by Scott Howard | Jun 28, 2017 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard
Sharing the motivation behind why you do what you do is powerful. Do you know your WHY? Here’s mine.
I want to help people make smart advertising and marketing choices.
Actually it’s bigger than that.
I want to help people achieve their dreams so they can feed not just their bellies, but their passions too.
Some of those dreams and passions are actual businesses and with my background, that’s often the area I can help the most.
So perhaps it’s a combination of those two statements that make up my why.
The THINKING ScLoHo
I recall several years ago a co-worker of mine was always trying to figure out how to make money online. Mike was looking at creating websites that were similar to eBay at the time and he couldn’t figure out how to make it successful.
Another friend of mine, Tim, is very talented in graphic arts and he was looking to create and sell a custom advertising pop-up that he figured out that was pretty snazzy. Problem was it was a few years behind the times and not what businesses wanted or for that matter, should want to create a positive online experience.
One more friend, I’ll call him Sam to protect his real identity, invested lots of money in buying custom domain names. I don’t know how much money and don’t want to know but it was too much especially after he kept doing it after I told him that’s not a good investment. His concept was to resell internet domain names to companies that would want them and in theory, it was a good idea, but… The idea was too late. Since Google and the other search engines continue to tweak themselves towards perfection, the domain name for your website is not as important as it was when Sam first had his idea.
What did Sam, Tim and Mike have in common? Their why was to make money online.
That was as deep as they thought it through.
Making money is neither good or bad, money is merely the stuff we use to trade for other stuff we need or want.
The Bible says, well, let me quote Chris Brown from the Stewardship.com website:
1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 10, For the Love of Money is the root of All Evil. Raise your hand if you’ve heard this verse misquoted all the time as saying money is the root of all evil. I have! But it’s just not true. It’s the love of money that gets us in trouble. Our attitude toward money is the problem, not the money itself. Money is morally neutral.
It comes back to the motivation behind it all. It’s all about the why. Your why.
The SKEPTICAL ScLoHo
I once had a dentist as a client that offered new techniques and procedures and I was impressed. At least I was initially. Then he kept finding “problems” that no one else had found with my dental health, and each “problem” he found meant more and more expensive procedures. My gut told me to get a second opinion and I did.
My current dentist could not find any of the “problems” my previous dentist warned me about and while he didn’t want to bad mouth the other guy, it was clear to me that the motivation behind my former dentist’s recommendations were his self-interests, not mine. His why was wrong.
Most of the people I meet with who are in business are good people. They have a good why that motivates them to do the right thing all the time.
Like I said earlier my why boils down to helping people make smart marketing and advertising decisions, because that is my area of expertise that I’ve learned over the years and continue to learn more and more every week. I usually sign my emails with the signature, Here to help, and the phone number I give people to connect with me is a vanity number I selected years ago. The last four digits spell HELP on a traditional phone keypad.
The HAPPY ScLoHo
Once you understand my why, and I understand your why, we can have a deeper and better relationship to help you accomplish your goals. Want help? Let’s talk.
PS:
This talk about What’s Your Why? was inspired by a couple of people recently. In 2014, Shannon Allen of Federated Digital Solutions would share Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle TED Talk that goes into this concept. Here’s a link to the 5 minute version. Oh, and here’s a link to a sales expert that I found when Googling Simon that has a few additional caveats when applying this concept.
David McBee of Simplifi, one of our internet vendor partners, recently talked about the concept in a webinar I watched this year.
And over the weekend, the Golden Circle message was included in the sermon at my church as part of the message delivered by Dr. Tom Ahlersmeyer (June 25, 2017).
I figured it was time for me to talk about it too.
by Scott Howard | May 4, 2017 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, ScLoHo's Web World, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo
Today we’re going to talk about your business credibility, or at least a part of it.
Is Your Business Homeless?
Before the internet, most businesses had what are known as brick and mortar locations, a storefront or at least a physical location. There were some exceptions, but for the vast majority of businesses, your physical location was a key component of establishing credibility.
Then the internet came along and has slowly been changing our world. I recall the Windows 95 computer operating system and dial up internet connections that used a hardwired telephone landline to connect to the World Wide Web and it was pretty cool to be visit websites from that big clunky computer at home.
Enough reminiscing, those were not really the good old days of the internet. Although every month I run into business people who are seemingly stuck back in those days.
Your business needs a website.
I’ve been saying that for over a dozen years.
There are some businesses that still don’t have a website.
Your business not having a website is the equivalent of your business being homeless.
If your potential customers cannot find you online with a simple Google search, your business does not exist. Say you are a plumber. If I ask Siri to find me a plumber and you don’t have a website, according to Siri, you don’t exist, but your competitors do.
Personally my phone is not an iPhone but an Android and I can talk to it and it does the same, maybe better than Siri.
For those of you who are stubbornly resisting getting a website for your business, you might as well sell your business to someone who will bring it up to speed before your business dies a slow agonizing death.
Next, I want to talk to those of you who have not updated your website in the past 5 years. Your business may not be “homeless” online, but your business presence is most likely obsolete.
You are not alone. I see dozens of outdated websites every month. This is hurting you more than you realize.
First off, if I find your business website and it looks dated, you are losing credibility simply because of the first impression your old website presents. Even if you are the very best at what you do, if your website looks like it hasn’t been kept up to date, I don’t know if your business is trustworthy. This judgement call isn’t even a conscious one we make.
Another way your old website is hurting your business credibility is that Google and the other search engines will penalize your business website if it does not meet the standards that they deem are important.
Google uses two primary criteria to decide which webpages show up when we search and one of those is the technology that powers your website. Starting in April 2015, if your website was not mobile friendly, Google began rolling out an algorithm that made your site less visible to people searching for what you offer.
Right now Google is in the process of another algorithm update for those of us that use the Chrome browser which is powered by Google. If your website does not have a security certificate, Google may warn and block users from visiting your business website. This is used as an assurance that any information we give a website is securely managed.
Please, if you have not updated your business website to make it secure and mobile friendly, make that a priority.
Before we wrap this up, I want to address those of you who are attempting a work-around, and avoiding having your own website and instead relying on Social Media accounts like Facebook to be you online business presence.
It’s not legit. It’s not a real website and it’s not adding to your business credibility. Besides, since you don’t own Facebook, Facebook can basically do what ever they want and change the rules of how you can use their platform. It’s all in those pesky “terms of service” updates that all of us, me include ignore and blindly agree to when they come our way.
Yes, Social Media including Facebook is recommended for most businesses, but only in conjunction with your own up to date, secure and mobile friendly website.
Want to talk about this or need more details? Let’s connect.
You can also listen to this as a podcast each week:
by Scott Howard | Mar 2, 2017 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, ScLoHo's Media
It’s hard to believe the first couple of months of 2017 are over.
At the end of 1999, I was working on the air at a local radio station and there’s a recording of me (called an air-check), talking about the Prince song 1999.
When that song came out in 1982, I played in the radio. 17 years later, in 1999 I was still playing it. Another 17 years (plus a couple more) and I heard Prince’s 1999 on the radio just the other day.
Somethings are timeless. A great song for example. But I’m not hear to talk to you about music.
Nope, I’m here to talk to you about marketing.
At the end of 2016 a survey was taken asking, “Which consumer trends do you believe will have the greatest impact on your industry in the next 10 years?” 
The top answer was Mobile. You can see the entire list at MarketingCharts.com but since mobile is the number one answer, my question to you is, Are you ready for Mobile?
Mobile starts with your online presence and includes your website being mobile friendly. (Another study I read this week mentioned that if it takes longer than 3 seconds for your website to load on a mobile device 53% of visitors will leave.)
Mobile also includes the ability for consumers of all ages to get info on nearly anything or anyone where ever we are. So now we are talking about reviews, social media chatter and your online reputation.
If you haven’t given thought to all of this, it’s time to start. Need some help? Contact me. Then you can party like it’s 1999.
I got that song stuck in my head now, do you?
by Scott Howard | Feb 15, 2017 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, ScLoHo's Media, ScLoHo's Web World, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo
Man, am I going to catch some heat on this one.
Unless you read all the way through this piece.
But if you are all about the tech and ignore the rest, you may win for a moment, but not forever.
What am I talking about?
My usual stuff, marketing, media, advertising and wait for it…
Human Relationships.
The question I get asked either directly or it’s implied is, “What is the best way for my business to spend money to get new customers?”
That’s not a bad question, but it’s usually the wrong question when it’s asked.
It’s 2017, the smartphone revolution isn’t going away. The idea that we would walk around with a phone attached was a crazy idea a years ago.
Fortunately having a phone strapped to your head isn’t really like this,
But now we are a few years into the mobile revolution and the small screens have taken over. Nearly anything you want to know or do is available with an app on your phone or tablet.
If you were to try and reach new customers by chasing after the latest and greatest technology, you’d likely be losing money and frustrated.
I am going to date myself here, but I remember when my father in law had a dial-up phone connection to get online with his Gateway computer that had less tech power than my last couple of phones.
Recently I was at the Fort Wayne Social Media and Marketing Breakfast and the topic was Snapchat. How to use it and not abuse it.
As I looked around the room, I saw a whole bunch of business people who were frustrated because now here’s another platform they have to start using to get customers.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
I just told an advertising partner of mine that it was okay to stop tweeting.
You really don’t need to follow the crowd and do everything.
You need to pick and decide what ways you are going to market your business.
Those choices should not be based on the hottest trends.
They should be geared to how is the best way to reach out to your current and potential customers, and how to engage with them both online and offline. In person and over the phone.
Before you decide to jump on the next new thing, talk to someone who can help you look at the big picture and do some long range planning. (When I do it, I become your marketing coach.)
Now I’m not saying ignore technology, but you need to have your priorities in order.
Let me leave you with a simple, “starter” technology checklist.
- Do you have a professional website that is current?
- When I say current, I mean mobile friendly. Is yours?
- Finally, here’s a place you can go to see if Google thinks your site is up to snuff: https://testmysite.thinkwithgoogle.com/
If your business doesn’t pass, then forget about anything else, and get on it. Need help? Ask me.
by Scott Howard | Oct 17, 2016 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo
30 years ago I began my adventure into the world of advertising and marketing. I took a job in Detroit creating campaigns for radio advertising clients.
I’ve spoken to 100’s of business owners, managers,and entrepreneurs. I’ve interviewed the customers, clients, front-line workers and support staff. And I’m still learning.
My definition of marketing is everything that presents you and your business to your “marketplace”. Your “marketplace” includes your current, past and future customers and clients. It also includes influencers who may not buy from you, but they have the power to influence those that will.
Number 1: You have to get your entire business moving in the same direction to create harmony and forward momentum. Think Big Picture. Really BIG PICTURE. All of your employees need to know what the mission is and that each one of them is responsible for contributing.
Number 2: You need to create a long term identity that will define who you are in all economic climates. This identity, also called your Brand, will not change over time, it will only be adapted.
Number 3: Your brand and your mission will be known by your customers and clients. If you are unsure what your brand is, perhaps you need to ask your customers and see if you are both on the same page.
Number 4: You need your own website. Not a Facebook page, you need something that you control. In 2016 if you don’t have your own website, you don’t exist as a legitimate business.
Number 5: You need a presence on Facebook. This is not a contradiction of number 4. Social Media is a communication tool. Your website is to show that you are real. Odds are Social Media will be just as important as your website, but for a different reason. Think of it this way. A retail store is like a website. Social Media is like a phone number. See the link?
And Number 6: You will need to optimize your website for mobile. More people access the web via smartphones than laptops. This means smaller screens and if you have not created a mobile version of your online presence you will eventually be behind your competitors.
Do you agree with my list of 6? Are there others you would add?
By the way, I originally wrote this in 2011, except for a couple of date references, this list has been timeless.
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