www.adstralfulfilment.co.uk

As Social Media becomes ever more competitive, here are 5 top tips to keep you up-to-date with those ever changing trends that give you the edge over the competition:

1. Content

Fresh, innovative, regular and shareable. Four words which are vital to any social media content post. Content that is steadily changing on a regular basis will encourage your audience to take note. However, this content must be shareable. “What does shareable mean?” I hear you say. Simply put, ensure you include engaging images and relevant links that entice your audience to share your content to their network.

2. Optimise your Networks

As social media becomes an ever more integral part of our everyday lives, there couldn’t be more reason to ensure your networks are fully optimised. Whether you are active on just Facebook or Twitter, it is as important to research other platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube. For your social media efforts to flourish you need to spread your message where your audience are most active. This means analysing your current channels and ensuring they match the audience you are aiming to reach. Most importantly don’t be afraid to take the plunge and abandon a network that doesn’t match your marketing preferences over one that does.

3. Content Strategy

Having a strategy is vital for success. Regular posts at the optimum frequency really do make the difference when opting for those all-important results. However, this is neither possible nor successful without a well implemented, relevant and dependable content strategy. At Red Ant Solutions, we pride ourselves on planning and preparation in all aspects of our work and with social it couldn’t be more vital. Our top tip for a unique content strategy is to begin the foundations early to avoid any mishaps, allowing you to find that balance between quality and quantity.

4. Things to Avoid

You can read tens of thousands of things of what to do in social media but there is a fine line of what not to do.

SPAM – don’t post too regularly. This will only have a negative effect on the loyalty of your customers to your brand.

DON’T FORGET TO POST – I know we just mentioned not to post too regularly but it can be just as easy to forget altogether. Ensure you are social by updating your channels regularly and look professional whilst doing it.

NEGLECTING YOUR AUDIENCE – Your audience likes to be acknowledged whether it is through a direct message, retweet or response to a comment, which is vital in building your business and rapport with customers. Don’t forget to stay in contact and let your customers know you are listening.

5. Paid Social

Social isn’t just about organic reach anymore. Paid social advertising is becoming the new way of reaching your desired audience. Not only can you target your specific audience but you can tailor it to particular interests and to precise demographics. Paid social advertising can boost your social media marketing efforts in more ways than one. Combine your organic calendar with paid posts and see your audience numbers soar. Ensure you stay on top of your paid social efforts through social media insight tools from Facebook and Twitter.

If you follow these five top tips you will be well on your way to a successful social media campaign.

At Red Ant Solutions, we deliver the complete Digital package including mobile first websites, SEO, Social Media, PPC advertising and more. Get in touch today via phone on 01483 863 338 or by email at [email protected] for more information.

www.redantsolutions.com/

Do you want your business details to be remembered and stand out from the rest?  your business card is probably just one of many gathering dust in offices across the country..

Here at BusinessGiftUK.com we know what works when it comes to being remembered

So, here are 7 reasons (there are many more, but we know you’re busy!) why you should be using promotional gifts to promote your business…

• Build Your Brand

Your brand and its market position must be regularly reviewed and promoted – simple fact. This doesn’t need to involve costly marketing campaigns – the drip feed of building your brand through promotional gifts can be just as effective, if not more so. Customised products that are used by your clients and prospects in their daily business lives ,are a  constant reminder of your logo, who you are and what you can offer. What’s more – your contact details are extremely easy to find so there is more chance of a spontaneous call if they don’t have to go hunting round for that card.

• Targeted Marketing

When you have a ready stock of promotional merchandise you can choose who to send it to and when, so your marketing becomes targeted, and therefore  a highly cost effective way of making a first impression. The right product has longevity of use so  your target prospects will keep it for a long time to come. Most promotional gifts have a much longer life- span than other media or marketing formats. You may want to buy particular customised gifts for a specific exhibition audience profile, knowing that the kind of businesses you want to attract will respond to a relevant promotion. By thinking ahead and keeping it targeted you can open many doors that may otherwise remain closed.

• Happy Clients Stay Happy

Of course it’s not only new clients that appreciate a promotional gift. As a high percentage of business comes from existing customers, giving them gifts is a wise investment. Be mindful of 3 R’s – Repeats, Referrals and Recommendations! A promotional gift can act as a great prompt for a happy client to recommend you to their associates. Again, your contact details are easily available because they’re printed on the gift, so referring your services is effortless. Keep it varied too – with so many different types of gifts available,  you can mix it up  and keep your choice of gifts fresh – ensuring you always stand out. Using promotional gifts to promote your business in this way is flexible, relevant and highly effective.

• First Impressions – We All Love A Freebie!

Let’s be honest – we all love to get value for money, even better to get something for free. It’s also good for the soul to give, so using promotional gifts creates an all-round feeling of bonhomie which shouldn’t be underestimated in forging new business relationships. When interacting with total strangers – maybe at Expos and Trade Shows offering promotional gifts is a great ice breaker – conveying  goodwill and a memorable first impression.

• Company Incentives

Within the workplace promotional gifts can be used to incentivise staff. This can be done in two ways; gifts can be used for targeted incentives or awards for effort. They can also be used to create team spirit and company pride with the likes of branded clothing, desk items and corporate stationery. Recognition leads to a sense of fulfilment, inspires company loyalty and creates a workforce that feels appreciated.  This all helps the bottom line!

• Incentives To Buy

Promotional gifts can be used more blatantly as an enticement to buy,  particularly effective in retail point of sale, but also used in less “sexy” areas such as insurance and banking where customers are often offered quality pens, originally done so- to help fill in proposal forms. Historically it has been proven that the offer of a free pen can significantly increase the number of quote requests. The practice of giving an incentive in return for the opportunity to quote continues today, despite the fact that all the information required is now more likely to be given over the phone or entered online.

• Buy Time

Whenever a gift is given and received there is an opportunity to talk and network .People pause to receive a gift, and in most cases simple politeness deters the recipient from just walking away. This is your chance to say a little about what you do and then listen carefully to what they do, triggering your radar for opportunities, referrals and buying signals. This is all made so much smoother when offering a relevant promotional gift and works with all types of encounters, not just formal networking events. Has anyone got a pen…..

Using customised gifts to promote your business is a fantastic way of maximising your marketing mix. Gifts are a proven catalyst to other activity. Well targeted advertising promotional gifts enhance and support all other marketing activity. They’re also an effective way of bypassing the competition on Google by keeping it simple and direct.

For more information please go to www.businessgiftuk.com, call our experienced team on 01772 429111 or email us at [email protected].

Stephen Ward, Managing Director

Ad-Options Ltd t/as BusinessGiftUK.com

Woytek Bogdanowicz, MD of @Voytek – the London based independent TV film and video production company – has a vast wealth of experience across broadcasting genres from documentary, television advertising, events and docudrama.

Woytek has  produced 100s of independent films for corporate and broadcast clients – including Amey, British Olympic Assoc., Google, UKTI, Foreign Commonwealth Office, (for which he won the IVCA Editor of the Year Award), DHL, Universal, BUPA, Ministry of Defence, Adobe, Louis Vuitton, Transport for London, Ogilvy and many others.

As a member of  Sony’s Independent Certified Expert Programme – or ICE Programme – he has given Sony Masterclasses in Prague, Bratislava and has just completed one in Warsaw where the 70 strong – attendees were able to have the benefit of his many years of Industry experience as well as get hands on with some of Sony‘s most popular cameras and equipment.

What a great crowd today @SonyMasterclass in Warsaw, next Masterclasses coming really soon! Thank you Wojtek Bogdanowicz for great workshop!

– Jakub Stupałkowski

www.voytek.co.uk