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When you manage a brand, you have an image to groom. This is especially true online, where people from all around the world are constantly scrutinizing your brand. What’s more, it takes a very long time to create a positive brand reputation on the Web, but it takes just seconds to ruin it.
What, then, should be monitored to protect your brand’s image and prevent any mishaps? Any posts, feedback, mentions, reviews, testimonials, comments, links and more containing the following should be monitored closely.
Monitoring can be done quite easily by using tools such as RSS
Feeds, Google Analytics/Alerts, Hootsuite, and Twitter Search. If you see any
flags, respond in a timely manner, while being courteous and professional.
Likewise, if you receive positive feedback, show your gratitude- a few words
can go a long way and this will help in spreading a positive online image of
your brand.
Within the next year, new legislation regarding email marketing will come into force in Canada. Bill C-28 is Canada’s anti-spam legislation. As stated in the bill, it will regulate “certain activities that discourage reliance on electronic means of carrying out commercial activities.”
This law doesn’t just apply to marketers in Canada. It applies to all companies distributing commercial emails to, through, and from Canada. Marketers will need to use an ‘opt-in’ policy. Failure to obtain consent from recipients prior to distributing commercial emails can lead to considerable fines and potential class action suits.
This new act attempts to deter spam. According to Industry Canada, spam is “any electronic message sent without the express or implied consent of the recipient(s).” Spam is also used as “the vehicle for the delivery of other online threats such as spyware, phishing and malware.”
In addition, this law prohibits the alteration of transmission data, as well as the installation of a computer program with computer systems and networks without permission.
Employers can be held liable for the actions of their employees if the actions are within the scope of the employers’ authority. Be sure to plan for the upcoming changes now so that you aren’t caught off-guard later. In other words, if you’re sending out commercial email, make sure that it is permission based – and best practices dictate that subscriber lists are double opt-in.
A complete legislative summary of Bill C-28 can be found here.
Achieving great results from a marketing agency has two parts to it. Here is the obvious part: you should hire a company that best fits all of your requirements. The second and often neglected part is being a good client to work with. Without both parts of the equation, the work that comes out won’t reach its full potential. So, keep the following simple tips in mind when hiring an agency’s services.
Adopting these traits will help you get the most out of your
relationship with your agency – and optimum results from
your branding and marketing programs.
Even with
the importance of the web these days, most companies still have a need for
printed materials – whether they are brochures, product sheets, newsletters,
presentation folders, trade-show hand-outs, direct mail, case studies and so
on. Here are our top five tips for developing compelling, sales-oriented
marketing materials.
1.
Define whom you are writing for. Resist the urge to develop content for a variety of
audiences. Appeal to your main audience with content that will lead them to
take action.
2.
Hook them with the headline. The headline is what will initially capture attention
and prompt the reader to read on. Make sure that it is short, concise and
communicates a key benefit.
3.
Use subheads to guide content. Subheads help guide your reader through your document,
separating it into manageable, readable sections. They can also highlight
benefits and keep interest at a peak. Used appropriately, they’re powerful
tools for getting your message across clearly and effectively.
4.
Be sure all your materials have a ‘family look’. Every piece of literature doesn't have to look identical,
but they should all look planned as a compatible unit. Picture all of your
marketing materials laid in front of you on a conference table. Does it all
look like it comes from the same company? It should.
5.
Invest in
good images. Companies
sometimes scrimp on getting good photos of their equipment, job sites, people
and projects. Strong, professional photography will go a long way to reflecting
the quality of your product or service while amateur snapshots can give a poor
impression. Consider professional photography as an investment in your future.
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