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!

Gamification

I'm thrilled for the opportunity to speak at the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Convention tomorrow! As part of my presentation on social media and gaming, I will be speaking on the hot topic of gamification. I was fortunate to have a friend and fellow 4-H Association Member loan me a copy of Innovation Games by Luke Hohmann. This is a terrific read with fabulous ideas for gathering real, useable feedback from customers, coworkers, staff, students, etc. Not all game concepts fit all settings, but there are definitely applications for nonprofits and youth organizations.

Take a look at the book, and let me know if you are interested in applying gamification concepts to your organization or group--I'd be happy to help structure your strategy!

QR Codes for Nonprofits and Small Businesses

By now you have probably seen a QR Code or two scattered around random places (there was even one on my Pepto Bismal bottle lid the other day...). You may have even scanned one before (if not, not to worry--they are still catching on and not everyone has experience with these clever little bar codes). If you're new to interacting with these, download a QR Code reader app (my suggestions: QR Droid for Android devices, and QR Reader for iPhone), and give it a shot.

If you're not new to QR Codes, you may be wondering how to make these things work for your organization. I like to encourage non-profits and small businesses to specifically think about incorporating these little marvels. They are free to create and can save a lot in reprinting costs (when placed correctly). The key to QR Codes is that they are for driving mobile traffic. Where do you want visitors to go on their mobile devices?

Here are some ideas:

1. As part of a viral t-shirt campaign, created just for Orange County 4-H, we placed QR Codes on the shirt sleeves. These codes direct visitors to the social media profiles for Orange County 4-H, as well as the main website. It's like an interactive billboard, that's walking down the streets, through the school hallways, and showing up at events.
2. Use QR Codes on brochures and posters, linking to information that has a tendency to change in between printing runs. This also helps cut down on the word clutter, and makes for an opportunity to bring the printed materials to life--link to a video or audio file.
3. Allow preregistration for events and fundraisers by scanning the codes. This can help increase early registrations, and makes it easy and convenient to register.

As always, I'm happy to help your organization create QR Code magic. Scan the code above to email me. :)