Your Suppliers Should Be Customers

 As i sit back with my cup of hot black coffee ☕.

I had a good Monday considering I had to use my cell phone as a hotspot. Ya

my Internet provider messed up again. Their customer service number is one of the stored numbers on my cell phone. After I reminded them I am calling from my cell phone because the phone I buy from "you" is not working and we talk about "our" mutual ( I like to share my problems) problem of being down again and the customer service rep says I wish I could do something more, I stop, pause and say, You know you could get me the direct phone number of your marketing department. 

It doesn't work but I ask anyway. And when I think about it, everyone of the companies that I buy from should be my customer. I think starting today I will implement that as a company policy. And why not. I should have a fair shot at each and every ones business. Some things are easier to change than others but the more services become commodities, even they are not immune to this new policy of mine. I know a couple insurance agents who might want to be looking over their shoulders. 

The last time I changed CPAs was when they became a Larson customer so why not go down the list. 

Howard

Define it, Be it, Own it!

 As I sit with my cup of hot black coffee

☕.

Here we go again new day, new week, same plan. Yes the plan is the same, only the tactics used change, or I just get better at using them. 

I am a sweat equity kind of guy. Why you might ask? Because I want to, no, because I need to know what works and what doesn't. I love and embrace my mistakes so I can correct them and come back better, faster, smarter, stronger. The me you knew a year ago has the same values, but knows more of what works and what doesn't.

I'd make a bad welder, a slow carpenter. If I was a baker I'd probably burn all the cookies but when you walk into my world of marketing and bigger better faster is your dream, I'm rolling up my sleeves and going to work at something I do understand.

I noticed a Home Show in Rockford this morning which is happening in February. If that is your market area call me. It could be Rockford, Minneapolis, Dallas or St. Louis but where ever the show is, that is my world. I talked a while back about staying in your lane. Put me in a show and I'm in the outside lane pushing the speed limit. 

I can do the same thing with almost any trade show or expo. It's my world. 

Do you know what you're doing yet. Do you understand your place and what you do best? Define it, be it, understand it then go out and own it!

Howard

AI, You Still Need To Plan It

 I hate when that happens. I wrote an entire post and hit the wrong button. 

I'm sitting here having an afternoon coffee. I

did a solo at church so my normal routine got out of wack. I hate being out of wack. Wack is not something you just run down to the store and buy. And you never find wack at a decent price online. So it is best to keep an extra can of wack in the pantry just in case.

I have been reading a book, yes a real book with paper pages, written by Kipp  Bednar and Kieran Flanagan of HubSpot  named Loop. It is about AI and the planning that goes into using it. It is a good read, direct, systematic, well laid out and straight forward. They talk about 10xing your marketing and if you are a Larson follower you know 10x is the backbone of the Mjolnir Marketing System which is designed to not just beat the competition but to overwhelm them. In the book it lays out how to plan you AI, and guess what. If you do the same steps on an old school marketing plan you will get. . . good results. Just not as fast. AI will only make Great Marketers Greater faster!

I'll say it again, AI is here, and as I keep saying it is only making great marketers even better faster. And the bad ones, well they are exposed faster. 

Remember when high touch / high tech was the rage? Smart companies like us, still believe in being real with people. We even answer our phones with a real person, usually me because I like to. Bad ones trap you in a pit of automation operator hell. 

When you are ready to become a Larson customer we are here for you. Real people doing real work using controlled AI as a tool. 

Howard

Don't Buy My Ducks

 Settling in with my morning cup of hot black coffee ☕ . Did you order yours for corporate gifting yet?

When I look at the economic picture for businesses there is 

still a deep divide between what is marketing and what is sales. Unless you're selling something that is an off the shelf item you had better get yourself a team of hungry Vikings to be your sales team.

This has been my biggest problem. Let's take Ducks for example. I could sell unlogoed ducks from a website. There could be a place for commody sales in my future. 

Any of you web guys who are always banging on me to design a new website for me? Are they calling you too? I must get 2 a week and none of them did their homework on my company. More on this later or another day ...

I like to work with my customers and help them make the right choices. I love uniqueness, not sameness. Being unique can be difficult. You really need to understand what is going on. Not just a snapshot but the entire picture. Kipling and his honest serving men, what and why, when and how, where and who. And I am not talking about the dreaded up sell I talked about a few days ago. This is about getting you, after I understand the purpose, the perfect "duck" or dare I say, maybe you are better off not buying a duck at all. What did I just say turn down a sale? Yes I did, if it is not what you really need. 

I want to be your guy. When you think marketing I want to be your trusted advisor. Isn't that what we all really want. To have a seat at the customers table. To have a voice as they formulate their strategy?  Every day Monday thru Friday at 8:00am I ask my followers "Are you a Larson guy or gal". So are you?

Howard

Stay In Your Lane

 As i sit back with my cup of hot black coffee ☕ 

Back from a trade show yesterday, so nothing new there but,

I am always amazed that first, people remember me and some of them want to talk to me.  

Yesterday was the ITF Chicago Section. I have a few customers in that sector but, the people who really wanted to talk with me were not looking to talk about my vast knowledge of food technology but my more extensive knowledge and understanding of trade shows. It's funny when my postings leading up to a show talk about having coffee and talking "Trade Show" and that is what they want to talk with me about.

It led me to remind myself and remind would be customers and vendors to stay in your lane.

Honestly my specialty is trade shows. Trade show marketing,  training and consulting. That expertise leads me into other horizontal markets but I will eventually lead my customers into a trade show. 

I guess that is why I am called "The Tradeshow Fanatic"

That arena is where people and companies go to buy and sell. 

Lately and I have been taking about, I have been interviewing vendors for additional services I can offer you. Call me lazy, but I can't do everything. And not at the level I want to be providing as fast a pace as is necessary. 

What I have found is these possible additions to the Larson stable of services don't know how to stay in there lane. They don't know how to do what they do best without taking more of the marketing pie or since today is National Donut Day, your marketing donut.

That is what professional friends are for. So you can stay in your lane and be the best while giving more. 

Howard

AI And The Upsell

 As I sit back with my hot black coffee ☕ . Going back to AI and marketing today. Yes the elephant in the room.

I have come to the conclusion that AI marketers are a hoax.

No not AI but those people who are selling it. I believe AI is a wonderful tool and can make good marketers better and faster, but after 5 AI sales presentations without help, the people selling you AI marketing are selling snake oil products. Every one of them has tried to up sell me.

We can do this if:

We make a new website

We do your SEO

We control your social sites

Etc etc etc

Ya right. If I do a stand alone telemarketing project, I'll find you customers. If I do a stand alone social marketing program, I will find you customers. Sure I have my 3 legged stool system of telemarketing, direct mail and email. If you're a Larson follower I show that almost every day at 8:05am (remember about routines) Every one involves a real human person interacting with another real human person. My belief is people buy from people, and only buy from an AI bot only when forced too.

But AI marketers have to control the system it seems or it doesn't work. So they upsell. And, here is the sync in me, with out the up sells their version of AI is a toothless lion. 

So why not just buy a Larson Mjölnir Marketing plan and be done with it.

Howard

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.

 

#TradeShowStrategy

#TradeShowBoothDesign

#TechnologyIntegration

#FloorTraining & Assistance

#Print and #PromotionalProducts

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 

Www.larsonassociates.ws

Can't Turn The Mind Off

 Ahh  Sunday. As I settle back with my morning coffee ☕ . A slower pace but the mind is going 120. 

A few months ago I told you I found leaks in my marketing. As

of last week I finally plugged those leaky holes. At least the ones I know about. That's marketing. 

A few endeavors I have begun are not giving me the result I expected, like at 7:45am Monday thru Friday a place on my Facebook page where any business can post who they are and what they do. I expected to be getting at least 15 posts a day on that thread. Come on help me out here guys! 👍 . 

The second is on Fridays again on facebook, in a post if you put your name and company name I would pick 2 winners give them 25 raw leads. The only catch was a 20 minute phone conversation with me to reach into my vast data base and get you 25 targeted 🎯 companies. Are people that afraid of a phone ☎ conversation with me? 

Then a new service, AI video. Take advantage of this. For those of you in the trades it's a low cost game changer you really want! We had been getting good numbers on static reels with a few going over the 2500 viewers. But with AI it flows through. 

Another is our posting services. You need exposure? I can get it for you. Will you go viral? Let's just say 90% or my reels are getting over 1000 views. That is a long way from viral, but...

There are other services that are being launched, weekly or as fast as I find people, customers or both. Biggest need here are sales people. Leads are easy,  but skilled and even unskilled sales people to close them isn't. I am working on other AI marketing tools. That is the reality of today. If you have AI skills in marketing with an entrepreneur attitude lets talk.

It jus takes synergy between you and I to make the magic happen.

But now I will go to the Church of my choice for prayer and reflection.

Howard

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Must Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.ws 

A Business Plan Changes As Needed

 As I sit here with my morning coffee ☕ it has been quite a week. A new service AI Video is now a reality with our first

creation up and running for Neighborhood Handyman LLC now being views here on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google etc. 

All this in the middle of the fall tradeshow season. PackExpo and FabTech (where I am a VIP) this week, The Assembly Show and Chicago Build (Where I am an Ambassador) .

Which leads me to ask do you have a plan? I love road trips and good old paper maps I pick up at visitors centers along the interstates. When I start on a trip I do have a destination but as my wife and I cruise down the highway we are always looking for those extras, like the 35' statue of the Jolly Green Giant in Minnesota along I90. 

My business plan is like my road trips. I know where I am going. I will make unplanned stops. But the final destination doesn't change. Only the roads, or in this case services I may use for myself and to my customers.

Howard

Even Old Companies Need New Services

As I sit back with my cup of hot black coffee ☕ yesterday for us here was the start into a new world. AI videos. Yes AI,

because putting a videoographer on site is next to impossible. I know I have been trying for 2 years to find someone for my Tradeshow Fanatic radio show. 

I wanted something that inspires and lets you dream of the possibilities and I think we hit the target for Neighborhood Handyman LLC up in Minnesota.

Most of what is out there is fast pased , in your face. So we went the totally opposite direction and slowed down so future clients could envision themselves in their future home. 

You need to stand out from the crowd. Who are you and what makes you special. Remember in life and in business, no one can be you. 

Howard

Larson & Associates 

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

848-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.we

Tradeshows Bring Out The Possiblities

 Enjoying a nice cup of coffee☕ with you this morning as I settle back after PackExpo. 

Shows like PackExpo , FabTech, the Assembly Show , Chicago Build , IFTChicago are exilerating as they are educational. 

It makes you think of what is or could be possible. Given the right people I could have closed on 2 manufacturer rep contracts. And those were only the two that approached me. Not the three or four others who had signs saying they were looking. Pretty crazy.

Then I was doing some product sourcing for sampler coffee cups for Larson Knows Coffee and I had not one but two companies wanting to sell me a machine to make paper cups. I told them I did not want to get into the cup making business BUT what if I did. Hummm. As Andrew Carnage once said take all my factories but leave me my salesmen and in 2 years I'll have everything back again. 

I think Andrew had it right. Salespeople vs AI ?  People skills vs tech skills. Given the choice I will always buy from a person. What do you think?

Howard

Profit Margins

 As I sit back with my morning coffee

this morning my thoughts moved to margins, profit margins to be exact.

That's where know your numbers comes in handy. I drove my overhead
down as far as possible so I could get better margins. But then a (not so) strange thing happened. Cost creep set in. It always does to every business and system (like government). When you're not looking you get sloppy and a recurring service here, a wasteful buy there and all of a sudden you have a problem.

Back to margins. Where does your company make it's money. Popular opinion says companies make too much profit. I have to believe these people never worked or owned a business or they would know better. When you need supplies, how do you pay for it. When you need to fix a machine how do you pay for it. When you building needs a new roof where does the money come from?

Know your margins and defend them. Things are tight for everyone these days so when needed a little push back is in order. Even 1% could mean your selling at a loss! But sometimes you need to play the game, just remember always know your numbers.

Howard

Wanting us to sell their stuff

Good morning friends. As I sit back with my cup of hot black coffee I look at the requests of people and companies wanting us to sell their stuff.

As you my loyal fans know I am already looking for an army, well really 2 armies or reps. I even have a fairly decent referral compensation plan in my back pocket. So if you know anyone in any state in the USA send them my way please.

Getting back to the looking for sales and marketing that caught my eye was near and dear to my heart. COFFEE! I have about a dozen coffee roasting companies which follow me. I even picked up the phone, my favorite way to communicate, and talked to a couple about private labeling for advertising and marketing purposes. I even go to the Packaging Show I have a above average understanding of bags, labels and filling. But the dozen or so fans who were already following me were not interested so I go to of all places, a tradeshow, and find a coffee guy who was not just interested but had in his back pocket a plan to do the same thing!

I am now selling private label coffee!

The good news is its not an exclusive deal. The bad news is, it's not an exclusive deal.

So I can buy from other coffee roasters and the can sell through other sales and marketing organizations.

My point here is what you need is probably right under your nose if you look.

We still have openings for lead generation and cold calling so give us a call, why don't you.

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.ws

The Sand Bar Called Advice.

 It's Tuesday as I sit back with my cup of coffee.

When I woke up today I was going to write about exuberance but as my morning as gone on slowly like a winding river I hit a sand bar called advice.

When I tell you something or give advice it is only from my perspective. I see things happening, let them bounce around in my head and then if it sounds right and looks good, I give it a shot. Now I believe in marketing with shallow pockets. Call it shallow pocket marketing, shoestring marketing, boot strap marketing, it's all the same.

Most experts have never had to make a monthly sales goal and have long forgotten how it was to be a startup. My first desk was used as was the chair. New was not in my budget or vocabulary. My father would say if you build anything that is temporary build it expecting it to become permanent and when you buy something buy the absolute best you can afford.

I suspect if I wanted I could go out a buy into 10 different AI chatbots the experts say we all need. I really don't think most of these experts have ever run a company past 3 years or had to meet payroll in a recession. I look at hundreds of marketing ideas and tools. Most of them are very good but 9 times out of10 I go into the trenches .

7 years ago when social media marketing came along and never make another cold call again savior of sales I did a competition against one of these social media companies. We split the country down the Mississippi River. I got the east and they got the west. For 1 month we did our thing on our side of the country and after1 month:

They were getting over 500% likes on posted content, followers were up at the same level and they got 3 sales appointments and 1 sale.

My single person was given a list of companies just like there top 3 customers. At the end of the month We had 4 sales, were getting 5 appointments a week and the pipeline was filling up. Sometimes you only need to go back to what works no matter how old fashioned.

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

 It's been a busy morning today as I finally settle in with a nice cup of coffee .

I'm going to be taking about controlling the AI narrative and how to position your company (yes call me naive but I think AI can be manipulated) but first . . .

. . . I need outside sales people in Golf Apparel nation (USA) wide. If you know any good ones I'd love to speak with them.

Ok back to the AI narrative. I'm not talking about how you can use AI but how the way in which you use your online content makes a difference. Here on Facebook or LinkedIn, your web page, metatag description (those were the rage with SEO 10 years ago) blogs, podcast and online radio like K-Phred Radio.

I was so dumb I kept using them, extensively. I figured why not, there is a spot for them and if it gets me above only 1 other sites in a search it's worth it. Well guess what, what goes around comes around and AI search loves metatags.

As the new world unveils itself keep your head up and eyes open. SEO, AI search, Social all matter. But so does your off line sales and marketing. Don't forget or underestimate f2f network, f2f sales calls , associations, conventions and yes, Tradeshows.

And when you find you need help call us.

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Business Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

howard@larsonassociates.ws

Social And AI. It is all different and all the same.

 It is all different and all the same.

Sitting here in the quiet of the morning with my coffee ☕ I am finding what was with Google 15 years ago is still true today only now with AI it is amplified.

Google loves Google. LinkedIn likes LinkedIn. Meta loves Meta. And grok loves X or do we still call it Twitter?

When you do a content thing with AI it footnotes the sources. So yes Social Media Marketing is still a major part of the mix in online and digital marketing.

Which brings me to my second point for today.

Yes I monetize on Facebook It is not a revenue stream but it gives me some good sound marketing ideas which 70% to 80% I can use and put into practice.

I am operating a marketing business so my object is slightly different. As a business the more followers I have the more exposure Facebook gives my posts. When a reels hit 1000 they are given more exposure working off the Facebook algorithms. I look at the goals Facebook gives and 80% of them are sound social media business goals.

Meta might turn into a revenue stream for me but when I can pick up a business lead or two a month I am good with 5 to 10 cents a day. And a new client a month is good too.

Larson & Associates
Business Marketing Services
We Make Good Business Great and Great Businesses Even Better
(847) 489-0006
howard@larsonassociates.ws

Marketing Holes

As I sit here with my morning coffee ☕ it became so apparent when I saw it, I found a massive hole in my

marketing. One of those V-8 moments. We all get caught up in tunnel vision when things are going good, putting time and resources where we think they are going to give us the best bang for your buck. It is not that good things were not happening. They were and are.

The hole is in Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and my blog.  Now you can't have a conversation these days without mentioning AI. AI was telling me there might be marketing lapses but I didn't notice. I wrote a small 4 paragraph post. It was sound logical advice I was not taking full advantage of. The key word is FULL.

Too much Facebook and LinkedIn and not enough Google and Blogging. It is all about content and control of the narrative of Search and AI. AI search is controllable I think. And now with a slight shift with the speed of online I will know within 3 weeks using myself and a few customers as guinea pigs. It happens that fast!

That is why you need a complete marketing company, mine or someone else's. To look over the complete marketing landscape so you can take advantage of it. Not just AI. Not just Social but everything. Even the nondigital marketing that is so overlooked today. 

So as I refill my coffee ☕ cup, have a great day.

Larson & Associates
Business Marketing Services
We Make Good Business Great and Great Businesses Even Better
(847) 489-0006
howard@larsonassociates.ws