In Social The @ Vs The #

 As I sit back with my cup of hot black coffee ☕ I was thinking about the @ in social posting. Circling back to your purpose on being on social, what ever your chosen platform. 

I use it as a PR tool. Yesterday going over my routine. Today I was thinking about the all powerful @ sign to everyone. I seldom use it because, well, if you're not an active Facebook or LinkedIn person, and only follow me so I follow you to pump up your numbers, you don't care about my content so why wake you up. 

I am here to work it and find paying customers. And if you're just here to be a high follower person at least you know why you are here.

It's funny because I might be using a @ to thank everyone for following me if I hit 1700. I'm close so wait for it! Lol!

When I see one of those people mentioned me and other followers a message I usually roll my eyes and pass it by. I know the people who are doing it daily. Thank goodness you can only do it once a day or there would be alot of unfriending. 

So why social. Me? As I said I use it as a PR tool. When I launch a new service I post it. When I have a special deal going, I post it. I use the all mighty # and have grown quite proficient at hashtag hacking. It is part of what we offer in our social media marketing plans, and if you don't or who ever does your social doesn't we should talk.

As for the people and companies I follow. You like my post and I usually when time permits take a look at your page and give you a like or two. And a comment. 

Social can be a powerful tool in your marketing mix, but it is only a tool, maybe I need to write about my latest experiences with people trying to sell me social and as they talk want to, or need to, control more, and more, and more of your marketing in an upsell! I just went through that. I thought ok I can only do so much (this is true for the guys too) and as he talked they wanted to sell me SEO, or a new website, yes they wanted more and more control of the marketing pie. 

Howard

Business Routine

 As I sit back this morning with my cup of hot black coffee ☕ I was thinking of my routine.

It starts with this unhashtaged  post of what ever idea

businesswise pops into my head. Thank you for being here.

Do you have a routine. Mine has a little ebb and flow this post is part of that. Some of that depends on what I am doing. If I am catching the train to head into Chicago for a trade show our time here is probably not going to happen. Yet this post is the start of my work day. I need to fit it in before 7am because my scheduled posts start. Then for the next hour you get my company specials, trade show specials, what shows are coming up. At 8  boring boiler plate marketing so you remember what I do. At 8:35 my telemarketing push. Putting a fun twist to a hard but necessary lead generation job, slipping into some more marketing ending at 11:55. 

And let's not forget picking out a rubber duck of the day (because rubber ducks are a hot marketing tool) and we sell them.

Give or take that is my day. My routine gets me going, focused and directed. I expect interruptions. And except when I am in my telemarketing mode, look forward to speaking to any REAL people. With my focused routine I get things done. 

If marketing is not part of your normal daily plans you might want to consider using us, because when people see you, know you, find you, they will trust you with their money and business. And that comes with a routine.

Howard

Buying from people I know & respect

 As I settle in with my morning coffee ☕, nice you have joined me for a piece of your day.

I had no idea what I was going to say today.

This is a social site but here on this sub page it is a business page. We come together to, I hope, do some business but...

Who do you buy from? If you're like me, I buy from people I know and people I respect. And feel sad and let down when it doesn't work out. Sometimes it happens. Me, you, all of us, and my mind focused on the word RESPECT. 

Do you respect your business partners, your suppliers, your customers? Or are you just using them as your next paycheck? 

My company is small. I want it this way. At one time my businesses were much much larger and as much as owning a 10,000 square foot building and employeeing 56 people brought prestige, it was pressure. 

Now in my company system I have people I work with, not for, not controlled. Yet with my values and mindset. 

What are your dreams, your goals, your aspirations? 

Give me a call sometime. I know the joys of business as well as the dark holes. I can't wait to talk to you over a cup of coffee. 

I'll warn you though, I am in the hunt for finding my next a special person and family to assist onto creating a 1 Million, then 5 Million dollar company. I have a few accounts that could do it, if they do what they do best and let my team do what we are qualified for. 

I'm here for you, when you are ready. 

Howard

Customers Need To Feel Special

 Happy Halloween... As I settle in with my cup of hot black coffee ☕ . 

Sales were down last week but leads were up, way up. That

was to be expect after two weeks with 4 tradeshows covering 9 days. I am biased towards tradeshows because that is where people like you and I go to buy and sell things. Hard core in your face. I even demonstrated my quick method a couple times. At least a partial 5-7-30 plan. 

Sadly my customer at #PackExpo did not have any $150,000 dollar sales so I did not call Paula at Chicago Coachworks (her number is on the speed dial of my phone just incase ) and have her get a limo over to McCormick Place to take them out to dinner. Think about it. If your company made a major sale wouldn't you take them out to dinner? And if you wanted to do it right would you take them in a taxi? An uber? Or a limo? Me I want them to feel like royalty.  I'd do the limo every time.

People need to feel special. And it's our job as sales people to make them special. Remember Harvey McKay and his list of what you should know about your customers? You might want a find a copy of Swim With the Sharks. It still works. As social media has taken hold we, myself included have gotten more distant from our customers. I chuckle at the older sales people at expos who spend most of their time with their customers. But then I thought again. Is that a bad thing to devote yourself to your customers even at a tradeshow? If you don't someone else will. You have to protect and defend what is yours. 

Howard

Taking A Place At The Table

 As I settle in with my cup of coffee ☕. It's nice not to be rushing out the door to a tradeshow. #PackExpo #FabTech #TheAssemblyShow #QualityShow and of course

#ChicagoBuild . 2 weeks of tradeshow fun, because, AI be damed, that's where the real selling action is! You want to play with the"Big Boys"? You want a seat at the table? After your company can afford using direct mail, the next jump is into the world, my world, of tradeshows, because that is where people come to buy and sell. 

Yet, here we are online, talking. I had an online company try to upsell me yesterday. I almost shut the guy down but in this world of AI and electronic media that can be a bad practice. I told you a few days ago I took care of the leaks in my marketing. I neglected my email marketing and my blog. SPAM is going out again. Anyone have contacts with Hormel. I'd really love to say the SPAM Museum is one of my customers. 😁 And my blog. Yes the good old blog. I had worked hard to get it Google rated and somehow it fell off my todo list. Well it's back on baby and views are climbing! 

Getting back to trying to up selling. I have a new service AI video and for another entry into that world I figured a little bot help would not hurt, right? The posted deal was just for commission. Funny how after our conversation he wanted to build me a new web site, do an SEO deal. Obviously he did not do his homework on my 2 sites rated 1st on Yahoo Google and Bing for my chosen key words. Even my cheap $10.00 a month website is a first page and AI is reading it quite nicely, thank you.  I bought the free but did not drink the koolaid  for the bells and whistles. 

My need and if you're like me, your need, is salespeople. 

People are the primary need of any company today. Right? Tradesmen, programers, engineers, carpenters, data entry, telemarketers, and yes salespeople.

Howard 

Another 2 Show Week

I will be at the Assembly Show today, then tomorrow and Thursday the Chicago Build show where I am an ambassador. 

Last week was PackExpo and FabTech where I am a VIP attendee. Take your trade show experience to another level.

I openly make my thoughts on Tradeshows and Tradeshow

P

Marketing quite plain. They are where people come to buy and sell. In person, face to face.

And they are highly successful if you do it right!

Take your trade show experience to another level.

Since 1975, we’ve helped businesses create impactful and immersive event experiences that elevate their brand and give them the kind of exposure that brings in more business!

 

From creative strategies to increase visibility and awareness, to modular, pop-up and custom booth designs and promotional and marketing material that make you stand out above the trade show rush so you are impossible to ignore

 

We have a plan for trade show marketing services that transform you, your attack, turning your space from a just being there into an engaging show stopping environment that not only stops traffic, but ignites conversions, and delivers expected ROI.

 

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End-to-end show marketing management

 

 

Let’s build something special for your brand. Contact us today to explore the possibilities.

 

Larson & Associates

Telemarketing / Target Marketing / Tradeshow marketing

847-489-0006

howard@larsonassociates.ws

https://larsonassociates.ws/tradeshow-marketing

https://larsonassociatesadvspc.espwebsite.com

 

#Tradeshows #TradeshowMarketing #TradeshowFollowup #TradeShowPlanning #telemarketing #teleprospecting #TargetMarketing #LeadGeneration

AI And The Human Need

 Sitting back with my morning coffee ☕ this Monday.

Easily the highlight of the upcoming week is the

#ChocagoBuild show this coming Wednesday and Thursday where I am a show Ambassador. In it's shadow I will be making an appearance at #TheAssemblyShow as I keep myself engaged in the manufacturing and technology sector. Yes I still am highly engaged in tradeshows as the #TradeshowFanatic .

Yet the elephant in the room and as shown on tradeshow floors is AI.

AI has a tremendous up side, yet there are dangers. 

1. Harm causing responses.

2. Possible loss of human control with lack of safety features from rogue programs

3. Malicious people 

4. Bad bot training.

I find it interesting (or not) that the biggest downside of AI is and will continue to be the human factor.

Here at Larson we are slowly entering AI. We started with pictures, mainly because it is just plain fun. We worked at Facebook reels. And last week we started producing AI Videos as a commercial part of our tool box.  Our biggest gain has been in understanding hashtags and groups. I find on Facebook and LinkedIn we excel at gathering views. And getting seen is what it's all about. The you the person need to engage, again the human factor which if not done can derail the whole process. At the same time as we experimented we lost our multichannel balance. We have taken care of that problem now, so we're back to a balanced marketing attack.

The hardest part of this entire Marketing/Sales equation is the human factor. Putting boots on the ground. Salespeople, Trainers and Instructors!

Howard

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.ws 

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