Cost-effective Advertising

Here at Advanced Cabinet Systems, we are always looking for ways to advertise our company that are both cost-effective and reach a large audience. I can't say that everything we do reaches our target audience, but it does help to get our name out there and give us more credibility within our field.

Below, is a compilation of free (or very inexpensive) ways to advertise your business online. All of which ACS is already taking advantage of--and reaping the rewards of a significant increase in website hits! Whether you are just starting your small business or have been established in your industry for years, a little free advertising never hurts, right?

1. Facebook: Last year Facebook introduced a new program aimed at helping small businesses promote their services. To access the free ad offer (worth $50)*, you will first need to take out an ad on Facebook, and then will be credited with $50 worth of free consumer clicks.

2. YouTube: Earlier this year, YouTube began giving away $50 million worth of $75 credits to small business owners when they sign up for a video advertising service. This service replicates many of the features from Google's AdWords, including pay-per-click and setting budgets for bids, but within the video advertising realm.

3. Pinterest: While I guess this isn't technically an advertising outlet, it is a great (free) way to promote your company by pinning things such as new products, completed projects, blog posts, and press releases.

4. LinkedIn: Similar to Facebook, LinkedIn allows businesses to claim a "company page" and provide information on their services, employees, job openings, and link to their company website. Another great feature is the fact that, unlike Facebook, LinkenIn does not offer as many interactive features--i.e. their is no "wall" to worry about maintaining--making it a great choice for employers that don't have the time or resources to spend updating statuses on a regular basis.

5. A Blog Platform: Whether you use Blogger, Typepad, WordPress, or any of the other numerous sites that offer free blogging platforms, a blog is a great, fairly easy way to give potential customers and job seekers a glimpse into what your company is all about. Blogging not only gets your name out there, but if done correctly, makes your company a resource by providing others with pertinent information on subjects in, or even outside, of your field.

Whether your company embraces one or all of these advertising outlets, they are great ways to increase your online presence and make your name more visible on search engine results. I will warn, however, that it is important to regularly maintain whatever accounts you decide to use, because honestly, how disappointing is it to find the company you have been searching for online but realize they haven't updated any of their information for the past two years?

Does your company take advantage of cost-effective or free advertising? Have you seen a difference in your sales numbers? 

*Please note that this free offer is limited to the first 200,000 businesses, on a first-come, first-served basis.

sources: one

Avoiding Social Media Mistakes

I have to admit that I have never felt very compelled to network with other people in the design industry via social media. However, a few months back, my supervisor was featured on the Woodworking Network blog discussing the vital role that social media plays in making new business contacts and increasing sales figures (you can read the post in its entirety here).

After reading the article I could see where his arguments were coming from; social media is everywhere. Unless you don't have access to the internet or have an enormous amount of willpower to resist its pull, you too are most likely linked to it in some way or another.

I recently came across an article on Entrepreneur.com that gave several great tips that businesses who are just getting into the social media game would to wise to follow. Below is a quick run-down of what they had to say, but I would suggest that you check the article out here, it is a very informative read!

Mistakes to avoid when using social media for your business...

1. Starting without a plan

•  Resist the temptation to skip creating a strategic plan that outlines your goals and any resources that you will need to reach those goals.
• Sit down with your staff and develop a well laid out plan that includes who is responsible for what.

2. Poorly timing social media posts

• Know your customer and how they behave on social networks. 
• Be sure to time your posts so that they are seen by the largest audience. Research has shown that the majority of people using social media live in Eastern and Central Time Zones. Therefore if you live live in the Pacific Time Zone and are posting the majority of your information near the end of the work day, you have missed the boat on the largest possible audience seeing what you have to say.

3. Breaking social media rules of etiquette

• Before you start, be sure to familiarize yourself with some of the basic "rules" of social media.
  
  1. Start conversations by asking thought-provoking conversations.
  2. Don't follow someone on twitter, then unfollow them when they begin following you.
  3. Promote other people as well as your own brand.
  4. Don't spread yourself too thin.

4. Failing to measure social media success

• Employ services that will help you measure the effectiveness of your social media campaign.

5. Ignoring your competitors

• Know who your competitors are and what they are up to. 
• Keep a careful eye on their social media campaigns and use their followers praises and complaints to shape your own online presence.

Does your company have a strong social media campaign? What do you think makes it successful? 

Sources: one