CKME Marketing Tips 101: Marketing Plan Tips

Sometimes business professionals get so wrapped up with new ways to market that they forget about the basics. While the internet and social media have opened up some great doors, it still is important to have a balanced marketing plan.

Small businesses typically have a limited marketing budget. That doesn't mean you can't run with the big dogs. It just means you have to think a little more creatively. Here are some tips that go back to the basics:

• Call your vendors or associates and ask them to participate with you in co-op advertising.
• Send your existing customers referrals and buying incentives.
• Have you thought about introducing yourself to the media? This free publicity has the potential to boost your business and position you as an expert in your field.
• Invite people into your place of business by piggybacking onto an event. Is there a concert coming to town? Are you willing to sell those tickets? It could mean free radio publicity. If that is not your cup of tea, how about a walkathon that is taking place in your area? Why not be a public outreach and distribute their material?
• Attend chamber or other networking events and bring business cards. Make sure to send a follow up email or card to those you meet within 24 hours. (Remember to add them to your LinkedIn network.)

Whatever you choose to do, do not forget to track & measure your marketing efforts. This enables you to notice what's working and what's not.

When was the last time you evaluated your marketing plan?

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.midwestbusinessexpo.com

Edited by Brenda Bernstein, www.TheEssayExpert.com

CKME Marketing Tips 101: LinkedIn Groups Are A Powerful Tool

Are you looking for ways to share press releases or news articles, or to seek out new clients? Linkedin groups are a great way for you to connect with others in your geographical area or with individuals who share a similar interest. Groups allow you do my favorite three things: learn, market, and network. You also have the opportunity to create your own group, and, as of last week, to create subgroups within your group. This article focuses on five major ways you can use your LinkedIn groups to enhance your LinkedIn and professional experience:

1. Add value. I talk about adding value all the time because I feel it’s the most important way to participate in groups. When you share articles, information, and your expertise, you come across as an expert in your field or industry. Start utilizing the news feature and share one or two articles a day and you will start noticing you will get more connection requests and individuals looking forward to your articles. The news tab is also a great place to post press releases.

2. Participate in & start discussions. In group discussions, you can seek expertise, ask questions, and discuss topics that are important to you and your group members. If you prefer not to start discussions, then make comments on other people's discussions.

3. Use the Jobs tab. The Jobs tab is one of the most under-used features of LinkedIn groups. If you have an opening or are looking for work, start using the Jobs tab in the groups you belong to. Don't be afraid to post a job that you might have seen somewhere other than on LinkedIn if you think it could be beneficial to someone looking for work.

4. Send messages. One nice thing about belonging to groups is that it gives you the opportunity to send messages to fellow group members whether you are connected to them or not, without having to send a connection or introduction request.

5. Join groups. LinkedIn allows you to join up to 50 groups. Why not join as many as you can and start getting involved? Get your name out there, start participating, promote your events, ask questions, and get advice. If you have a particular interest or are in an industry and you don't notice a group for that industry or interest then start your own group and promote it to your network.

Groups can open doors for you. I have met many people through the groups I belong to and have even found new clients because I have shared value and participated in group discussions. I even have my own group called the Business Success Network which I have designed to give people another option to learn, market, and network.

What groups do you belong to? Have you started your own groups? Where have you gained value?

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.midwestbusinessexpo.com

Edited by Brenda Bernstein, www.TheEssayExpert.com

CKME Marketing Tips 101: Take advantage of the applications LinkedIn offers

LinkedIn is constantly adding value and features. One of the features on LinkedIn that seems under-used is the applications feature. I use several of the FREE apps myself and have found them to be very beneficial. Apps allow you to spice up your LinkedIn profile, and to share information such as Word documents, blogs, recommend books, and even upcoming travel plans. Thanks to the application blog link I am able to have my weekly blog linked directly to my LinkedIn profile. There are currently 10 applications that you can take advantage of on LinkedIn. Below you will find information about the various apps:

Amazon Reading List

Amazon’s Reading List application allows you to discover what the people in your network and industry are reading. Start by adding the books that are relevant to you– those that you’re planning to, are currently, or have already read. Likewise, you can discover the latest books that your network and peers in your industry are reading.

Huddle Workspaces

Huddle Workspaces is a free service that allows you to collaborate with any of your connections privately and securely. Instantly create a project and invite specific connections to join in and collaborate. Brainstorm, exchange ideas with discussion forums, and monitor your progress with RSS feeds. Forget the days of sending around email attachments, as Huddle allows you to directly co-edit your documents and spreadsheets and keep track of the changes made as a team.

Box.net

The Box.net application helps you post your important data on LinkedIn. Collaborate, share, and exchange your important documents with your specific connections on LinkedIn. In addition to providing free storage and collaboration features, you can also feature key documents directly on your profile. This tool is perfect to showcase your latest work, past deals, or portfolio.

Slideshare

Share your presentations with your colleagues and connections LinkedIn. With the SlideShare application, you can view the presentations of all your connections, find experts on certain industries and topics, and share important presentations with your own connections and the rest of the LinkedIn network. You can reinforce your professional reputation by embedding SlideShare presentations in your LinkedIn profile to feature your portfolio and work.

Blog Link

Connect your blog to your LinkedIn profile and get the most of your relationships. Blog Link helps you and your professional network stay connected. Blog Link automatically pulls in the latest blog posts from around your network so you can stay up to date on the latest posts from your trusted connections.

Company Buzz

What are your customers saying about your company? Every second thousands of people are sending out messages about companies and industries on blogs, twitter, and across the internet. Company Buzz taps into this information for you to find the relevant trends and comments about your company.

My Travel by TripIt

See where your trusted professional network is traveling and when you will be in the same city as your colleagues. The My Travel application allows you to meet up easily at the next industry event, or to re-connect with old friends.

Google Presentations

Google presentations are a professional way to introduce yourself and your work. Add a presentation to your LinkedIn profile to showcase a recent talk or presentation, display a visual portfolio of your professional accomplishments, or introduce yourself to recruiters and professional contacts viewing your profile. It’s easy to get started. Upload a Powerpoint file or use Google’s free online application to create your presentation, then post it to your profile for others to view.

WordPress

Looking to connect your WordPress blog with LinkedIn? The WordPress Application allows you to connect and stay connected with your LinkedIn network by synching your WordPress blog posts with your LinkedIn profile. Once added you can select to filter your posts with a special LinkedIn tag in addition to displaying your personal WordPress icon.

Polls

The Polls application is a market research tool that allows you to collect actionable data from your connections and from the professional audience on LinkedIn.

To download any of these applications click on the applications link on the left menu bar or go to http://www.linkedin.com/apps. What's your favorite LinkedIn app?

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.midwestbusinessexpo.com

Edited by Brenda Bernstein, www.TheEssayExpert.com

CKME Marketing Tips 101: Expand your LinkedIn network

The way business is being conducted is changing. No longer can you do everything on your own.

Having a large network on LinkedIn can be beneficial whether you use the site to network, look for a job, or market your business. Having a large network makes you a resource for others with whom you can share information. You will also be able to utilize the expertise of the people you are connected with, and to create possibilities for business transactions.

I am by no means saying you need to have 15,000 direct connections to make LinkedIn worthwhile; however, there is nothing wrong with having a large network. The way I look at it, every connection could be beneficial in one way or another. When anyone sends me a connection request, I look over their profile. Nine times out of ten, I connect.

Below are five tips to help you expand your LinkedIn network:

1. Give value. I have talked about this before in past blog posts. If people view you as someone who provides valuable information or if you are always paying it forward, you will receive countless invites to connect. Share news articles, information, expertise, and give advice, and you will draw others to you.

2. Utilize the features LinkedIn offers to import contacts from Yahoo, Hotmail, Outlook, and other web mail contacts. These are the people you already know. The process is very simple and LinkedIn walks you through it.

3. Invite people you meet to join your network. One of the first things I do after I attend a networking event is invite the individuals I got business cards from to connect with me on LinkedIn. Often these individuals already have profiles; if they don't, you may have just introduced them to the power of LinkedIn!

4. Ask for introductions. If you come across someone on LinkedIn who is connected to someone you know, and you want to connect with them, utilize the introduction feature. LinkedIn makes this a very simple process.

5. Join groups. I have found that groups are one of the easiest ways to expand my network. Groups offer a platform where you are able to send a message to fellow group members whether you are individually connected to them or not.

Having a strong network on LinkedIn can give you the satisfaction of helping others to achieve their goals, while achieving your own goals at the same time. Would that be worth connecting with some people you haven’t gotten to know yet?

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.midwestbusinessexpo.com

Edited by Brenda Bernstein, www.TheEssayExpert.com

CKME Marketing Tips 101: A new social media site worth checking out

Since posting my blog on jumping on the online video bandwagon I have been searching for social media platforms where people can post videos. I became aware of a new site that I thought I would share with everyone. RezBuzz is a platform where business networking meets social branding.

RezBuzz launched last week and offers opportunities for all. Whether you are looking for a job, or just wanting to network as a means of growing your business, whether you are an executive looking to build an online video presence, or a company who benefits from online video branding, RezBuzz is a way of doing business networking in the digital world. And the video component makes it entertaining, effective, and interactive.

The site is simple to use. The first thing you do is fill out a free profile, which will ask you to check off whether you are looking for work, or just on the site networking. Once you fill out the profile, you can peruse the features of the site and arrange to create a video.

For those looking for a job, RezBuzz allows you to create a video resume. The site offers three ways to create one: a webcam feature to create on on the spot, an upload feature to upload your own production, or an option to get a professional video resume (PVR) produced by a RezBuzz production crew in your area or at your college campus. Job seekers can find jobs by area or by industry.

Individuals and companies can create a dynamic customizable profile for free which provides another opportunity to brand and market. Not to mention the ability to post videos. Companies and recruiters use the site to identify top talent, save time and money, and and get to know candidates.

The site is still in beta mode as it recently launched and RezBuzz is continuing to add new features. I was very impressed at how simple the site is to use and how simple it is to set up a profile. I expect to hear more great things about RezBuzz as the site continues to grow. Go to www.rezbuzz.com and create a free profile. Let me know what you think.

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.midwestbusinessexpo.com

CKME Marketing Tips 101: What's your LinkedIn success story?

Many people have stories about how LinkedIn has helped them or their business. Here's mine:

A good friend of mine, Katie Felten, introduced me to LinkedIn in July 2007. I dutifully set up a profile and did not do much more. It wasn't until early 2008 when I realized how many people I knew were also on the site. That’s when I began putting more time and energy into building my network.

From then on I have been hooked.

I have been able to connect with and help hundreds of people because of the tools LinkedIn provides. For example, in April I opened a CKME Group office in Los Angeles. I built a networking base of over 500 business connections in the LA area before I even arrived in the city. That foundation allowed me to jump start things in LA. If it weren't for LinkedIn, I may not have been able to start a successful branch of CKME in a city over 2000 miles away. Another example is my connection with the new editor of my blog, Brenda Bernstein (The Essay Expert). We are helping each other: she edits for me and I give her valuable marketing advice.

LinkedIn can do amazing things for you and your business -- but always remember it's about helping other people first. If you help enough people, good things will start happening. In my situation and for many others, that's the power of LinkedIn.

What's your LinkedIn success story?

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.midwestbusinessexpo.com

CKME Marketing Tips 101: Jump on the online video bandwagon

I had someone ask me last week at one of my LinkedIn Live events, "what's the next big thing that's going to hit social media?". My answer to them was, "Online video marketing." More and more, businesses are utilizing online videos to market themselves. Are you?

Last week Nielsen released some interesting numbers that show that Web and mobile video watching are experiencing skyrocketing growth. Nielsen’s Three Screen Report, which measures the viewing habits of Americans in terms of TV, the Internet, and mobile phones, shows that while TV viewing might still be dominant, online video usage is up by 53 percent since this time last year, and the number of people watching video via cell phones is also up by an impressive 52 percent.

Online videos offer an inexpensive way for you to market yourself or your business. There are several ways to use videos online, whether you want to market a product or service, promote an event, or run a commercial. You can place your videos in various places on the web such as your website, youtube, and even your facebook page. While LinkedIn & Twitter CURRENTLY don't allow us to post videos on our profiles, you still can promote links to your online videos.

Creating an online video is simpler then you might think. Not all videos require an expensive production team. Below are five tips to keep in mind when it comes to online videos to market yourself or your business:

1. Use a quality camera. While your online video does not need to be made with a $100,000 camera, always remember that your video represents you and often your business. Find a good quality digital camera -- not a cell phone camera or webcam! If you don't have a good camera, borrow one from a friend or family member or rent one (which often costs less than $50/day).

2. Remember: Presentation is everything. Don't use a sheet as the backdrop of your video. Find a place to shoot the video that represents you or your business. Great potential locations for your video are your office, a local park, or even a city attraction. Just remember you might need to get permission to shoot your video in a public place, especially if you’re using the video for promotional purposes.

3. Keep your video short and to the point. Make sure you edit your film so that your video isn't more than 2-4 minutes long. If you are marketing your business online through video, people won't pay attention to it if it is too long.

4. Be creative. You want your video to be catchy. Involve your staff or friends and family in your video projects. Use props, add humor, and be unique. Search youtube for videos related to your business and see what others are doing.

5. Expose your video. Your video does nothing for you unless it is viewed by people. If you don't want to look for each and every video sharing website to start promoting your video, you can go to Tube Mogul. Tube Mogul will help get your video out to these websites and can help you advertise and promote your business. If you want to go the long way around, you can post the videos yourself on all of the popular video-viewing sites. Most sites will let you post for free. Also remember to share your video with clients & prospects.

Have fun creating your videos. You never know… You could become the next youtube sensation!

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.twitter.com/chriskokalis