GOOGLE GLASS WILL REVOLUTIONIZE MARKETING.....WILL YOU BE ABLE TO START-UP IN TIME TO TAKE PART IN BUILDING APPS FOR GLASS? Read More....

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                                                               GOOGLE GLASS

 2014 is almost done. Google Glass has an left an echo in the minds of all people who are "assimilating" like The Borg to the site: GLASS (GOOG). I haven't had the opportunity to try these glasses(a few thoughts come to mind). For one, we're not a product review blog,but we will test a product only if it has truly touched the hearts of those who take part in spreading the word of tech used in our daily lives. Are we excited about GLASS? Well, of course! Now, you ask, Mike. If you haven't used this product. How could you guide us on how we can use it in our business? We trying. As it may be a little out of the norm,not to give these glasses a go. We have to admit the implications for such a set of glasses will send an marketer into a pure euphoric blissful existence by the sheer "data" and "analytics" this product will provide.
So, where does that leave us in our desire to 'test' and provide a multitude of ways GLASS can and will(cross fingers for widespread adoption of it) be a major tool for small businesses to get the 'leg up' on the competition. We'll bask in the ambiance of our new technological eye nuisance while secretly admiring the ability to at a drop of hit be able to add in our brains 250,344,945 x 236,978,588 while making it appear as though we Archimedes reincarnated.



Editor-in-Chief: Mike

Financial Profitude
"The Essential Blog to Help Small Businesses Grow"
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Will 2014 Be The Year to Rebrand Your Small Business?

Products and services change all the time. Some upgrade from their former "look" into something more contemporary. For example, McDonald's going from the place where there's Ronald McDonald and gang (see Ronald McDonald and friends, also known as, the "second most happiest place on earth" for children and toddlers alike) to the hip,chic, and bistro-esque like atmosphere we see today. McDonald's went,as far as, pushing aside those plain or cream and sugar coffees to updating their beverage menu with names like McFrappe or McCafe. Nice. I know. Add a little wi-fi. Change the decor and you have an pretty much have "rebranded" your brand,not only your current customers, but to new customers as well. Another example, Old Spice(NYSE:PG)(see Old Spice commercial) the brand is 70-years old and has used the proper balance of social media and clever viral marketing at 
it's finest. Even for a brand that many associate with their grandfather's deodorant. You have to admit Old Spice didn't change it's logo it changed it's experience. So, looking forward into the new year Read More...



  - Financial Profitude
"The Essential Blog to help Start-ups & Small Businesses grow"

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Is Location-based Mobile Marketing where you want to focus on for your target audience?

When we think of marketing we consider the five commonly used ways to get our business out to the business community and abroad.We try email,word-of-mouth,broadcast advertising,
direct, and now the big one "viral" marketing. Believe it or not in 2013, small businesses are still trying to navigate not so much their online presence,but their presence in the mobile market as well. According to EConsultancy,  mobile now accounts for 12 percent of Americans’ media consumption time, triple its share in 2009. This translates, not immediately into sales, but more eyes on your business not, only hourly, but right up to the minute you post or add something new website, even if you're a local retailer. It is exposure you can't pass up. Retailers who have apps of their own retain 5 times more engagement, and as smartphone use increases upward of 3 million users every month. The competition for the eyes and buying power of your average customer is getting fierce. Now, I know I could get into the whole breakdown by demographic or targeted audience, but what I find interesting in my research is that 74% of U.S. consumers use location-based services on their smartphones and 46% of mobile smartphone users use location-based services (Source:Pew Internet & American Life Project) Why? You ask. Well, mobile users are a 'tailor based' set of customers that expect to see what they want, when they want and in the format they want it in. So, take heed to some key points from the following information:

• 84% of mobile users use mobile devices for search while shopping
• Depending on the kinds of marketing: day-time,device,and location and OS(operating system) targeting each can assist with your campaign and give insight into location,when users are reading your adverts, and the device their reading them from.
• Keep adapting to your customer. How? Change how your messaging and the images you're using in your content. 

 Jeff Bezos,founder of Amazon once said " Real estate is the key cost of physical retailers.That's why there's the old saw: location,location,location

Real estate is the key cost of physical retailers. That's why there's the old saw: location, location, location.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jeffbezos450017.html#WdEuCdQ0RmKqITXB.99

Real estate is the key cost of physical retailers. That's why there's the old saw: location, location, location.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jeffbezos450017.html#WdEuCdQ0RmKqITXB.99

     
 -Financial Profitude

"The Essential Blog to help Start-up & Small Businesses Grow"

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The Use of Instagram for you Small Business

     The Use of Instagram for you Small Business                            
         

It is a way of life now. Take a picture.Snapshot. Whatever you like and you'll be the apple of someone's eye. I never appreciated the market value of a photo until I realized I was in the sphere of those companies insistent on moving through the barriers of being labeled as a plain cut out of their former self. Prepackaged monoliths we all have come to know and purchase from Target (TGT) , Walmart (WMT) ,etc., For small business- it's Instagram. By the popularity of  Instagram(IG,for short) catapulted this social application tailored to the vain. However, in the public domain image is everything for a company. A company can go from local to mobile to being the top 10 small businesses tweeted about or even better -  'IG'ed( similarly pronounced to "ID'ed ). No longer you have to worry about scanning the qr code. The ability to use a hashtags will be all you need to build brand awareness. Don't forget to share your photo with other social networks that also use hashtags. What is means for your business is that you connect with your audience,but we are not attempting to play air guitar as we shuffle through market reports and PPE's. As a small business establishing your brand on Instagram the key is to take pictures and use a designated hashtag to group all of these images together or use your handle when publishing the image. The hastag is this symbol "#". Remember your approach to using this app should be for events and company photos that will not only illustrate your cool looking kiosk or new product. Although, snapping a picture of which couldn't hurt. Customers are always curious about the where and when of a products release or availability. Go with the idea that you are generating a buzz ----- that is worth a million words.

- Financial Profitude
" The Essential Blog to help Start-ups & Small Businesses Grow"

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WHY NOT PROVIDE YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH A DISCOUNT? CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAMS ARE THE WAY TO GO!!!

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We'll explore and share a bit of information about Customer Loyalty Programs. Let's say,you walk around the nearest local pharmacy store.Select all the products you would normally purchase on any given routine bi-monthly splurge on various products.Well...here comes the good part.You view a line being formed at the dreaded check out counter.You think to yourself "this will be pretty quick".To the contrary, you are now waiting with great regret that the lady with only a carton of her favorite cubed soap brand is there fiddling with what looks like a plethra of plastic candy wrappers connected to a long key chain. And you say to yourself. Oh geez! This customer couldn't possibly be saving anything today on any of the items in the store.In a voice of angst and frustration, you mumble something like "Oh please will ya hurry up". If this is you. You'd be wrong. You probably have one or two of those little cards of discount bliss because...YOU. Yes, you.The small business owner on a quick trip before you reach home. You understand the value of a good deal while taking advantage of the 10% to 20% percent off on a specific product of your choice.My choice.Well, that's easy.It's the "sweets" in aisle 5.I'll give you a hint.Junk food. Nonetheless,we'll save that for a whole other factoid or article on small businesses and confectioner goods franchise opportunities. Now, as a small business owner. You think this card has no relevance to a business such as yours. Again, you might beg to differ once I explain a bit more in detail of the benefits of a customer loyalty program. These cards of marketing sorcery can be extremely valuable to your companies bottom line as well. Just think, rewarding your primary customer base for their dedicated and routinely repeat business is a golden opportunity to not only create a relationship on a first name basis, but target your key demographic. You'd be surprised.No, amazed at the level of customers who are gathered from emails requesting their personal information to join of these customer loyalty programs. By the way, these programs, as a small business owner, save you more money than promotional mailings. Not bad. According to Experian  Marketing Services, emails that are targeted to customers, Experian has found the following: 29% higher transactions rates, 22% higher click rates, 11% higher revenue per email, and 40% higher open rates. So start a program today. In this day and age,you can't afford not to.The future shrieks newer technology for all areas of industry,especially business at every turn. Here's a tip: Generate an app for your customers.Therefore, you'll not only help them save.You'll be able to communicate directly with the customers and cast a wide net over a percentage of customers who may or may not know of your business.Use these little demographic keylets of marketing bliss(customer loyalty card/program)and see how the success of your small business using this new technology can help you grow your business. Good Luck!

Financial Profitude
"The Essential Blog to help Start-ups and Small Businesses grow"



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