Marketing and Branding-The Face of Your Business-Make It One Your Customers Remember

Marketing and branding are key essentials of every successful business. Marketing is the FACE of your business and your brand imaging is the how the market sees you. However, the whole idea of identifying and brand and then marketing it can be daunting and mistakes are costly. Your Brand is more than your company it is YOU. It is your picture to the world. How do you want your market to see you?

How DO you stand out in a crowded marketplace? The rules of marketing have changed. The small business owner is besieged with a vast array of marketing strategies. So many choices can lead to paralysis or even worse choosing the wrong marketing strategy.

In today’s world everyone can have a website. Having a website does not mean it is a profitable website. Think about your reactions to the marketing strategies of other businesses. Why do you go back to certain websites? Why are they on your Favorites list? In today’s business environment email is the standard form of written communication. Why do you open some emails and automatically delete others. Are there emails that you open first? You go to that particular website or open that email because they have offered you some type of value-maybe a product/service or useful information. You have learned to trust that business, that brand. It is all about branding. The truth is you go back to websites that you trust. The brand name tells you that going to that particular website is worth your time. The brand represents the value you expect.

It is the same reason we stay loyal to doctors, we trust them with the lives of loved ones and ourselves. We trust our doctor has the ability to not only interpret symptoms, but determine the proper treatment. Think about other words used for TRUST, such as faith, belief, hope, confidence, reliance, dependence. MARKETING is the PROMISE of a service or product, the BRAND represents the ACTUAL DELIVERY of that product or service as PROMISED. As a business owner, what are you doing to establish that TRUST FACTOR with your clients/customers through your marketing and brand awareness. Proactive marketing and branding can help you establish the positive name recognition necessary to compete.

Discover what you need to know to design a strategic marketing model that creates a memorable branding approach. Even if you outsource your marketing and branding implementation, you must be able to articulate the essence of your company’s value. Then you must ask the RIGHT questions to make sure you hire the right people to tell your company’s story and build your business.

Creating the Face of Your Business through Marketing and Branding (2 sessions)

Marketing is a risky business. If it works, it is great; if it does not, it is usually is an expensive mistake. However, without effective marketing is it is difficult, if not impossible to reach the sales necessary to sustain and grow the business. Just like it is vital for us to receive the correct medical treatment, as business owners it is critical for us to choose the marketing strategy that will best service our particular business needs.

The good news is that in today's market, the Small Business Owner or Entrepreneur can market effectively without a lot of money. However, the business owner must take the time to figure out their target market(s) and the best way to reach that particular group.

Creating a brand is not just a trip to a graphic designer. Your brand is actually the sum total of your customers’ experiences and beliefs. A successful brand represents a company that understands the needs and wants of their clients.

A winning marketing and branding strategy takes research, planning and a defined implementation tactic. This workshop is divided into 2 three-hour sessions-one week apart.

Program Objectives:
1. Understand the Power of the Right Message
2. The Ongoing Cost of the Wrong Message
3. Dealing with an Ever-changing Market
4. Who is Your Target Market and How Do You Reach Them?
5. Identify Your Competition
6. Tying into the Emotional Side of Buying
7. Branding-Is It Necessary?
8. Marketing that Answers the Most Important Question "Why Should I BUY from YOU?"

Training Session Time
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. -First Training Session
9:00 – 12:30 p.m.-Second Training Session

Cost
$159.00 Covers the Cost for Both Sessions

Training Dates
Check out the ERMA Training Calendar for Upcoming Dates

Give Your Business a Vitamin Boost-Discover the Power of Virtual and Viral Marketing

If customers do not know about you, it is impossible for them to buy from you. Most sales are not the result of luck. Consistent sales do not come without a marketing strategy. However, until recently creating and implementing a comprehensive marketing program was both complicated and expensive. Innovative and new marketing information, software, etc. are now available to the Little Guys, as well as the Big Guys.

A Small Business Owner is capable of reaching a huge market through the Internet. As technology continues to improve, the small guys can compete with the big guys. Learn what technology is available to you to increase your visibility to your target market. Discover the power of audio-video, animation, embedded surveys, hyperlinks and back links to drive visitors to your site and phone calls to your office.

Take the opportunity to work with a Marketing Expert who specializes in helping Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs and learn how to find the right marketing strategies for your particular business and implement them quickly. Bring in all of your marketing questions and get answers. A Volunteer Participant's business will be highlighted to produce a marketing plan.

Workshop Objectives
• Learn How Increase the Footprint of Your Business
• Harness the Power of the Internet
• Discover New Ways to Reach Your Market
• Provide Opportunity to talk with a Marketing Expert

Training Session Time
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon –

Training Session Facilitator:
Mike Saunders, Marketing Huddle, LLC

Cost
$99.00

Training Dates
Check out the ERMA Training Calendar for Upcoming Dates

Judge Your Website Viability? Pretty Does Not Equal Productive and Functional

In today's world, a website is essential for most businesses. Today's consumers often go to a website before any transacting any business opportunity or transaction. Your website is your "first impression" to a consumer. Statistics say you only have 5 seconds to make that a positive impression. Even if you have a retail “brick and mortar” store, your website is your other store. However, just having a website is not enough. The single most important goal of your website is: revenue.

However, is it designed to actually make that happen? Does it draw customers to you? Does it help you maintain your customer base? Is it easy to read and use? Does it provide a high conversion rate? Does it follow Google and other search engine rules? Are you using the right keywords in order for customers to easily find you? How long do people stay on website?

Learn how to grade your website and track its return on investment (ROI). Even small positive changes on your website can make a big difference in your readership and in turn, revenue.

Program Objectives:
1. Learn all of the key components of a great website.
2. Discover the search words that bring consumer to you not your competitor.
3. Learn what tracking systems tell you.
4. Discover how to assess your website’s performance and tips to improve it.

Training Session Time
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon – Training Session
Or
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Training Session Cost
$99.00

Training Dates
Check out the ERMA Training Calendar for Upcoming Dates

Facilitator:
Christen Roberts, Lockbox Marketing, LLC, and Partner

NOTE: ERMA Institute™ has business coaches available if private sessions are wanted. ERMA Institute offers INDIVIDUAL MARKETING/BRANDING COACHING at an additional cost. Call 303.945.2014 for more information.