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Writers Block_online_header

Posted by & filed under Blogging, Communications, Content.

It’s right on the tip of your tongue, the idea is flickering in your mind, but you can’t quite put pen to paper. Content burnout, writer’s block, a dreaded dry spell, we’ve all hit that wall. Don’t wallow in self-pity and procrastinate a looming deadline, use our helpful tips and tricks to get the creativity flowing.

Get inspired

When your staring at a blank screen struggling to get the words out, it’s easy to get frustrated. Change up the playing field and immerse yourself in the creativity of others. Explore your favourite authors, professional content of your peers and use their genius to spark your own. Delve into similar genres and themes, you might even find your next muse. Bookmark online publications, archive newspaper articles and dust off a second-hand book. Keep your mind open to different styles and ideas by not focusing on the empty page in front of you.

Have a pen at the ready

A notepad and pen, notebook apps, a whiteboard in your office, whatever you need. As quickly as an idea can spark up, it fizzles away, leaving you tracing steps. If you get a sudden surge of inspo, jot it down. You can revisit and expand on these ideas later when you’re hit with a creative dry spell. Good ideas often strike when you least expect it, so be prepared and have a pen ready.
Be the Man with a Plan

Don’t box yourself into a looming deadline, get ahead of the game and use strategic planning. The future you will thank you later. Writer’s block often strikes when the clock is ticking, call it performance anxiety, it’s a struggle. With today’s tech, there’s no excuse for not being on top of the game. Use apps such as Buffer, online templates or simple resources like Google Calendar  and Scoop to organise your content in advance. Planning and scheduling your content lets you work ahead so you aren’t caught in a last-minute rush. It also ensures your content feed stays consistent, organised and timely.

Play Musical Chairs

Mixing up your workspace can make a huge difference to your creativity. Your environment can easily influence your inspiration and hence productivity. There are plenty of simple tricks to switch things up. Take a moment to re-style your desk with a pop of colour or sophisticated scheme. Hitting stores like Kmart and Officeworks can arm you with a bundle of organisational décor to change up your scenery. Get out and about, head to a local park, cafe, library or anywhere that refreshes your mind. Simply breaking the norm can be enough to reboot your mind.

Take a Break

Settle down, we’re not giving you an excuse to grab a KitKat or binge in 3-hours of Netflix. Removing yourself from a situation and taking five can be enough to overcome your slump. Get some fresh air and endorphins by taking a speedy stroll around the block. Head into the kitchen and pop on the kettle or refuel your body and mind with a snack. However, always be sure to monitor your break by setting a time limit, this prevents your recharge becoming procrastination.

Don’t get frazzled next time you’re facing a dreaded blank canvas, just use our helpful tips and tricks to conquer content burnout. If you’ve really hit a brick wall, holla at hey@wildandfree.com.au and seek consultation from our wild team. The best ideas emerge from teamwork and brainstorming.

You’ve got this!


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First_Date_online_header

Posted by & filed under Communications, Digital, Marketing, Strategy.

It’s the first date and you want to make a good first impression. You’re witty, savvy and a real looker. Treat your business’ social media feed like a first date. You want your audience to be captivated by your brand and most importantly, you want them to come back for a second. Don’t just roll out of bed preparation is key to achieving good chemistry!

 

Make a Strong First impression

Creating a profile that is visually enticing and hooks your date isn’t as simple as haphazardly throwing on your trusty little black dress. Social media applications, like Instagram, rely on not only dynamic individual imagery, but a cohesive collage that guides your date on a moorish journey. Just as coordinating your outfit is essential, so is strategically planning the overall layout and style of your social media feed. It takes a bit of forward planning and creative vision but using free apps like Planoly or UNUM, you can develop a mock up of your feed’s design and curate an account that is elegantly devised. Embrace photo-editing apps such as VSCO and develop a signature style using repetition of filters and graphics. A little bit of planning and flair can elevate your iPhone pics from average to Instaworthy.

 

Make it a two-way conversation

Live by 70/30 rule, listen 70% and talk 30% of the time. While it’s tempting to showcase why your brand is amazing, avoid bombarding your tribe with hard-sell posts. Your date is more likely to engage with your business when they are made to feel valued and their feedback is being heard. Break the ice with a healthy mix of content. Share inspiring images, post captivating blogs and get the conversation flowing by engaging with their comments. Don’t be the bad date that spends the night talking about their sure-fire, moneymaking pyramid scheme. Just like great conversation, keep the content flowing with relevant and engaging purpose that evokes a reaction in your followers. Check out our blog “How to Show Love to your Social Media Tribe”.

 

Be on time

Don’t stand up your date or leave them twiddling their thumbs while they wait for you to join the party. Creating a strategic content plan for your social media feed ensures your account followers won’t see tumbleweeds rolling by. You should establish a monthly schedule outlining what you’re going to post and when. Aim to be consistent. There’s no secret formula to the perfect first date, each platform is different and your audience varies. Aim to post hard-hitting content 2-3 times per week. Utilising scheduling systems such as Buffer, you can plan out your content and automate send-out. Stay aware of any events or important dates coming up that will excite your audience. Get insight into high traffic times on your sites and time your significant announcements strategically. Balance your vault of pre-planned posts with spontaneity to keep your date excited. Stay relevant – if there is an event or happening that speaks to your audience (and most importantly, aligns with your brand), then capitalise on the opportunity by responding in the moment.

 

Do your homework

A quick stalk of your date’s Facebook can supply you with an archive of conversation starters and avoid that dreaded awkward silence. The same goes for your social media followers. Analytics are a valuable way to get the low-down on your tribe. Who are they and where are they from? What time are they most active? Which posts we’re fully lit and which fizzled? Your social media statistics are an insightful way to anticipate success of new content and gauge the effectiveness of your previous efforts. Get to know your target market and tailor your conversation to suit them. Be fluid and constantly learn and adapt to what your tribe wants.

 

Go for the kiss

You’ve had a great time, the chemistry is simmering so now, show the love! It’s all about giving back and acknowledging that the success of your brand grows from every like, follow and subscription. There are so many ways to thank your tribe.  Promote discounts, exclusive offers and giveaways.  A simple personal reply to a comment can bridge the bond between brand and client.

 

Don’t rush a good thing, plan ahead for your date and take things slow. Through strategic planning of your social media activity and the development of an intimate and vibrant feed you’ll entice your audience into a second date. Sometimes you just need to phone a friend for a pep talk and advice before you make the next move. Wild and Free Media boast a team of marketing gurus and savvy brand specialists who can help you make your first date count. Holla at hey@wildandfree.com.au to get the fireworks bursting.


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Wild for Hire_online_header

Posted by & filed under Digital, Marketing, Strategy.

Juggling day to day business, managing staff and keeping clients happy can often leave your branding and promotional efforts lagging. Wild for Hire is a holistic service designed to make achieving your goals simple. Our vibrant team unites with yours to develop an impactful and effective marketing strategy.

Wild for Hire – The Nitty Gritty

Wild for Hire provides flexible hourly packages, tailored to suit your business’ needs over a minimum six-month period. Whether your objectives are to extend your social media presence, gain access to unique graphic designs or simply grow your business digitally, we’re here to help. We become an extension of your team, gaining insight into your goals through monthly face-to-face meetings and regular chats. We learn the ins and outs of what makes you, you.

The Wild Team

Wild and Free Media’s professional team boast an enviable array of skills and services. We take a refreshing approach and tailor our services to satisfy your individual goals. We assist you in developing an effective marketing strategy and advise you on the best approach for communicating with your clients and excelling your business. Our vibrant team are all about getting the creative ideas flowing, designing content and graphics that showcase your business and address your goals.

Creative

Promoting your business and communicating with target audiences isn’t always as simple as taking a photo on your iPhone and posting it on Instagram. Our talented graphic designers, listen to your vision and create innovative logos, branding and illustrations that complement you. Our designs can be shaped to suit any publication from social media and website development to brochures, we do it all.

Strategy and Communication

We understand as well as you do that your customers are busy people, inundated with promotions everywhere they turn. Our experience in marketing and advertising allows us to ensure your promotion cuts through and you’re given the opportunity for feedback. We guide you in public relations, event management and give advice for networking and engaging with your people. Our knowledgeable team will assist you in releasing content that is timely, direct and hits home.

Wild for Hire doesn’t simply design a few advertising posts and give you a to do list. Our trusted team get to know your business intimately to understand your goals and assist in developing a manageable long-term marketing strategic plan.

If you need help ensuring your marketing strategy gets the outcomes you want, then Wild for Hire might be for you. Our creative designers, savvy marketers and social media gurus will work with you to excel your business. Interested? Holla: hey@wildandfree.com.au


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Social_Tribe_online_header

Posted by & filed under Digital.

Have you ever come across a social media post where the brand is talking at you, rather than to you? It’s as if they see dollar signs above your head. Chances are you’ve probably seen a few of these posts while scrolling through your social media feed. And you’ve probably kept on scrolling, right?

Hot tip: this is not how you show love to your followers.

Rather than flood your followers’ feeds with your products or services, you should focus on building a community – your niche social media tribe.

If you’re not sure where to get started with all this, here are a few pointers.

Create engaging content
It may sound obvious, but sharing content your audience enjoys has got to be your main priority. You want to keep it fresh and keep your audience interested and wanting to interact. Develop a dialogue with your tribe, ask your followers questions in posts. Above all else, encourage engagement and two-way communication.

Respond to your tribe

A way to make them feel valued is by responding to comments or shares of your content. By acknowledging their posts, you’re showing them that you see what they’ve done and that you appreciate them doing it. (The only posts you probably wouldn’t reply to are those where someone tags their friend or enters a competition, because they’re not directly engaging with you.)

Host a giveaway
Whether it’s with your own products or services, or you team up with other brands, giveaways are a great way to show love to your social media tribe. It’s a good way to boost your followers and create brand awareness among a larger number of people.

Create freebies

You might have some blog posts or email newsletters, but what you need is something a little different to give to your tribe for free. A downloadable e-book, interactive white paper, top 10 tips related to your industry or an online course are some examples of freebies you could offer.

Instagram/Facebook live Q&A

Depending on your brand, a live Q&A can be an effective way to reach your audience as it allows for real-time engagement. Be sure to promote the live Q&A before it happens, allowing time for your tribe to create insightful questions to ask your team. For example, as a digital/creative agency, we could host a live Q&A focusing on essential elements for a good website. Whatever your brand may focus on, be sure to have solid points to tell your tribe, they’re opting in to learn – so make sure you provide them with something valuable and worth their time!

So, to up your social media game and show more love to your tribe, review your social media posts and ask yourself if you’re engaging with your followers and actively encouraging dialogue, or are you just talking at them? Using the above tips, you can adjust your content so your niche social media tribe – your brand’s community – sees you as a valuable resource and one that they’ll keep coming back to.

Social media strategy, management and measurement is a key component of what we do here at Wild and Free Media. So, if you need some help with anything that falls in the social media sphere, you know what to do! Holla: hey@wildandfree.com.au.


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Networking Skills_online_header

Posted by & filed under Business.

As much as people hate to admit it, the saying “it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know” is often the reality. You might be at the point where you want to meet new people, and get your name out there, but you’re just not sure how. Before you start, there are a few important things to remember when networking:

Be authentic

The best connections come from genuine relationships, not a business card exchange. When you’re not authentic, people will quickly see straight through you and become disinterested. Approaching people as a potential friend, rather than a business connection helps with this. When networking, you want quality over quantity – making genuine connections is much more important than having an endless list of contacts who won’t remember who you are when you reach out to them.

Don’t make it all about you
While you want to show that you have great skills, you are obviously wanting to make these connections because the people you are talking to are important in your industry or field. Don’t spend the whole time rambling about yourself, instead use your time wisely by giving them your undivided attention, ask insightful questions and show your interest in their answers. While you don’t want to spend much time on yourself, you should have a personal elevator pitch prepared on how you can help others. The pitch should be short, simple and grab the attention of the person you’re speaking to.

Spend your time wisely

While it’s easy to fall into the trap of hanging around people you already know, don’t spend too much of your time here. You’re there to make new connections, which won’t happen unless you make an effort to speak to new people.

It’s not about keeping score

We want to emphasise the importance of quality over quantity again here. Hiding your contacts from other people won’t do anything other than damage your own reputation. A good way to build more connections is to introduce people who can benefit from each other, chances are they might know someone who you should talk to as well, and will be thankful for your introduction. It’s a ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ situation and can work in your favour. Connecting other people shows that you value the importance of collaboration in your field, and shows that you’re not just in it for yourself.

Follow up

Let’s get this clear first: the follow up should not be you asking for something. Networking should be about giving, not taking. What we mean by a follow up is to just check in with them, see how they’re doing, thank them for their time when you last spoke. It’s all about showing them that you genuinely care about them by fostering the relationship.

Don’t forget the power of social media in networking. LinkedIn is especially useful for building your professional network. A mix of face-to-face and online networking should provide you with what you need.

Here at Wild and Free Media, we’re all about building client relationships. We know the importance it holds in strengthening our clients’ brands and their personal ones too. So, be ready to step out of your comfort zone. Be genuine, show interest and listen to the people you are speaking to. By showing your authentic interest, you’ll make a friend, rather than just a business contact, which is the best mindset to have when networking.

If you’re looking to step up your networking skills or need some help to raise the profile of your business or personal brand, why not come in for a chat and see how our team of experts can help you achieve your goals. To arrange an appointment, drop us a line at hey@wildandfree.com.au


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Apps for marketers_online_header

Posted by & filed under Content, Digital, Marketing, Uncategorized.

As marketers, we all know the drill. Too many things on our to do list, not enough hours in the day to get them done. So, when it comes to finding tools that will save you time and make life a little easier, we’re all about that tech.

And for the love of convenience, we’ve compiled a list of social media apps that we think are essential for marketers. Things we’ve factored in while putting this list together include the app’s popularity, user-friendly navigation and unique elements that will put you ahead of the game – or at the very least, give you a little extra time.

  1. Buffer
    Most marketers would already know about this time saving tool. Although new apps have popped up with similar functions, Buffer remains a favourite. At its core, Buffer is a publishing platform, where you can schedule posts, track the performance of your content and manage your accounts all in the once place. Buffer allows you to create a posting schedule for weeks, even months ahead, for each social network and queue posts to be shared at an optimal time for your audience.

Buffer’s main version is free, but you’re able to upgrade within the app, or the browser extension if that’s what you prefer.

  1. Buzzsumo

Content curation can be a painful task. With Buzzsumo, you can search for key words to find the most popular content, related to your search. You’re able to type in the domain name of your competition and look at the most popular content they posted. This is a great way of gaining an understanding of what your target audience likes, while also keeping you on top of what’s happening in your industry. You can also tailor your search to view different types of content including infographics, blog articles, and videos. It also shows you the popularity of each piece of content in each social media network. With this information, you’re able to tailor your marketing strategy to suit the needs of your audience.

  1. Hootsuite

Like Buffer, Hootsuite allows you to analyse traffic and schedule posts, making it easier for marketers to do more with social in less time. Hootsuite also allows you to protect your brand on social by tracking messages and mentions. We think it’s another great app to help with time management.

  1. Repost

This app is all about interacting and engaging with user generated content – while giving credit to the original poster. By using the app and reposting client photos, it encourages the formation of a community revolving around your product or service. It’s usually best to leave a comment and/or send a direct message asking for permission to repost the photo before doing so, as some people might not want their photo to be shared, so just be mindful of that.

  1. Quik
    This app is a video editing program made by GoPro – to help make editing easy. Video content represents 74% of all internet traffic and with Facebook’s new algorithms giving more love to videos than any other content, it’s time to take advantage of the easy-to-digest, sharable nature of it. Quik allows you to choose photos and videos, add transitions and effects, a soundtrack, then customise with text, and easily share your finished product.

What are you waiting for? Choose which apps best suit what you’re trying to achieve and start saving time. And if you need any more help with your social media marketing efforts, get in touch with us via hey@wildandfree.com.au


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outdoor advertising header

Posted by & filed under branding, Communications, Marketing.

With 74% of Australians exposed to billboards every day, several times a week, outdoor advertising has an impressive reach. It offers a tangible, diverse set of advertising options, from billboards to street furniture, transit (bus and tram advertising) and specialty media, think along the lines of sporting arenas, airports or university campuses. If you are considering outdoor advertising for your brand, here are a few things that you need to get right for it to be worthwhile.

 

Simplicity is key

When defining your message, keep it concise, bold and clear. Six or seven words on a billboard is the goal. This is because the audience is generally moving while viewing the ad, so it needs to be easily digested. Usually, you have under ten seconds to capture their attention, and get your message across. Simple copy, fresh ideas, inspiring imagery and clever design are all needed to effectively use outdoor advertising.

 

The devil is in the design

When it comes to outdoor advertising creative, there are a few tricks of the trade you need to consider:

  • Be wary of the logo size. If it’s too big, it takes away from the key message. Too small and your brand won’t even be associated with the ad.
  • Image vs copy. Getting the balance right between the imagery and the message is important too, they need to work together, not compete against each other for attention.
  • Know thy medium. What works well for a print or online ad, definitely doesn’t always translate to outdoor. Make sure all your outdoor ads are designed specifically for that medium.

 

Locations and campaign launches
To be effective, outdoor advertising requires a lot of planning and research. If you don’t put the effort into the planning, you’re wasting your time and money. You don’t want to spend months designing the perfect campaign, only to find out a new development is being contracted next door that blocks off the billboard. In advertising, a Gross Rating Point (GRP) is a standard measure in advertising impact, relating to traffic, visibility, location, size and other factors that need to be considered.

 

This is where the importance of research becomes apparent. For example, it’s been found that in Australia, when heading to shopping centres, 76% of drivers are relaxed and open to finding out about new products and services. You need to take advantage of these opportunities in advertising and discover which environments will best suit your brand.

 

Campaign integration

Billboards and other forms of outdoor advertising are all about brand building and supporting the greater advertising campaign. Rather than direct leads to a website or phone number, outdoor advertising generally works best to support an existing campaign. Don’t cover your billboard with phone numbers and website addresses because chances are, people won’t have time to copy them or won’t remember them. Again, it’s all about creating an ad specific to the medium.

 

You might think it sounds like there’s a lot to consider when it comes to outdoor advertising… and there is. From knowing where to start your research to creating the perfect message and finding the right location, it’s quite a process. So why not leave all the planning, organising and ideation to someone who can make the whole thing feel like a breeze. To find out how we can help you get your outdoor advertising campaign off the ground, get in touch with us at hey@wildandfreemedia.com.au.

 


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brand_reputation_online_header

Posted by & filed under Content, Digital, Marketing.

In the age of the smartphone, consumers carry an expectation that your social media feeds will be up to date, relevant and timely. Sometimes, this means whipping out your smartphone to capture an important event unfolding right before you, or creating an increasingly popular Instagram or Facebook story.

 

Smartphones are far less bulky than a DSLR camera and generally, it’s by your side all the time. Additionally, the quality of cameras within smartphones is higher than ever and as a result, so is the quality of content on social channels like Instagram.

 

And because of this, there’s no need to miss out on magical photographic moments in our everyday life. If you are looking to improve your skills and improve your content, you have come to the right place. We’ve got a few tips to make sure you are making the most of your smartphone camera and therefore your social media marketing efforts.
Lighting is key
Photography is all about light, and shooting on a smartphone is no exception to this obvious factor. Avoid direct and harsh light, particularly when shooting portraits, as it will lead to squinty eyes and harsh shadows. The ‘golden hour’ to shoot is just after sunrise or the brief time with the soft light before sunset, so when possible, take photos during these times.

 

Use symmetry

A good social media feed revolves around the consideration of aesthetics, and there is something so satisfying when viewing a symmetrical image. Take notice of patterns, lines and horizons.

 

Look out for good reflections

Along with symmetry, reflections are pleasing to the eye and simple to capture. An interesting reflection or shadow can be a subject in its own right. Make sure though when you are shooting a horizon or something similar, that it is straight. You can edit this in post-production but it is much easier if you get it right when taking the photo.

Show depth in your photos
Particularly when shooting landscapes, it’s important to show depth in a photo. Watch where your camera is focusing and how dramatically the light can change when altering focus points. You can drag your finger along the exposure tool when tapping the screen to focus if you want to manually control this.

 

Choose strong subjects to shoot
What this is will vary from one person to the next, but when you photograph something you are genuinely interested in, it will show in your work. When choosing what to photograph, if you want impact, and strong subjects, make it something that intrigues you or that you are passionate about. You will find it easier to capture the subject if it is something that interests you, making it easier for the images to resonate with the viewers.

 

Look for unique angles and perspectives

You might think everything has been done before but it is not a question of that, it’s about pursuing photography to find your own style. Find fresh perspectives by trying new and different angles, or taking a few steps in a different direction. Particularly with objects or landscapes that are photographed quite frequently. Before taking the photo, think of a unique way to capture what’s in front of you.

 

Capture close-up detail

Make the most of the improving smartphone camera quality. Whether it is plants, portraits or architecture, get up close and personal and highlight the detail of your subject.

 

Use apps to edit and enhance your photos

Once you have captured your images, it’s time to edit and enhance them. Apps like VSCO (an app filled with tools and filters) and Snapseed (lots of smartphone users swear by this) are great and easy to use. Subtle adjustments work wonders.

 

Now that you have these tips, take your smartphone camera and explore what’s around you. Remember to look for fresh perspectives and shoot what interests you!

 

Keep in mind, however, that while smartphone images are great and very relevant for Instagram and Facebook stories, they should not be solely relied on for professional social media accounts.

 

For more info on professional photography options or how best to manage your social media accounts, get in touch with us at hey@wildandfree.com.au. We can guide you through the tricky realm of social media marketing till you’re your own expert.


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email_marketing_online_header

Posted by & filed under Communications, Content, Digital, Email, Marketing, Uncategorized.

While 2017 has brought an abundance of new ways to connect and communicate with potential customers, email still remains one of the most popular and effective communication tools. Email marketing gives you the chance to personalise your pitch to solve problems specific to different customers.

And in fact, 77% of people prefer to get permission-based promotional messages via email, compared to direct mail, text, phone, or social media. This makes email marketing an amazing way to connect with people. Plus, the beauty of having consumers ‘opt-in’ to receive your content, is that you know they’re already interested in your service, therefore they’re already engaged.

To keep your numbers growing and your readers intrigued, while also generating traffic to your website and social media channels, you need to create educative and inspiring email campaigns. Something that will change your client’s day-to-day life for the better.

Things you need to ask yourself when developing content include:

  • How can you make your clients’ life easier? What problems can you solve for them with your content?
  • What can you teach them?
  • Why should they choose your product or service? What makes it different to your competition?

Email marketing can reveal a lot about which campaigns are working for your business and why. By measuring sign-ups and open and click rates, you can follow what your clients are most interested in, which is a super useful tool.

So, to get you started, here are a few tips on how to make the most out of your email marketing.

Know how to talk to your audience
To do this, you must know who your audience is, define your target audience and compare this with a compiled client/customer list of email marketing sign-ups. Are you talking to the right people? How can you tailor your message to suit their specific needs or fix a certain problem?

Quality over quantity

We’re strong believers of this. You don’t want to overload people with useless information. You also don’t want to say you’ll send fortnightly emails, only to have them land in their inbox daily. Nobody likes a spammer, right? But, consistency is key here. Pick a frequency that you know you can maintain from a content and resource perspective, and stick to it. The goal is to build trust, and eventually, connection and loyalty.

Focus on your core values
Tell your brand story. Your marketing strategy should revolve around branding and the values your company shares. This gives the audience an idea of who you are, what you’re about and makes it easier for clients to build a connection. Maybe they need a reminder of who you are and why they liked you so much to sign up in the first place.

Get Whitelisted
You don’t want to put in all the hard work on creating great campaigns and content, building your email list and distributing them, only to have them land in the spam folder. While most reputable email service providers work hard to make sure that your emails aren’t blocked, the message may still end up in spam. Getting whitelisted is the most effective way to ensure that your emails are reaching your clients.

Your goal is to be added to the recipient’s address book, and you can do this by giving instructions on how to do just that, at the top of your email, especially in the first “thank you for signing up” email.

Call-to-action
Whether it’s a new product or service you’re launching, an event, or a new blog post. For your email marketing to be effective, make sure it has a call-to-action: to RSVP, to be directed to the blog post or to make contact about a new package etc. Whatever it is, you need to offer value to your client list for them to be interested.

You do this through quality emails which may feature a balance of friendly notes, a pitch about a new offer and posts they may have missed on social media channels. Getting this balance right is important, you don’t just want to be selling or talking at your clients. Remember, the whole idea of email marketing is to strengthen connections and build relationships, which will then translate to sales.

Provide valuable resources
Offering value, as we’ve said above, is important. This will vary depending on your industry and business, but it may suit to offer free interactive white papers or eBooks and free downloads, mixed with update lists on product/service updates and new releases.

Email marketing is all about setting expectations and it’s your job to set them. Stay consistent, have strong call-to-action elements, and build trust, connection and loyalty from your client list. Focus on your branding and core values, and how you’re communicating them.

And if you’ve just read this post and feel like you want to know more about email marketing, then do the sensible thing and talk to a professional. You can drop us a line at hey@wildandfree.com.au.

 


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brand_reputation_online_header

Posted by & filed under Communications, Digital, Public Relations, Uncategorized.

There once was a time when businesses would sell their products and services to passive consumers in a dominating top-down model. It’s was a one-way street, where consumers didn’t have much of a voice at all.

The situation has changed drastically.

With thanks to social media, consumers now have a powerful voice and they aren’t afraid to use it. When managing brand reputation, it’s vital to acknowledge this, along with the changing nature of business communications.

Regular interactions and engagement on social networks are needed for brands to succeed, so rather than hating on social networking sites because of bad reviews or negative comments people have left, learn how to respond and solve the problem.

We know though, this can be scary.

Not many of us like confrontation, on or offline. This is why we want to give you the tools to handle negative situations online. From the outset though, it’s important to remember that ultimately, you can’t control everything that’s said about your brand, just look at word of mouth. Try not to get overwhelmed by replying to every mention of your brand, but start by becoming aware.

Commit to consistency

Consistency is crucial to maintaining your brand’s reputation online. With the level of transparency that accompanies the digital world, it’s highly unlikely that you can completely avoid a public mistake. From a negative review to a nasty scandal, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open when a public mistake does occur.

Tell the truth and tell it fast. In time, it will most likely bury itself under the abundance of online content, but in the meantime, you have shown your audience first hand that you are human. During or after a public mistake, it’s more important than ever to maintain a solid online presence. After all, if you delete all your accounts at such a time, all that’s left out there about your brand is bad news.

By being transparent, asking for feedback and addressing criticism publicly rather than hiding it, you’re able to manage the reputation of your brand and build relationships with authenticity and trust.

Be prompt and polite
If a customer takes to Twitter to write a complaint, it’s best to promptly reply on the same social channel with a short apology and acknowledgement of their concern. Something along the lines of, “We are aware of the problem. We are working on it and will get back to you as soon as possible,” rather than a statement with more information a few days later.

Fast response times show that you care about your followers’ concerns, the issues they are raising and are working to resolve it. Make sure you filter through your brand’s personality and tone of voice in the response, which is part of the consistency of your brand voice.

First impressions count

Treat your Google page one as a business card, if there are a bunch of negative phrases associated with your brand, you should be concerned. This is why prompt replies to complaints are important, as you want to address any concerns before they snowball.

You can monitor mentions of your brand with tools such as Google Alerts and Mention. Apart from reasons already mentioned about managing your brand’s reputation, monitoring brand mentions can also bring business, as many people take to Facebook or Twitter to ask questions before using a product or service.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

While media monitoring tools are helpful, sometimes you just can’t do everything yourself.

If your best efforts aren’t enough to manage your brand’s online reputation, there are professionals out there to assist you. It can be a tiring and menial task, that without the proper tools and skills, can result in more harm than good.

If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask someone who knows. Hit us up anytime on hey@wildandfree.com.au

 


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