Advertising

Mari Smith to share her Facebook ‘pot of glue’ Wednesday

6/28/2011 By Joan Leave a Comment

Why is it that some people have so much trouble generating interest in their Facebook pages? Yet other people, like Mari Smith, one of the world’s foremost experts on Facebook, seem to have a big pot of glue that they slather onto their pages and capture whoever happens to stop by?

Mari’s glue is in the form of interesting videos, status updates that tip off fans to other people’s how-to articles about Facebook and Internet marketing, and compelling polls and surveys.

She promotes other people’s webinars, teleseminars and products that she thinks her fans will find valuable. And she sparks lively discussions that make readers stick like glue to the page and, often, participate.

Mari does something else that keeps those fans coming back for more—and this is the page’s real value.

Almost every day, she answers people’s questions about Facebook and a variety of other topics. Sometimes the same questions keep popping up. And she keeps giving the answers.

She travels the world, speaking at conferences and working with corporate clients. When she’s away, she recruits someone else to answer questions for her.

Need to contact Facebook about a knotty problem? Mari leads readers her directory of more than 120 forms for contacting Facebook.

Confused about the best webinar service to use for your own webinars? Or other products and services? She shares her recommendations for vendors, and explains why.

And what about those unlucky souls who appeal to her when they try to log onto their Facebook pages, but the pages seem to have vanished into thin air? She has linked, many times, to the blog post I wrote on 5 things to do if your Facebook fan page disappears.

Befuddled by all those Facebook apps and how to use them? Mari is standing by, ready to help.

Is it any wonder she has amassed more than 43,000 fans?

That’s why I’ve invited her to be my guest guest on a webinar at 4 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, June 29, on The Best Ways to Attract Facebook Fans, Provide Sterling Content and Keep Them Coming Back for More (Just Like the Celebrities Do).

If the time is inconvenient for you, register anyway, because you’ll get the link to the video replay within 48 hours.

She will discuss a wide variety of topics, including the value of a Welcome page, when to use Facebook ads, how to use email to generate Likes, tagging, autographing and more.

I’ve asked her to address the topic of Facebook contests and the rules that govern what you can and cannot do.

Join us! Register here, and bring your questions.

Filed Under: Advertising, Business Promotion, Facebook, Social media marketing Tagged With: autographing, Facebook, facebook contests, facebook fans, facebook pages, mari smith, tagging

Do you buy ads? Offer a testimonial for free publicity

6/16/2011 By Joan 1 Comment

I’m all about generating free publicity, so you don’t have to pay for ads.

But if you buy ads, here’s a little trick that may very well give you more space—this time for free—in newspapers and magazines, and even online.

Offer a testimonial on the power of the ad—how it generated more customers, phone calls, orders or whatever. Several people I know have been featured in full-page testimonials in daily newspapers, magazines and business journals.

Here’s one I saw this week.

On Page C6 of Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal, Christa Carone, corporate vice president and chief marketing officer for the Xerox Corp., was featured in a full-page ad touting how a partnership with The Wall Street Journal helps Xerox attract corporate customers who are “Ready for Real Business.”

“Ready for Real Business” was the name of the expensive ad campaign Xerox launched in September last year. It focused on the company’s relationships with clients like Procter & Gamble Co., Target Corp., Ducati, the New York Mets, the University of Notre Dame and Marriott International Inc. All allowed their brand names to be used in the campaign.

Results of WSJ Ad

Here’s part of Carone’s testimonial:

“When we launched our ‘Ready for Real Business’ campaign, we did it in a big way in The Wall Street Journal, and with high-impact front-page units in The Wall Street Journal Digital Network.

“In print and online, the Journal allows us to engage decision-makers in relevant Xerox case studies. When these readers click through to our RealBuisness.com website, they are already attuned to our content and ready to take action.

“It’s the right audience. The most relevant content. And it gets results.”

Display and Classfieid Ads

I’m guessing that the WSJ ad rep for the Xerox account asked to feature Carone in the display ad testimonial . But newspapers don’t always follow up like that.

Remember this the next time you buy an ad and it generates great results. That includes classifieds, which have been desimated by Craigslist. Newspapers will be more than eager to let you tell the world that it was money well-spent.

Also see:

Offering testimonials can pay publicity dividends for years

Special Report #48: Smart Tips for Free, Cheap and More Effective Ads

Filed Under: Advertising, Magazine Publicity, Newspaper Publicity Tagged With: christa carone, Craigslist, Ducati, Procter & Gamble Co., Target Corp., testimonials, the New York Mets, university of notre dame, wall street journal, xerox

Nonprofits: Patch.com offers volunteers, free ad space

6/3/2011 By Joan Leave a Comment

Don’t view Patch.com only as a news-gathering website for hyer-local news.

Last month, when I shared 6 tips for pitching Patch, I didn’t know that nonprofits, community groups and anyone dedicated to a worthy cause can apply for free advertising space and volunteers that come directly from Patch’s staff.

It’s called the Give 5 program and here’s how it works.

Patch gives 5 percent of its advertising space, free of charge, to local charities from the communities it serves. All Patch employees spend five working days each year volunteering in their communities.

For example:

Patch volunteers tutored children in need in downtown Los Angeles.
In Norton, MA, volunteers helped herd runners and feed them snacks during the New Balance Reach the Beach Relay.
In Fairlawn-Bath, Ohio, editor Kymberli Hagelberg wrote about her volunteer stint at Stewart’s Caring Place in Fairlawn, a non-profit organization that provides free wellness services people who have been touched by cancer. Other editors do, too, and that means extra publicity for the organization that’s lucky enough to get a Patch volunteer.

Two paws up—way up—for Patch’s Give 5 program which gets journalists into the community and gives back.

Email them to see if you qualify.

Update on Aug. 16, 2011: Patch now has websites in Iowa, North Carolina and New Hampshire. It’s also starting a new series called “Dispatches: The Changing American Dream.” Read about it here.

Filed Under: Advertising, Nonprofits Tagged With: give 5, new balance reach the beach relay, patch.com

LinkedIn Company Pages: Your giant business billboard

5/17/2011 By Joan 3 Comments

Cardinal Rule #1 in the world of social media: Don’t promote.

Except, that is, if you’re on LinkedIn.

The world’s largest business networking site has an often overlooked feature that serves as a giant billboard for your business, where you can spotlight all the products and services you can’t promote elsewhere.

It’s called Company Pages.

They’re a company’s profile of record on LinkedIn, and a powerful way to speak to millions of professionals through word-of-mouth recommendations and trusted testimonials.

How to Use Company Pages

For LinkedIn members, Company Pages are a great way to research companies you’re interested in, follow them to stay updated, see what kinds of people work there, and even review the products and services you use.

For companies, Company Pages give you a chance to show the human side of your company, feature the people behind your brand, highlight how members use your products, and bring your brand to life.

You can post product photos, descriptions and links to product pages at your websites. You can post targeted job ads, recruitment videos and more.

Here’s the best part. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you pay nothing for this giant billboard.

Where to Learn More on May 19

LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth will show you some really creative ways to use Company Pages when he’s my guest during a webinar Thursday on Your LinkedIn Power Formula Part 2: Advanced Strategies for Writing a Killer Profile, Cashing in on Groups and Creating Company Pages.

One lucky person who registers will receive a free, private 20-minute LinkedIn consultation with Wayne after the call. He can show you how to rewrite your LinkedIn profile, give you ideas for your own Company pages, and offer suggestions on the best ways for you to use LinkedIn Groups.

This webinar will sell out fast, so grab your seat now. Register here.

Filed Under: Advertising, Business Promotion, LinkedIn, Photos & Graphics Tagged With: business promotion, company pages, LinkedIn, online promotion, Wayne Breitbarth

Girls: You could be the next Milk Mustache star

3/6/2011 By Joan 2 Comments

Actress Julianne Hough is teaming up with the national “got milk?” campaign and Seventeen magazine to find nine girls throughout the United States to become the next Milk Mustache stars.

The “Power of 9″ campaign emphasizes the power of milk’s nine essential nutrients and encourages girls to celebrate the power of looking and feeling their best, which can inspire confidence and help girls reach their goals.

The campaign is looking for girls who “are not afraid to speak up; who are confident; respected, quirky and smart; and know that lowfat milk is an important ingredient for a well-balanced life. ”

Watch the video:

How to Enter

Teens can log onto the site and submit a short video that shows who they are, what inspires them, and why milk is an important ingredient in their lives. The website also includes Hough’s tips for making a winning entry, plus other sample submissions from teens.

Hough and a panel of judges will choose the top entries, and teens across the U.S. will have a chance to vote on their favorite nine.

Winners will be flown to Los Angeles where they’ll meet their fellow winners before posing together for a Milk Mustache ad, to be featured as a special two-page spread in the pages of Seventeen magazine this fall. They will also be able to write at the Power of 9 blog on Seventeen.com.

This is a terrific opportunity for any girl who wants publicity.

My Ideas on How to Use This Contest

PR people, your clients’ daughters might want to know about this.
Nonprofits, if your cause or issue ties into the topic of healthy eating, or girls, this contest is a natural for you.
Schools, let your students know.
Girls Scouts, 4-H and Campfire Girls, tell your members.
If you blog about these kinds of topics, and your audience would want to know, share this with your readers.
Spread the news on Twitter and Facebook.

Drink up! And start shooting.