Businesses need to integrate multiple components to be seen as the leader in their industry and to stay ahead in today's digital landscape. How do you get the bees in your court, and build the buzz for an integrated marketing approach? Here's a do-it-yourself guide to cross-pollinate your marketing.
photo credit: WilliamMarlow
Queen Bee: Social Marketing
The social media marketer builds your business's presence by sharing content, and engaging with prospects and customers. She distributes the work of the honeybee / content creator (see below). Tactics include:
- Twitter: The @ reply pretty much killed the Google Alert. Which is why you should create a search for your businesses name. Set notifications anytime someone tweets your name and respond quickly to any questions.
- Facebook: Like other business pages within your industry to start building a community for conversations. The other side of this is to check your own Facebook page to see who Liked your business and consider Liking them back if it makes sense. Going the extra mile is important in the virtual world.
- Google +: If you haven't already, create a Google+ business page. And make sure to upload a photo and cover photo that represents your brand.
- Pinterest: Pin beautiful and engaging photos that relate to the business.
Honeybee: Content Creator
photo credit: Max xx
Honeybees and content creators produce the honey and are part of the overall sales cycle which brings in money if done right. The content creator collaborates closely with the worker bee / SEO specialist to make sure the appropriate keywords are being used. They also work alongside the Queen bee to make the content easy to share. Tactics include:
- Blog: Create a blog and post regularly.
- Video: Put together a video that explains what your business does. If you're low on resources, check out the free iPhone app Vine that creates 6-second videos. Note: even though it's only 6 seconds, strategize for the best way to feature your business. Otherwise, you run the risk of coming across like an amateur.
- Audio: Compile a list of people in your industry who you'd like to talk with and set up interviews.
Bumblebee: Email Marketer
The bumblebee / email marketer provides value by delivering information. The email marketer works with the content creator to craft quality email content. He/she also works with the Queen bee to make sure that the email content is easily shareable. Tactics include:
- Design: Choose professionally-designed templates for a customized email campaign.
- Segmentation: Segment your contact list to target specific customers.
- Content: Create exclusive content only available to email subscribers.
Worker Bee: SEO Specialist
The worker bee / SEO Specialist gets your business found on search engines. He/she collaborates with the content creator on keyword research. Tactics include:
- Local Search: Update local sites like Foursquare and Yelp to boost your local presence and make sure customers can find you.
- Analysis: Conduct a link profile audit.
- Link-Building: Build internal links to target important pages so that they rank well.
A marketing plan that integrates everything together will create a vibrant, thriving ecosystem that attracts and retains customers.
