Business - Poole Communications

Is Good Marketing Worth It? Absolutely! Every business can benefit from having a good strategy for marketing in place. However, not everyone knows where to start. We know that creating and maintaining a brand identity is difficult. One of the first things we recommend is to understand who your target market is and who you are trying to reach when you advertise your company.

Here are a few tips for how to best get started:

Understand your audience
Solidify your brand
Take advantage of email and social media
Don't forget traditional marketing techniques
Know your community
Be engaging

Knowing your audience and your community can better help you engage with and grow as a business or company. Solidify your brand by keeping things consistent and networking as a representative of your company. Of course, we insist you not forget about the importance of advertising yourselves! Using methods like social media, email, and traditional marketing techniques like billboards and paper ads can help your community and strengthen your company.

Need a little help to get started or would you like us to train your people? Contact Poole Communications at 573-221-3635

Time management is not only useful, it's life-changing! To quote author Julie Morgenstern, "When life becomes about the million and one things on your to-do list instead of getting to what is most important, and actually enjoying yourself, something is wrong." (Time Management from the Inside Out).

Put simply, it can be easy to get caught up in the many little and big things on your to-do list, which can be overwhelming and lead to things not getting done. This can arise from many factors from work-life conflicts, work-life imbalance, and work-family conflicts. Furthermore, things like gender, age, and personality can likely affect one's approach to managing time. However, sometimes it is best to simply step back and ask oneself, "What is really important?"

Picking out what motivates you and drives you, as well as what is most important, helps outline a bigger picture of what your goals are. Knowing your goals is a huge part of the battle in time management.

Furthermore, when practicing time management, ask yourself:

Structuring: How do you map out your activities?
Protecting: How do you set boundaries on time & repel intruders of that time?
Adapting: Is your time structure responsive and flexible?

Learning to manage time can be good for your health, reduce stress, and help your business run better. Overall, it can help improve your life and make getting things done a lot more rewarding and worthwhile!

Here are some tips for time management:

Try and seek out a clearer goal for what needs to be done
Don't overcomplicate a task
Organize the space you are working in
Remember things don't always have to be perfect
Try making a good estimate of how long a project might take
Make time tangible through planning
Understand the reality that things sometimes change
Delegate things you really need help with

Through these tips we hope that you can narrow down what your goals are and understand how long tasks should realistically take. Keeping a space organized as you begin to manage your time can go a long why in helping the process run more smoothly and with less stress.

Understanding that not every task will be a hundred percent perfect, and that you can always seek out feedback for improvement can help with finishing tasks. Planning ahead by accepting and allotting for the chance that things may change can help reduce stress when unexpected things cause shifts to your schedule.

Simply out of time? Can we help manage your marketing, digital ads, newsletters, or social media? Give us a call: 573-221-3635.

Using AI in business is going to become an everyday event. Use it wisely—and start now.

I predict that most programs you use will have a ChatGPT option in the near future (in less than a year). Even though ChatGPT has a Microsoft AI driver, even Apple's SIRI is going to be using it soon. So how can you best use ChatGPT in your business? Here are a few ideas:

The BEST Ways to Use ChatGPT

Jumpstart your creativity
Make a list of ideas
Gathering information
Providing examples
Brainstorming
Problem Solving
Programming and coding
Organization
Entertainment
Emotional support (you read that right*)
Language translation

*OK, the emotional support idea needs clarification. While ChatGPT cannot take the place of a licensed counselor, therapist or psychologist, it can provide you with "someone to talk to". Being an introvert, I cannot imagine needing that, but some folks could use a friend.

One of the first forms of entertainment on my first Mac, was a therapist program called Eliza that would talk with you and seemed to answer your questions - even asking questions of her own. It seemed like the first form of artificial intelligence, but ended up repeating itself frequently. Today, you'll get a more varied, creative, and entertaining response.

AI based language translation has improved. One of my translator friends recently told me that ChatGPT is putting many translators out of business. AI is talented with obscure regional dialects and accuracy.

Finally, please note that I did not suggest using ChatGPT to help you with writing your company brochure or blog. We've been experimenting with AI for quite some time and the writing it produces (even when you ask for it to be in a certain style or voice) is painful. It uses cliched phrasing, puff-speak, is overly sales oriented, and produces poor writing.

I guess that makes sense since most of our population writes and reads at a fourth-grade level. I do not recommend ChatGPT to fill your need for a writer.

Need help with other marketing ideas customized for your business? Give us a call: 573-221-3635.

I'm advocating for each small business out there to ditch their ridiculous and irritating voicemail system. Unless you are a super large company, quit pretending to be larger than you are—or more important than you are—and just answer the phone.

You'll stand out from the crowd and most likely offer MUCH better customer service. Your customers will be happier as well. NO ONE likes to wade through the slog of your voice mail prompts and the offer of other languages. Just pick up the phone and say, "Hello, this is Susan, how can I help you?" Then actually HELP someone find what they need or who they want to talk to and do it quickly. Time is money and you are wasting client time and not making any friends, by making them wait endlessly to speak with someone who can help them.

Granted, there are probably a few companies that really need a voicemail system...but thinking about it more carefully... AT&T didn't have one for decades. They used live operators. It worked for them and it can work for you. Next, put a person on the phone who is pleasant and helpful. We all understand that employees are hard to find, but surely you can find someone with a clear voice, level head, and a smile in their voice.

In the future, perhaps AI will help us here. We can then ditch our voicemail system because it's antiquated and never has worked well. We can get a computer to answer the phone in any gender or accent we'd like. Personally, my smart phone uses a British male and I like to pretend I have this super smart guy at my fingertips who is always willing to help.

An Example

Here's a perfect example: calling a television station recently, I knew my brand new representative's first name but could not remember his last name. I got their voicemail system and it fed me into their employee directory and guess what, you were to plug in the first few digits of their LAST name to get through to them. I wanted to buy advertising on their station and could not get through to anyone and ended up hanging up and sending an email. It took twice as long if not longer.

Consider the fact that this same station used to have a wonderful receptionist who knew everyone and everything at the station. I often wonder what happened to that brilliant woman. I'd like to have her working at my place.

Finally, call your office and listen to your voicemail system and think of ways you can improve it. Surely you can find someone in the organization who can answer the phone as you ditch your voicemail system.

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https://poolecommunications.com/business-google-ads-growth/

Google Ads are the way of the future. Get started now.

https://poolecommunications.com/go-mobile/

The importance of going mobile with your business.

What are Google Ads? I don’t know, Google it! The majority of consumers find themselves doing research online before purchasing a specific product. The benefits of an optimized Google Ad campaign compared to a newspaper or Radio ad is that it can target a wider demographic and the specific target audience for your business. According to Google, “Google Ads makes it easy to show the world what’s unique about your business, so you can reach customers searching for what you offer.”

One of the advantages to Google Ads, compared to other advertising options, is Google’s flexible marketing platform. This means that it is suitable for all sizes of businesses. You can set your budget based on business type and zip code. The budget is based on how many estimated client clicks your ad will receive based on the budget you have for the ad.

One of the key factors of a Google Ad is keyword themes. When someone searches for a keyword or phrase related to your business, your ad will show up in their search. When you create your ad, you will select a few relevant keyword themes that will help increase your advertisement reach.

In order for your ad to reach the correct audience, Google lets you choose the location where your ad will appear in relation to your business. You can target potential customers from within walking distance to even the whole country. The possibilities for your Google Ad are endless.

Google Ads specifically targets and selects the potential client for you. It has something for any size of business with different budgets, goals and target audiences. This is why if you are wanting an Ad that will reach your target audience, Google Ads are the way to go. If you need help with your Google Ad, give us a call and we will get you set up for success!

This is an older sample of a fake yellow page directory invoice. Domain and hosting invoices look very real and have fooled a lot of business owners.

The people we work with are receiving more fake bills than ever before. We're getting copies from clients, we're seeing them in the mail and in email - and they are looking like real invoices.

We have many smart business owners who we work with. I am surprised monthly by how many of these owners or managers have paid fake invoices. To their credit, these invoices look real. But read the documents carefully and MOST say that they are not an invoice, but an offer of services. Services you already have with another vendor. So please be wary when seeing a new bill for your domain name, hosting or email.

Currently we are seeing fake invoices for domain name or web hosting. Bills come in saying you owe them $250 for your domain name for the next year and say that you are in danger of losing your domain name. Realize a domain with us is not only safe, it will rarely be more than $25 per year. We've seen fake hosting bills for as high as $800 per year. Our hosting is right around $270 per year.

We recommend you keep your domain name, hosting and email with ONE trusted source. Then, you know at all times where your important web assets are, and it's much easier to make changes and update your website when your data is all in one place.

Unfortunately, we are also starting to see fake medical bills and attorney bills. Most of these scams are targeting older people, who diligently pay bills as soon as they are received. A unique target has been people starting a trust. There are public notices announcing the trust, and unscrupulous people see the notices and send invoices hoping for payment without providing any services. These companies are not related to the legal firm you've used. This scam preys on a person's lack of knowledge of process and these invoices are frequently paid. So KNOW who you are working with. Don't pay bills you don't recognize. If in doubt share them with your medical provider, attorney or agency.

As a free service, you are welcome to bring in any invoice that you suspect is not real. We can quickly look at it and tell you if it is an honest invoice or a fake. Send an email scan or photo to info@poolecommunications.com, send us a fax copy at 573-221-5161, or just come on by for a quick visit. We'll get right back to you and let you know what is real and what is fake.

We're here to help. Let us know how we can help your business.

© 2024 Poole Communications

Now more than ever people are searching for meaning, right down to what they buy and why. To connect with consumers in 2022, businesses must lead with values. Consider a plan and strategies to partner with like-minded organizations and individuals to show your customers how their buying power benefits the community and not just your bottom line.

First, make a partnership plan. Partnership by its nature is a win-win. However, it is important to plan exactly how and why a partnership will benefit both sides. This builds clarity, goals, and authenticity into the partnership. Review your company's mission and values and identify a non-profit organization, event, and influencers or affiliates that mirror your aspirations. Take the time to sit down with the non-profit director, event organizer, or influencer to talk about their objectives and needs to plot a course for how your two entities can work together. This can provide a framework and goals for both entities to implement the following strategies:

Pick a Non-Profit Event. After carefully selecting a non-profit organization that aligns with company values, co-host fundraising events that highlight your service/product and benefit their mission. For example, if you are a local clothing retailer, donate prizes such as gift certificates or a wardrobe for a year that can be auctioned or raffled during an event at your store. Invite supporters of the non-profit organization as well as your client list to the event and donate all proceeds to the non-profit. The event shows your community commitment and provides leads for future customers and even future employees according to LinkedIn.

Pinpoint a Percentage of Sales. Identify one or more projects that connect with your values and donate a percentage of sales toward them. Consumers are often willing to spend a little more, return more often, and feel better about purchases when they know their money is doing more than just buying a product. The most impactful way to show the added value of a purchase is to provide a visual or a tangible thing that will happen as a result. Some of the most successful examples of this include the TOMS Shoes One for One™ model. For each pair of shoes purchased, the organization donates a pair of shoes (or other items) to children in need. Another example is 'Merica outerwear, which plants three trees for each item sold and prominently tracks the total number of trees on the company's website.

Access Affiliate Marketing. Find and research local and national bloggers, social media influencers, suppliers - or even your own customers - who share your business values. Develop partnerships with these affiliates to use and promote your product or service with their followers, friends, or websites. The influencers can help launch new products, announce sales, and build credibility and new customers in return for an agreed-upon commission or trade for leads that convert into sales.
Place Product. Look for prominent, trusted events in your community that attract individuals who align with a market you would like to capture or expand. Offer to donate a product or a service at the event to "place" your product in front of a new audience. For example, a new coffee bar might offer free lattes and a discount or free drink as part of a local college's orientation or high school homecoming event can boost sales and connect with new consumers.

Intentionally choosing to put profits where your heart is will not only build business in 2022, but trust and community too. Poole Communications has built-in opportunities for any business to partner within the community. Contact us today to put your values into action.

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” – Sir Winston Churchill

The COVID crisis will position every business for the "Next Normal". Will the position be positive, status quo, or negative? Visionary companies will use specific strategies to use any crisis to their advantage. According to research by global leaders like IBM, Deloitte, and McKinsey & Company, businesses that turn COVID into a (non-virus) positive will approach the future in these five ways:

1. Purposefully

A crisis is a magnifying glass. The people, products, processes, and relationships that are essential come into sharp focus. So do gaps in service and opportunities that may have been overlooked before. Businesses should enhance and elevate the “essentials” and find ways to:

Reward loyal customers.
Tailor experiences around products used the most during the crisis.
Expand processes that delivered extra value and comfort.
Anticipate what the next logical evolution of the products and services could be and deliver them right when they are needed.
Act on feedback from new and underserved customers.
Strengthen collaborations with partners and vendors now to prepare for future disruptions.

2. Virtually

It’s no secret that COVID has accelerated the use of digital or virtual channels and products. Companies positioned to advance will expand these opportunities, specifically after reviewing data on how and when they can increase efficiency and links to customers. This analysis, combined with anecdotal feedback will determine when to dial back on digital expediency and when to tune in to more authentic, in-person methods.

KEY FINDING
Finding a balance between virtual and in-person operations may be the biggest way to succeed in the long term. According to April 2021 business findings by McKinsey Management company, 60% of companies said that remote sales operations were 30% more effective than traditional face-to-face methods.

3. Urgently

Companies that waste a crisis will slowly return to the status quo when it comes to operational pace and job descriptions. Businesses that refuse to return to life before COVID will:

Re-mix job descriptions.
Speed up processes and delivery systems.
Accelerate cross-training.

McKinsey found that many leaders will check in more often with their teams to learn what is working and what is not. In a matter of hours, they will solve problems, pivot, and create new ways to deliver better service and more valuable products.

4. Nimbly

Many traditional processes and organizational charts are far from nimble. Even how companies match talent with tasks should shift to ensure a competitive advantage in the future. Deloitte, a global consulting group, shared that organizations are learning to connect the right employees to the toughest challenges, regardless of where they fall on the employee chart. According to both McKinsey and Deloitte research, successful leaders will:

Simplify the company hierarchy.
Make their organizations flatter.
Delegate decision-making to dynamic teams based on tasks, not departments.

5. With a Distinct Human Touch

If COVID taught us anything it is that we need thoughtful human connection. McKinsey and Deloitte share that progressive companies will use this lesson to focus on employees and customers. They will take the time to ask, consider, and review how employees perform best. In fact, 61 percent of CEOs in a 2021 Deloitte survey said they will re-imagine how employees work compared to just 29 percent the year before. People-centered companies will:

Re-imagine work and offer unique experiences that recognize and develop talent.
Be more active in serving the mental health of employees.

KEY FINDING
An IBM study showed that 80% of CEOs and 46% of employees shared that supporting the emotional and physical health of the workforce was important.

Place more value on character and results than experience.
Invest in skills training

KEY FINDING
74% of leaders indicated to the IBM Institute for Business Value that they will invest in employees to help them learn the skills needed for the future of work.

Prioritize feedback based on value to consumers
Question assumptions and test new markets
Focus on the health and safety of individuals and communities

To stay on the positive side of any crisis into the "Next Normal", it all comes down to perspective. Approaching the future in the five ways listed above will help any business turn any unforeseen circumstance into far-reaching and creative opportunities.

Need help planning for your future? Give Poole Communications a call. For less than 1 full time employee, we can handle all of your marketing needs. Let us be your Marketing Department and grow your business to the next level.

You’re doing digital advertising. You have a website, use some cool graphics, email customer lists, post regularly to social channels, and run some paid online ad campaigns.

Great, can you confidently answer the next four questions?

Do you know about SEO, SEM, SERP, PPC, CTA, CTR, Google Analytics, and AdWords? Uncertain?
Is your digital dossier integrated to impact your overall lead and sales return on investment (ROI)? Yes, and no?
Do you think your ROI is on par in your industry? Maybe so?
Are you paying too much per click or lead? How do I know?

If your answers are like the ones provided, then what the digital are you doing with your valuable time and hard-earned ad budget?

Deep down, many small business owners feel the same way. They are all “doing the digital things,” but do not have the time to plan and connect the dots to see what is going well and what could improve.

The good news? You can remove some digital doubts with a little more time and organization.

Here are three tips to clear some doubts and maximize digital dollars:

Review and update your website to ensure pages have good Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This means many things, and all are about playing nice with Google. If you want the complicated details, check out the 200-plus ranking signals. Make sure that:

Pages have a mix of keywords and themes to connect with the demand for your business.
The structure of your site is intuitive to the user.
Your web coding is clear.
The site loads quickly.
Your pages have good meta descriptions, title tags, and URLs.
You have solid and numerous backlinks. (Other sites that link back to your pages.)

2. Set up and check Google Analytics. If you are not sure how to start, Google can help.

3. Combine your Google Analytics and Google Ad Words. Not doing Ad Words or want to check your skills? Yep, Google can help with that too.

Love the tips, but still spinning from all the data, analysis, and acronyms? Here’s some more good news – you can call your digital expert friends at Poole Communications to help. Ask them to look at your website and Google game. They can access or create the necessary Google and web accounts to streamline your strategy: 800-900-3635.

Source/Reference links:

Google’s 200 Ranking Factors: The Complete List (2021)