expect too much advanced detail.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Should you pay 'a la carte' for marketing or PR?
The short answer... it depends.
I wish I could give you a definitive answer on the subject, but the truth is, it really depends on what aspect of marketing we are talking about. Here is a quick break down to give you an idea.
Marketing strategy: You could probably get away with more of a 'one-off' type of partnership on this one, but expect the process to take some time if you want it done properly. An agency or individual should spend a significant amount of time researching your company, interviewing staff, creating initial drafts, following up, and if they are smart, they will interview individuals from various sectors of your target market.
Answer: Yes, but if they are paid by the hour, expect a nice bill.
Suggestion: Work with someone who is willing to pay a flat fee, and make sure it is reasonable. If they bid too low, they probably don't have a clue what they are doing.
Graphic Design: Obviously, this is probably the section that is easiest to get away with paying for one project at a time. While I would not suggest keeping one on retainer if you are small and just starting out, I would if possible, always try to use the same designer (as long as you are happy of course).
Answer: Yes.
Suggestion: When starting out with a designer, build in to your agreement that you have access to all original design files.
Social Media: Social media management will be one of the hardest if you are a commitment-phob. To truly and accurately manage your social content, you will want someone who is available at all times. To act at a moments notice. For example, working with a recent client, a top-rated TV show repeatedly mentioned the client's business (not them exactly, but completely relevant non-the-less), we posted on Facebook and Twitter immediately, and received a great response. Same with the OREO reaction during the Super Bowl.
Answer: I would not suggest it, but MAY be possible.
Suggestion: Two suggestions here. You might be able to get someone to write a certain number of posts, and even set them up to go out at certain times. Secondly, I would give them AT LEAST three months, as it will take some time to kick-in.
Public Relations: You can definitely hire someone to just write a press release, but do you really know how to get it into the right media hands? If you do, great! Just get the press release. But if it's in the budget, work with someone who will write the release, disseminate to appropriate media (based on the scope of the reach, this may determine price, aka if you only want local, you are talking 10-20 media outlets, but if you have a nationally available product, expect hundreds), and will also track and report the media placements. Similar to social media, it is hard to see the impact of a single press release.
Answer: Yes.
Suggestion: If possible, work with your public relations guru for no fewer than three months. It takes time.
I wish I could give you a definitive answer on the subject, but the truth is, it really depends on what aspect of marketing we are talking about. Here is a quick break down to give you an idea.
Marketing strategy: You could probably get away with more of a 'one-off' type of partnership on this one, but expect the process to take some time if you want it done properly. An agency or individual should spend a significant amount of time researching your company, interviewing staff, creating initial drafts, following up, and if they are smart, they will interview individuals from various sectors of your target market.
Answer: Yes, but if they are paid by the hour, expect a nice bill.
Suggestion: Work with someone who is willing to pay a flat fee, and make sure it is reasonable. If they bid too low, they probably don't have a clue what they are doing.
Graphic Design: Obviously, this is probably the section that is easiest to get away with paying for one project at a time. While I would not suggest keeping one on retainer if you are small and just starting out, I would if possible, always try to use the same designer (as long as you are happy of course).
Answer: Yes.
Suggestion: When starting out with a designer, build in to your agreement that you have access to all original design files.
Social Media: Social media management will be one of the hardest if you are a commitment-phob. To truly and accurately manage your social content, you will want someone who is available at all times. To act at a moments notice. For example, working with a recent client, a top-rated TV show repeatedly mentioned the client's business (not them exactly, but completely relevant non-the-less), we posted on Facebook and Twitter immediately, and received a great response. Same with the OREO reaction during the Super Bowl.
Answer: I would not suggest it, but MAY be possible.
Suggestion: Two suggestions here. You might be able to get someone to write a certain number of posts, and even set them up to go out at certain times. Secondly, I would give them AT LEAST three months, as it will take some time to kick-in.
Public Relations: You can definitely hire someone to just write a press release, but do you really know how to get it into the right media hands? If you do, great! Just get the press release. But if it's in the budget, work with someone who will write the release, disseminate to appropriate media (based on the scope of the reach, this may determine price, aka if you only want local, you are talking 10-20 media outlets, but if you have a nationally available product, expect hundreds), and will also track and report the media placements. Similar to social media, it is hard to see the impact of a single press release.
Answer: Yes.
Suggestion: If possible, work with your public relations guru for no fewer than three months. It takes time.
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