Comments for Heather Vreeland | Business & Bright Ideas http://www.heathervreeland.com Just common-sense solutions for your small business in the 21st century. You don't have to be a genius to take your business to the next level, but you might have to grasp the idea that it may not be the market, rather your marketing, that's got you stuck in a rut. Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:09:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Random: Strong is the new Skinny by Chelsea Patricia http://www.heathervreeland.com/2011/09/random-strong-is-the-new-skinny/#comment-78 Chelsea Patricia Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:09:34 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=156#comment-78 AMEN, girl, AMEN! I totally feel you. I just hired a 2-3x per week personal trainer a couple of months ago. No, I don't necessarily fit in my old jeans JUST yet, but I FEEL stronger, leaner, and fitter. Yay me. Good luck, gal! Proud of you for pushing it! AMEN, girl, AMEN!

I totally feel you. I just hired a 2-3x per week personal trainer a couple of months ago. No, I don’t necessarily fit in my old jeans JUST yet, but I FEEL stronger, leaner, and fitter. Yay me.
Good luck, gal! Proud of you for pushing it!

]]> Comment on Websites & Blogs: To combine or not to combine? by Heather Vreeland http://www.heathervreeland.com/2011/02/websites-blogs-to-combine-or-not-to-combine/#comment-77 Heather Vreeland Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:37:14 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=113#comment-77 Hey Chelsea... as long as the blog is built on the same platform and not just linking to your blog on another site that will be great.. but if it's just a link.. then it's still the same as having two separate sites Hey Chelsea… as long as the blog is built on the same platform and not just linking to your blog on another site that will be great.. but if it’s just a link.. then it’s still the same as having two separate sites

]]> Comment on Magazine Advertising is InStyle by Heather Vreeland http://www.heathervreeland.com/2011/09/magazine-advertising-is-instyle/#comment-76 Heather Vreeland Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:34:57 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=146#comment-76 I know, right!?!? Love big mags! I know, right!?!? Love big mags!

]]> Comment on Magazine Advertising is InStyle by Linda Surles http://www.heathervreeland.com/2011/09/magazine-advertising-is-instyle/#comment-74 Linda Surles Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:43:02 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=146#comment-74 Great post Heather! I get excited when I see fat consumer magazines. It shows that businesses are thriving and investing in themselves. What a beautiful, fat magazine that is! Great post Heather! I get excited when I see fat consumer magazines. It shows that businesses are thriving and investing in themselves. What a beautiful, fat magazine that is!

]]> Comment on Websites & Blogs: To combine or not to combine? by Chelsea Patricia http://www.heathervreeland.com/2011/02/websites-blogs-to-combine-or-not-to-combine/#comment-73 Chelsea Patricia Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:20:41 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=113#comment-73 I have been struggling with this SO badly! What do you think of situating your blog as a subdomain, like soandso.com/blog? I have been struggling with this SO badly!
What do you think of situating your blog as a subdomain, like soandso.com/blog?

]]> Comment on Marketing Mistakes 101: Relying only on Word-of-Mouth & Referrals by Hey SMBs! Passive Reliance on Customer Referrals Is NOT a Business Development Strategy! | Small Business Online Marketing at Kutenda http://www.heathervreeland.com/2010/08/marketing-mistakes-101-relying-only-on-word-of-mouth-referrals/#comment-72 Hey SMBs! Passive Reliance on Customer Referrals Is NOT a Business Development Strategy! | Small Business Online Marketing at Kutenda Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:29:56 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=43#comment-72 [...] http://www.forbes.com/2006/03/02/gm-harley-marketing-cx_jt_0307trout.html [...] [...] http://www.forbes.com/2006/03/02/gm-harley-marketing-cx_jt_0307trout.html [...]

]]> Comment on Ad Tracking Tools by Tweets that mention Ad Tracking ToolsHeather Vreeland | Business & Bright Ideas | Heather Vreeland | Business & Bright Ideas -- Topsy.com http://www.heathervreeland.com/ad-tracking-tools/#comment-59 Tweets that mention Ad Tracking ToolsHeather Vreeland | Business & Bright Ideas | Heather Vreeland | Business & Bright Ideas -- Topsy.com Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:50:42 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/#comment-59 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Heather Vreeland, Lisa Alexander. Lisa Alexander said: RT @heathervreeland: My recommended advertising tracking tools on the blog! http://bit.ly/g0qQcA [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Heather Vreeland, Lisa Alexander. Lisa Alexander said: RT @heathervreeland: My recommended advertising tracking tools on the blog! http://bit.ly/g0qQcA [...]

]]> Comment on Websites & Blogs: To combine or not to combine? by Heather Vreeland http://www.heathervreeland.com/2011/02/websites-blogs-to-combine-or-not-to-combine/#comment-57 Heather Vreeland Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:25:15 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=113#comment-57 Hey William - Blogger is a great platform and plenty search engine friendly b/c it's made by Google.. but the customization is limited compared to Wordpress.org. It's amazing what you can do with wordpress! Your looks really professional and that's good. It's the people that use the standard blogger.com templates that are no bueno. If you could bring your pages and galleries from your website over to your blogger blog.. you're good to go. ;-) Good Luck! Hey William – Blogger is a great platform and plenty search engine friendly b/c it’s made by Google.. but the customization is limited compared to WordPress.org. It’s amazing what you can do with wordpress! Your looks really professional and that’s good. It’s the people that use the standard blogger.com templates that are no bueno. If you could bring your pages and galleries from your website over to your blogger blog.. you’re good to go. ;-) Good Luck!

]]> Comment on Websites & Blogs: To combine or not to combine? by William Hogan http://www.heathervreeland.com/2011/02/websites-blogs-to-combine-or-not-to-combine/#comment-56 William Hogan Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:17:42 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=113#comment-56 Very insightful post. I have been thinking this same thing for a few months now. Right now my blog is over at blogger.com. Do you think this is a poor platform? I feel that wordpress would be more professional. Which platform do you think is more search engine friendly? Very insightful post. I have been thinking this same thing for a few months now.
Right now my blog is over at blogger.com. Do you think this is a poor platform? I feel that wordpress would be more professional. Which platform do you think is more search engine friendly?

]]> Comment on “I don’t get anything from Advertising” by Kirkley Hennessy http://www.heathervreeland.com/2011/02/i-dont-get-anything-from-advertising/#comment-54 Kirkley Hennessy Sat, 12 Feb 2011 07:29:11 +0000 http://www.heathervreeland.com/?p=125#comment-54 Let me preface my answer with this: I completely understand where you are coming from and agree with your mindset in that someone was simply saying the standard line to not advertise while making themselves feel better - as that answer usually does. However, you as an advertising engine, must understand that there will be businesses that do not suceed in advertising with you. As you said in your Facebook post, it's hard to NOT take it personally, and that it is - it's hard not to. Or really as you put it "impossible". Don't make it impossible. Because it is possible. And it's not your fault. There are companies that will not do well in certain demographics and/or advertising campaigns and it's for many reasons. But what is that reason? Is it because they don't track their advertising??? OR, is it because they don't follow through? Following through is a MAJOR aspect of advertising that a lot of people don't grasp. We can all have ads of all shapes and sizes; whether it be billboards, radio, tv, mag, mailers, out-of-home, etc. etc. BUT, they are failures from "jump street" if we don't know how to close!!!! And if we, as advertisers, don't close then we fail everytime. Thus blaming this on our ad campaign. So yes, tracking is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, but you and I both know that 7 out of 10 companies don't do this. Not a big deal? Take 7 of your 10 advertisers out of your next quarters sales and see how important this is!! More than anything, as an advertiser, it's important to make sure your advertiser is being placed in the right place at the right time. Further, it's an obligation to both your advertiser and YOU because every marketing campaign is an investment. And if you honestly can not see your advertiser doing well in a campaign that YOU have sold them, then save yourself the hassle and keep your brand strong by not attempting to sell/allow the ad to be placed in your piece. To anyone reading this, make no doubt about it, marketing is a science. It's a big lump of variables that have to be placed in the perfect place and the perfect time to make it work. And if you don't understand that, it's ok. But it also means you'd better wait before you spend more $ on doing so. Finally, there's no way to predict that perfect place & perfect time. I'm no marketing "guru", but I can tell you that I come from the marketing world. I've put my hands on radio station campaigns (not the ads, but the actual station), as well as companies such as Domino's, Geico, Met Life and Coke, to name a few. The best thing I've every learned..."don't throw spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks". Put your time in where you put your money and really figure out what is working. You know what... you can learn a lot of this by asking your potential client ONE SIMPLE QUESTION: "How did you hear about us?". THEY WILL ANSWER IT!!!! I don't mean ask this via an email form on your website or email, but actually ask it in person/on the phone!! And best of all, they'll tell you in detail. That question may actually tell you more than you ever realized. Here's a perfect real-life example: Bill visited our website and his response on how he found us was "Google". Towards the end of the phone call (upon responding to his inquiry) I asked Bill, "how did you hear about us" (even though I knew he put "google" as his answer), he said "well my friend Cathy had a birthday party and when I was there I knew this is what I wanted for my party. She told me your company name and I "googled" it to get your phone #". WOW!!!!!!!! So, you found us on Google right??? WRONG! We were "googled" for a phone #, but it actually came from a previous gig. There's PLENTY of examples as to how your lead generation can be misconstrued!!! No matter what it is, I assure you that physically asking your client and building a relationship with them is bar-none bullet proof. Get busy. G'night, I'm going to bed :) Let me preface my answer with this: I completely understand where you are coming from and agree with your mindset in that someone was simply saying the standard line to not advertise while making themselves feel better – as that answer usually does. However, you as an advertising engine, must understand that there will be businesses that do not suceed in advertising with you. As you said in your Facebook post, it’s hard to NOT take it personally, and that it is – it’s hard not to. Or really as you put it “impossible”. Don’t make it impossible. Because it is possible. And it’s not your fault. There are companies that will not do well in certain demographics and/or advertising campaigns and it’s for many reasons. But what is that reason? Is it because they don’t track their advertising??? OR, is it because they don’t follow through? Following through is a MAJOR aspect of advertising that a lot of people don’t grasp. We can all have ads of all shapes and sizes; whether it be billboards, radio, tv, mag, mailers, out-of-home, etc. etc. BUT, they are failures from “jump street” if we don’t know how to close!!!! And if we, as advertisers, don’t close then we fail everytime. Thus blaming this on our ad campaign. So yes, tracking is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, but you and I both know that 7 out of 10 companies don’t do this. Not a big deal? Take 7 of your 10 advertisers out of your next quarters sales and see how important this is!!

More than anything, as an advertiser, it’s important to make sure your advertiser is being placed in the right place at the right time. Further, it’s an obligation to both your advertiser and YOU because every marketing campaign is an investment. And if you honestly can not see your advertiser doing well in a campaign that YOU have sold them, then save yourself the hassle and keep your brand strong by not attempting to sell/allow the ad to be placed in your piece.

To anyone reading this, make no doubt about it, marketing is a science. It’s a big lump of variables that have to be placed in the perfect place and the perfect time to make it work. And if you don’t understand that, it’s ok. But it also means you’d better wait before you spend more $ on doing so.

Finally, there’s no way to predict that perfect place & perfect time. I’m no marketing “guru”, but I can tell you that I come from the marketing world. I’ve put my hands on radio station campaigns (not the ads, but the actual station), as well as companies such as Domino’s, Geico, Met Life and Coke, to name a few. The best thing I’ve every learned…”don’t throw spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks”.

Put your time in where you put your money and really figure out what is working. You know what… you can learn a lot of this by asking your potential client ONE SIMPLE QUESTION: “How did you hear about us?”. THEY WILL ANSWER IT!!!! I don’t mean ask this via an email form on your website or email, but actually ask it in person/on the phone!! And best of all, they’ll tell you in detail. That question may actually tell you more than you ever realized. Here’s a perfect real-life example:

Bill visited our website and his response on how he found us was “Google”. Towards the end of the phone call (upon responding to his inquiry) I asked Bill, “how did you hear about us” (even though I knew he put “google” as his answer), he said “well my friend Cathy had a birthday party and when I was there I knew this is what I wanted for my party. She told me your company name and I “googled” it to get your phone #”. WOW!!!!!!!! So, you found us on Google right??? WRONG! We were “googled” for a phone #, but it actually came from a previous gig.

There’s PLENTY of examples as to how your lead generation can be misconstrued!!! No matter what it is, I assure you that physically asking your client and building a relationship with them is bar-none bullet proof.

Get busy. G’night, I’m going to bed :)

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