  |
December 2009 Facebook. Twitter. & YouTube. Oh My! Surely you've heard of them—but are you using them? With 2009 coming to a close and 2010 kicking off, you should be thinking of how you can benefit from these new marketing tools. The trick? Know what to use and when. In this article, we'll look at 3 popular and effective tools that can work for just about everyone. For many business owners, understanding social media is a little overwhelming. Truth is, it's not rocket science. It's simply understanding your audience and knowing what will grab their attention. Statistics show us, social media outlets are the most popular way to connect.
There has been a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. Figures tell us the average person is exposed to 3,000 advertising messages per day, but only 14-percent really trust advertisements. And while traditional marketing will continue to have it's place, many companies are realizing that social media outlets are much more useful to today's consumers. Not only do they offer up-to-the-minute information, they allow a conversation to take place and a relationship to grow. Many people think of Facebook as a place to connect personally with friends and loved ones, but it can also be a great business networking tool. Used correctly, Facebook can become another outlet for you to share merchandise images, product updates, new releases, even event photos. It's an easy way to let customers know what’s new with your company and services and give them the opportunity to communicate with you. When to use Facebook:
It’s all about right now. Twitter allows you to share and receive on-the-spot. This free social networking and micro-blogging service enables users to send and read messages known as tweets—text-based posts of up to 140 characters. How can this work for your business? In today's world, people are looking for quick information. With Twitter, they have just that. Have a sale, new product release, event or great experience to share? There is no easier way to get the word out. And with the right approach, your business can target specific consumers using this service. When to use Twitter:
YouTube If a picture is worth 1,000 words, what is a helpful video's value? Forget about all the incriminating videos seen on YouTube, this is a great tool to help you gain respect. In fact, it’s a perfect way to show off your expertise, your store or even your great employees. When to use YouTube:
These tools are just 3 of the great ways to communicate with the people you want to work with, sell to and associate with. Don't let the buzzwords scare you off. Just like websites, brochures and press releases, these should be considered part of your overall marketing plan. My Dad always told me, part of doing a good job is picking the right tool. Still confused or need help adding social media to your communications strategy? Give us a call. We can help get you started.
|
|
    |
||
|
Green on Greene Street. This November the University of Maryland Medical Center unveiled it's "Green" initiatives. We are happy to have designed the branding for this great program
The core piece of the branding is the logo system. We created a logo that can be adapted to different initiatives. The main identity is the Black-eyed Susan. We also created a version with a corn icon for use at the farmer's market and with nutrition and food programs. The other version of the logo includes a wind turbine to promote energy and efficiency programs. Along with the logo, we created a banner, a bookmark with a wildflower seed paper insert and a shopping bag that is made of 80% post-consumer materials. To learn more about UMMC's green initiatives visit their website, http://www.umm.edu/green/
12 years. 5 books. Over the last decade we've designed quite a few books for Chevy Chase Bank, but these are our 5 favorite. Each one is important to us for a different reason. 12 years of Chevy Chase Bank books.
December 24-January 1: The studio will closed for the holidays starting Thursday December 24th. We will reopen on Monday January 4th.
|
The University of Maryland Medical Center is making strides to go "green." By integrating "green" practices, the Medical Center has a tremendous opportunity to reduce toxins and waste, lower energy consumption, achieve healthier indoor air and create an overall healthier environment for its patients and staff.
