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Marketing Articles: Page 18

Give it away for free – 3 ways it can help your business 

You walk into a supermarket and you’re approached by a very friendly shop assistant who is offering a free sample of cake. You feel a little bit excited. Everyone likes free stuff. So, how do you feel about this supermarket? A tiny bit more positive perhaps – more inclined to buy the product?

It seems to be everywhere now – businesses offering stuff for free. But why?

Generates traffic

One of the primary benefits of offering something for free is that it generates traffic. The free product introduces the business and hooks likely buyers, with the result that the expense of handing out the free samples will be more than counterbalanced by the resulting sales. The big US companies such as Kraft, General Mills, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever think nothing of spending a couple of hundred dollars each day to set up a free sample stand inside a supermarket. But these costs are tiny compared to the good will that is being cultivated in the customers who are getting these free samples.

Creates grateful customers

When it comes to reaching consumers, free samples are often much more powerful, and much cheaper than traditional advertising. If enough people try the product then some of them will decide to buy simply because they’ve gotten a freebie and, consciously or not, somehow feel obligated to pay the company back. Researchers have discovered that shoppers who’ve received freebies in the supermarket are more likely to buy the products given away, and to even become loyal customers.

Positive brand recognition

By giving something for free, you’re investing in positive brand recognition. People love to get something for free with no strings attached even if the product is worth little. In fact, the word ‘free’ makes the product and the company or brand more appealing.

It has a positive impact on how they regard your brand and it makes people more willing to give something in return. For example, businesses will give away free eBooks or white papers in return for contact information. People are more likely to respond to a favour with another favour. Rather Inventive offer freebies in the form of their book, Be Sociable, in the hope that it will tell people a little bit about the business, and garner a positive attitude towards it.

If you’re a small business owner then the word ‘free’ can be a little scary. You’re in business to make money after all. But by now you can see that there are various benefits that free samples and giveaways provide. Sometimes the benefits are not seen immediately but are contributing to the positive perception of your business, but at other times the benefits may be more immediate.

So, how can you harness the value of ‘free’ to make your business more successful?

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Photo credit: Myrtle Beach TheDigitel  – FREE Samples

Something Inventive 15: Don’t put all your eggs in one bucket

Ben asks if we rely on computers or software too much and Al answers with a firm yes. We bring up some topical examples where systems have failed and how people deal with the outcome, or don’t as the case most often is. And we wonder if now, is the time for QR codes to shine?

Listen on Apple Podcasts app

Something Inventive is an entertaining and lively podcast on creativity and the web. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

Episode sponsored by Be Sociable

Easy-to-follow social media tips and strategy to get noticed by the right people for the right reasons. Available for iPhone, iPad and Mac for £9.99. Or get it free by subscribing to our email newsletter at the bottom of this web page.

Show notes

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Promote your service for the price of a tweet

If you’d like the opportunity to have an advert for your product or service read out on our podcast, for FREE! Simply tweet what you’d like to promote, mentioning @RatherInventive and the hashtag #podvert and we’ll read it out over the coming episodes. Here’s an example:

‘Sick of writing boring blog posts? Try Wordbirdy.com #podvert @RatherInventive’

First come, first served. So get your tweets in early.

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Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman – Photo: Christopher – 22 chicks on the way…

Something Inventive 14: Handbag House

Al and Ben discuss ad blocking in Safari, anchor tags, image resizing and the music we listen to at work.

Subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

Episode sponsored by Be Sociable

Easy-to-follow social media tips and strategy to get noticed by the right people for the right reasons.
Available for iPhone, iPad and Mac for £9.99. Or get it free by subscribing to our email newsletter at the bottom of this web page.

Show notes

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Promote your service for the price of a tweet

If you’d like the opportunity to have an advert for your product or service read out on our podcast, for FREE! Simply tweet what you’d like to promote, mentioning @RatherInventive and the hashtag #podvert and we’ll read it out over the coming episodes. Here’s an example:

‘Sick of writing boring blog posts? Try Wordbirdy.com #podvert @RatherInventive’

First come, first served. So get your tweets in early.

—
Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman – Photo: Francesca Romana Correale – Portamonete trapuntato. Calf napa leather

How to stand out in your industry

No matter what industry you’re in, if you’re a small business you probably feel like a tiny plankton in a huge ocean. So, what can you do to stand out?

One effective route to success is to become an authority within your field. After all, there’s nothing that brings in new clients better than being considered an expert. You can do this in several ways. You could do interviews, write a book or introduce innovative new products.

Possibly the most difficult route, but one which cannot fail to get you noticed is to solve your industry’s biggest problems. By addressing the bone-aching problems within the your industry you will set your company apart by showing yourself to be knowledgeable about your subject and aware of its shortcomings, and to care enough to want to find a solution.

Let’s look at an example in the electronics manufacturing industry. New standards and regulations are pushing electronic manufacturers to consider their social responsibility when making decisions and to include sustainable engineering strategies to satisfy the growing trend for environmental awareness. The entire lifecycle of a product must be considered; from manufacturing, with the use of harmful chemicals and human exposure; to consumer use, with the consumption of energy; to the end of its life, with waste disposal and complex disassembly.

This costs money and in an industry with steadily shrinking margins and higher product performance and quality expectations, this can be a real problem. Yet, electronics manufacturing leaders will define the solutions and find a way to make it work. They will work to ensure continuous process improvement and will invest in systems and processes, and then they will share those solutions.  

If your business is seen to be the one to introduce a workable solution to a problem. Not only will potential customers become aware of who you are, but fellow industry experts will consider your company to be at the sharp end of the industry.  

How do you become an authority in your industry? Here’s a step by step guide to becoming a problem solver in your industry;

  1. Work out what the problems are – If you’re already running a small business within a certain field of expertise, you probably already have a handle on what the issues are. So, clearly define the problem you want to solve.
  2. Why does the problem exist? – Now that you have the issue you want to eliminate, have a look at why it exists.
  3. Narrow down solutions – There may be several different ways to approach a problem. But concentrate on just one or a couple of clearly-explained solutions otherwise you risk overwhelming and confusing people.
  4. Break it down – It’s all very well having a fantastic solution to a problem, but if nobody knows how to put it into action effectively, chances are it won’t be used until another business gets hold of it, tweaks it and takes all the credit. Break down your suggested resolution into a step-by-step actionable plan. This will make your suggestions easier to digest, understand and implement and more people will follow through to completion, making your problem-solving strategy more successful.
  5. Repeat steps one to four – So, you’ve successfully solved an industry problem? But your solution will only put you at the top of the list until another business swoops in to solve the next problem.

If you make it your mission to solve the problems of your industry as they arise you’ll establish yourself as a business who can lead the pack. Set yourself apart as an industry expert and you will reap the rewards that it brings.

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Photo credit: David, IMG_4151

 

Something Inventive 13: Time Well Spent. SEO, CMS and other TLAs

Al explains the importance of securing your website, how this helps SEO and we share why we use WordPress over other Content Management Systems (CMS).

Subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

Episode sponsored by Be Sociable

Easy-to-follow social media tips and strategy to get noticed by the right people for the right reasons.
Available for iPhone, iPad and Mac for £9.99. Or get it free by subscribing to our email newsletter at the bottom of this web page.

Show notes

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Promote your service for the price of a tweet

If you’d like the opportunity to have an advert for your product or service read out on our podcast, for FREE! Simply tweet what you’d like to promote, mentioning @RatherInventive and the hashtag #podvert and we’ll read it out over the coming episodes. Here’s an example:

‘Sick of writing boring blog posts? Try Wordbirdy.com #podvert @RatherInventive’

First come, first served. So get your tweets in early.

—
Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman – Photo: Japanexperterna.se – Person looking at smartphone in the dark

Why your business needs trust

What is trust?

In a previous blog post, I spoke about how Simon Sinek refers to ‘Start with why’, an interesting concept about how presenting ‘why’ you do what you do can get people on your side. But at the heart of the ‘Start with why’ theory is the idea of trust. Trust is a feeling of security one has, based on the belief that someone is reliable, good, honest, and effective. Trust is what your employees, customers and clients need so that they can hear your ‘why’ and know that it is the truth.

Trust is critical in any relationship, and is just as true in business. To build a successful business there must be trust permeating the relationships throughout the organisation – between leaders to employees, employees to employees, and employees to customers.

According to the 2017 Edelman trust barometer, the world population’s trust in all four key institutions — business, government, NGOs, and media — has declined. In this climate, “People’s societal and economic concerns, including globalization, the pace of innovation and eroding social values, turn into fears”. This is why building trust in your business is more important today than ever before.

How much trust is in your organisation? In business interactions, we can usually intuitively feel when trust is lacking. Without it, there are the underlying feelings of resentment, undermining, avoiding and game-playing among employees.

I am very well acquainted with one such business; it is a hotbed of gossip; there is an undercurrent of frustration at the management; and rather than unity there is stress and low productivity where fake camaraderie, petty squabbles and backstabbing were everyday occurrences. Does that sound like an environment that puts trust at the heart of its operations?

Trust within an organisation creates a healthy work environment. It forms the foundation for effective communications, staff retention, motivated members, and contributions of energy and, according to studies, there is also significant link to sales, profits, and turnover in organisations with a high level of trust.

How to build trust in your organisation

So, do you think your organisation might be lacking in the trust quota? If so, here are a few things you can do to ensure that trust remains one of the most important features of your business.

Act with sincerity and integrity

Probably the bedrock of trust, keeping your promises will set you up as reliable and dependable. What immediately follows is strong trust and respect. If you frequently make commitments but fail to keep them, you’ll see only frustration and self-serving behaviour – not conducive to long-term successful relationships. Also, offer your true perspective on matters, align your words and actions, and be consistent in your behaviour.

Listen

Listen to and act on feedback, even if it’s negative. If colleagues, employees or customers feel listened to they will more likely feel trust for you and your business. Demonstrate caring and unconditional positive regard to others’ point of view, even if you disagree with them.

Handle crisis well

Do your utmost and encourage others in the organisation to turn a negative situation to your advantage by going over and above to handle a crisis effectively, and you will be cultivating trust

Be transparent

Own your failures, and learn from them.  Share them so that others can learn from them too. It will help you bounce back better and higher than before.

Encourage ideas and innovation

Be well informed – have views on industry issues, and encourage others to. Put your efforts into finding solutions. Don’t tread water; it’s the fastest way to obscurity.

Communicate well

The way companies communicate has a great deal of influence on the amount of trust employees and clients have for them. Be direct, be spontaneous not rehearsed, be blunt not diplomatic and polite. Give personal experience over data – what does it mean in real terms. Also, make good use of social media – a two-way means of communicating, rather than direct advertising, which is one way and doesn’t give customers a platform on which to communicate their views.

Support others

Use your skills and knowledge to support others’ work. Serve all parties’ best interests. It will bolster everyone’s positive regard of you and therefore their trust in you.

How employees create your success

Ultimately, for a successful business you must treat your employees well. They should be at the heart of the business. They are, after all, the people who know the most about your organisation, your products and services and the market. Invest in them regularly. Employees who remain in one place (physically and emotionally) will grow bored and weary.

Employees want to understand why they are doing things, they want to know the difference that they make, and they want to trust and to know that they are trusted to deliver. They will be willing to go the extra mile to ensure that your business goals are met. If on the other hand, they learn that they are not valued and that winning is the ultimate prize, then they’ll begin to think less about trying something new and different and instead focus on self-preservation. The result may be reliable workers, but it will diminish trust and stunt your business’ growth.

Express genuine appreciation up, down, and across your organisation and you will hear your staff say, ‘We’re in this together’.

Trust leads to a happy, productive workplace that can handle anything and will continually move the organisation forward. In these days of inherent mistrust in large corporations, it is important, over everything else you do, to cultivate an environment of trust. It is a non-negotiable facet of a successful business – you cannot have one without the other. In a successful business it is the relationships you forge—and the trust you create—that matter most.

 

Photo: Ideas Alchemist, Trust

Something Inventive 12: From Terminator to Xero

Ben shares highlights from speakers and topics that stood out for him at the WXG Web Conference in Guildford and Al talks about getting more sleep and why people are better than robots.

Subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

Episode sponsored by Be Sociable

Easy-to-follow social media tips and strategy to get noticed by the right people for the right reasons.
Available for iPhone, iPad and Mac for £9.99. Or get it free by subscribing to our email newsletter at the bottom of this web page.

Show notes

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Promote your service for the price of a tweet

If you’d like the opportunity to have an advert for your product or service read out on our podcast, for FREE! Simply tweet what you’d like to promote, mentioning @RatherInventive and the hashtag #podvert and we’ll read it out over the coming episodes. Here’s an example:

‘Sick of writing boring blog posts? Try Wordbirdy.com #podvert @RatherInventive’

First come, first served. So get your tweets in early.

—
Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman – Photo: Tom Godber, Tea Cup

Simon says, ‘Start with why’

Why should your customers choose your business over all the thousands of others doing the same thing?

According to Simon Sinek, motivational speaker and marketing consultant, when we’re trying to influence others we need to start with why.

We could be selling a product or service, looking for employment, employees or seeking funding – the important thing, Sinek says, is to start with telling people why you are doing it. He says;

“People don’t buy what you do,
they buy why you do it”

Sinek refers to his Golden Circle – the outer edge of which denotes the what. In every industry, including yours, there will be hundreds of businesses doing the same thing. He explains that the businesses that use what to sell products need to manipulate customers into buying their product or service. People will come to this type of business because it offers low prices, freebies, novelty (under the guise of innovation) to compete with others all doing the same thing. This doesn’t breed loyalty or create trust.

The reason why you do what you do is likely to be different for every company. This could be your company’s sense of purpose, it’s beliefs, its values – whatever it is that underpins its reason for existing. This is what attracts people to your business and keeps them returning.  

The goal to influence in business is no longer about the practical aspects of doing business. Consumers have a wealth of choice for every service or product they could ever desire. It’s about the emotional aspect and how connecting with a certain business can make them feel. So as a business, connecting to the group of people who ‘get’ why you do what you do is the key to business success.

What do successful businesses do differently?

Seth Godin explains in his book, All Marketers are Liars that the most successful companies are those who fit into the worldview of their customers and offer something different that these customers value. They use an effective, authentic story to make a better and more lasting impression on customers who will say ‘I’m willing to turn down a better offer or product elsewhere to do business with you.’ because they can relate to your company beliefs and feel as though they belong.

Steve from Efficient Thinking Solutions is a client of Rather Inventive. Steve loves to solve problems. It gives him a sense of purpose and fulfilment to put systems and processes in order so that businesses can get the most out of their employees. Steve’s ‘what’ – to offer the service of consulting for businesses and helping to improve their productivity – is the proof of what he believes. It’s his values and his guiding principles that fuel his business, not the other way around.

How do you get staff on board?

When it comes to selling your company to your staff, so that they are working for something they believe in, it’s the same principle. Sinek says a company should be a group of people with a common set of values and beliefs. This is what keeps the company moving in the same direction, giving everyone a sense of belonging and working together to achieve goals and solve problems. This can only happen when a leader demonstrates his beliefs and his values about the company. Without it, the staff will be working only for pay and will jump ship at the first sign of trouble.

So, do you know why you do what you do, and can you shout about it? Do you hold yourself accountable to that reason, every time you work?  Make sure everyone knows your why and they’ll keep coming back.

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Photo credit: Walter Lim, Start With Why Diagram

 

Something Inventive 11: A nice cuppa tea and the Archers

Ben and Al discuss 6 questions you should ask your web developer before you start a project and why the podcast is so long.

Subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

 

Episode sponsored by Be Sociable

Easy-to-follow social media tips and strategy to get noticed by the right people for the right reasons.
Available for iPhone, iPad and Mac for £4.99.

Show notes

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Be part of the show

Send in your business, marketing or creativity questions for the next episode as a Tweet to @ratherinventive, use the Twitter hashtag #inventivequestions or email [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

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Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman – Photo: Tom Godber, Tea Cup

How to avoid crappy clients; a guide for small business owners and freelancers

  • Louise Kinnaird
  • March 7, 2017
  • News

In the beginning, when the business was starting and I would have done anything to get work, I naively thought there was no such thing as a bad client.

I suspect my gullibility was obvious because I was soon approached by one individual who was willing to let me write a sample web page for him, on the promise that if he liked it he’d pay me a good rate.

He also promised that there would be ‘plenty more where that came from’. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. I spent an inordinate amount of time writing and re-writing to produce my very best work. I sent it, waited for him to come back to me with an offer of more work and I never heard from him again.

I am pleased to say that these days I am a little more discerning. I now have a core of clients who wouldn’t dream of taking me for a fool and are a pleasure to work with, but I’ve learned a few things along the way, like how to recognise a lousy client when they pop up on my radar.

There’s no escape

Crappy clients don’t limit their cheating ways to newbie writers. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a photographer, a website designer or an accountant, you will, at some point, come across a crappy client. He might try to trick you into doing work for free to ‘build your portfolio’ or he may string you along, with promises of work or payment. He might be the type who will pick up on every minor error, be difficult or confrontational, all in an attempt to reduce your price.

Recognise crappy clients

There are usually signs to warn you of trouble. If you can answer yes to any of these questions then you probably want to steer well clear;

  • Does he know what he wants or does he change his mind several times before he decides? You could be doing an awful lot of unpaid work before he’s satisfied
  • Does he consider a contract to be unnecessary?
  • Is his communication inconsistent? – He may go ‘silent’ when it’s time to pay the bill.
  • Does he promise future work, on the back of a freebie?
  • Does he challenge your fee? Don’t confuse this with the perfectly reasonable request to ask for less work for a smaller fee if he has a limited budget but if he says you’re ‘too expensive’, walk. You know the value of your work, don’t expect less.
  • Does he expect you to work for free to ‘build up your portfolio’?
  • Does he act as if he owns you, expecting you to be available 24/7?
  • Does he bad-mouth other businesses? – don’t think you’re the new hero; it’s only a matter of time before he bad-mouths you

This is not an exhaustive list.  Your gut will know when you’ve encountered a crappy client.

Trust your gut

As a business owner, it seems counter-intuitive to turn down work but if your initial thoughts are that a potential client could be trouble, trust your gut feeling. Otherwise you could end up with one who will drain your enthusiasm with his unreasonable demands or his crafty ways. You will feel violated, taken for a ride.

Stay clear

There is not enough time in the day to waste your time on clients who frustrate you so much that you want to tear your hair out and sob into your bath suds every evening.

Running a business or working as a freelancer takes time and energy. It can be stressful enough without having to justify your fees and chase after payments. Stay away from clients who make excessive demands, ask for the impossible and constantly complain. These clients can hinder your business and steal your soul if you let them. Instead, focus on the good, worthy clients; those who value your work and your business.

What about you? Have you had much experience with lousy clients? What did you do to get rid? Have you had a warning sign that a client may be from hell, but who turned out to be a good client? Let us know.

 

Unboxing video experiment with Ecl-ips

  • Ben Kinnaird
  • February 21, 2017
  • Video

I spent a day with the team at Ecl-ips back in January to experiment with some different and more exciting product video for a new 360 degree ceiling camera from Avigilon.

Previously Stephen, a project engineer ar Ecl-ips, was attempting to record the entire video in one go but this meant that if there were any mistakes he would need to record the entire video again. While his early videos are ok I wanted to help make them a little more interesting, have a higher production quality and be easier and quicker to produce – Here’s what how it went

First, watch my intro

 
 

Then watch the resulting video

Well done to Nicky, Stephen and Aaron at Ecl-ips who after a little tuition managed all the filming and editing themselves.

Equipment used on the shoot

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Music: Upbeat from Audio Jungle

3 simple steps to find your ideal client

  • Louise Kinnaird
  • February 8, 2017
  • News

Would you love to find your ideal client? Here are 3 steps that will increase your chances, no matter the size of your business.

1. Who are they? Identify your ideal client

This first step was suggested to me by a fellow copywriter and friend a few years back. We were sitting having dinner one evening. I was bemoaning my lack of work, and so she suggested that I write a profile of my ideal client. She told me to think about exactly what he or she might look like. What kind of work does he do? What are his likes and dislikes? What does he want, expect, and hope for in life and work?

I was skeptical about how writing a list might help. But it couldn’t hurt to try, I reasoned, so I sat down and made a list, giving as much detail as I could. From the kind of work he did to the radio station he listened to, the number of children he had and his keep-fit habits – I listed everything. I then gave it no more thought.

Now, it could be pure coincidence, or it could be some magnetic vibe I sent out into the universe, but the very next evening I received an out-of-the-blue invitation to connect on LinkedIn, which I accepted graciously adding a message asking if and how I could help. To cut a long story short, that LinkedIn member is now one of my favourite customers. He gives me plenty of work, pays on time, and is generally a pleasure to do business with.

Obviously, this strategy doesn’t come with a guarantee. And it’s foolish to think that by doing this exercise your ideal client will magically materialise but it’s worth a try, isn’t it? The idea of writing a client profile is not new. Salesmen have been using this strategy for decades to find their clients.

The idea is that it’s difficult to go looking for something if you don’t know what you’re looking for. But if you know exactly the kind of person your ideal client is then it makes the job of finding him a whole lot easier. If you have no idea where to start, think about your past successes. What kind of client did you get the best results from? Write a list of his attributes.

2. Where are they? Find out where your ideal client hangs out

Let’s say you’re looking for a manufacturer to sell your metal press machines to.

Once you’ve created a list of characteristics of the manufacturing executive, you’ll have a little more to work with. You’ll be able to surmise, based on his job, his demographic, his hobbies and his motivations, what social media platforms he uses, if he uses them, or the events he might attend. Your manufacturer might use Twitter to keep himself up-to-date on product trends. He may attend manufacturing trade shows or conferences.

Does he frequent Facebook or Twitter? Seek out companies who could become your ideal client. Follow them and start conversations. It might come to nothing, it could lead to something. You never know. Chat over coffee at a networking event or a conference.

Be generous with the people you meet in these communities because you never know who might turn out to be your ideal customer. Whether online or in person, introduce people, offer advice and support, and recommend resources and tools. If you’re a service provider, then you could offer short consultations – Rather Inventive, for example, offers free 1-hour consultation of their marketing service – it might not lead to work, but it will all help to pull people towards your business, establish you as the expert in your field and help you to get more referrals.

3. What do they want? Focus on them when marketing

When you have a clear picture of the type of customers your business should be targeting, then you can create a strategy with these ideal customers in mind, rather than wasting time and resources on unsuccessful marketing efforts. You’ll know exactly what message, product, services, sales and support you need to put across to meet his needs, wants or desires.

Once you have your ideal customer in your grasp, figure out what they value most in a relationship with a business like yours. What do you need to do so that your new client doesn’t get the wondering eye, and start looking for another supplier? Optimise whatever it is that gives you the competitive advantage.

Your ideal customer is out there, somewhere. But he’s going to be tricky to find unless you know who he is, where he hangs out and what he wants. Take a few moments to consider these and you’ll stand a much better chance of finding him.  

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Photo: Image Catalog, Writing in Notebook at Desk

Something Inventive 10: The Future is Ads

  • Ben Kinnaird
  • February 7, 2017
  • Podcast

Social media trainer Jonathan Pollinger joins Al and Ben to share some of his bold predictions for 2017 such as zero reach posts, Instagram shopping and live video.

Subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

Episode sponsored by Ticked Off

Your internet marketing checklist, free 30-day trial, no credit card needed – Sign up today at ticked-off.com.

Show notes

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Be part of the show

Send in your business, marketing or creativity questions for the next episode as a Tweet to @ratherinventive, use the Twitter hashtag #inventivequestions or email [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

—
Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman – Photo: Bill Smith, Advert

Shall we take this outside?

  • Helen Crease
  • January 19, 2017
  • News

A recent study in Australia has shown that spending time outside can significantly benefit physical and mental health. Ok, ok, I can see your eyes rolling – this is not ‘new’ news. What is new is the swathes of workers who are adapting their 9-5’s in order to embrace the great outdoors, using the benefits that nature brings to tackle work-related problems.

In our episode 9 of our podcast, Ben and Al speak to Jon Johnson, an organisation development guru who has pioneered a novel way of overcoming the metaphorical ‘brick wall’ that many of his clients face when trying to solve issues in the office. A keen mountaineer in his student days, Jon compares the notion of running a business with the idea of going on a physical journey.

When we climb to the top of a mountain, the view that greets us can offer an incredible perspective which we didn’t necessarily have at the start. In order to apply this metaphor to real-life, Jon invites his clients to join him on a walk – an actual walk – that involves some decision-making and trouble-shooting along the way but will ultimately result in a great view and a much clearer perspective on the business issues in question.

This concept is not dissimilar to the global movement, Street Wisdom, a social enterprise with ‘a mission to bring inspiration to every street on earth.’  These walking adventures are led by volunteer facilitators or if you can’t attend a workshop you can download the audio guide. In just three hours of walking and wandering, participants have ‘resolved problems that have dogged them for years, found new business ideas, changed careers, discovered new directions, and learned how to deal differently with living, learning and loving.’

Research shows that increasing urbanisation has led to cities becoming ‘epicentres for chronic, non-communicable physical and mental health conditions’. Green spaces are crucial in combatting the health threats that urban lifestyles pose. And for those of us stuck in sedentary jobs, it has been proven that by visiting outdoor, green spaces for 30 minutes or more, at least once a week, can reduce high blood pressure in a community by 9% and depression by 7%.

What are you waiting for? I’ll get my coat…

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Photo credit: Helen Creese, Baynhams Copse

Something Inventive 9: A fridge full of Cucumbers and Lemons

  • Ben Kinnaird
  • January 12, 2017
  • Podcast

Jon Johnson, organisation development guru, joins Ben and Al to welcome in 2017 by covering topics such as the difference between advertising and marketing, planning ahead and the important of trust when making a purchasing decision.

Subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

Episode sponsored by Ticked Off

Your internet marketing checklist, free 30-day trial, no credit card needed – Sign up today at ticked-off.com.

Show notes

  • Made – Great design direct from the makers
  • Hay Bluff hill in the Black Mountains
  • Reevoo – Increasing product and shopping engagement by showing previous customers who purchased
  • Email Jon Johnson organisation development guru on jon.johnson (at) manorconsultancy.com. Or  contact us and we’ll pass on your details

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Be part of the show

Send in your business, marketing or creativity questions for the next episode as a Tweet to @ratherinventive, use the Twitter hashtag #inventivequestions or email [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

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Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman – Photo: Steven Guzzardi, Cucumber lemon water

Rather Inventive’s Ultimate GIF Guide

  • Helen Crease
  • December 16, 2016
  • News

My inbox is currently full of ‘Ultimate Gift Guides’ for just about every living object known to man; gifts for him, gifts for her, gifts for grannies, gifts for kids. Dogs, budgies and inanimate objects are now all catered for at this time of year. New offers ping in on a daily basis with alarming velocity, reminding me of my complete inadequacy as an ‘Organised Christmas Shopper’. No I haven’t started yet. And no, I don’t have a list. I don’t want to dwell on that….

giphy-4
Nyan Cat via GIPHY

…so in order to avoid the impending doom of my ‘last-minute-shopping’ future (when you spend waaaaay to much on gifts that no-one actually wants because you didn’t give yourself enough time to source anything half decent), I decided to lighten my spirits by creating the Ultimate GIF Guide (helpful blogger or procrastination at its finest?!).

cbc-shopping-gifts-22-minutes-3o8dpayo9qh2kxyfgg
CBC Shopping via GIHY

Er, so – can I put a GIF in a Christmas stocking?

No! A GIF is not a gift in the physical sense of the world – it just sounds like one, minus the ‘t’. But as an avid social media user, a GIF does feel like a bit of a treat. You see, GIF is the acronym for Graphics Interchange Format, which is a very boring name for something that’s pretty cool. It refers to a file format that supports both static and animated images. They are essentially quick videos that loop and don’t require a play button.

incredim-l3vriq1yvyf1myt1k
IncrediMail via GIPHY

When is a GIF not a GIF?

GIFs are soundless, play in a loop and are typically just a few seconds long. Videos, by comparison are usually longer with sound or music.

What do I use a GIF for?

As well as spreading a little light-hearted cheer, GIFs can be used quite cleverly across your social media platforms. Like emojis, some GIFs allow you to be a bit more playful with your tone of voice. They can also help your posts stand out amongst the tirade of tweets and pictures that appear on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. GIFs can have a serious use, too – for instance, they are a great way of showcasing products, animating data and creating ‘how-to’ guides and tutorials. I particularly like to use them to convey a message which requires more than 140 characters as a GIF will not take up any character space on Twitter – hoorah!

extend-and-reposition-point-compressed
We love the tutorial GIFs over on astutegraphics.com


We love the tutorial GIFs
over on astutegraphics.com

Sold! Now, where can I find them?

I love Giphy. It’s full-to-brimming with gorgeous GIFs to suit all needs and occasions! You will also find GIFs at Tumblr and Google Image Search (just go Google, select ‘Images’ and at the bottom of the page you’ll see ‘Advanced Settings’. Click, then click on the ‘Type’ option and select ‘Animated’).

If you’ve got a bit more time and you’re feeling creative, have a go at making your own using these tools:

Happy GIF-fing!! (don’t ever say that out loud…).

Something Inventive 8: Just put something like this…

  • Ben Kinnaird
  • December 14, 2016
  • Podcast

Al and I are joined by copywriter and blogger Catherine Every as we discuss who should write your websites copy and what you need to include to make it search engine friendly.

Subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

Episode sponsored by Ticked Off

Your internet marketing checklist, free 30-day trial, no credit card needed – Sign up today at ticked-off.com.

Show notes

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Be part of the show

Send in your business, marketing or creativity questions for the next episode as a Tweet to @ratherinventive, use the Twitter hashtag #inventivequestions or email [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

 

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Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman

The best of Integrated Live 2016 – a Digital Marketing show

  • Ben Kinnaird
  • December 1, 2016
  • News

Last month I boldly travelled to the big smoke, braving commuters on the DLR and take away food for hipsters, to spend two days at Integrated Live, a digital marketing show in London’s Excel Centre.

Absorbing the latest trends in marketing from some excellent speakers, I bring back what I believe are the most important points from their talks – There is no end to my commitment to RI customers!

International Busking Day

Julia Jones Integrated Live 2016

Julia Jones (@DrRockUK) – How something as simple as a hashtag could unite ordinary folk and beloved rock stars to help build momentum around a single event, International busking day.

  • Use hashtags
  • Get influencers involved
  • Timely posting around trending topics
  • Sent out a promotion package with the hashtag and instructions how to promote to others
  • Keep the idea simple and easy for people to get on board

How to use the Psychology of Language to Boost ROI on paid search

Sophie Turnton Integrated Live 2016

Sophie Turton (@TurtonSophie) – Tweaking the language you use to encourage more people to click through and convert on your Google Ad.

  • Start with why – Simon Sinek ‘customers buy why you do it’
  • Remember first and last pieces of content we see
  • Include your keywords
  • Solve a problem – Target the issue as well as the solution
  • Customer: Think about what they love and hate and who are their best friends and enemies
  • Add in reviews directly to ad content. Sometimes Google will automatically pull through reviews
  • Use site links to testimonial pages
  • “Most people would rather avoid loss than acquire gain”
  • Insert urgency
  • Add Google countdown customisation in advert – Increased CTR by 32%
  • Repeated messages are more likely to believed
  • Landing page (on site) must mirror advert

(A similar presentation of Sophie’s on slideshare)

What Works? – (Video) Marketing in 2017

Claire Emes Integrated Live 2016

Claire Emes (@C_emes) – How to make video more effective to stop people skipping the ad or bouncing back to search.

  • Attention decrease from 12 to 8 seconds – Less than a goldfish!
  • If you don’t look like an ad and you won’t get skipped
  • Showing your brand early in a video makes people skip, unless it’s essential to the story
  • Use sound to break through as audio bigger impact than visual
  • (however) 85% of Facebook ads are ‘listened to’ with the sound off – Use subtitles!
  • Time matters – What’s the greatest idea in 5 seconds? Before they skip or bounce

Storytelling Content – The What, Why and How

Ed Woodcock Integrated Live 2016.jpeg

Ed Woodcock (@edwoodcock) – Brilliant presentation on how to write more compelling copy – Make it a story.

  • A story needs a Hero, an Antagonist (or monster), a Mission and a Resolution
  • The monster is the problem/challenge and the hero is your brand/product
  • Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories (good video, worth watching)
  • All stories have a dramatic conflict (Sid Flickr) – Find the conflict!
  • Embrace the dark side in story telling

Pics or it Didn’t Happen – The Power of Infographics

Robin Hudepohl Integrated Live 2016.

Robin Hüdepohl (@robinhuedepohl) – About combining text with visuals to make your concepts/sales pitches quick to understand and easy to remember.

  • People process visual information 60,000 x faster than text
  • Interplay between text and images will unfold the power of the story

A Facebook campaign, how we got results

Joel Davis Integrated Live presentation

Joel Davis (@joeldavis_) – A simple breakdown of their ad campaign for the new Thomas the Tank Engine film and what worked best for them.

  • Video drives sales
  • The more targeted the ads, the cheaper the CPM (Cost Per iMpression)
  • Ad retargeting (showing the ad to people who visited the website) is incredibly important. In Cinema example people book within 48 hours of the show
  • 10-13 seconds is ideal for Facebook video
  • Important numbers to track – Cost/Sale, Sales generated
  • What works to drive social engagement – Ask questions, run competitions

The Rise and Rise of Editorial Video

Simon Baker Integrated Live 2016

Simon Baker (@simonthebaker) – Creating video that people want to watch

  • How to grow, sustain and engage an audience – Produce lots of Help content (long lasting and niche/specific). Add in Hub content (topical, short shelf life) then sprinkle with your Hero content (big ad/sales)
  • Find sweet spot between audience passion and brand positioning
  • Content checklist: Related to a topic?, Do you add value? Do people desire to see it? Is it right for the platform?
  • Plan editorial agenda around current topics.

How to Listen: The Art of Not Making Noise

Sam Goudie Integrated Live 2016

Samuel Goudie (@sgoudie) – Not only should you listen, but you should listen to people whose opinions differ from your own. Sam was an engaging speaker

  • “When everyone is shouting no one is heard”
  • Don’t block out opinions counter to your own. Actively seek out other people with different opinions

Something Inventive 7: Double Glazing Sales People

  • Ben Kinnaird
  • November 9, 2016
  • Podcast

Ben and Al tackle the new Twitter support DMs, Optimising a site for hidden keywords, Thank you pages and more on WordPress hacks.

Subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed or search for ‘Something Inventive’ in your favourite podcast player.

Episode sponsored by Ticked Off

Your internet marketing checklist, free 30-day trial, no credit card needed – Sign up today at ticked-off.com.

Show notes

The Hosts

Al Osmond (@inventiveal) – An unusual mix of logical thinker with a creative eye
Ben Kinnaird (@benkinnaird) – Knower of Social Media, SEO and ‘the Web’

Be part of the show

Send in your business, marketing or creativity questions for the next episode as a Tweet to @ratherinventive, use the Twitter hashtag #inventivequestions or email [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

 

—
Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman

Why your business needs good copy

  • Louise Kinnaird
  • November 9, 2016
  • Writing

Following on from Helen’s blog post last month about ROAM (Readers, Objective, Action, iMpression) and writing for business, I would like to expand a little on what it takes to get readers to take action.

Words win customers

Imagine sitting down to read some promising online content and you start to nod off, bored with the lack of vivacity in the corporate waffle you are being offered. Chances are you won’t buy what they’re selling. Am I right?

As a business owner you are concerned with selling your product or service. In order to be able to do this effectively you’ll need words. Good words. Because words win readers, and readers are potential customers only if you can interest and tempt them. Your words should make readers feel something, and make them act on those feelings. Use the wrong words and you will put off your readers from becoming customers.

The wrong words

If you put too little effort in, or if it’s clear that you have no skill with words (in which case what else do you have no skill in, your business perhaps?) then your best customers are going to walk. Perhaps they’ll walk to a business who talks a good talk, who won’t come across as pushy and who can appeal to the reader’s emotions (without them actually realising it). These are the businesses who are more likely to gain readers, and therefore customers.

You love your business, you don’t necessarily love words

OK, so you may be able to put words on the screen. Indeed, you may be as poetic as Bob Dylan, but can you write to sell?

You might know your business inside out and back to front, but do you know how to sell your beloved business using only words? (and no, superlatives like ‘fantastic’ and ‘amazing’ do not cut it). It’s not as easy as you might think. It takes a lot of practice.

What your words should do

To be effective in gaining interest from potential clients your words need to do the following;

  • Hit your target audience – if you try to appeal to everyone then no-one will read, let alone respond or buy
  • Engage on an emotional level – it is appealing to the emotions of potential customers that gets the sales, not lists of benefits or products
  • Perfectly capture your company, its principles and its ethos
  • Make the words exciting and engaging, even for the driest subject
  • Be aware of trends to keep your content fresh

If you can do all of these things, then I apologise for wasting your time. If not, please understand that good sales rely on good copy, and good copy requires skill. It is not simply a matter of putting words on a screen. These days, with so many companies in your field competing for eye time on the web, your copy must stand out. Make sure you are – or have at your disposal – the right person to create that copy.

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Photo credit: Stefan Zdzialek, Kuba sleeping on keyboard

Friend of a friend – Your real social network

Twitter, Facebook and WordPress all help you connect directly with your clients or audience. But reaching for them indirectly could be even more successful.

Bigger networks often have high demands for quality content but can’t always feed the grinder themselves. Offering quality content to the owner of these networks helps them feed their audience and gives you the opportunity to connect with friends of friends.

Provide content to places that need it

Magazines built on advertising, for instance, always need interesting profiles or features to fill out their publications and prevent them turning into coupon books.

When trying to sell our house, I created a Twitter account in the character of our property: @jamjarhouse. This idea got the attention of a local property magazine and bagged me a free coverline and double page spread.

Cotswold Property Inside July 2016 Jam Jar Joy

Offer content to the subscribers of larger providers

Email newsletters challenge everyone, big or small, because they need to be regular and they can’t go out empty. If you can fill the gap it means they don’t have to.

If you’ve written a reference book and published it as an ebook don’t just send it to your own email list. Find providers that crossover with your topic and offer the ebook for free to their subscribers.

Contribute guest content to successful websites matching your interests

For example, this post!

If you have contacts with bigger networks than you, then great, but otherwise simply drum up a list of five or more decent sized content providers that fit with your business.

Fire off at least three outlined ideas for guest posts to each contact on your list, making sure your content hits both their niche and offers a peek into your own knowledge and skills. If your ideas are good enough, no one with content gaps to fill will turn them down.

Image credit: Clem Onojeghuo – Black Steel Grinder on Brown Wooden Table (Header) – Cotswold Property July 2016 (insert)

Something Inventive 6: Hand built from junk

  • Ben Kinnaird
  • October 13, 2016
  • Podcast

Ben talks with Al about building his office, whether infographics are helpful, the best way to embed a video on a website and how to protect against WordPress hacks.

Episode sponsored by Ticked Off
Your internet marketing checklist, free 30-day trial, no credit card needed – Sign up today at ticked-off.com.

 

Ben, Jon, Nick, Alex. Walking with clients Sept 2016

Ben, Jon, Nick, Alex on Haybluff

 

Thanks for listening – If you have any questions or feedback, head over to our contact page where you can call, email or Tweet at us anytime you like.

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Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman

How to write for business – cutting out the waffle

  • Helen Crease
  • October 11, 2016
  • Writing

My writing has been through a series of evolutions. During my A-Levels, I took pride in my ability to write thousands of periphrastic, prosaic paragraphs for English Literature essays, using a vocabularly that, most of which, I now wouldn’t know the meaning of. I was also a sucker for alliteration.

Then I started working in TV and I was devastated when a senior Commissioning Editor criticised my writing for being ‘far too floral’; I was urged to do away with the hyperbole of my youth and to become much more ‘tabloid’.

Now, as a Social Media Manager, I struggle to produce anything engaging that’s longer than 140 characters; in fact, my writing life has become one big #acronym!

Writing for business is different yet again. The objective in business writing should always be to create a change in the reader; either to change a reader’s attitude or to encourage a different behaviour.

A tool I come back to time and again when I have to write business articles is Josh Bernoff’s R.O.A.M.  Bernoff, if you haven’t heard of him, is the author of ‘Writing Without Bullshit’. Grabbed by this brilliant book title, I discovered Josh’s podcasts and blog, which is where I came across the concept of ROAM. Before you attempt any business-related article, Josh insists that the author spends time thinking about the following:

  • Readers: Who is the audience?
  • Objective: What are you trying to do?
  • Action: What do you want the reader to do?
  • iMpression: What will the reader think of you?

To give you an insight in to my practise, for example, here’s how I started this blog post:

Readers: People who have an interest in marketing, business, creativity or all three.

Objective: To share with my readers some useful tips on how to write concisely for business.

Action:  I want my readers to learn more about honing their writing skills, hire Rather Inventive to help them or Find the information so useful they want to sign up to more emails in the box below…

iMpression: I’d like my readers to think that ratherinventive.com is a truly brilliant oracle of information relating to marketing, business and creativity (which it is, of course!).

Follow this link to find out more about ROAM.

And as a nice little Brucie Bonus, feast your eyes on this infographic:

roam2

Infographic taken from bernoff.com – Photo credit: Ak~1 – Typewriter.

What is a podcast? And how to listen to one

  • Helen Crease
  • September 14, 2016
  • News

What is a Podcast?

Ask Google what a podcast is and you will be told:

a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or portable media player, typically available as a series, new instalments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.

Ostensibly, a podcast is like an on-demand radio show, with each podcast covering a variety of topics from Politics to Arthurian Legends…there really is a podcast for everyone. Some podcasts are one-offs whilst others form part of a regular series, much like TV shows.

I listen to podcasts whilst I’m driving. I listen to podcasts when I’m working at my computer. I listen to podcasts whilst I’m doing housework and I used to listen to podcasts at the gym (I ditched the gym but kept up with the podcasts!). And because of the vast array of subject areas now covered by podcast producers, as a listener, you can practically curate a customised radio station based on topics that appeal purely to your interests.

Thanks to the pause button there’s no need to sit outside work, clocking in late, whilst you wait for the end of the feature – you can simply dip in and out of the podcast as and when is convenient. What’s not to love? Did I mention that they’re free, too?!

How can I listen to a Podcast?

As long as you have access to the internet, you can listen to podcasts anywhere. And if you are going somewhere without an internet connection, you can download the podcast and listen to it later.

When I’m out and about, I will use my iPhone to listen to podcasts. Personally, I use the iPhone Podcasts App, but there are other mobile management tools available. Overcast comes highly recommended for Apple’s iOS and Pocket Casts for Android. Simply download these Apps to your smartphone and use the software’s own features to search for and listen to your podcasts. For the desktop, try iTunes or gpodder or if you’re sharing a computer, go for a web-based option such as ShortOrange or Player FM. Some tools allow you to speed up the podcast, cutting out any prolonged silences. You can also choose to subscribe to certain shows or series.

Where can I find good Podcasts?

Now you know how to listen, you just need to find a podcast that appeals to you. There are so many out there, many of which will be featured or recommended on your management tool. However, there are also some great recommendations online and in magazines. I keep a copy of Stylist Magazine’s guide in my bedside table and a friend also sent me this link to the Guardian’s recommended podcasts. iTunes boasts a fantastic podcast directory. Anybody can record a podcast – qualities will vary – but as a result of that, you will find podcasts covering all subject areas, from spin-off radio shows to social media tips and advice.

Happy podcast-hunting! To start you on your podcast journey, try some of the following for size:

Let us know your podcast recommendations on Twitter @RatherInventive – let’s spread the good word!

Something Inventive 5: Can you make the logo bigger?

  • Ben Kinnaird
  • September 7, 2016
  • Podcast

Al and Ben meet in glorious Bradford on Avon to muse on how children use technology, demanding clients and moving your website over to HTTPS.

Episode sponsored by Be Sociable
Easy-to-follow social media tips and strategy to get noticed by the right people for the right reasons. Nick says “Ben and Helen know everything about every social media”

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Audio edited by Donalize – ‘Goofy Vocal Groove‘ intro music by Dave Girtsman

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