Smedio Talks Visual Marketing, Plus a Visual Book Review

June 19, 2013 by

We may have been ahead of our time. When we published Visual Marketing, tools like Pinterest and Instagram were fledgling marketing components. Now they’re growing in use, and more people are using the phrase, “visual marketing.” Go us!

Here’s a fantastic, in-depth post by Douglas Idugboe on Smedio that not only quotes our book but also goes in-depth on why visual marketing is so fabulous, and how businesses can use it. He quotes the book where we talk about how well-designed infographics can have a lasting impact. He also points out the benefits of visual marketing:

  • Attract busy people who wouldn’t take the time to read long copy
  • Help people digest large amounts of data
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Drive engagement
  • More traffic
  • More inbound links
  • Increase the time visitors spend on your site [Read more…]
Filed Under: Blog, Reviews Tagged With:

5 Technological Breakthroughs Your Website Redesign Must Have

June 5, 2013 by

Advancement in design and programming technology makes for a perfect storm: Now is the best time to redo your website.

Technology breakthroughs are constant, but design breakthroughs – what’s that all about? Comedian Louis CK does a bit about how your stomach takes 20 minutes to tell your head that it’s full. He says you can stub your toe and your head knows right away how much it hurts, but why does it take 20 minutes for your stomach to communicate?

Well, embracing and using new technology to its fullest is a bit like communicating with your stomach: It takes time.

It’s been 23 years since Tim Berners-Lee launched the first website and we finally have the tools for designing a website that really focuses on the user. Yet it’s not only about the user, it’s also about the owner of the website and what the owner has to offer the user. It’s about a relationship between user and content holder.

And like any relationship, it’s hard work. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Branding Tagged With:

Why Reviews Are So Important

May 8, 2013 by

If you’ve ever shopped on Amazon, consider whether you look at the product reviews or not. I know I do. Other consumers’ input is helpful in understanding whether a given product will work the way we want it to.

We live in a society that is quickly becoming review-focused. Many diners review restaurants (and these days, any other type of business) on Yelp. We’re using these reviews to determine where we spend our money.

So as a business, it behooves you to take advantage of reviews and encourage your customers to give them.

How to Get Reviews

Start with the customers or contacts you have a good relationship with. Ask them to visit your Yelp or Amazon page and leave a review. You want honesty, but don’t be afraid of a few negative reviews. They show visitors to the site that the reviews aren’t rigged by the company. And the more reviews you get, the less important those few negative ones become.

Make it easy for customers. Send an email after they make a purchase with a link to your Yelp or Amazon page so all they have to do is click and type. Put a sign in your store at the cash register reminding them to leave a review, and have your staff invite customers to go online to leave reviews.

Our Reviews

We’re always thrilled when someone reviews our book. It shows that we’re on the right track with our content, and that people appreciate what we’re doing. Here’s a great review we recently got:

“Visual Marketing – 99 Proven Ways for Small Businesses to Market with Images and Designs is a THE book for savvy business owners. This valuable reference is full of smart, creative and innovative ways to promote their businesses. Whether it’s on the web, in print or in-person, Visual Marketing provides fabulous ideas, illustrations, tips and the story behind each strategy. It’s one of the FIRST books I enthusiastically recommend to my business clients.”
— Teri Scheinzeit, The Savvy Business Coach

Reviews can be a marketing tool, just like social media or press releases. Use them to your benefit, and you’ll see an increase in customers coming through your door.

Photo Credit: Yelp.com via Compfight cc

Filed Under: Blog, Reviews Tagged With:
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