What we can learn from Beyonce... is less more?

Beyonce surprised the world with an album release that included none of the traditional marketing efforts. As a marketer, it's an important decision deciding when less is more. Usually, less is not more in terms of marketing. This less is more philosophy works best when a brand already has an engaged audience, strong brand recognition, and deep loyalty. I would not recommend this tactic for a small business, but an established one, looking to revive buzz with the unexpected... definitely a great option! Plus, there's a lot of bang that comes from the publicity following.

Google Analytics

One of the best free resources a marketer can use is Google Analytics. It has it's drawbacks, but for the cost ($0), it's an ideal tool to really drill down and understand how visitors are interacting with the content on the site.

The process to install Google Analytics is fairly simple and straight forward, but can vary depending on the setup of your site. If you need help with this, let me know!

Here's a great slideshow I came across that shares 10 things you need to know about reading the data in your Google Analytics account.

Google Analytics: 10 Game-Changers You Need To Know from Amber Horsburgh

Increasing the Prices Charged

I've had some questions about this recently... "How can I charge more without upsetting my customers?"

This is definitely a legitimate concern. Once consumers get used to a price, they are not thrilled about a price increase. The easiest solution I see, is to create more value at the higher price point. Give them a little bit more, so it's easier to justify paying more.

This works in other situations too... Let's say you are considering offering a Groupon type promotion, but you're not thrilled with discounting your product or service so deeply and giving part of what you do make to Groupon. Create a "VIP package" which has a higher price point, but also gives the customer something extra. It's great if the something extra doesn't cost you a lot... an extra 15 minutes of private lesson time with a topic authority, a free seat in a future seminar/webinar, free downloadable materials offering tips/tricks/how-to tutorials, signed or autographed merchandise or memorabilia... you get the idea. Give them something that is valuable and worth it.

Keep the original priced option, but start to phase it out. You want to train the customers to look for stuff that is more valuable, and choose this on their own, rather than being forced into paying more just because you decided to raise your prices. Happy customers lead to happy businesses!

the QR Code evolves...

We knew it was only a matter of time before the QR Code would evolve into something better. Don't get me wrong... I love QR Codes and the whole concept of driving mobile users online, but sometimes they aren't the right fit. They can look out of place at times, or go unscanned because it's unsure where the user will be taken (the intrique however, can also be a positive, but it really depends on the audience).

There's not a grown up, evolved version of QR Codes. They are called invisible digital watermarks, and they are invisible. Magazines, books, and lots of other publications are using them now. Plus they give a bit more indication about what's on the other side.

At this time, I only know of one company that is doing these, but I'm sure there will be a whole host of others by year's end. Check out DIGIMARC for more info.

Researching Competition... with FREE resources

No matter what your business, you have competition. Non-profits are competing with other non-profits, fighting for volunteers/participants/support. Businesses are competing with other businesses that sell similar products, or alternatives that customers may choose instead.

Even if you are a totally unique business, and there's no one out there that does anything similar, you still have competition. Someone is getting your customers' attention. Maybe they offer a product or service that wasn't intended to fill that specific customer need, but they have found a way to "make it work." Maybe it's something the customer chooses to spend their money on instead because it fits the basic need (this is especially common with restaurants and entertainment--a movie may fit the need of entertainment in lieu of a sold-out concert).

First it is important to determine who you are competing against. Make a list--you might be surprised! Then you can use some simple tools to research your competition's marketing efforts. Since knowledge is power, you'll then be able to boost your own marketing and steal back those customers!

Here are some free tools to research your competition:

• Keyword Density Checker: Research the density of keywords on a website.
• SEMRush.com: Research keywords used in Organic (regular search results) and Inorganic (sponsored ads) Searches, as well as examples of Paid Search Ads (inorganic search).
• Moat.com: Research examples of display ads a brand is running.
• Wildfire App: Compare Facebook pages or Twitter profiles.
• Icerocket or Social Mention: Monitor internet buzz... What are people saying about your brand on social media?
• Mobile Phone Emulator: See how a site looks on a mobile screen. Consumers and web visitors are mobile--is the website compatible for these folks?

Keep tabs on your competitors and those in your industry. It will pay off in the long run!