Every client has a story to tell, a goal to reach. We believe every story and goal should be approached with a “the sky’s the limit” style.
That positive inspiration carries over to the Hendricks Communications’ blog, below. Offering tips, news and reflections on writing, marketing, social media and much more, join us in the conversations below by adding your comments and insights. Many thanks!
Photo Credit: (c) 123RFStockPhotos.com
By Karen Hendricks
Spring cleaning isn’t limited to dust bunnies under the bed. Did you know… you may have virtual dust bunnies lurking in your social media and marketing accounts? This is the perfect time of year to freshen up your marketing strategy, evaluate and consider adding a few new marketing tools—all with a budget-friendly approach. Here are five ways to put a little springtime sparkle into your marketing mix:
1. Facebook Facelift: Give your business or organization a fresh look on Facebook by uploading a new top image. This is a great rule of thumb to follow at least once per quarter or season. This instantly sets the tone on your account as a current, relevant source of information. According to a study by Vocus, Facebook fans are a brand’s most valuable customers, with 79% of your fans more likely to purchase your products/services as compared to non-Facebook fans… so give them a fresh “face” atop your latest content. Remember the dimensions for Facebook’s cover image are 851×315 pixels.
2. Blogging Bling: When is the last time you updated your company’s or organization’s blog? According to Blogging.org, 60% of all businesses have a blog, but a whopping 65% haven’t updated it within the past year. A blog is the perfect example of content marketing at its best—especially if you take advantage of a free, easy-as-pie WordPress account. The only investment is your time spent writing and adding effective images—a key component to higher engagement rates.
3. LinkedIn Luster: It’s been about a year and a half since the professional networking site LinkedIn unveiled its Company Pages feature. Since then, 2.6 million companies have developed company pages, including all Fortune 500 companies. Many small businesses and non-profits have yet to take advantage of this free marketing tool, with valuable access to the 200 million professionals currently on LinkedIn. When you create a Company Page, invite your customers to provide endorsements, share your business news, and begin creating a buzz on a professional level. You can even advertise jobs or scout for potential new hires. For inspiration, check this post on the LinkedIn blog, with tips from the top 10 best company pages of 2012.
4. Add Polish with Pinterest: Last summer, Mashable reported that Pinterest users were following more brands than Facebook or Twitter users. I think the main reason why, boils down to Pinterest’s focus on images. It’s easier to “see” what you like rather than “read” about your favorite brands, causes or businesses. If you haven’t yet created a Pinterest account for your business or organization—or if you haven’t added new content recently—polish your image with a free Pinterest account. Make sure plenty of your pins link back to your core marketing presence, your website, to ultimately drive traffic to your doorstep.
5. Add email marketing muscle: Don’t discount good old fashioned email marketing! It’s still a wonderfully viable way to engage with and grow your core customer base. See the Inbound Marketing blog for their recent “23 Tweetable Stats on Email Marketing Trends” and it’s bound to put some spring into your marketing step.
If you aren’t currently using an email marketing service, consider the following: One of the gold standards in the industry, Constant Contact offers a free 60-day trial period that’s especially helpful for small businesses since the initial free contact list is limited to 100 or fewer contacts. Otherwise, paid accounts on Constant Contact will not break your bottom line, and non-profits receive a 15% discount. Additional budget-friendly options include Vertical Response, which has a free option for all 501 (c)(3) organizations, and Mad Mimi which offers a free base email program for up to 2,500 contacts and up to 12,500 emails per month. Make sure to dust off your writing skills as well—64% of email recipients say they open an email because of the subject line.
This post was originally written for and published by our friends at Fletcher Prince, a top-ranked DC area boutique public relations firm. Many thanks to Mary Fletcher Jones!
By Karen Hendricks
Artists are fascinating and amazing people. Whether they are creating works of art from the world around them or conjuring up works of art from inside their heads… I am completely fascinated with the process. As fun as it is to write about them, it’s equally challenging to capture the true essence of their artwork via photography. And so, it was with great joy that I recently became a writer/photographer for Handmade in PA, a blog from the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen. My column, An Eye for Art, shines a spotlight on central PA artists and galleries.
I traveled off the beaten path for my most recent article, visiting Foxxy Moxxy, the gallery of Adams County artist Bobbi Becker, managed by Carol Novak. It was an inspiring visit on many levels! Click here to read all about it. I highly recommend you visit in person–but in the meantime, enjoy a virtual visit through a bonus photo gallery below. Click on any of the thumbnails to open up a slideshow.
A few of my previous articles for Handmade in PA include:
At the Adams County Arts Council
If you would like to explore blogging–an excellent platform for content marketing for organizations or businesses–I’d be happy to meet with you and discuss the possibilities! Blogging presents an excellent opportunity to “go behind the scenes” with your organization or business, showing how your products are made, sharing stories that speak to your employees’ skills or providing information as a leader in your field. The written portion of blogging need not intimidate you–the tone should be light and conversational. Photography is a vital part of blogging too; blogs are a form of visual storytelling. If you’d like to enhance your business by developing a blog, contact me today!
And if you know an inspiring artist, especially someone in the Central PA region, send me a tip! Email: hendricks (dot) communications at gmail (dot) com.
By Karen Hendricks
© Duard Van Der Westhuizen, Dreamstime Stock Photos
I met an amazing 78-year old man–a life-long volunteer–while writing a freelance magazine article for Celebrate Gettysburg. Dick Radcliff’s name came up several times as I interviewed those in leadership roles at various agencies dependent upon volunteers. He was described as the ideal volunteer–generous with his time, skilled in many ways, and humble in nature. The fact that he does so much and expects so little in terms of recognition, made him the perfect volunteer to feature in the article’s spotlight.
When I met Dick Radcliff in person, he was warm and conversational, and he spoke with empathy about the causes he supported through his volunteer work–everything from United Cerebral Palsy to elementary school tutoring, delivering Meals on Wheels to serving as a board member for the area’s Office of Aging, volunteering in leadership roles at his church to participating in special events organized by the United Way. A gentle kindness seemed to radiate from him.
This remarkable man, after dedicating his 30-year career to Eastman Kodak, did not miss a beat upon retiring at the age of 57. He seamlessly poured his energies into full-time volunteer positions. That was more than 20 years ago and he’s still at it. What an inspiration!
His answers to several of my questions struck me as especially poignant:
Have you ever taken a break from volunteering?
“Nine years ago, I suffered a heart attack on a Sunday and by the following Friday, I returned to volunteering, teaching GED classes.”
What motivates you to volunteer?
“It feels good to know that you’re helping people. Jesus said to help each other and that’s what I try to do. Plus it keeps the brain active.”
Most rewarding volunteer experiences?
“When tutoring students, you look for a light in the eyes. When you’re working with a 10-year old on math and you see that light—that’s what I’m there for.”
If only we could all bring light into the lives of others like Dick Radcliff.
To read the entire article, “Golden Opportunities,” from the March/April 2013 issue of Celebrate Gettysburg, click here.
By Karen Hendricks
Welcome to “Gettysburg Social.” Highlighting Gettysburg and Adams County businesses, this bi-monthly column examines the latest social media trends. First published in Celebrate Gettysburg magazine, March/April 2013.
The first robins of spring are appearing, but we’re exploring “tweets” via technology. The social media site Twitter records about 340 million tweets per day.* By “tweet,” we mean “message.” And by “message,” we mean “short and sweet,” as in 140 characters. Twitter describes its messages as “bursts of information.”
With more than 200 million users*, the social media site is similar to Facebook in that you create a profile, write a short description or bio, upload a photo, start following people/businesses, and then receive a news feed in real time. If you like fast-paced news and information, this is the social media platform for you.
Businesses are finding value in monitoring tweets (aka marketing data) and interacting directly with consumers. From a consumer standpoint, following favorite brands allows you behind-the-scenes info plus access to special discounts and offers. Photos, videos and links enhance brief tweets.
Quite a few Adams County businesses are utilizing Twitter. In keeping with a springtime theme, here are a few fresh-picked recommendations:
Hollabaugh Bros Inc.: Follow this popular Biglerville market’s tweets to find out which farm-fresh fruits and veggies are in season.
Highwater Grill: Food trucks are Twitter’s bread and butter. Fans can follow this local gourmet food truck to discover what’s on the menu and its daily whereabouts (Lincoln Square or Rec Park?).
Philadelphia Flower Show: Although it’s not an Adams County business, this powerhouse of a flower show makes for an excellent daytrip, and by following them, you gain an insider’s view plus ticketing discounts.
To check out more Gettysburg and Adams County businesses, follow me @KarenHendricks9 and click on my “Lists,” where you’ll find 40+ area businesses gathered into “The Burg & Beyond.” Don’t forget to follow Celebrate Gettysburg as well!
* Source: Twitter
Do you know of other businesses doing a great job on Twitter? Whether they are locally, nationally or internationally-based, feel free to share your “picks” by commenting below!
And join me, for “The Art of Social Media,” a 4-course series, held in partnership with the Adams County Arts Council, every Wednesday evening in April from 7-9 pm. We’ll explore Twitter along with the basic “pillars” of social media. Sign up online or by calling 717-334-5006. Just a handful of openings remain!
By Karen Hendricks
Photo Credit: http://www.123rf.com Stock Images
Utilized as a marketing tool, blogging is one of the easiest, user-friendly and cost-effective options. It’s not just for large or Forture 500 companies either; small businesses and organizations can reap giant benefits by including a blog within the nuts and bolts of a marketing plan. I’ve had the opportunity to speak about blogging as a marketing tool several times recently and two questions keep popping up: What should I blog about? And how is my blog different from other forms of marketing outreach?
Well, assuming that you’re already maintaining a few marketing essentials, here’s how a blog fits into the mix:
Ok, so now let’s address blog subjects. Here are five basic ideas to keep your company blog rolling:
1. Go behind-the-scenes with your business. Photographs or videos are critical! Use them to demonstrate how your products are made or feature your employees. This “insider’s view” will help your customers gain a deeper appreciation for your business.
2. Inform/educate. Share tips and how-to guides, highlight partner businesses or explain services you provide. Be careful to balance information with a light, conversational tone. This gives your customers a well-rounded view of your business and all it entails and portrays you as an expert in your field.
3. Share “success stories” through the eyes of your customers. Accompanied by photos, feature customers using your products/services or showcase customers who’ve provided glowing testimonials. What better way to thank your core customers and create buzz at the same time!
4. Vary the point of view. Allowing different writers to contribute to the company blog will keep it fresh and provide a variety of input from all angles. This is a great way for your customers to get to know the people behind your business as well.
5. Have fun! Don’t forget to add a dash of entertainment once in a while too. Feature a YouTube video related to your business or share photos of your employees or customers enjoying a light-hearted moment. Smiles and laughter are invaluable!
Recommended Blog Links:
Handmade in PA is a blog run by the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen and includes a wonderful diversity of posts, all focused on the arts in PA, by more than 15 contributors (and I’m proud to say I am one of them!).
Whole Foods features a blog that does a great job of going behind-the-scenes with growers around the world and “feeds” readers a steady stream of nutritious news.
Robyn Graham Photography features a blog I check several times a week for inspiration. Graham showcases her work by combining beautiful images and poetry.
Habitat for Humanity and the Red Cross both weave engaging stories about their organizations’ missions through their blogs.
For fun, I’ve been engaged in a blog project, Off the Merry-Go-Round, that combines the writing talents of six women. Blogging together, we share tips and stories on family life, but in the process, we’ve also forged fabulous friendships!
By Karen Hendricks
Welcome to “Gettysburg Social.” This is the first column in a regular series examining the latest social media trends and highlighting Gettysburg and Adams County businesses. First published in Celebrate Gettysburg magazine, Jan/Feb 2013.
Until recently, a “pin” was probably something you associated with sewing or wrestling. But today, the word “pin” more often refers to the popular social media site Pinterest. Pins are images saved to virtual bulletin boards. By clicking on pins, you travel back to the original websites housing those images, recipes, craft projects, decorating ideas and more. According to Pinterest’s guidelines, all images must be clean–no profanity or violence. Stunning images are what drive the site, and your boards are like categories where you organize those images (pins).
The popularity of Pinterest is astounding: It became the fastest-growing standalone site to reach 10 million users in early 2012. By July 2012, more than 20 million “pinners” were using the site. Today, Pinterest is the third most popular social networking site behind Facebook and Twitter. The implications for businesses are amazing: Pinterest users follow more brands than Facebook or Twitter users.
A few Adams County businesses are leaders in the Pinterest craze:
Source: Pinterest.com
Do you know of other businesses doing a great job on Pinterest? Whether they are locally, nationally or internationally-based, feel free to share your “picks” by commenting below!
Is your business taking full advantage of social media as part of your overall marketing plan? Call me for a free consultation today: 717-253-3553
Join me, starting tomorrow evening from 7-9 pm (Wednesday, January 9), for “The Art of Social Media.” This 4-course series, held in partnership with the Adams County Arts Council, kicks off tomorrow with an overview of the social media revolution and we’ll explore Pinterest as our first social media “stop.”
