Wow, the 50th edition of my newsletter - a big thanks to all of you who have been reading it for the past four years. The feedback I receive is amazing and proves to me that over and over again RELATIONSHIP marketing is where it's at.
 Speaking of old fashioned marketing values, you won't want to miss my "Old vs. New" article in the 2011 Meringue3.14 Trend Report. Click here to download your free edition which includes my predictions on what's hot and what's not for marketing, printing, color and more.
And speaking of trends, it's looking like social media is here to stay so you better embrace it. I know, I know, you've got no time (and be honest, very little interest) in signing up for a class, webinar, seminar, college course... so click here to skip to my article that will help you get your feet wet with practical advice and step by step directions for getting started.
As always, I welcome your feedback and would love to connect with you one on one if you're feeling inspired for 2011. Or maybe you need a kick in the pants to get out of a January slump - now's the time! Drop me a line, my inbox is always open.
Amy Perzan Merrill
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To tweet or not to tweet?
The million dollar question these days is not whether or not social media is a must have tool for your business, but rather, how does one apply it to their business? Most small business owners are already taxed for time and don't have the budget for a social media expert so how can they begin to compete in such a hyped up market place? The following are some tips and suggestions for practical ways to get in the game. Don't worry about hitting a home run today or even this year, just work on getting to first base (just like in high school, you gotta start somewhere!) and the rest will happen naturally. 1. Sign up - it's easy. Follow these links and get yourself setup with the top three. 2. Note your account URL's. All you have to do is copy and paste the url that appears in the browser when you are on your Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn page. If you have a website or newsletter, add in the links. Better yet, have a designer do it for you so the icons will appear.
3. Pay attention to how OTHER people are using social media and be creative in thinking about how the same approach could/would/should work for your business. For example, when my power went out the other day I was able to use my BlackBerry to find out from a friend on Facebook that the outage was effecting my whole area. She had already phoned in and found out it would be restored in 30 minutes or less. This is example of how I used social media to gain information (you can use it as a resource in your business too!); it is ALSO an example of how the power company COULD BE using social media to it's advantage. Rather than having people call in (remember, the outage effected my internet access) they could have "tweeted" or notified via Facebook and many of their customers would have received the info on their mobile device. Of course I realize that not all of us have a business like the power company, but it makes you think - what kind of important, timely info could your business deliver that would save your clients time or money?
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Amy Perzan Merrill is a graphic designer in Calgary, Alberta. Her company, Meringue 3.14, specializes in creative branding and cost-effective print solutions for small business. For more great tips on how you can turn your material into powerful marketing and communication tools, subscribe to "Designer", Amy's monthly ezine.
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Throwing the Baby Out with the Bath Water
by Brenda Mahoney www.criticaledgemarketing.com
One of the most costly mistakes most small business owners make when it comes to marketing is starting from scratch every year. Whether you have a written plan or you're flying by the seat of your pants (not the best approach); chances are some of the things you are doing are working while others are not. If you start from scratch, you run the risk of throwing the good out with the bad.
One of the things that we reviewed, revised and re-implemented for 2011 was our Marketing Jolt. We get positive feedback on this every week so we knew it was worth keeping but how could we make it even better. We've decided to do the Marketing Jolt as a video instead of text.
What can you do to make something good great? Implement a simple three-step process known as the Three Rs of Smart Marketing.
1. Review
List all the activities, campaigns, materials, strategic partnerships and so forth that you used to market your business. Make a note of the results for each activity. Now make three columns - what worked, what did not, and what results were not clear.
2. Revise
Review every item on all three lists. Can you make it work or work better? Brainstorming with clients and other business owners is a very effective way to get a new perspective and new ideas. Short list what suits your business and resources.
3. Re-implement
Planning is only half the equation. There can be no success without taking action. Create and commit to a marketing plan, budget and calendar based on your new marketing list.
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