Here is a great article about digital marketing for small businesses. It lists the digital tools available and when to use them.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sajeel-qureshi/what-digital-marketing-to_b_5530675.html

Using Color in Your Marketing

Most people make up their minds about something within 90 seconds of their initial interaction according to research. Approximately 60 to 90 percent of that assessment is based on colors alone.

Companies can distinguish themselves from their competition and influence their customers by their color choices. Colors can influence a person’s mood and emotions. They can induce a positive or negative feeling about a product or an offer.

How can this affect your marketing? Color can play a major part in the success of any marketing campaign. Think about the colors used in your logo and your website. These and any ads you use will directly impact a customer’s decision-making behavior.

Branding

Your logo should reflect your company’s personality. Colors can portray a distinct identity. If you use black and silver for your brand colors, these would indicate a masculine brand. A pink logo would point to a feminine brand. A logo with many bright, vibrant colors would indicate a bold, energetic and outgoing company.

Your company should choose logo colors that reflect your identity.

Ads

Ads are different from logos and websites. Ad are offer-specific and usually have a short life-span, so their design is constantly changing. Your ads don't have to match your logo. They're specific to the offer for which they're created.

Websites

A website, like a logo, reflects the personality of your brand. The design of your website must deliver your brand's message successfully. A website that uses colors, fonts, and images that don't give the user a strong sense of the company will drive traffic elsewhere.

If you have a call-to-action button on your home page, the button should be in a different color than the rest of the page so that it stands out to visitors. The obvious contrast in color redirects a buyer's focus from the content to the completion of the sale.

Companies should be sensible about their color choices in their logo, website, and ads. Many factors affect the way a customer interprets a brand and the right color and design choices can boost your sales.

Customer Spotlight for January: H2H Facility Services

Meet Lowanda Jones. She is the owner of H2H Facility Services, a locally owned commercial cleaning company. H2H Facility Services provides cleaning services in Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse. They also have offices in Sanford and Tampa, Florida.

Lowanda has been in business since 2009. We just love her definition of clean:

C – Cleanliness  L – Loyalty  E- Experienced  A – Appearance  N-Neat

H2H Facility Services started as a residential cleaning company. Her residential customers began asking if they could clean their offices as well as they cleaned their homes. Due to the demand for expert cleaners in office environments, H2H Facility Services expanded their business to include commercial and janitorial services.

Lowanda and her team understand how important it is to have a clean work environment. Their dedication to cleaning allows their customer to never have to worry about the appearance  of their office or building.

Give Lowanda a call at 1-800-516-0211 for a free quote. For more information, you can visit their website (which Blue Dog Marketing designed) at www.H2HFacilityServices.com. 

Why do Visitors Leave Your Website?

What makes someone leave a website? Getting new customers can be hard. Your website’s main goal is to attract and retain visitors. If your website has any of the following issues, this could be the reason people are not staying on your site.

Poor Navigation

Nothing frustrates a website visitor more than a website that is hard to navigate. Your visitors end up feeling angry or confused. That’s not how you want them to feel.

Your website navigation should be logical, intuitive and easy to understand. All your navigation elements should be in one location. You can even add a site map to your website for clearer navigation.

Having Too Many Ads

Many websites run ads as a legitimate way to create income. If you’re going to place ads on your website, the ads should be tasteful and discreetly displayed.

Bad Content

Make your content, especially your contact information, easy to find. Approximately 50% of sales are lost because potential customers can’t find the information they are looking for.

In your navigation bar, group similar information together. Use bold headings and words that visitors may be looking for. These could also be links to pages with more detailed information.

Misusing Videos

Avoid using videos that automatically stream and intrude on the visitors’ browsing experience. Using videos on your website is a good idea, but give your visitors the options of viewing the video.

Forced Registrations

Are visitors forced to hand over their information before they can view content on your site? When this happens, it can cause visitors to go elsewhere for what they’re looking for.

Boring Website Design, Boring Content

A dull, boring website will not create a memorable experience for your visitors. Studies have shown that 40% of visitors don’t return to a website after having a negative experience.

Your website doesn’t have to be busy to be good. Minimalistic website can be very effective in conveying their messages. Make sure your visitors can easily find what they want on your website.

Use effective ways to enhance interactivity with your visitors. A good example of this is a blog where you educate your readers and new information can regularly found there.

5 Facebook Status Ideas

Are you posting the same status updates on your business Facebook page over and over? If you are….please STOP! 

The best posts are the ones that standout from the crowd. Here are five ideas that you probably haven’t used on your Facebook page, but they will humanize your business, build credibility and get engagement from your fans.

Everyday Posts

Posting pictures from your daily life will make you and your business seem more human to fans and customers. Share pictures of people you meet with, what you eat and where you are around town. If possible, show your product being used. 

Throwback Thursday (#TBT)

Thursdays have become the day when people on social media share photos from the past. Do you have pictures of your business in its infancy? Share them on Throwback Thursdays. If not, how about sharing pictures you and your staff from back in high school? You know those crazy clothes and hairdos are always good for a smile!

Share Your Thoughts

What are you thinking about? Share it with your followers. It’s a great way to get engagement. It lets people get to know you while you build a relationship with them.

Sneak Peek

Will you be launching a new product or service? What’s happening behind the scenes? Generate excitement by sharing the inside scoop with your followers.

Use Videos

Videos are easy to post and share. And more people are spending a lot of time watching videos on Facebook. 

But keep it short. 10 to 30 seconds long is best; longer than that and you’ll lose your audience’s interest.

Marketing on Facebook doesn’t have to be complicated. Be yourself. 

Have you ever used any of these types of posts on your business Facebook page?

Marsala is the 2015 Color of the Year

 Like the delicious wine the color is named after, Marsala is a rich, sophisticated, earthy color. A printed piece containing Marsala that is finished in matte will give you an organic look, while a glossy finish exudes glamour and luxury.

If you are considering a rebrand, you might want to include Marsala in the mix. Marsala pairs nicely with blues, purples, pinks, bronzes and greys. 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Blue Dog Marketing. Wishing you a prosperous and happy 2015!