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As conditions begin to improve in Alberta, it is our hope that those affected by the flooding can quickly return to their homes, work and daily routines with minimal hardship. Marketing Directions wants you to know that Alberta family, friends and community are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. The enormous community and neighborly support is an inspiration to us all and a reminder to the great spirit that exists within Alberta. We are also looking forward to attending the 2016 TECTERRA Geomatics Showcase! We hope to see you there and be sure to say hi if you are! For more information click here. Are you planning to develop, launch or commercialize a new product or service this year? Are you struggling with how to grow your business? Marketing Directions is an approved service provider with several funding agencies including TECTERRA’s Commercialization Support Services, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures voucher programs, and NRC-IRAP’s Digital Advisory Service and Management Advisory Service. To learn more about these services and your eligibility please feel free to Contact Us directly to arrange a coffee consultation (coffee on us). For more information about the services we offer Click Here. Pauline Patenaude, Principal Marketing Directions, MBA, CMC Phone: 403-850-4410 Email: marketingdirections@shaw.ca Here are 3 helpful tips to spark creativity and drive innovation within your organization: 1. Develop Creativity Skills. At the root of innovation is the seed of new ideas. The most innovative organizations are those that plant the most seeds and know how to select and harvest the promising ones. Simply put, leaders must inspire and influence their staff to be fearless when being innovative. 2. Cultivate a Cross-Collaborative Community. Creating multi-disciplinary teams, preparing for the unknown, changing workflows and breaking down silos will help innovative ideas flow. Establishing healthy structures can help a company weather tough problems and achieve long-term success. 3. Think Long-Term. To thrive in a creative and innovative market, companies must set their sights on long-term goals. Balance sheets alone don't measure success and managing based on quarterly returns does not foster sustainable innovation. Morgan Melnyk is a Marketing and Research Consultant with a reputation as a problem solver. His varied experience includes a proven track record managing client accounts and creating impactful marketing recommendations for clients. Morgan has collaborated on everything from broad market and industry research to targeted social media development and eMarketing tactics. Morgan’s unique, personable perspective includes experience with small businesses and extensive strategizing in the field of traditional and online marketing. Morgan is dedicated to helping businesses realize their full potential for success by emphasizing results and quality message development while utilizing the most effective marketing vehicles and channels available. Morgan can be easily reached at mmelnyk@marketingdirections.org Specialties: Social Media, Opportunity & Feasibility Studies, Market Research & Assessment, Tailored Customer Solutions. "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." ~ Sir Winston Churchill We are very excited to introduce the new Marketing Directions Twitter Page. Feel free to follow @SmartWayToGrow for helpful and useful marketing and consulting tips and to stay connected Visit our profile page at: https://twitter.com/SmartWayToGrow to connect today! Happy Tweeting! Marketing Directions has added an e-commerce/e-marketing specialist to our team so we can help with low-cost, effective ways to reach your customers. If you are interested in direct email campaigns or social media tactics to generate some 'buzz', please give us a call.
Morgan Melnyk has a B.Comm. from the University of Northern British Columbia specializing in Marketing and International Business, worked for ATB Financial as a Personal Banking Specialist with online marketing roles and has been with Marketing Directions since July 2012. Our e-Commerce/e-Marketing specialist will help implement inexpensive, effective and measurable web solutions to improve your business. Analytics We can help set up Google Analytics, which provides you with valuable information about your website visitors that is required to boost conversion rates and ROI. Adwords Create targeted ads using keywords related to your business that only appear to people you identify as potential customers. With ads starting at $0.20 per click, customer acquisition has never been more cost effective. Constant Contact Keep your customers up to date with regular newsletters and special offers. We will help you with professionally designed templates and help you get the most from your email marketing efforts. Social Media If you are struggling to use business social media effectively, we can help leverage your platforms. Make Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, or a company blog part of your 2013 marketing plan. Feel free to contact Morgan for a customized online marketing experience. Morgan Melnyk, B.Comm Consulting & Research Assistant Mmelnyk@marketingdirections.org Many small businesses struggle getting customers to open their emails and read their message. While there is no quick fix to this problem, here are a few strategies to employ to build trust with your readers. 1. Take Advantage of Analytics Find out what works best and hone your campaigns. Email campaign solutions, such as Constant Contact and iContact, offer analytics that show you:
2. Craft an Engaging Subject Line A subject line is the first - and often only - impression a customer gets about your message, so you had better make it good. Your subject line should always be informative, not tricky. Treat the subject like a newspaper headline that gives an overview of the message, but entices the reader to see what you have to say. 3. Make It Personal Social media should be social. Huge companies such as Pepsi and Pizza Hut have personalized their brand through their Facebook pages and Twitter streams. Try putting your personal name rather than your brand name in the "From" box in emails and track response rates. 4. Follow Up by Phone Sometimes your email goes straight to the bin and it's not your fault. A few days after sending out your message, create a list of contacts that the email was sent to and follow up on the phone:
Even though it may be more difficult to get through to your customers by email , it is a cost-effective way to reach them . Make your messages inviting and personal, follow up, and track your results. Rinse, repeat, and achieve results with your email marketing campaign. With a Certified Management Consultant (CMC), you can be sure you are getting management advice and assistance that is informed, tested, and based on experience and integrity. How do you know? Because CMCs must meet a rigorous set of certification requirements - including academic qualifications, course completion, consulting experience, peer review and annual study - and abide by the CMC's stringent Uniform Code of Professional Conduct. Read the full Report on Business article here. Code of Professional Conduct Marketing Directions adheres to the Uniform Code of Professional Conduct for the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Canada and the Canadian Association of Management Consultants. The purpose of the code is to identify those professional obligations which serve to protect the public in general and the client in particular. The Code is also designed to identify clearly the expectations of members with respect to other members and the profession. Marketing Directions also strictly adheres to the standards of the market research industry for confidentiality. All information pertaining to the study is held in strict confidence and is not released to any party other than the client. Certified Management Consultant The use of the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation is recognized and governed by law for the purpose of protecting the public interest. The CMC must abide by a stringent code of professional conduct that assures the client of expertise and qualifications appropriate to the engagement. In addition, clients have recourse through the disciplinary committee of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Alberta (ICMCA) to ensure that engagements are conducted in a professional and ethical manner. The CMC designation is earned through a combination of experience, peer review, study, and examination. The credentials of a CMC are of the highest caliber and include as a minimum: an undergraduate degree from a recognized university or the equivalent experience; three years of full-time management consulting experience managing or assuming key roles in major projects; and the successful completion of a rigorous series of examinations on management and management consulting skills. Certified Management Consultants bring a wide range of technical and managerial consulting skills to a project which lead to better and longer lasting results for clients. Pauline Patenaude, Principal and Owner is a Certified Management Consultant of Alberta and is a member in good standing of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants since 1993. |