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6 Marketing Questions to Ask Yourself:

October 14, 2014 Advertising / Business / Communication / Design / ecommerce / Marketing / Non-Profit / Online Marketing / Print Advertising / Public Relations / Social Media / Technology / USP / Web / Websites
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What are you saying? After branding, a user-friendly interactive website is likely one of the most important tools that you need for your business or organization. Your online messages including Social Media postings, along with cohesive marketing collateral, make a big difference for increasing your business. To help you get started in the thought process, here are 6 Marketing Questions you should ask yourself:

1. If I’ve never heard of my business, is it absolutely clear ‘WHAT IT IS?’ that I do?
2. Do my messages immediately identify the ‘WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?’ question?
3. Am I consistent in my branding across ALL print, logo, tagline, ad, POP item, website and Social Media?
4. Do I have a UNIQUE printed piece that I could give to my clients that encourage repeat business?
5. Does everything I do include my website ADDRESS?

6. Most important of all? Do I tell people what it is that I want them to do? Everything needs a CTA (Call to Action) Read about CTA’s here >

A special thank you!

We thought we would take a moment to show our appreciation to you, our clients. To us, it’s all about relationships. Thank you for including Engine Communications in your marketing success.

Here’s to a great Fall season! Need Help? We’re here for you. Let’s Chat!

~ Your Engine Communications Team

 

Want the Best Website?

August 26, 2014 Advertising / Business / Communication / ecommerce / Marketing / Online Marketing / Public Relations / Social Media / Technology / Web / Websites
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Start With the Answer!

It’s not about you. People are so busy today, they’re either surfing the net or have landed on your #website via #Search Engines or connection recommendations because they’re looking for answers to their questions or problems.

It may be to learn, for entertainment, to connect, to increase their business or to find help for themselves, family or friends, but basically they’re looking for answers. They’re looking for content that provides VALUE, solving their needs, essentially answering the question:

‘What’s in it for me?’
People are too busy today, have too many choices and things to do. You have 3-5 seconds for users to decide if they are in fact on the right website, the best solution that answers their quest. So, your site better give them what they want, NOW.

Who Are They?
When you start with the answer, make sure you’re addressing the right people. No matter how big or small your business or organization is, the truth of the matter is that you are ‘speaking’ with ONE person when they’re on your website. It’s just one person and their computer or other electronic device.

That one person may indeed be and likely is, part of a larger group, whether it’s business or personal connections. The one thing you can be sure of, is, when you’ve answered their questions properly, they will let others know.

Who might they be?
This is where you must know the answer to ‘Who is my target market and demographic anyway?’.  Knowing who you’re ‘talking to’, helps you to make sure you answer the right questions, for the right people.

How?
Content, design, navigation and functionality. A website strategist plans what your website will DO for users, long before the pretty colours and pictures are in place.

When we know what your website will DO for people, the answers come, in turn, answering the ‘What’s in it for me? question. This in then translated into the website structure for navigation, functionality and ultimately, the look and feel of the design.

Yikes!

One of the biggest mistakes made on websites is the failure to tell people what you want them to do with the information that you are providing. Tell them with  ‘Call to Action’ text, images, navigation and buttons.

Think About It
Here’s some questions to help you to get started with the answers:

1. What makes me so great?
This is where you turn your features and benefits into the answer to their problems. What’s your USP (unique selling point)?

2. What are my readers really looking for?
Solve their problems. Know your target market, learn their needs and give them what they want.

3. What action do I want users to take?
Do you want them to sign up, buy now, read on, learn more, contact someone, share with friends or comment? Tell them!

4. Do they need the whole enchilada?
You’ve heard the saying less is more? Way to often, websites have so much text, content, generally speaking, that it actually drives people away from websites. How much ‘So, who cares?’ info do you have on your site?

Grab users with content that matters to them. Show them you ARE the answer. You will be rewarded in spades.
Discover Engine Communications online and offline marketing solutions here. 

Are Your Staff Marketing for the Competition?

July 8, 2014 Advertising / Branding / Business / Communication / Marketing / Public Relations
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Sometimes it really doesn’t matter what you do when it comes to advertising and marketing if your front-line staff aren’t clued into how important they are to your business.

Today’s point of interest:

So, hankering for a burger, I drive up to a popular fast food window.

Me: ‘I’ll have a burger with everything except pickles and tomatoes’
Girl: ‘Do you want cheese on that?’
Me: ‘Oh, no thank-you’

I drive up to pay.

Window opens.

Girl talking to fellow employee: ‘I think I’ll go to McDonalds.’

I’m not at McDonalds.

Girl to me: ‘Debit?’
Me: ‘Yes’

Passes me machine.

Fellow Employee: ‘I had their new chicken sandwich’
Girl talking to fellow employee: ‘Oh ya? Is it better than ours?’
Me: Trying to hear answer. Missed it. Lol
Fellow Employee: ‘It’s that new one. Really good!’

Girl to me: ‘Here’s your drink’
Girl talking to fellow employee: ‘I think I’ll go get fries and nuggets’
Girl to me: ‘Thanks’ (hands me my burger)

I drive away, shaking my head. Open my burger with 2 slices of cheese on it. Eat it anyway cuz I was starving.

Will I go back? Yes, I like the burgers, but seriously? Who’s minding the store??

Do you include the importance of customer service, being ‘present’ and share your marketing messages in your staff training?

These are the types of things that we investigate when we’re working on #Marketing Strategies for our clients.
It’s about looking at the Big Picture. Ask us how we can help your business or organization.

~ Laura Brasseur
Marketing Director p: 613.771.0090 tf:1.855.571.0090

Don’t waste your money!

November 12, 2013 Advertising / Branding / Design / Marketing / Online Marketing / Public Relations / Web
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Fabulous design means nothing without a Marketing & Messaging Strategy. It’s about increasing sales, awareness and growth. Anything else is just a waste of Your Money.

See how & check out Engine’s latest marketing projects.

More »

How can I increase my open rate on enewsletters?

November 6, 2013 Advertising / Branding / Business / Communication / Design / Marketing / Online Marketing / Public Relations / Web
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There are a ton of elements you can vary to try to entice more of your subscribers to open up your emails. Here are just a few things you could try:

  • Experiment with your subject lines: Try including details about the content of the email right in the subject line, instead of using your standard subject.
  • Send on a different day: Are your subscribers too busy on a Wednesday morning to read your email, leaving it languishing down the inbox? Maybe a Tuesday afternoon email would be welcomed.
  • Get the important content up the top: Remember that many people will see a preview of your email before deciding to open it or ignore it. Make sure your email is recognizable, and that your key points are in the top third.

Get custom designed enews templates and systems from Engine Communications > http://enginecommunications.com/what-we-do/websites

Win an iPad Mini!

January 22, 2013 Advertising / Branding / Communication / Marketing / Non-Profit / Online Marketing / Public Relations / Social Media
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Hi – would you mind filling out this 2 min survey for us?

We’re working on a marketing research and strategy project to improve Mental Health & Addictions Services in the Quinte, Prince Edward County, Hastings County including Bancroft regions. Psst you can win an iPad Mini!
 

Fill Out the Online Survey here>

Thanks so much!

Another Marketing Strategy Project by www.enginecommunications.com

 

 

 

Engine Communications Knows Schools

November 1, 2012 Advertising / Communication / Design / Marketing / Online Marketing / Print Advertising / Public Relations / School Marketing / Social Media / Uncategorized / Web / Websites
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It’s a numbers game these days. Let us help you get your numbers up with fresh, new and exciting marketing tools to help your school get noticed!

See our newsletter for schools.

Your Project?

March 21, 2012 Design / Marketing / Public Relations / Social Media / Web
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Only Engine Has the 7 Point Rule

We have a rule here at Engine Communications when we tackle projects. We really take our time to consider every aspect of your business or organization from a sales and marketing point of view. To make sure the magic really happens, we’ve created and follow 7 rules for every single client and every single task.

Size doesn’t matter!

Small business, large organization and everything in-between, we follow the 7 point rule. A tagline, ad copy, poster, website, multi-media or an entire campaign, the size of the project doesn’t matter. We follow our 7 point rule.

Rules. ONLY at ENGINE:

  1. Listen and understand the client’s needs.
  2. Learn about the products and/or services.
  3. Find out past and current marketing initiatives.
  4. Research competition and trends. Locally and Internationally.
  5. Be unique. Find the USP (unique selling point)
  6. Cross-connect online and offline projects.
  7. Always power the brand, empowering the client’s goals.

WHY?

Because to us, it’s about relationships and we care about your success. Your job is challenging enough. We’re here to make your life easier.

7 Rules ~ Only at Engine Communications.

April showers bring PR Disasters?

May 12, 2011 Marketing / Public Relations / Social Media / Web
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Spring is a time of birth, renewal and PR crises it seems. Sony, Facebook, and a NHL player, agents and broadcaster are in the midst of protecting their image.

First up: Sony Debacle (here too)
Sony has been dealing with hackers stealing their users’ information. Sony has terribly managed the situation. It took them a week to notify their customers of a breach (7 days too late) and two weeks for the CEO to apologize (13 days too late).

Second:
Aside from debacles, a great article on how to use social media within your corporation: Implementing Social Media in Business

Thirdly:
Sean Avery, his agent, and an NHL sportscaster (now fired) get embroiled in the same-sex marriage debate. Twitter can cause controversy quickly, and lose you your job. Always think before you Tweet!

And to round things up:
Facebook pays a PR company to send bad news and reports about Google to bloggers. Too bad the agencies forgot to tell the bloggers that they were working for Google… oops!

Great Campaigns Produce Great Results

April 26, 2011 Advertising / Marketing / Public Relations / Social Media / Television
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As a fan of the Song of Ice and Fire series of books by George R. R. Martin, I have been watching the development and promotion of the new TV series: Game of Thrones, with a keen eye.

HBO’s promotional campaign is great example of a successful integrated marketing campaign. From seizing the throne, to free bicycle throne rides events and then integrating it with a Facebook, blog and Twitter campaign, HBO had a great promotional campaign.

 

They placed giant throne replicas around major cities like New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Then, people got their picture taken which were then posted on Facebook and Twitter as “seizing the throne.”

This strategy is great for many reasons. First, giant thrones in a major public area will create attention and buzz from traditional media and word-of-mouth. Second, posting the pictures on Facebook gets people to spread the word to family and friends which further promotes the new TV show. Third, people will then post and talk about these events occurring (such as this blog!)

These promotions were highly successful judging by the 4.2 million viewers who tuned into the first episode.

Although HBO had a large budget, they used it efficiently. By showing these events across all possible mediums, they used their dollars wisely. Make sure you do the same when planning and promoting your events.

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