A week or so ago (as I write this), something happened that rocked a huge group of people to their core…Facebook and Instagram went down for around 6 hours. While you can comment about the addictive qualities of social media and our phones (and that’s a blog for another day), I looked at it through the eyes of a marketer. The fact is, many businesses use social media exclusively to market their businesses. Some businesses talked about losing millions of dollars during that 6-hour stretch because everything they did (marketing, selling, and collecting money) all happen through Facebook.
So it begs the question…what happens when Facebook goes away?
What will you do if the largest social media platform stops? How will you market your business or your organization without Facebook? Now before anyone gets on your high horse, this is not a blog designed to bash Facebook, or using the platform to market. From my perspective, an organization would be crazy not to use this resource. You can find us on Facebook here. For all its faults, I still see Facebook as the number one platform to promote just about anything online. But some of us (maybe me included) have become overly reliant on this one platform to meet our needs.
The most obvious and immediate strategy, if this happens, is to move to another social media platform. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what happened that day. Twitter usage took off, as did Linkedin, TikTok, etc. And in talking with other marketing experts about this very situation, that was their first suggestion. As my friend Bill Petrie said, “When Facebook goes away it will likely be because another platform became more important.” That’s a great point. So first step…go to where your clients are hanging out.
While this is good advice (and it is), there are challenges here too. What if Facebook goes away quickly? What if the platform that takes on most of the users is not one you have a following on? You have the audience built on Facebook. The challenge, of course, is that you would need to start over to build your audience again. So if you need to build that audience on another platform at some point, maybe you should begin before you need to.
Takeaway: If your audience can only access you on one platform, you might want to consider building another.
Using Physical Marketing
One of the most powerful things that social media has allowed companies to do is to create a real relationship with their customers. Traditional media was one-sided. But social media allows for conversation. While Facebook is a powerful distribution tool, it does allow for you to hear from your tribe. That is really cool. Now that you have done that work, it’s important to continue to solidify that relationship. One powerful way to do that is by using high-quality branded merchandise. Get your brand in the hands of your advocates and let them help you spread the word.
This is what the best marketers did during the pandemic. When there was no way (other than social media) to reach customers, creative marketers started to send boxes of branded merchandise to their employees and their customers to their homes. This created a connection that did not exist in the “real world” because of our isolation. It’s powerful. So why wait? Start a campaign to get amazing coveted merchandise in the hands of your best customers.
Takeaway: Create a quarterly appreciation program targeted at your Top 20% of customers.
Rented Versus Owned Media
Since the early days of marketing, we have become very comfortable with “rented media.” That is when another entity “owns” the audience and we just rent their attention for a short time. We did this with radio, newspapers, and TV. Those companies owned the audience and we paid for access. As social media proliferated, this relationship became a bit more confusing. As we built our audience on these platforms, we got lulled into thinking that we “owned” the audience. But we don’t. If Facebook decides to change their algorithm, they don’t have to check with us. They own the audience. So does every other social media platform. That became incredibly clear when Facebook and Instagram went down. Boom..”our audience” was gone.
That is why it’s so important to create an audience that is actually our own. How do we do this? The best way is to get your fans to sign up for an email or text list. When a customer opts in to receive messages from you, they are really a part of your audience. You have the right to send them messages when YOU want to. While many marketers ruin this by spamming people with too many offers, many do a great job of providing value and giving great offers that the audience is excited to see. Do that.
But we all know that (thanks to those spammers) most people don’t just go around handing out their email address to everyone. Most of us have been burned by that! So it’s important to create an offer of real value so the audience is excited to hand over their information. Then, it’s equally important to value that audience. The audience you “own” is a true value to your company. We do this. That is why we have created this 5 Day Marketing Course. It’s totally free…and we hope it provides you value. Sign up today and join our VIP list!
Takeaway: Create an offer for your customers to “opt-in” to sign up to get emails (or texts) from you.
Have A Website That Works For You
I have repeatedly heard from new small businesses, “Why do I need a website? I have a Facebook page!” Well, my friends…this is why. If that platform goes away, so does all of your ability to tell your story. In addition, though Facebook is a powerful marketing tool, not everyone is on it. That means that even if they WANT to see your message or learn about your service, they can’t. You need a website.
But you don’t JUST need a website. You need a website that works for you. Many companies have what I call a “brochure website.” That is a great start. But if you want to succeed in a world without Facebook, you need a website that can help people find you. That means a website that Google can find. Have you done a search for your service? Not your name…your service. Are you coming up near the top? If you are not in the first few search results, you are effectively invisible to your potential customers.
In addition, your website is a great place to start providing actual value to your clients. You are the expert in your field. Start acting like it on your website. Write a blog that answers questions. Create a podcast. Start a video series that helps clients. Create content and host it on your site. This builds your credibility in the marketplace. It shows that you are willing to “Give First.”
In addition, it’s the place where you can not only sell your service but also have offers that allow customers to give you their contact information and you can build that audience you own.
Takeaway: Create a website that really tells your story and acts as a business builder for your company.
Put It In Writing
We have all heard prognosticators tell us “Print is dead.” But a funny thing happened when nearly everything shut down during the pandemic. Businesses needed an affordable way to tell their story and promote their business. So they turned to print and direct mail. Social media is a great way to promote your organization. But I don’t recommend abandoning all other forms of marketing. If Facebook goes away, you will still need to tell your story…and do it affordably. That is when you might want to turn to print.
And here’s the thing, with many of your competitors moving away from print, it might be a great time to get valuable attention in that same place.
Takeaway: Don’t forget about print to tell your story…today and in the future.
So what can you do if Facebook and Instagram go away? How will your organization tell your story? These are just a few ways you can still stand out. And if they work then…it might be time to start implementing these strategies right now.
I spent last week at a conference with leaders from around the branded merchandise space. And while we had exciting conversations around marketing, hiring, and sales, there was one major theme that resonated with everyone.
That one issue that has us all up at night? Supply chain.
It’s a challenge, my friends…and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
At Hasseman Marketing, we work hard to be your partner in your marketing and branded merchandise needs. With that in mind, I feel that we owe you two things as a partner. First, we need to be willing to share the good news AND the bad news so that you can be informed. And second, we need to help offer up solutions. That is what I want to do today. I want to let you know that the supply chain issues are real…and to give you ideas on how to deal with them and still provide your team with great branded merchandise.
That is why we have created the “In Stock and Ready To Rock” branded merchandise shop.
The idea behind the “In Stock and Ready to Rock” shop is simple. We have partnered with some great suppliers to find out what items they currently have deep inventory in. It’s important to note that these numbers are changing daily. So we will be monitoring numbers and updating these each week. This does not guarantee stock in any of these items. Based on conversations we had last week, I don’t think anyone could do that. But we think it does give us a fighting chance!
It’s going to be a rocky 6 months (or more) on this front, but here are a few pieces of advice when ordering during this 4th quarter.
Patience is a Virtue
Each supplier we talked with shared stories of being cursed out about inventory problems. One actually received a death threat. Seriously…over shirts! During these times, this is a simple reminder that we are all doing the best we can. We promise to work hard to help you meet your branded merchandise needs. But please be patient with us when we run into snags. We will work through it together.
Have More Than One Option
We highly recommend having more than one option in play when it comes to your year-end gifts. Consider having two or three good options that you like…and let us know the order. That way, if we run into a challenge with your “option a” then we can move to “option b” without skipping a beat. Hopefully, we won’t need to do that. But if we know in advance, we have the highest potential for success.
Make Quick Decisions
I know I just told you to have patience with us. But this will be the time for making quick decisions. If you take too long to ponder, the option you want might be gone. This is not a sensationalistic headline. This is just the reality we are facing over the next 6 months.
It is almost time for the Hasseman Marketing Fall Fiesta…and we are fired up to bring back this event! For those that don’t know, we host an annual (except of course last year) in-person event to showcase the best and brightest ideas in marketing…just for you! Essentially, it’s a fun trade show that we put on just for you. There are plenty of reasons to attend (in fact here are 6 reasons), and we want to let you know that we are still on.
3 Updates For The Fall Fiesta
Safety Protocols
As you can imagine, there have been plenty of questions about safety protocols for the event, so here is where we have landed. We will be recommending that guests wear masks. We will not be requiring them. There will be masks and hand sanitizer for those that want them. Since we are recommending masks, the HMC team will most likely be wearing them. I have no intention of being the mask police, but we will be asking everyone to respect one another’s choice. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Reminder Of Hours
Just a reminder, this year’s show hours are 11 am to 3 pm. We have made that adjustment based on supplier and attendee requests. The goal is to make this an action-packed event with lots of ability to interact and learn.
Super SWAG
Every year we are blessed to have some wonderful branded merchandise to share with our events. This year is no different. We have been getting boxes of “marketing joy” for the past month and we are excited to share these with you. We will be packing bags this coming week in order to get ready. If you registered early, there will even be an extra goodie in the bag as well.
Didn’t register early? It’s okay! We will have plenty of good swag for you. You are still welcome to join us!
Once again, the event is Thursday, October 14th from 11 am to 3 pm at Lake Park Pavilion in Coshocton County. We hope to see you there!
Stop me if you have heard this before. “I went to buy something (anything), and it was ‘out of stock’, ‘back-ordered,’ or ‘more expensive.'” Yeah…us too. The fact is, we are living through a trying time in our economy where supply chain issues and labor challenges are affecting nearly every sector. And the marketing and branding sector is no different. We have been talking about this since early this year.
While you can still get some amazing branded items for your organization, it’s more important than ever that you plan ahead. That is why at Hasseman Marketing, we are making a fairly bold recommendation. It’s July as I write this…but it’s not too early.
You should start thinking about your 4th quarter gifts now.
Don’t get me wrong. This is not some crazy upsell. I am not suggesting you should buy more than normal. No one is trying to trick you. But in case you haven’t noticed, the past 18 months have been a bit different. If you are planning to do year-end gifts this year, you need to get the ball rolling.
Here are two quick tips on buying 4th quarter gifts in 2021.
Order Way Early
If we have said it once, we have said it 20 times…plan way early this year. If you normally plan to order items 4 weeks in advance, plan 12. Seriously. Can you get things faster than that? Yes…sometimes. But more often than not, we are seeing clients have to scramble to get items in time…or not get them at all. That adds a ton of stress to you and your organization. If you know an event is coming, do yourself a favor and order early. Update: We have created this shop based on items with deep inventory. Check it out.
Select More Than One Option
As you are going through your ideas for branded merchandise, we recommend you have a plan A, B, and C! Yes we will work to check stock in advance, but things are changing quickly. One day an item may have “plenty” of stock, but then a big order comes in and it disappears. While you are doing the research, just pick a few backup options that are in the same price range. This will keep you from having to start over if you run into challenges.
There are plenty of things we cannot control in today’s economy. So many things seem to be in flux. That’s why it’s so important to control what we can. And while it might seem crazy to think about ordering year-end gifts now, we can assure you it’s not. If you want to discuss your year-end options, please contact your Hasseman Marketing Account Executive. If you don’t have one, click here to set up a time to chat with one!
It has been a long 18 months of zoom calls, online interviews, and isolation. But now the time has come where in-person events are on the rise again! Most of us are very excited for these events to be back and we have a couple of helpful hints on preparing for these larger in-person events, once again.
1. Wash Your Hands
We might be mostly past the virus (hopefully), but it always good to make washing your hands a routine no matter what! We hope this is one of the habits we can hang onto moving into the future!
2. Check Your Display Inventory
It’s been a full year and a half since most of us have looked at our organization’s display, or even thought about needing them! Well, we are here to tell you, this is the time!
If your backdrops, table covers, and marketing materials have been in storage over that time, a lot of things can happen. You might have a new logo. The company might have updated its messaging. We’ve heard stories of mice getting into boxes and chewing holes backdrops. That is not what we call #marketingjoy! And you don’t want to learn that the day before the event. So, now is the perfect time to check inventory for event display items, or whatever other items you may need.
If you open them up and realized it’s time for a refresh…we got you. We have listed several different displays and options that will help you promote your brand at the next in-person event.
Why? The GeoMetric Display gives you the flexibility to create specific campaigns for your desired audience. Use each panel to tell your story through the combination of pictures, graphics, or text. It’s easy to change the panels allowing you to purchase additional panels for new products, services, or info.
Why? Unlimited design options from simple & clean on one side to intricate graphics on the other side. Also, you can create a great backdrop for photo opportunities.
Why? One less detail to worry about. You don’t have to stress about whether you have a 6-foot table or an 8-foot setup…you have both covered! It also looks classy, is durable, and easy to take care of.
Why? Capture brand awareness or communicate info from on-site events to use back in your office lobby. Easy to break down and set up. Foundation piece for any marketing campaign.
Why? We have been trained over the last year to go “stand on the mark”. Use this as a focal point inside an (open) display or help direct foot traffic your way. This is also a great place to market to those looking down at their phone!
Why? Not a necessity, but a professional and better-organized option than fanned out over a tabletop. Set up as help yourself or use as a tool in your presentation to reinforce the message. Like the retractor, displays can also be used in office lobbies.
So much has changed over the past year. We get that. But now that in-person events are making a comeback, you still want your brand to look sharp and professional. These display options will help ensure your organization is ready to rock when you get to see your customers face to face!
If you like any of these ideas, and/or have other ideas, please contact us at 740-622-7429 or at hassemanmarketing.com and we will be happy to help! And, to never miss another one of these (hopefully) helpful articles, sign up here!
