February 2015 - Vertū Marketing

Marketing With A Multicultural Approach

February 24, 2015 by tylie eaves

Companies and businesses often grapple with the correct way to market to consumers of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. As the demographics of American consumers are shifting, and will continue to change dramatically, smart businesses will realize that these changes can either offer an opportunity for growth or will result in eventual decline. Minorities make up a huge part of the consumer population, but the challenge lies in how to best reach these groups.

As more consumer markets are made up of millennials, smart businesses will note that almost 50 percent of that generation is non-white. The opportunities to grow by marketing to a multicultural customer base should not be dismissed, but businesses should approach this carefully and thoughtfully.

Multicultural marketing should be centered on demand, not necessarily demographics. This is based on the simple fact that consumers purchase products based on what they need or want, not necessarily their ethnic or cultural identity. For instance, many non-Hispanics buy salsa and many Hispanic consumers enjoy French wine. These are just oversimplified examples of how businesses sometimes miss opportunities by approaching multicultural marketing from the wrong angle.

This is not to say that marketing plans should not attempt to focus on a certain demographic, culture or ethnicity. However, when focusing on a niche market, it is always best to work with an individual who is knowledgeable with the nuances of a successful, hyper-focused marketing plan. For business owners looking to expand their operations, increase profits or engage a currently unreached demographic, it is best to approach this by focusing on demand, not necessarily cultural distinctions.

Reach new customers by being smart and intentional. Break into multicultural markets with a strategy developed specifically for your business and your brand. We can help you navigate these complicated factors and develop a plan that will propel you toward increased profitability and new customer volume.

Finding And Sustaining Motivation

February 17, 2015 by tylie eaves

January typically sees both business owners and individuals in a flurry of activity, making resolutions and eagerly setting out to achieve these new goals. However, change rarely comes easily, and by the time February arrives, many people have already abandoned resolutions for the old, comfortable routine. With one-twelfth of the year already gone, it may be time to refocus on what is important, what needs to change and the most efficient way to accomplish goals.

New Year’s resolutions are great, but goals that will bring about long-term improvement are more important. Finding the motivation to meet these goals can be a tall order, especially as mundane tasks and unexpected frustrations often thwart the most sincere efforts. In these situations, motivation may be scarce, tempting business owners to simply give up on their goals or assume that they may never reach a certain level of success.

In moments of doubt, it can be beneficial to look at the struggles and accomplishments of other successful entrepreneurs, take note of how they overcame diversity and take their words of advice to heart. For example, Mark Cuban, famous billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has this to say about the importance of hard work: “Sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is. Know your business and industry better than anyone else in the world. Love what you do or don’t do it.” A good dose of motivation may come from simply remembering the why of a business and refocusing on who is impacted by the success of a business: employees, family and the community.

Kevin O’Leary, another self-made billionaire has this to say about success, “I have had some great successes and great failures. I think every entrepreneur has. I try to learn from all of them.” Anyone, from a business owner to stay-at-home mom, can benefit from reviewing mistakes and resolving to learn from them. Business owners in particular should constantly evaluate their successes and attempt to derive what made these ideas work. Honest, careful and constant evaluation can be a great motivator.

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” This quote from Vince Lombardi is a reminder that a lack of motivation or enthusiasm is not an excuse for a poor effort. It is great to feel motivated and excited about a task or goal, but sometimes it is necessary to just do the work and allow the emotional connection to catch up later.

With approximately 92 percent of the year still left, there is plenty of time to revitalize plans for improvement in 2015. Dig deep to find motivation, move forward and put in the hard work necessary to meet New Year’s goals.

Beating Fear with the Power of Choice

February 15, 2015 by Michelle Queen

No matter how successful you become, how long you’ve walked the road of life, how much you know – how little you know, how much you’ve been through or how naturally brave you happen to be — fear is a part of the human condition. But, believe it or not, you have more control over beating fear than you think.

You see, fear is a choice – and that means beating fear is also a choice — and it’s not just a one time thing. When we decide it’s time to beat fear, we must consistently make the same choice over and over. Fear is a sneaky predator and if we’re not constantly on guard against it, it will creep back into our lives. Every day, I purpose in my heart that fear is NOT part of my spirit. It’s not who I am…I CHOOSE to avoid fear-motivated decisions, over and over and over. Making a fear motivated decision allows the FEAR to win, and since fear isn’t real, isn’t who we are, we’re really only defeating ourselves.

Fear is only powerful when we feed it. Beating fear is simply the repeated, intentional choice to NOT feed the “monster.”

Does that man fear won’t “happen” sometimes? No.

We all have fears — some are even considered “healthy.” It’s okay to acknowledge our fears when we have them, but it’s more empowering to acknowledge them, and then CHOOSE to stop feeding them. Fearing something is like worrying over something, it’s doesn’t produce anything good.

Making choices based on fear, whether those choices are professional, personal, political (you name it) almost always results in irrational decisions and senseless regrets.

There are ways to prevent yourself from making fear-motivated decisions. There are ways to overcome the struggles we ALL face (me included).

What are you afraid of?

Finding And Reaching Your Target Audience

February 11, 2015 by tylie eaves

What is the benefit of a marketing plan if it does not reach the intended audience? Like the metaphorical tree falling in the forest, does it matter if there is no one around to hear it hit the ground? The best laid plans and most detailed marketing campaigns will fail if the right people do not see them.

The foundation of any marketing plan should be to identify the target audience. This is simply determining who you are trying to reach and how you will reach them. Finding the target audience can be as simple as asking a few questions, such as:

Is my business primarily for…

…men or women?
…commercial clients?
…older or younger people?
…limited to my geographical area?
…those who are already aware of my business and services offered?

The entire purpose behind marketing is to reach the right audience with the right information. For example, a house cleaning business should not waste time and money on marketing that is not centered in the appropriate geographical area. Those who may need help from this type of business are likely busy or working during the day, so it would be relatively futile to invest in a daytime commercial spot on television. Therefore, social media and Internet-based advertising may be optimal.

The above is just one example of how easy it is to completely miss the mark when it comes to reaching a target audience. If you have invested in a marketing blitz that fell flat, spent countless hours following up on dead-end leads or find that you are getting no response from a recent print campaign, it is entirely plausible that you have missed the right people. A brochure in the hands of a 20-something may be useless, simply because most of their research and interaction is done online. However, a well-made brochure can be the perfect way to connect with an elderly potential customer who does not easily navigate the Internet.

Identifying a target audience is crucial. However, the hard part may not lie in the who, but in the how. There is great benefit in having a knowledgeable ally when trying to revive a listless business, jumpstart an income stream for a new company or to simply understand why your marketing plans have not been fruitful. Not only can we help identify your target audience, we can ensure that you have a streamlined, detailed and completely unique method of reaching it.

Connecting with the right group means the difference between life and death in the business world. Let us help get your message to the right people, in the right way.

The Art Of Communication

February 3, 2015 by tylie eaves

George Bernard Shaw once said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Communication is the foundation of any relationship, and effective communication is especially vital in the business world. A failure to clearly communicate can lead to misunderstandings with clients and other problems, ultimately resulting in lost opportunities. It is easy to fall into the trap of assuming that you have a clear line of communication with your clients, so it’s beneficial to occasionally evaluate how effectively you are communicating.

There are many benefits to clear communication. It can make your relationships with your clients better, allow for greater employee interaction and improve the overall function of a business. You can improve communication and your relationship with your clients and employees by observing any of the following tips:

Want to be heard? Learn to listen. Ask your clients what they want and strive to understand. When you make the effort to simply listen and hear what people are saying, it is a personal investment in others. And in the business world, making good investments may be the key to growth and success.
After listening to feedback, have you identified a problem or issue that should be resolved? Make the effort to change what needs to be changed, and people will notice. Simple improvements can have a deep impact and demonstrate your commitment to the needs of your clients.
If you are scattered and stressed, it is a reasonable conclusion to assume that your communication methods may be strained. Organize your schedule, manage your time wisely, and by default, you will be present and attentive when speaking to clients, potential customers or employees.
Communication does not always have to be speaking face-to-face or a verbal conversation. Consider other methods to reach out to your clients. Besides phone calls and emails, there is a whole new world of social media outlets available. Alternate methods of communication can be effective and demonstrate that you made an intentional effort to be in touch.

Constructive and clear communication is a business skill and may not be one that you possess naturally. This is an important factor in your success and longevity as a business owner. If you need to clear the lines of communication, do it today and get the enjoyable, productive and streamlined work environment you deserve.