Your Brand & Online Display

What is online display you ask? Well, online display is sort of like having a billboard on the internet except you can actually measure how many times these billboards are seen. You can also measure how many times click them to your website and engage with your business. Types of online display ads can include banner ads, rich media, video, and more. Let me explain.

I have the ability to help you create ad content that is dynamic in nature in that it actually moves on the page. Now, I'm not talking about pop-ups and crazy things moving around in your ad, but rather a subtle movement that catches the eye of the viewer. This is what gets their attention as the images change and move about. Besides, who wants a blah old ad anyhow, right?

Once your ads are created, we load them in to a display network, one of the largest in the US through the Microsoft network and other well-known websites such as yahoo.com, yellowbook.com, parenting.com and thousands more. We also allow you to choose some geographical targeting. This means that if you only want customers within your town, county, state, etc. you can have your ads display only in those areas. A potential customer for your business may live out of the area but may be searching for your type of business in your area and still find your ads. The cool thing though is that as that one customer travels throughout the internet, your ads keep following them so they see your ads over and over again burning that impression into their brain so that when they need your type of business, you are top of mind!

Let's go over a few statistics related to online display:

The current global display advertising market is predicted to reach $25.27 billion this year, with a 36% growth to $34.4 billion in 2013.

The overall internet advertising market, which also includes paid search and internet classifieds in addition to online display ads, will increase around 31.5% from $72.18 billion in 2011 to $94.97 billion in 2013.

If you are planning on creating, enhancing or expanding your brand, online display is strongly advised. In today's modern age, no one can argue that the majority of consumers are online. They may not necessarily buy online, but they are researching and shopping online and online display is part of a branding campaign and will encourage engagement with consumers.

I offer various packages of online display that will help you create, enhance and expand your brand recognition. You may reach me at 304-885-4403 or by emailing info@blazonbrilliantly.com www.blazonbrilliantly.com

Successful SEM Management - What does it really take?

So, today I'm sitting here wanting to write something on my blog but not knowing what topic is most relevant nor where I should begin when out of the blue one of my clients calls me. It's Saturday and sometimes I'll answer client calls on a Saturday but sometimes not. This time though I chose to pick up the cell and see what's going on. Boy was I glad I did!! My client is a local home improvement business and in managing his internet marketing and website we are in a constant flux so that we manage his budget to maximize results. Just before Thanksgiving we'd met for a few hours and gone over some analysis and trending data so that we could increase his calls which had really been dismal of late. Trending said to focus on other things so we built our strategy and went to our analyst and asked her to make some changes. Well, the call today was a huge thank you! What a pleasant surprise to hear from a client whom I've worked with for about 5-6 years and hear that with the few simple changes made by his analyst, his phone is ringing again! In fact, he received two calls just today!! After getting the second one, he called to thank me and say that whatever I did, it worked!! I'm so excited for my clients when the strategies I build and implement for them pay off. My ultimate goal is to help a business owner maximize their marketing investments and reap the rewards financially. This is truly plain out fun!! What did I do that caused such a positive outcome for my client? I simply researched trends for his services, those that are most used this time of year and throughout the coming winter months. With that analysis we could see what people are more likely to search pertinent to his business and we adapted his online marketing strategies accordingly. The pay off for the client is more phone calls as a direct result of his online marketing campaign. So, the lesson here is two-fold: First, when a client calls, think positive and pick up the phone! Two, a well-managed online marketing strategy is imperative to success into today's fragmented marketplace.

Spring Planning

Doesn't this beautiful warmer than normal weather make you want to get outside?  I know it makes me want to plant seeds, cultivate the soil, and then watch it grow.  Well, the same can be said for your business.

Let's apply the spring planting concept to business.

Farmers have been sitting for the winter, anxiously awaiting the spring thaw so they can "get back to work".  Now, that's not to say that farmers don't work year round as they certainly do.  Coming from a farm family background, I know a farmer's work is never done.  However, there is something to be said for that early March time frame when things begin to warm up and crocuses start to pop up out of the ground and bloom. 

In business, there are many industries that are sitting right now just waiting on that spring thaw for their business.  Landscape contractors, home improvement guys, deck builders, paving companies, and so many more rely on the warm months of the year to build up their winter storehouse of funds to sustain themselves through yet another winter.  So, what are you doing to prepare for Spring in 2012?

Here are a few suggestions for business owners waiting out the winter:

• Set up a schedule for your marketing and advertising now!  Do not wait until March as the phone will start ringing from your past efforts and clients and you then won't have time to spend trying to build a new customer base.  Now is the time to secure and schedule your direct mail campaign.  Now is the time to design and purchase flyers, business cards, yard signs, etc. 
• Now is the time to work with your webmaster to update your website.  Work with a reliable optimization and online marketing expert to be sure you are on page one of all the major search engines.  It can be done! If you don't have a website, contact me or someone who has built thousands of sites so you can use their expertise.  Please don't make the mistake of thinking  you can do it yourself or enlist your cousin's brother's sister's friend to do it.  It just doesn't work!!
• Now is the time to perform preventative maintenance on all your business equipment such as mowers, trucks, sprayers, power tools, etc.  Change the oil, rotate tires, and be ready to get out on the road when the customer calls.
• If you require some sort of inventory for your business such as chemicals for a pest control business, seeds, oil, small tools, etc., now is the time to purchase those and store for the busy season.  Later, you won't have to come home at 9pm and go online and place orders when you are exhausted and want to spend time with your family.
• Now is the time to go out and secure spring/summer contracts.  At the beginning of the year homeowners and business owners alike are thinking about where they will get their services this spring/summer/fall.  If you rely on such agreements, you must solicit them now via direct mail and in person. 

So, hopefully you have some ideas for your time as we wait out the rest of the winter months.  Before long Spring will be here and you will be busy.  Plan now and if you need personal assistance, feel free to contact Lisa Fausey at Lisa.Fausey@yellglobal.com for personal assistance for all your marketing, advertising and business solutions needs.

Lisa Brooks Fausey, Business Solutions Consultant