Facebook just rolled out some major changes to its Pages layout.   This new layout and functionality brings the Facebook pages for businesses much closer in look and feel to the current personal pages for individual users.  With these changes businesses find a new chance to brand and connect with customers through a visually richer experience.  The new functionality changes also allow businesses to better align with the way their customers and fans use the social networking site.  Excited yet?  You should be.

The changes will go into effect for all Facebook Pages on March 10, which gives you as a business owner four weeks to navigate the changes, learn your way around the new layout and functionality, and utilize these benefits to better reach your audience.

Some of the changes include:

• a photo strip above the company’s wall (with the most recent photos you posted or tagged)
• tabs moved to the left panel
• profile photo is slightly smaller
• business profile pages can now “like” other pages instead of just adding them as favorites
• the page category is displayed about your business, such as business service or restaurant, etc.
• a new “mutual friends and interests section”
• news feed of updates from liked pages
• optional email notifications whenever users post or comment

I personally think the photo strip gives business pages a much more colorful and fun way communicate to their audience. The photos seen are the most recent ones that are posted to each Facebook Pages site, but do not include any photos that are posted by fans.  You can also hide any photos you don’t like or want to be shown on the top photo strip.

The new functionality allows Page admins to begin to fully interact with customers on an individual basis, as well as as a company.   Page admins can also set filters on your Wall so that visitors see relevant posts first, and you can receive email notices when anyone posts on the wall or comments, allowing for immediate response and interactions.

These new changes allow brands to better engage with their audience and develop deep, richer experiences.  A very important note that you should take into account is you can preview the new layout but once you decide to upgrade, there is no way to revert back to the old design.  I suggest you preview the changes before converting over.  And please let us know if you have any questions or comments on how this will continue to change the way brands use social media to connect.

JustRED it here.

“How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable?” – Seth Godin, Seth’s Blog

Stand Out From The Crowd

In challenging business climates such as the one we are in right now history often tells us that the companies who find an edge, a certain point of differentiation, will typically emerge victorious over those who keep doing the same thing.  Now this may appear obvious, but at the end of the day I ask any business owner out there “What are you doing differently this year?”

Those who are just trying to stay afloat often miss the bigger picture, which is when times are tough pressing down on the gas can be a good thing because when times get better your competition will be well behind you in the race.  Much of “stepping on the gas,” so to speak, can be attributed to getting the word out on who you are and what your business is all about.

So how can a business owner, striving to gain an edge, put his or her foot on the gas without breaking the bank?

When working with clients I find that, with a little creativity, we can drum up some business more quickly than one would expect.  Ask yourself a few questions to start out with to get the ball rolling:

• Who is my target audience I am trying to reach?  If you don’t have that answer then you have a lot more work to do
• Once I know this audience, how do I reach them…and not just through traditional advertising?
• How can I make an impact on my business and it’s perception with the public with a plan for the long-term?

These are just a few of the questions I ask my clients every day, because you can’t know what road to go down if you don’t have a destination in sight.  A few suggestions I find myself making when reviewing an overall strategy:

Link up with a non-profit

Times are tough these days, and the organizations in our community who need us most are suffering even more because of it.  If you are seeking an avenue of publicity for your company and want to make a difference at the same time, consider sponsoring or playing a role in a non-profit effort, organization, or cause.  The dividends will pay out not only in knowing you have helped others in need, but also in connecting with quality citizens in your community (who could be customers or clients of yours), gaining publicity for your company, and provide potential tax-savings during this time of year.  Non-profit links not only help those in need but also build a strong halo effect for your brand, giving your audience positive feelings about your organization.

Come check out the Farmer’s Market being held at The District at Tustin Legacy every Sunday starting this Sunday and running through October 24, 2010.

Event: The District at Tustin Legacy launches Farmer’s Market, giving shoppers access to local produce and specialty foods, as well as live acoustic music.

What: The District at Tustin Legacy will be hosting a Farmers Market offering local produce and specialty foods from the surrounding community and participating District stores and restaurants.  This is a Certified Farmer’s Market being held in conjunction with the Orange County Farm Bureau.

The District at Tustin Legacy is a one million square-foot lifestyle and entertainment center featuring top retail, dining and entertainment tenants.

Who: The District at Tustin Legacy

Date: Every Sunday starting August 8, 2010 through October 24, 2010

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Location: The District at Tustin Legacy

(Located at the northwest corner of Barranca Parkway and Jamboree Road)

2437 Park Avenue

Tustin, CA 92782

The Farmer’s Market will take place in the parking field adjacent to JT Schmids Restaurant & Brewery and District Valet/Guest Services.

More Info: www.thedistricttl.com or at (714) 259-9090

*All outdoor events will take place weather permitting.

Oftentimes I find myself in new business meetings with executives who will take a magazine, open it up, and point to a feature story on their chief competitor and say, “We want this.”  Usually this is followed by the aforementioned executive giving an elaborate explanation of how they are doing the same thing but better, or a list of all the things they are doing that this competitor is not doing yet.

These articles, as you would imagine, can do wonders for a professional’s reputation since potential customers and industry colleagues are the ones who read them. But as an insider I will let you in on a great little secret.   Most of these articles are the handiwork of highly skilled PR people across America doing incredible work in their industry.  These professionals are providing solid, newsworthy information on their clients to news writers hungry for relevant stories to feed their readers.  However, where some confusion lies is when that same executive sitting across the conference table from me asks the question: “Did they pay for this article?” In the case of most reputable, relevant publications these days, the answer is no.  But in some cases, and many people don’t know this, the answer is yes.

So how do you know the difference?

Have you ever picked up a magazine and noticed that each article you read about a company that is shining or doing something really innovative is followed by a large ad for the same company?  Paid for.  Or have you noticed those publications that only seem to cover the companies that advertise within their golden pages?  Paid for. How about you read a cover story that features XYZ company, then a week later when you are at a conference sponsored by the media company that owns that publication and the entire auditorium is splattered with XYZ company sponsorship logos? Paid for.

“Pay for play” is commonplace among all media formats these days, and can indeed be beneficial if you are seeking a “fluff” article or story in just one outlet.  However, the true value of a solid Public Relations campaign is that the newsworthy information you are sending to the media is sent to multiple outlets in a way that blankets your audience with news from viable, credible sources.

So how can you work with your PR person to secure an honest-to-goodness article, written by an unbiased reporter who actually thinks you are doing something worth talking about?  DO SOMETHING WORTH TALKING ABOUT.  Or at least make sure the release makes it sound like you are doing something worth talking about.

True, legitimate news can be hard to come by in an age where anyone thinks they can write an announcement and send it to the media.  Releases are an art form, using words that don’t sell, writing facts that contain all necessary details, and thinking one step ahead to help the media write their story by adding information to the questions they will follow up to ask you.

Simple for a PR pro? Yes.  Stumped? That’s why you are here on our website.  Take the plunge and discover the art of PR and how it can help your company grow.  You never know when you will actually be surprised at the outcome.

JustRED it here.

“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” – Leo Burnett

Twitter.  That little blue bird that everyone keeps talking about it.  I remember the first time someone mentioned twitter and how it works.  In my head, I thought why would I want to talk about what I ate for lunch?  What I have found over the past couple of years is a way to find out about what news others in my industry are reading, immediate updates on news and situations happening throughout the world, as well as develop relationships with people in my industry that can be followed up and further developed offline.

Everyone is wondering how to use this outlet to drive traffic to their website.  The following are some immediate actions to make your Twitter profile work for you:

1. Brand your Twitter landing page to match your website/branding.
2. Develop targeted networks of followers that fit within your specific product, service or industry.
3. Post effective ‘tweets’ daily related to your product, the service that you offer, or news specific to your industry.
4. Tweet links that direct people to your website, company press releases, updated blogs to increase traffic and awareness of your firm.
5. Retweet informative tweets to build relationships with relevant people and organizations in your industry and increase your follower base.

Bonus action item:

Participate in popular Twitter activities like Follow Fridays (#FF) and  #WineWednesday to continue to increase followers and build relationships.

So go out there and grab the bird by its feathers and share that article that inspired you with those around you.

JustRed it here.

“The qualities that make Twitter seem inane and half-baked are what makes it so powerful.” – Jonathan Zittrain, Harvard law professor and Internet expert

How to develop a focused strategy that will win new customers

Making yourself, your services or your company relevant to your target market can certainly be challenging in today’s economy.   With all of the messages flying at people every day, it is important now more than ever for organizations to focus on offering something that meets someone’s specific needs or wants.  When something that you do equals something that someone wants, you have now become relevant.

“Relevance is used to describe how pertinent, connected or applicable something is to a given matter.  A thing is relevant if it serves as a means to a given purpose.”

The following are three tips to making your company relevant:

1.  Find out to whom your business is relevant. This can be achieved through online surveys, market research, focus groups, social media and internal meetings to determine if your audience has shifted over the past several years.

2. Tailor your message to your target audience, and make sure they understand what you do and what you are trying to get them to buy or use.

Many companies often tailor their messages to their competitors or use industry language that is hard to understand.  They are missing the mark on how to make their business relevant to those who are interested.  A public relations professional can help you tailor your message to make relevance a reality and to help you achieve your goals.

3.  Make sure your firm hones in on its core strengths, and uses them to their full advantage.  Don’t try to be all things to everyone.  Also realize some audiences are more relevant and useful to you than others.  Focus your efforts on the most beneficial audience and speak directly to them, finding out what they want and making yourself relevant to them.

And here’s one more tip, it’s one that I have written about before but believe is so crucial today – be visible so your audience can find you.  Have an effective website that displays your key messages and exactly what you do, have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile so people searching your firm can find you and make sure all your marketing materials and PR outreach speak to who you are trying to reach, not those that work within your company.

JustRED it here.

“Existence is no more than the precarious attainment of relevance in an intensely mobile flux of past, present and future.” – Susan Sontag

I have received several questions recently on business relationships – building them, maintaining them and the best way to maximize them.

Take a moment to think of all the key business relationships in your life.    They might include your accountant, your lawyer, current clients, etc.  Do you have deep connections with these people?  Do they refer you business?  Do you take any time to nurture these relationships?

The one key to making business relationships worthwhile and fulfilling is to give, but don’t expect anything in return.  The more you give, the more you will get in the end.

When you meet someone for the first time, do you immediately try to sell him or her your services?  This is the wrong tactic.  Give them something useful and relevant.  This can be information, a key lead or something helpful.  Then you can build on that.

When you haven’t heard from a client or potential client in a while, figure out ways to bring yourself to the top of mind with that particular person.  You can also try to bring useful leave-behind materials when attending a networking event that might help that person in some way.  Months or years down the road, these small giving items have had much greater rewards then expected.

Next time you are thinking about that business relationship and wondering how you can nurture it, give them something useful.  The key is not to expect anything in return.  You will soon receive responses and returns that you never knew were possible.

JustRED it here.

“Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us everyday.” – Sally Koch

Harnessing the power of LinkedIn is something many business professionals continue to try to undertake.  With social media platforms improving their services what seems like monthly, even the savviest can be stumped at times.  Sometimes all you need to know is where to donate your limited amount of time.

Here are five key tips to smarten up your LinkedIn:

Tip 1 – Improve your Google Search PageRank.

LinkedIn gives users the opportunity to make the information in your profile available for search engines to index.  Since LinkedIn profiles receive fairly high PageRank in Google, so you have the ability to influence what people see when they search for you.  To do this, create a public profile and select full view.  Also, make sure your URL is customized to be your actual name.

Tip 2 – Make new business meetings, interviews and introductions go smoother.

You can use LinkedIn to find the people you are meeting and review specialties, interests, past employment, accomplishments and credibility.

Tip 3 – Ask for Advice.

Linkedin answers gives you the opportunity to ask business-related questions and receive input from other experts in your industry.  It also allows you to give guidance and answer questions asked by others in your industry or about your particular field.

Tip 4 – Bring yourself to top of mind.

Update your status with useful articles you have read or informative details about your industry.  If your company is doing something newsworthy, this gives you a great avenue to broadcast it to your network.  Updtae your profile at least once a month or participate in the Q&A section.  These all allow for you to be included in your network’s weekly LinkedIn update email, showing you are active in the community.

Tip 5 – Harness the power of recommendations.

Ask your current and recent clients to recommend you on LinkedIn.  Recommendations are viewed by professionals looking to work with your firm, offering an additional stamp of credibility from people who were happy with your products or services.  Many firms pay for ads with testimonials in trade publications, and LinkedIn offers this for free.

JustRED it here.

“A networker likes to meet people. I don’t. I like accomplishing things in the world. You meet people when you want to accomplish something.” – Reid Hoffman

California has been experiencing a lot of shakes lately…of the seismic variety.  The second major earthquake hit near the border of San Diego this week, causing a ripple that was felt up as far as the Los Angeles area.  All of these sudden and quite unexpected tremors got me thinking about a lot of things near and dear to my heart:  Family…friends…my beloved pet Golden Retriever…marketing.

Marketing?  Yes, marketing.

I am often asked when is the right time to “shake up” your branding or put some spice into your PR campaign.  Or better yet, when do I take the social media leap?  Changing something that has been consistent and comfortable for your firm takes courage, as well as a great partner.

My advice on determining when the best time to shake up your marketing is if you are experiencing one or more of the following:

1)   You and your employees are bored with your branding, or you can’t even remember when your last brochure was designed.

2)   You have not updated anything or tried anything new for the past 10 years, and simply run the same marketing program year after year.

3)   Your brand no longer matches what your company’s strengths are currently.

You can also try this trick:  Take your company’s last two ads, your business card, a marketing brochure and the main page of your website.  If none of these materials match each other and you can’t tell each piece belongs to the same company, it is your year to embark on a re-branding adventure.  One of the major aspects of marketing I discussed previously is the importance of consistency.

Will 2010 be the year you stand out from the clutter and change your image?  Before the phone starts ringing off the hook, products start flying off the shelf, and work life gets too busy for you to even think about the basics, take time to develop a plan that creates a rumble in your industry both far and wide.  Your image is one seismic event that can be predicted

JustRED it here.

“What great changes have not been ambitious?” – Melinda Gates

Jen Olewinski, President of Olewinski Group

When I read the news today I am probably not alone in sensing a pattern among top headlines:

“The Economy”

“Jobs”

“Healthcare”

There are a lot of uncertainties in society today, which in many ways causes individuals, and businesses, to be more cautious in their spending.  For individuals, it may mean passing on that new purse or a third night out to dinner this week.  For businesses, it can mean forgoing the extravagant sales incentive trip or “getting by” without hiring additional staff.  A lot of us feel this is probably a logical, prudent way of moving forward in today’s environment.  However, this causes a problem for many who also wish to thrive in this slowly rebounding economy.  So what are your goals?

“Grow”

“Win market share”

“Become more profitable”

I imagine most principals in business would agree with the above objectives.  But how do you achieve them while at the same time respecting the uncertainties discussed earlier?  Many organizations have ambitions to re-establish their brand, seek out new customers, and increase awareness of the value they bring to their industry, but cannot justify hiring a full-time marketing expert.  Some other companies may try to have existing staff handle these duties, but oftentimes these people struggle because they are being pulled from other roles in their job.

This is where hiring a consultant fits in.

Marketing and PR consultants can make the process of attacking your communications strategy seamless and pain-free.  It is, in every way, the best of both worlds.  Get the experience and know-how of an expert in the field without the expense of adding, or taking work away from, someone on the payroll.  Hiring a firm to do this work for you provides peace of mind in knowing that you can invest in a marketing plan only when you need it, which maximizes the value of the program.  Whether it is for three days, three months, or three years, your consultant is there to create a plan on any budget.

JustRed it here.

“The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn’t like to do.” - Thomas Edison