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2012 can bring new opportunities to engage your customers. By looking ahead, you’ll be well-positioned to integrate marketing strategies and take advantage of technology to deliver your brand message. No matter how fashion forward your message is, how on target your products and services are; if you can’t reach the right client it doesn’t matter. Here’s a look at three marketing trends for 2012 to put on your radar screen.

 #1 Social Studies: Learning to be everywhere your customers and prospects are.

 When, where and how we communicate has changed dramatically in the last five years. Here are some stats I find incredible.  Five years ago, Facebook had 12 million users, Twitter was in its infancy and the first iPhone had yet to be unveiled. Today, there are 800 million Facebook users, nearly 200 million Twitter accounts and more than 10 billion Apple apps downloaded, and more  coming everyday. Mobile devices, new social networks, and check-in sites and location-based services are adding new wrinkles to the marketing communication mix. Silverpop refers to this convergence of mobile, social, local and email as “mocial.”  In a world gone mocial, we will change the way we interact with customers. To get your mocial mojo working in 2012.

• Grow your database through social and mobile. For example, you could add an email opt-in or lead-gen form on your company’s Facebook page, capture emails via SMS or app downloads, and/or use tablets to gather info.

• Design campaigns around the concept of sharing, delivering your strongest call to action at a time that makes sense rather than asking people to share something before they consume it. For example, instead of just including social-sharing icons in an email with a link to a white  also insert sharing links within the white paper  itself and send an automated follow-up email inviting downloaders to Tweet the best idea they got from your paper.

 #2 Actions Speak Loudest: Unlocking the power of behavior.

In the new era of marketing, companies must listen to, learn from and speak to customers and prospects on a one-to-one, personal basis. The focus will shift to widening the scope of information being collected to gain a better understanding of who the key influencers are.

• Sync up your platforms so you can pass data back and forth in both directions more efficiently, better optimize content, and improve communication between sales and marketing.

• Create scoring systems that take your customer and prospect behaviors into account—including social actions such as “liking” you on Facebook, sharing your content to a social network and commenting on Blogs.

#3 Personality Plus: Marketing content becomes more human.

Not so long ago, marketing was all about selling your products and services. Regardless of whether you were selling caviar or consultations; delivering your message in an impersonal voice was just fine. While delivering product news, sales and discounts is still important; expectations have  shifted.  These days, customers and prospects move  effortlessly between your company’s social presence and photos of their best friend’s recent vacation, so stiff corporate messaging that sounds like it was crafted  in legalese creates a disconnect. In 2012 the focus will change to delivering helpful, educational content with verve and personality: “Yes, we’ve got sizzling steaks, but here are our staff’s favorite wine pairings for that steak, our guest chef’s video tips for grilling it, and customer recommendations for the most mouth-watering sides to enjoy with it.” It’s time to get real, get human and add value.

• Spend less time talking at your customers and more time paying attention to their behaviors and listening to them via social networks, community forums and surveys. Talk to them the way you would talk to another human being, employing a voice that’s distinctive, engaging and yours.

• Include messages designed simply to inform, entertain, surprise and provide value rather than sell. For example, a packaged goods company might offer favorite recipes from the staff, a technology company could author a how-to white paper that doesn’t hype its own product, and a cruise operator can recommend travel, packing and on-shore dining tips.

• Introduce your self through words and pictures, including stories and anecdotes. Put simply, people like to do business with people.

via Silverpop

Marketing Profs

 Come on you gotta love it – a  bit of Americana to tug at your heart strings; mix in a killer tagline and top it off with a oh-so-right-now crowdsourcing contest. ( Not to mention right on trend with the typography inspiration. Hint: if looking for a way to puch up your Fall interiors think type, text, vintage graphics, etc.)  Genius!

Wednesday April 27, 2011

3:45 – 5:45       Vickie Ayres   QuickBooks Deep Dive

3:45 – 5:15       Vita  Vygovska   Love Your Business Twice as Much—And Get More Done in Half the Time!

 3:45 – 5:45       Melissa Galt    From a Whisper to a Shout: Social Marketing Secrets for Designers

 3:45 – 5:15       DBRX Workshop Consults

QuickBooks Deep Dive – Advanced Tips & Techniques for QuickBooks

Vickie Ayres

Investigate dozens of ideas that will immediately improve your profitability and your financial peace of mind with QuickBooks guru Vickie Ayres. Using a sample company file, follow along as Vickie performs a deep dive into the information stored in QuickBooks that can help you make better decisions for your business, improve revenues and make the “un-fun” aspect of running a business simpler and less stressful. 

This hands- on session will cover:

• Troubleshooting the three most common errors Vickie encounters in her consults
• The top 10 best practices for working in QuickBooks.
• Vickie’s five favorite new features from QuickBooks 2011 that will save you time and make managing your business and finances a breeze.

This session is incredibly useful and profitable for anyone using QuickBooks Pro or Premier, 2008-2011.You’ll leave confident in your QuickBooks acumen—it will be like you’ve just hired on your own CFO!( Those of you who have taken Vickie’s QuickBooks Coaching already know what a difference she can make!) Start compiling your list of questions for this custom session as Vickie will incorporate as many as possible into the class. 

 The Fine Print: Price: $125. This session is 2 hours long .  Maximum 10 per session. Session offered Wednesday April 27, 2011 3:45pm – 5:45 pm. If you are considering an upgrade this is a great opportunity to see the 2011 edition in action.

You’re welcome to bring your laptop with QuickBooks installed and follow along as Vickie demonstrates advanced and complex QuickBooks features, or, if you don’t have a laptop, all the ideas and techniques will be included on a detailed handout complete with screenshots.

Love Your Business Twice as Much—And Get More Done in Half the Time!

Vita Vygovska

 Do you:

•           Wish there were more hours in the day?

•           Need to know how to do MORE with LESS?

•           Wind up frustrated there isn’t enough time to do what you really love?

 In this highly interactive workshop Vita discusses concepts and ideas to help you build a business that will support your creative expression, feed your energy, and grow your bottom line. If you have ever wished you could squeeze more out of every hour, while doing most of what you love and none of what you don’t, then you’ll want to be part of this session! At this workshop, you will discover:

• Easy and effective techniques to see exactly where your time is spent (and wasted).  You’ll walk away with a visual tool Vita uses in her own business to identify and eliminate time-sucks forever.
• The one single, simple improvement you can implement immediately that will double your productivity.
• Powerful time-saving tips you can put into practice right away and use daily, so that you can concentrate on your “genius work”.
• Clever short-cuts and compelling strategies to fend off “bright shiny objects”, master emerging marketing opportunities, and focus on the joys of your craft, creativity, and client interaction.

At the end of the session, you’ll be armed with your own productivity tool-kit (including lists, forms, check-lists, and charts)

Preparation: To ensure your best results and personalized approach, you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire before the session. This will be a true workshop where you will have an opportunity to craft your own action plan, participate in hot-seats, and ask questions. 

Added Bonus: After the session, when you’ve had some time to ‘test-drive’ your new productivity tool kit, take advantage of a 20-minute personal coaching session with Vita (within 30 days of the workshop) where you can ask additional questions and trouble-shoot challenges.

The Fine Print: Price: $125. This session is 1-1/2 hour long .  Maximum 10 per session. Session offered Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 3:45pm – 5:15pm

From a Whisper to a Shout: Social Marketing Secrets for Designers

©Melissa Galt

Do you:

Struggle to find time for social media?

Think it is just about wasting time and discussing what you had for lunch?

Love connecting with friends and family online, but can’t imagine how it can help your business.

 Social media is powerful and cost effective for building lasting profitable relationships.  Discover the ins and outs of finding your target market and bringing them from a shout online to a paying client. Stop the overwhelm and get a clear understanding of the profit potential you command when you pick and choose which tools to use to creatively trounce your competition.

v  Boost YOUR Online (and Offline) Visibility

v  Get Timesaver Shortcuts to Maximize YOUR Social Media Efforts

v  Establish YOUR Unique Voice and Enhance YOUR Credibility

v  Learn Five Social Media Strategies to Build YOUR Presence

v  Capture Leads Straight from YOUR Competition

You’ll walk away with:

The Fine Print: Price: $150. This session is 2 hours long .  Maximum 12 per session. Session offered Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 3:45 pm – 5:45 pm.

The Design Business Rx workshops provide an opportunity for you to receive specific advice and information from acknowledged industry experts based on your interest and needs. You’ll work in sessions with 10 people, at the most, in order to give you the time and expertise necessary. Most sessions will require pre-show and post-show homework on your part. These business-changing strategy sessions are intense, detailed and focused on YOU, allowing you to leave Vegas with pragmatic action plans that will grow your business. 

DBRX Consultations

A business-life-shifting strategy session focused on you and your work in the world.Here’s your chance to access more than 30 years of design, marketing and industry experience, all focused specifically on YOUR business. Sign up now for a 1-1/2-hour Design Business Rx session with Deb & Susan, each strictly limited to six people per session

 You’ll be required to do pre-show and post-show “homework” and depending on your needs and issues, there will be post-show follow up from Deb & Susan.

We’ll talk to you about your responses to the DBRx pre-session questionnaire, analyzing your plans, identifying new opportunities, providing support in areas of particular concern and brainstorming with you on next steps and new ideas. We’ll focus on things that you’re passionate about and that can make you money. Plus, we’ll help you map out a plan to get started and to keep the momentum going. The conversation lasts 1-1/2 hours and you’ll leave with meaningful moneymaking ideas, clear priorities, renewed energy and interest in your business, along with useful connections and resources..

There are only four sessions available, so register now! 

If you need a “big-picture” review of your business—what are your opportunities and what practices may be holding you back—sign up for one of the DBRx consultations. If you know specific areas you want to work on—from marketing, to PR, to business-building, and more—choose one of the eight other DBRx sessions.

For more information, pricing, descriptions and to register visit www.debbarrett.com

 DBRx Schedule

Monday, April 25                              

            1:00- 2:30        DBRx Workshop Consults

            2:45- 4:15        DBRx Workshop Consults

            4:30 – 6:00       DBRx Workshop Consults