The CunninghamGroup.com

5 online marketing trends worth watching in 2012

2011-12-19

Small business owners have a lot of options for developing winning strategies in 2012. The New Year is just around the corner and for small business owners the often daunting task of developing a solid online marketing strategy for 2012 looms ahead, too. What should small business owners focus their marketing efforts on in 2012? What marketing strategies will yield high conversion rates and generate lucrative sales for small businesses in the New Year? - http://bit.ly/smIvlI

Seven tools to help analyze customer's online behavior

2011-11-07

Do you know what your customers do when they log on to your website? How long do they stay? What pages do they frequent the most? How often do they abandon your online shopping cart without making a purchase? How are they finding you online — through search engines, social media or other sites? Answering these and other key questions about how your customers interact with your website can help you increase sales, ditch marketing efforts that aren’t paying off and give you valuable insight into the mind of your consumer. - http://bit.ly/thTvMX

Essential Mobile Apps for Marketing Your Small Business

2011-10-01

If you read my article in this morning’s Miami Herald or Bradenton Herald, you found quite a few mobile apps to help you market your business. In the article, I promised even more apps for those who are interested. Well, here they are! Add these apps to your list! - http://bit.ly/zRDN4j

Web Metrics 101: Measuring the Success of Your Online Marketing Efforts

2011-09-13

Understanding how to collect and review data helps businesses gain insight into how customers behave online. Content marketing is a cheap, easy way to increase your exposure online and in the real-world, increasing your sales and driving traffic to your website in the process. To help make the best use of content marketing, BizBytes 101 gathered experts Ian Alexander, Heidi Cohen and Dan Sturdivant to bring you 12 strategies that will further your content marketing success. Collectively, this group has provided content marketing expertise to clients that include Burger King, MTV, Dell and BeliefNet, among others. - http://bit.ly/o86Dog

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/07/2349068/12-strategies-for-marketing-small.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/21/2369332/web-metrics-101-measuring-success.html#storylink=cpy

12 strategies for marketing small business content

2011-08-07

What happens to the content you create on your business blog or website? For many small business owners the answer is simple – the content stays there. You may distribute what you’ve written on your social networks, but are you using your content to market your business? - http://bit.ly/o86Dog

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/07/2349068/12-strategies-for-marketing-small.html#storylink=cpy

10 Easy Ways to Use QR Codes to Market Your Business

2011-07-30

Have you ever heard of a QR code or Microsoft Tag? If those terms sound like a foreign language, you're not alone. While major brands like Kraft Foods, Procter & Gamble and Macy's have embraced them in recent marketing campaigns, the average small business owner may not know that QR codes can drive customers to their products and services. - http://aol.it/krvt2D

The Essential Guide to Using QR Codes and Microsoft Tags to Promote Your Business

2011-06-03

Do you know what a QR code or Microsoft Tag is? As a small business owner, you may not have heard about them yet, but you will very soon because they are popping up everywhere these days. Major brands like Kraft Foods, Procter and Gamble and Macy’s have embraced them in their marketing campaigns.

But if QR codes and Microsoft Tags sound like a foreign language to you, you’re not alone. Although QR codes have been around since the early 90s, they haven’t caught on in the United States until just recently. QR or Quick Response codes are 2-dimensional bar codes, similar to ones you would find on a price tag at the clothing store. Using a scanner or reader available on any smartphone, your potential customers can scan the code and see where it takes them. Major brands use QR codes to take customers to discounts, freebies and special promotions. A Microsoft Tag works just like a QR code, but can only be scanned with a Microsoft Tag Reader.

So how can your business use QR codes and Microsoft Tags to boost your business’s bottom line? To find out, BizBytes enlisted the help of Matthias Galica, founder and CEO of ShareSquare, a platform that allows anyone to create and share QR codes.

“QR codes first appeared in Japan back in the early 90s,” said Galica. “The goal was to be able to scan a product and pull up all the information about it, such as price. That technology has been used in stores when you need to look up the price of something at the cash register for years. But now it’s moved beyond just something that looks up the price of a product to a useful marketing tool for business.”

Rose Harris, a realtor at ONE Sotheby’s International Realty in Miami, has been using QR codes to educate clients about the properties she sells. “We use them to drive traffic to our single listing websites,” said Harris. “Our clients love them because they can simply scan the code and find out everything they need to know about a property without having to go to a computer to search for it. It’s right there in the palm of their hand.”

To get started with QR codes for your small business, follow these simple steps:

STEP ONE:
Determine whether you’ll use a QR code or a Microsoft Tag to market to customers. Because Microsoft Tags can only be read with a proprietary Microsoft Tag Reader, you may want to use a QR code so that your promotion can be accessed by a larger pool of potential customers. Once you’ve decided whether a QR code or tag is right for you, it is time to focus on creating the promotion that will be linked to it.

“The goal with QR codes is to get people at the point of interest, which is when they see the code,” said Galica. “And turn that into a point of action where you get them to do something and then hopefully, turn that into a point of purchase.”

STEP TWO:
Determine your customer call to action. What do you want your customers to do when they scan the QR code or tag? Do you want them to sign-up for something? Do you want them to like your company’s Facebook page and then receive a 20% discount on your products because they did it? Determining your customer call to action is crucial to the success of your campaign.

“There are so many uses for QR codes in marketing,” said Galica. “What you’re basically doing is taking a real-world experience such as seeing a QR code on a flyer and connecting it to a worthwhile online experience that hopefully will translate into increased sales or awareness for your company.”

STEP THREE:
Determine what kind of promotion customers will receive when they scan the code or tag. What are you going to offer the person who scans your QR code or tag? Are you offering a 30% discount on your products exclusively to those who scan the code or tag?

“You never want your customer to feel like they went to the trouble of scanning your QR code and they got nothing in return,” said Galica. “It’s important to give them something whether it be discount, a free sample or information.”

STEP FOUR:
Determine where your customers will see the code or tag. Where are you going to place the QR code or tag? Will customers see it in your storefront, on your brochures, on a billboard or in your direct mailers?

“Marketers and business owners have gotten quite novel in their use of QR codes,” said Galica. “The only limit to their use is really your own imagination.”

STEP FIVE:
Determine how you will deliver the code or tag to current and potential customers.

“Don’t wait for your customers to find the QR code,” said Galica. “Tell them about it. Send an announcement via e-mail, tweet it or put it on your Facebook page.”

STEP SIX:
Create a custom QR code or Microsoft Tag for your promotion. Now that you know what your promotion is about and how it will be delivered to your customer base, it is time to actually create the QR code or tag that you’ll be using. You have several options for creating free QR codes that are available on online including BeQRious, ShareSquare and Bitly. When customers scan your code, you can send them almost anywhere including to a phone number, URL, text message or map.

“It’s important when using QR codes to make sure the person who scans it has a good experience,” said Galica. “The code should lead them to something that’s going to make their lives better, calls them to action or rewards them.”

For more ways to use QR codes to boost your bottom line, visit www.BizBytes101.com.

Find Your Path to Marketing Success on Foursquare

2011-05-03

Is your firm using location-based social media to reach your target audience? Cunningham Group principal Tasha Cunningham takes an in-depth look at how your firm can succeed on Foursquare, one of the most popular platforms on the market today... click here for full article.

10 Ways to Add QR Codes to Your Company's Marketing Mix

2011-04-07

Have you ever heard of a QR code or Microsoft Tag? If those terms sound likes a foreign language to you, you’re not alone. While major brands like Kraft Foods, Procter and Gamble and Macy’s have embraced them in their marketing campaigns recently, the average small business owner doesn’t have a clue about using QR codes to drive customers to their products and services.

Although they’ve have been around since the early 90s, QR codes didn’t catch on in the United States until recently. QR or Quick Response codes are 2-dimensional bar codes, similar to ones you would find on a price tag at the clothing store. Using a scanner or reader available on your smartphone, your potential customers can scan the code and see where it takes them. Major brands use QR codes to take customers to discounts, freebies and special promotions. A Microsoft Tag works just like a QR code, but can only be scanned with a Microsoft Tag Reader.

“QR codes have helped us introduce our company to an entirely new customer base,” said Amy Bergeron, director of marketing at the Kursch Group, a commercial real estate company in Victorville, California. “We’ve put QR codes in storefronts of properties we are marketing. Now when potential buyers scan the QR codes with their smart phones, it takes them to a website that is set to showcase a particular location. They can see pictures of the property, get details such as square footage and price and contact a realtor all without having to make a phone call or search the Internet.”

While QR codes and Microsoft Tags can be used to educate potential customers about a product or service, they can also be used to reward them for their interest in your brand. Major corporations like Best Buy, Starbucks and Nike are using QR codes to cultivate new customers and thank existing ones who have been loyal to the respective brand.

“We’re seeing marketers using QR codes to create buzz and get consumers excited about their brands,” said Matthias Galica, creator of ShareSquare, a founder and CEO of ShareSquare, a platform that allows anyone to create, share and market QR codes. “QR codes have been around for a long time and are in use around the world, but in the U.S., they’ve taken off because now there is an installation base. As long as you have a smart phone, you can install a QR code reader. That has caused an explosion in the popularity of QR codes.”

So how can you use QR codes and Microsoft Tags in your business? Here are 10 ideas to get you started and remember, when potential customers go to the trouble of scanning your QR codes or tags, it is imperative that you give them something they can use.

1. GIVE THEM A DISCOUNT. When customers scan your code, reward them with a coupon for a 20% discount off their next purchase.

2. GIVE THEM A DAILY DEAL. Encourage customers to scan the same QR code every day for a week to get a daily deal good for discounts, freebies and other rewards. This will create constant buzz about your product or service and keep your customers coming back.

3. GIVE THEM A FREEBIE. When customers scan your QR code, give them something free like a product sample or a 2-for-1 deal.

4. REWARD THEM FOR TAKING ACTION. Use QR codes to build your Facebook fan page or e-mail newsletter list. When customers scan your QR code, take them to a website where they can sign up for your e-mail newsletter or like your Facebook page. Once they complete the call to action, send them an e-mail with a discount, freebie or special promotion.

5. GIVE THEM A FREE DOWNLOAD. If you use e-books to market your business, use QR codes to distribute them. When customers scan the code, give them a free e-book download and the opportunity to sign-up to receive future special promotions from your company.

6. GIVE THEM FREE TICKETS. If you use event marketing to promote your business, use QR codes to hand out free tickets. When the code is scanned, make sure it leads to a website where potential customers can download their free tickets.

7. GIVE THEM EXCLUSIVE ACCESS. QR codes can be used to give potential and existing customers exclusive VIP access to events, sales and special promotions. When the code is scanned ensure that it leads to a website, video, text message or phone number that will allow customers to enjoy their exclusive access.

8. GIVE THEM A HEADS UP. If you want to pique a customer’s interest in a specific product or service that you’re planning to offer on sale, use QR codes and tags to tell them about it in advance. Place a QR code on your printed marketing materials that leads to a website where customers can get details about the sale and even pre-order.

9. GIVE THEM AN INVITATION. Use QR codes or tags in your event marketing to invite potential customers to events. If you’re having a launch party for a new product, create a QR code that leads to the event invite and a way for customers to RSVP.

10. GIVE THEM SOME HELP. Use QR codes or tags to give customers more information about your product or service. Put a QR code or Microsoft Tag on your website, printed marketing materials or promotion items that leads to an FAQ web page where customers can get answers to their questions via e-mail or live chat.

Additional Tips:

Educate your customers about QR codes and how they can use them to get access to discounts, special offers and other promotions that will save them money on your product or service.
Show your customers where they can download QR code readers for iPhone, Android and Blackberry to unlock your company’s QR codes.
Place links to popular code readers on your marketing materials to make it easy for customers to unlock your QR codes.
Use one of these five free tools to generate QR codes for your business
ShareSquare – http://www.GetShareSquare.com
Bitly – www.bitly.com
BeQRious - http://www.beqrious.com/
Maestro- http://www.sparqcode.com/static/maestro
Delivr- http://delivr.com/

Tasha Cunningham to Speak About Results-Driven Marketing at Southern Florida Minority Supplier Development Council

2011-03-18

Tasha Cunningham, entrepreneur, marketing expert and author will present at the Southern Florida Regional Minority Supplier Development Council on March 18, 2011 from 10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at the Broward County Convention Center. Ms. Cunningham is the author of the BizBytes 101, a column featured twice each month in the Miami Herald newspaper where she writes about marketing, social media and technology for small businesses.

6 Online Tools to Help Build Brand Awareness

2011-03-15

12/1/2010 Today’s small business owners are looking for ways to do more with less.

With the nation’s economy still lagging and marketing budgets dwindling, savvy small business owners are clamoring for ways to boost their brand awareness with tools that save them time and money.

Here are 6 such tools that will help you do just that.

by Tasha Cunningham

Is Video Marketing Right For Your Business?

2011-03-08

7/16/2010 There’s no question video has transformed the way businesses large and small market their goods and services. Video sharing sites such as YouTube, Vimeo and Break can help drive traffic and potential new customers to your website.

Nearly 178 million viewers in the U.S. watched an average of 187 videos online per viewer during December 2009, according to comScore. Overall, 33.2 billion videos were viewed throughout the world in December.

Every minute, 24 hours of new video is uploaded to YouTube, one of the most popular video-sharing sites on the Internet. According to YouTube, over 100 million users access the site monthly. That sounds like a huge pool of new potential customers for your small business, right? Read more here - http://www.thecunninghamgroup.com/siteadmin/index.php?page=add_news

Create Brand Ambassadors to Promote Your Business

2011-03-08

7/14/2010

Maria Butters, a former corporate recruiter, always knew she wanted to start her own business helpingtalented professionals find jobs. In early 2009, she came up with the concept for her website Jobalized.com. Then the recession hit, and she almost shelved her plans.

“It was tough,” said Butters, who took more than a year to plan and build her site. “When I got Jobalized up and running, the jobs just weren’t there anymore.” Read more here - http://www.bizbytes101.com/marketing-bytes/create-brand-ambassadors-to-promote-your-business

22 Ways to Lift Your Online Bottom Line

2011-03-08

6/30/2010

On this day in 1732, George Washington, the first president of the United States, was born in Virginia. Nearly three centuries later, Washington’s face continues to grace the American dollar, the most common denomination of U.S. currency. For entrepreneurs trying to generate revenue online, the currency is what it’s all about. But how exactly does a business make money in cyberspace?

A quick Google search of the entry “make money online” reveals a bevy of search results promising quick, easy money for the cash-strapped and click-happy. There are even a few that promise to show entrepreneurs the “secret” to making money online without having to spend a dime. Read more here - http://www.bizbytes101.com/marketing-bytes/22-ways-to-lift-your-online-bottom-line

Drive Quality Customer Traffic to Your Website

2011-03-08

11/1/2010 Driving quality traffic to your website is essential for boosting your small business’ bottom line. The more people who visit your site, the more opportunities you have to convert them into paying customers. But what exactly should you be doing to direct the masses clicking their way through cyberspace to your website? To find out, BizBytes reached out to Mario Behr and Jay Berkowitz, who collectively have more than two decades of experience generating website traffic for clients including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, AT&T, Sprint and Sony. Read more here - http://www.bizbytes101.com/industry-experts/drive-quality-customer-traffic-to-your-website

Let blogger outreach help build your brand

2011-03-08

7/30/2010 Many small-business owners build their brands online by creating blogs to push their products or services. While having your own blog is a great promotional strategy to get the word out about your business, it can be time-consuming and with more than 133 million blogs on the Internet, it can be tough to distinguish your brand.

“There are so many blogs out there on just about every subject that it could make your head spin,” said Debbie Weil, author of The Corporate Blogging Book. “Although it can be daunting, small-business owners can actually use blogs, bloggers and the act of blogging to their advantage to promote their products and services for little or no money at all.”

More Tips for Small Businesses Using Google +

2012-01-18

Are you wondering how Google + can help you business, public agency or organization? Find out here

Overcoming 4 Google + issues for small businesses

2012-01-17

Google + is fast becoming one of the most used social media tools for business. The burgeoning social network has garnered 62 million users and is on track to reach 400 million by the end of 2012, according to researcher Paul Allen, founder of Ancestry.com. This makes Google + a must-have tool for small business owners. But it’s not like Facebook, and many small business owners are finding it difficult to create an engaging, active network of potential customers on Google +. To make tackling the problems easier, here’s a list of solutions to help you. - http://bit.ly/wg3aLo