Groupon GroupOFF: Why You’re Better Off Sky Writing Than Running A Groupon For Business

To Groupon or not to Groupon goponDaily deal giant Groupon made quite the splash with its Initial Public Offering in 2011—but, in the process, garnered quite a bit of criticism, as well (as did its recently dismissed chief executive, Andrew Mason).

At first glance, Groupon seemed to be skyrocketing to success.  And how could they not, with such a brilliant business model?  The site’s message to its customers (i.e. business owners) was irresistible: “Whereas most marketing methods require upfront payment without providing any guarantee that your campaign will be successful, Groupon costs you nothing out-of-pocket.”

Free advertising, new customers, and up-front money in my pocket, you say?  Sign me up!  Well, not so fast… read more

Posted in all, Analytics/Measurement/Reporting, best of, Future, game changers, how to, Online Marketing, Reviews, Social Media, Website | Leave a comment

Siri(ous) Business: How To Take Full Advantage Of Your iPhone Throughout The Day

siri-all-in-a-days-work-chunkofchangeFor many people, Siri is simply a fun “toy” to play with from time to time.  For me, though, Siri is a productivity necessity.  I use her functions throughout the day to get stuff done more easily and efficiently.  If you know how to take advantage of all of the iPhone’s features, Siri can seriously lighten your load.

Here’s how she works for me… read more

Posted in all, best of, Future, game changers, how to, Mobile Presence, siri for business | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Business Owners HATE Yelp

people-hate-usA few weeks back, I wrote a post advising a physical therapy office to get their current patients to provide positive Yelp reviews to bolster new business.  Imagine my surprise when Yelp actually read the article and reached out to me.

So, I did what any blogger with chops would do…and set up two interviews: one with Yelp and one with a Yelp-savvy business owner.  My findings regarding the contentious relationship between Yelp and Business Owners follow.

First, I started out with… read more

Posted in all, best of, eCommerce, Future, game changers, Mobile Presence, Online Marketing, q&a, Reviews, Social Media | Leave a comment

Ready To Get Put In By The Coach?

michael-maslin-they-re-ready-may-i-throw-you-in-new-yorker-cartoonAre you still asking for permission? Waiting for the coach to put you in?

Go.

It’s scary, I know. Hard to know if you are making the right decision.

Go.

This is especially scary for those of us who… read more

Posted in all, Future, how to, Off-line Marketing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Business MMA: The Rowdy Roundtable

Hey Long Beach-area entrepreneurs and locals who naturally think outside the box! I’d like to invite you to join me IN PERSON for an exciting event next Tuesday, May 28, 2013.

Come bring your ideas and challenges that keep you up at night to the Business MMA: Rowdy Roundtable. Instead of “mixed martial arts,” we’ll be showing off our “mixed marketing arts”!

So, get ready to connect with other entrepreneurial-minded individuals in our friendly, intellectually-driven discussions. Come and pick the brains of featured speakers, participate in a “corporate cage match” and “go to the mat” with fellow entrepreneurs, discussing ideas. Possible topics include… read more

Posted in all, Analytics/Measurement/Reporting, best of, eCommerce, Future, game changers, how to, Message, Mobile Presence, Off-line Marketing, Online Marketing, Reviews, siri for business, Social Media, Website | Leave a comment

People Power: Part 2 Of The Melissa G. Wilson Interview

Thanks to FunnyAsADuck.net!Last week, I brought you Part One of my interview with Networking Is Dead author Melissa G. Wilson. The writing, publishing, and social media leader has shifted gears recently into full-time mentorship, and now spends her time helping others achieve success.

“It’s always about people first, opportunities, second!” ~ Melissa G. Wilson

Olga: What tools do you recommend to help keep track of contacts that you make and create deeper, more meaningful connections?

Melissa: I have my own guidebooks and I’m always offering them to others to give them a way to keep track of all the different people we connect with. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed. It helped me to stop confusing activity with… read more

Posted in all, game changers, how to, Message, Off-line Marketing, q&a, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Networking Is Dead: An Interview With Melissa G. Wilson

“Don’t push into somebody’s life.  Invite them in.” ~ Melissa G. Wilson

I caught up with Melissa G. Wilson, author of fifteen books (five on bestseller lists), and CEO of Networlding—a publishing company that helps authors write, publish, and market books that turn into top sellers. After two decades of speaking, coaching, and writing books, Melissa is now mentoring others on what it takes to really make networking work.

In this two-part interview–based on the book Networking Is Dead: Making Connections That Matter–Melissa describes to me exactly what it takes to make the proper network connections, and… read more

Posted in all, game changers, how to, Message, Off-line Marketing, q&a, Social Media | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Getting A Foot In The Door: Using Yelp To Build Business

Dear Olga: Even though we’re an established physical therapy office, in our seventh year, we always need to generate new business in order to keep our calendar full.  Physical therapy isn’t a seasonal thing or an economic thing; it’s a year-round business. We recently hired a new physical therapist—as well as a massage therapist—and we’re prepared to take on more patients.

We really haven’t used social media as much to our advantage as we’d like to. We don’t do any advertising, and so, we get most of our patients through word-of-mouth. We also do area events (like a 5K run we’re sponsoring) and support local groups (including Tribe, a triathlon club). At this point, we want to be even more involved with student athletes and Crossfit clients.

All that said, what are the best no-cost ways for us to increase foot traffic and awareness? ~ Julie & Ismael F., Body Solutions Fitness and Therapy, Long Beach, CA

Assuming you already have the basics covered (e.g. strategic partnerships with doctors’ offices, membership in local chambers and clubs, etc.), the best thing to do is… read more

Posted in all, how to, Message, Off-line Marketing, q&a, Reviews, Social Media | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Entrepreneurs, Marketers, And Crazy People Who Dance On Street Corners: The New Art of Business

This past Saturday, I was a keynote speaker for the Santa Barbara Business Expo, the inaugural event and brainchild of Sandy Goe. I met Sandy last September, when she approached me after I spoke at the California Women’s Conference. At the time, the expo was just a dream of hers. She really wanted to connect business people in Santa Barbara in a different way.

Business As Art

Sandy seems to have really embraced the concept of business as an art form…and opening up new opportunities for artists of all kinds. It wasn’t just by incorporating visual artists and jewelers into the day—which was a pleasant surprise at such an event—but also her artistic ability to pull a wide variety of business people into a Saturday event on a gorgeous Santa Barbara day to learn about emerging web technologies, social media, SEO marketing, legal and finance, insurance, business tools, and best practices.

Art like this is, indeed, making its way into the business world. In fact… read more

Posted in all, game changers, Message, Off-line Marketing, Online Marketing, Social Media | Leave a comment

Face Facts: How To Allocate Your Money and Time To Facebook

Dear Olga: I get so distracted by social media that I feel like I’m not committing to other parts of my business.  What percentage of my marketing budget (and my time) should I be allocating to Facebook… or should I bother at all. ~ Alicia L., Handbag Designer, North Hollywood, CA

Free Creative Marketing Ideas, Iphone Reminders Location, How Can I Use SiriFirst of all, there isn’t one set answer to this question: for some, the spend on social media may be 5%, for others, it may be 95%. If you’re re-posting cat pictures and memes all day, though, it might be time to re-think your strategy.

Real Facebook Marketing Strategy

The first real question is what your ultimate social media goal is. Are you looking to educate people about your product, get new fans, sell handbags, get a discussion going, create a buzz, etc.? It’s helpful to understand your priorities–especially since the answer “F: all of the above” will surely drive you insane.

Strategy Marketing Consulting, Marketing Message Expert, Tips And Tricks For SiriIMHO, the top goal should be to drive people back to your site. You’ve gotta make social media work for you–not against you. Get ‘em to your site.

The second issue is… read more

Posted in all, Analytics/Measurement/Reporting, eCommerce, how to, Message, Online Marketing, q&a, Social Media, Website | Tagged , | Leave a comment