This is a post from Sara Nash; Sara earned her degree in Public Relations from Penn State University. From there, she worked a PR agency in Boston before joining the PR and Social Media team at Vistaprint.
Running a business allows for a variety of opportunities to interact with your customers. It’s important to take advantage of these opportunities to create repeat–and hopefully life-long–customer relationships. Here are a few ways to talk to your customers…which do you use? Read more…
This post is by Jeff Esposito, Vistaprint’s Social Media Manager.
We all know that Facebook and Twitter are the cat’s meow when it comes to social networks. Both networks boast a plethora of users, and most of our customers have an account on one of the two networks. Chances are that you’ve already built out a presence one both of these networks.
While there is no question that these networks hold tremendous power, they should not be the end all, be all for your business. The truth is that social media is constantly evolving and there are new networks that emerge that may be a great opportunity for your small business to get involved with. Below are five that you should give a quick look to. Read more…
This post is by Jeff Esposito, Vistaprint’s Social Media Manager.
Does your business stand out among local competitors?
This is a serious question that may take some time to digest or answer, but we think it is an important one to reflect on. The reason that we ask is that some of the more successful businesses in local markets are also the ones that stand out for some reason or another. While quality, price and customer focus are great, they are not something that always puts a company ahead of the pack. The companies that tend to stand out do something bold that differentiates them from other companies. Read more…
This blog post was written by Bobby Gaglini, who works on the external marketing team at Vistaprint, and specializes in search marketing.
What do Miniature Dachshunds and minimalists have in common? They probably know that you don’t need to be big or have a lot of stuff to make a large and meaningful impact. As a small business owner with a website, keeping the mantra “Less Is More” is a smart thing to do; ultimately, giving your customers a quick, interesting, effective snapshot of what you do and why they should use your services will benefit you from a copy standpoint. Read more…
This post is written by Cristina Sousa, a content specialist on Vistaprint’s Social Media team.
So you’ve got your Facebook page set up and you’ve started to get a few Likes — the question is what now? How do you encourage engagement and start to connect with people who Like your page, how do you get more Likes and how do you get people coming back? Here are our top Dos and Don’ts.
DO: Research
If you have no idea where to start think about the different pages you personally Like on Facebook. Whether the business is big or small, in the retail industry or a non-profit, what do they do that keeps you on their “Liked” list? Perhaps it’s the status updates they post, or the informative blogs they link to. Maybe it’s something as simple as their tone of voice they use when communicating on their page. Whatever it might be, doing a bit of research about what you think works will be helpful when it comes to your own Facebook content. Chances are what appeals to you will also appeal to your own audience.
Read more…
This post was written by Maya Tarabishy, a member of Vistaprint’s Social Media team.
For many, summertime elicits thoughts of beach, vacations, and fun. However, for small business owners, the season can often be bittersweet. Although the weather may be at all-time highs, business may take the other direction. So that you can better ensure you’ll have the funding to not only make ends-meet, but also have take some much-needed personal time off, here are some money-saving tips we think you’ll find useful! Read more…
This post is written by Emma Shannon, a member of Vistaprint’s Social Media team.
You’ve done your research. You’ve picked a username. You’ve figured out your place in the crowd, and you’re ready for takeoff…but what do you say? We’d like to show you what to write about, and how to maintain a genuine connection through Twitter.
This post is written by Emma Shannon, a member of Vistaprint’s Social Media team.
We know you’ve seen it – that mysterious little blue bird floating on every website you’ve been to. But has your small business used Twitter as an advocate? We’d like to walk you through setting up your Twitter account to advocate for your business. (And if you’re sitting on the other side of this post trying to figure out if you’re even sure what Twitter is, get a little bit of background here.) Read more…
This blog post was written by Rob Zodda, who works in creative services at Vistaprint and also has digital marketing experience.
Storytelling is an important part of who we are as humans. Since the first hieroglyphics were painted on the walls of ancient caves, stories have captured our attention and our imaginations. Here are a few tips to help you connect with customers by sharing your business’s story in spots such as the About Us section of your website, your Facebook page or even various other marketing materials.
Think Back
A great story has tremendous value. It catches your attention, it’s interesting and it’s memorable. Think about how your business came to be. Perhaps you began in a converted garage. Maybe it was your 3-year-old daughter who sparked a prolific idea. Or maybe you lost a job but discovered your calling. Whatever the case, if you’re passionate about your business, then you have a story to tell!
Be Specific and Use Details
Details bring a story to life and they’re what stick in people’s minds. If a potential customer is interested in your product or services, they’re going to be interested in the details of your business. Share the details that make your business unique and website visitors will feel more connected to you. By opening up, you’ll allow visitors to become invested in your business.
Show Off
Take the opportunity to show visitors what you do better than anyone else. Explain what really sets you apart and why you can be trusted to provide better products or services than the competition. Are you the fastest? Newest? Friendliest? Maybe you pride yourself in offering free, half-hour consultations to prospective clients, or maybe you’re the only company in town offering a specific product. Your story should set an expectation of what it’s like to do business with you and it should also help to establish brand identity. Even if you don’t actively managing your brand at all times, your story will.
But I’m Not a Writer!
Don’t worry — no one is expecting your story to rival Charles Dickens. The most important thing to remember is to provide clear and simple content. Don’t try to sound like something you’re not and don’t use business-speak. Just tell the truth, in a good way. But, if the thought of putting pen to paper proves too terrifying, it’s worth hiring a freelance copywriter. With a little research, you’ll be able to get something great, at an affordable price.
Think about what makes your business unique and try putting it on paper. Your story might not win a Pulitzer Prize, but it’s got to be better than those cave paintings…
Earlier today, we asked our Facebook community how they keep themselves motivated to run their business.
Unlike many of our Micro Business Tips Thursday queries where the community offers varying answers, today we had a similar statement from our fans: Love what you do.
So with that we have to ask – do you love what you do, or are you motivated by something else?
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