How to give your business an online presence on a limited budget.

by Kushinga Kawodza. Posted on February 16, 2016

16 Feb

Ninety-percent percent of customers use the Internet to search for a local business, as per Google. You’ll miss out on this business and much more if you don’t have an online presence.

Don’t let budget constraints keep you away from shining on the web. Learn how to do internet marketing on budget with these basic tips and watch your business grow.

Build a website

Each and every business, irrespective of size and marketing budget, should have a website. Create something basic using WordPress or any other free website builder, but do create one. Your website should have all the relevant information customers need. If relevant, add an online shop—as more than 70 percent of consumers prefer to do retail shopping online.

Create a blog

Good content still rules and is again something you can do yourself. There are three rules you must adhere to: create content that readers would find useful, stick to a feasible content publishing schedule (at the minimum, post one content piece per week), and don’t blow your own trumpet.

Do social media engagement

Approximately 25 million South Africans visit online social media sites per day, and 47% percent of them use social media to know about new services and products. Engaging viewers on social media with help of quality content—that is, content that’s entertaining as well as insightful—is the key to success today. There are many social media platforms, and it is not possible to build a strong presence on each. So focus on those 3-4 platforms that are used by majority of your target audience.

Platinum Corporate Media and Advertising is a specialist service provider of marketing and advertising solutions to meet your business needs. We offer free consultations to better understand your needs and propose effective solutions to meet your objectives.

The power of branding your business.

by Kushinga Kawodza. Posted on February 16, 2016

16 Feb

Branding is a double-edge sword. You do it right, and you create a mighty effective way to connect with your audience. You do it wrong, and people will have a hard time recalling why your business exists in the first place. All said and done, not branding your business because of risks associated with bad branding is akin to buying a car and keeping it in the garage all the time because of the risk of a road accident.
Good Branding is your key to success. Your brand is your business’s face to the world—and much more. It is your company’s name and what it stands for.Utilize the power of branding by keeping the following guidelines in mind when developing your business’s brand:
• Make it brief
Long names may look neat on marquee but are damn hard to remember. Some of the best retail brands use brief names, such as Kohl’s, Chanel, Tiffany’s, or Bloomingdales.
Besides keeping it brief, pick a name that is unique and best summarise your business.
• Be Relatable
Can your business name connect with your target audience? Can the name tell what you do?
Here’s an example to understand how you can pick such a name: A company specializing in collecting data to help retailers better understand consumer behaviour chose the name “BIGresearch”. The name is brief, unique, and most importantly conveys what the company can do for you, the customer.
• Have visual appeal
Your company’s logo should present the desired image and must look visually appealing.
• Be consistent
The number one rule in brand management and marketing is to be consistent. Always use the same font, style, and colour.
Platinum Corporate Media and Advertising is a specialist service provider of marketing and advertising solutions to meet your business needs. We offer free consultations to better understand your needs and propose effective solutions to meet your objectives.

Why choose Below the line adverting over Above the line marketing.

by Kushinga Kawodza. Posted on February 16, 2016

16 Feb

One question many business owners ask is which is better—Below the line advertising (BTL) or above the line (ALT)?

Well, the truth is both are important. However, in certain situations investing more in below the line marketing makes better sense.

What are these situations?

Let’s take a look at them, but not before we understand what these two terms mean.

Below the line (BTL) and Above the line (ATL) Advertising.

ALT advertising involves use of mass media, like TV, print, radio, the Internet, etc., to reach to a wider spread of audience.

It helps you reach out to maximum people, but there’s no personal interaction with customers.

Below the line advertising (BLT) marketing, on the other hand, is more personalized and may involve email campaigns; telemarketing; distribution of pamphlets, brochures, or stickers; and road shows,corporate gifts among other things.

Advantages of Below the Line Marketing

Below the line advertising (BTL) makes more sense when:

You want to connect personally with the customer. Emails and product demos and samplings at public places give you a chance to connect with your customers.
The budget is limited. In comparison to ATL marketing, Below the line advertising (BTL) is significantly less expensive.
You want to physically display the product. Product demos and samplings at public places is a great way to showcase your product, so is using contests and giveaways.
The target audience is niche. As Below the line advertising (BTL) marketing is geared towards establishing a personal connection with customers, it is the ideal choice when you want to run a targeted campaign.
You want to test market a product. Below the line advertising (BTL) allows you to get feedback from your customers in person and better gauge their enthusiasm about your new product or service.