A new study released last month by the IBM Institute for Business Value Analysis shows a remarkable variance in perceptions regarding the reasons why consumers interact with companies via Social Media community networking sites.

When consumers were asked to rank in order the reasons for a visit to a company website after reacting to messages from a Social Network location, the most important consideration motivating the visit was a desire to acquire some form of discount. Over 60 % of respondents initiated the visit as a means to discover a pricing advantage, or simply to purchase the goods or services offered by the merchant.

On the other hand, the most highly ranked reason anticipated by the web proprietors was the expectation that the visit was made to gain information about new products.In fact, consumers ranked new product information as the fifth most important function, with only 50% of the visiting consumers interested in new products.

Perhaps the most revealing aspect of the survey was the reality that businesses ranked offering a consumer discount as the least important item , placing it last on a list of the top ten reasons for a visit to their website, the exact opposite of what customers were looking for.

In short, it is now crystal clear that an effective Social Media marketing strategy must meet or exceed  consumer expectations by providing access to regular discounts, deals or other offers as a priority,not as an afterthought. It is critical to focus on customer demands as a core structure in a successful Social Media marketing strategy. This effort is certain to provide its own reward, since you cannot get a more focused Social Media R.O.I. than a campaign that is centered on volume and revenue.

Remember, the old business plans are simply not as effective today as for earlier generations of customers.The “under 50″  smarter, more informed client demands a two way dialog and will actively react to specials, discounts or other offers. If your business will listen to them, the customers will tell you what they want. You do not need to change the way that you merchandise your business,you need only heed the communication from a youthful audience and broadcast your message differently. Just as importantly, a Social Media marketing venue is less expensive, more effective and more real time mainstream than older traditional choices like newspaper, T.V. and radio.

Todays consumers want to feel connected, and it is the responsibility of your business planning to adapt to a changing marketplace that provides customers instant gratification. The perception of most business owners is that customers visit their websites seeking information. The reality is that your customers are  demanding action, often in the form of a savings discount. Most sales on the Internet generate higher mark-ups than brick and mortar expenses. Share some of those extra margins with your devoted clients and watch your sales volume and profits rise.

Learn more with a visit to Boostwave Consulting…www.boostwaveconsulting.com , or call 602-492-1211 and schedule a no obligation conversation with our market experts. We know what the customers want and we’ll help you plan the best way to fill those needs.

The late great W.C.Fields had a routine that offered 3 pieces of sage advice…”You can’t cheat an honest man”, “Never give a sucker an even break”, and “Never smarten up a chump”. Now, over 70 years later it is time to debunk these sentiments, and attempt to smarten up the “business chump”.

Are you a small business owner who has resisted planning a strategy to broadcast your business message via the Internet? Have you wondered how you could afford to advertise your goods and services on the Internet and achieve tangible results? Don’t know where to turn or how to learn enough about the subject to make a sound business decision?

The answers lie in building a marketing strategy with Boostwave Consulting  www.boostwaveconsulting.com that incorporates a system of business messaging via a Social Media community linkage. It is now possible (and inexpensive ) to send messages to a dedicated target audience through a custom network of linked Social Communities. Imagine how your business can benefit when a advertisement about your goods or services is broadcast to a family of Social networks every day. Each carefully crafted message filters throughout the entire system, constantly broadcasting your message to an active consumer base with a new informative message each and every day.

Boostwave Consulting specializes in Internet marketing with a staff that has over 75 years of merchandising experience. We champion small businesses with a custom designed Social Media marketing strategy that will effectively drive traffic to your website and generate sales and new clients. Boostwave can handle an aspect of your needs, from web design and construction, to Social Media community building and marketing strategies, we build a proprietary system custom designed as a turnkey program that starts working on day one. We target the exact consumer that you strive to reach , carefully craft messages replete with Key words to ensure that your message gets noticed, and track the results with a monthly activity analysis.We provide training and strategic advice ,service and support designed to help you become self sufficient.

The business model has changed, the cheese has moved. Your business must adapt in order to survive. Traditional methods of advertising are now more expensive and less effective than ever. Most consumers get the bulk of their information on line. If your business is not visible on the web, your future growth is in peril.

Don’t be a W.C.Fields Chump. Don’t be a sucker. It is time to examine the possibilities that a Social Media strategy can provide. Visit Boostwave Consulting  www.boostwaveconsulting.com or call 602-492-1211 today to schedule a no obligation conversation.

We’ll help turn you from a Chump into a CHAMP

How to reach the 50 YEARS AND UNDER CONSUMER

Does your business want to have as effective a marketing strategy as national advertisers? Do you want to reach a local audience with the widest possible group of people? Are you aware that your marketing message can reach a larger statistical range at a lower cost than any other form of advertising?

Well, it is possible when you plan a business strategy that utilizes the remarkable reach of Social Media Marketing. The experts and marketing strategists at www.Boostwaveconsulting.com have developed a sustainable, effective and affordable system that is custom designed to fit the needs of your business. Through a proprietary portal, Boostwave will create an entire community of linked Social Media locations that will broadcast your business message on a daily basis. The linkage of these individual communities insures that your message is posted on every individual site every day.

Imagine, at less cost than a newspaper ad, you could transmit information about “specials” and “sales” on a daily basis to attract new clients and service established customers.

Here is the best part! Once your business has this program operational, it costs very little to sustain. The fuel that runs the engine is informational content, and we provide the first 30 days of content at no cost. We research and provide the keywords. We design the community based on your target audience. We provide messaging strategies and give you a monthly activity report. We are marketing professionals that understand technology, not techno’s who try to understand marketing perceptions.

New days demand New Ways! Old strategies of business messaging are not the most effective method to reach a “50 year and under” consumer.

It isn’t just that your business cannot afford to advertise effectively in the local newspapers, radio or local TV. Most “50 and unders” aren’t listening to that type of media message. They get their information via the Internet multiple times daily, and spend an average of 2 hours daily on Social Media sites.

We can teach you how to reach this audience in the exact manner that they prefer.

The game has changed, the rules are different. Let Boostwave show your business the best way to adapt to a smarter, instant gratification driven new consumer.

Still have a few doubts? Ask your children or grandchildren how often they log onto a Social Media site…the answer may surprise you!

WHAT I LEARNED BY FALLING OFF A LADDER

The other day, I experienced a classic accident that lead me to at least one revelation and several insights.

Let me first remark that I ended up as a very lucky person, with only a cracked pelvis and several bruises to remind me of this experience.

In the intermidable time from the beginning of my fall until the impact, I did radiate some insights. As I floated back to Earth, it dawned on me that this feeling of helplessness must be very akin to the fears and frustrations of a modern small business owner.

What can they do to survive the impact of a dramatically changing business  environment. Previous methods of attracting clients to a business menu of goods and services is no longer effective or affordable without a marketing program that includes an Internet/Social Media strategy to attract new customers. The average small business is facing  a difficult challenge of survival in a rapidly shifting informational environment.

If your business has ignored the stability and sustainability provided by an effective, affordable small business Social Media marketing strategy, then you too are in limbo, wafting downward until the impact of the fall destroys your business backbone.

The clock is ticking and the luxury of inaction has passed.In order to survive the circumstance of the current business and economic environment, you must be proactive. A strategic plan to develop a Social Media mechanism to broadcast your business message is one of the few realistic and affordable options available. To learn how to put a custom designed system  in place, visit : www.Boostwaveconsulting.com and get started today!

P.S.  The revelation is that the topmost step on a 10 foot ladder is indeed dangerous and should not be used!

Boostwave Blog   3-31-2011

Is your business prepared to deal with your children and grandchildren as consumers?

Have you considered a business strategy that incorporates the many changes needed to attract the attention of the next generations? Does your strategy take into account the manner in which this group acquires and shares information on a regular basis? If not, it is time to reconsider the method your business uses to communicate information about the goods and services that your business has to offer.

Traditional modes of informational exchange are no longer effective in reaching this group. The “50 and under” age demographic demands a faster, more personal form of communication. This collection of new consumers, over 160 million people strong, ignore outdated forms of message transmission,  (newspapers, radio, direct mailers etc.) just as quickly and easily as previous generations made the transfer from telegraph, rotary dial phones, and pagers. This is a statistical fact, not speculation, and if your business does not have a plan to reach this impatient, instant gratification driven generation,  then your business venture may be in danger of extinction.

Younger audiences rely almost exclusively on the Internet as the primary source for information of any type. Whether it is a question or a comment, it is likely that the information desired will be acquired via a visit to one or several Social Network sites. If your business has no visibility on the Social Media scene, then it is unlikely that you will attract an audience of younger consumers. This group has grown up in an atmosphere of instant information, and is therefore unused to waiting for data. If you are invisible in the moments of their search, then they will quickly move on to the next eligible competitor.

This is an era of Business Darwinism, and those businesses that do not adapt to a rapidly changing environment are certainly headed to extinction. Do not delay….start some type of strategic plan in motion now. The game has already changed and the race has begun. A new day has dawned, and it requires a re-inspection of performance potential, paying careful attention to the needs and demands of a well educated, well informed consumer.

For information about the best method of strategic planning for a Social Media marketing solution, contact: Boostwave Consulting,  www.boostwaveconsulting.com. We’ll help you plan the most effective method of utilizing the remarkable power of Social Media marketing.

Boostwave 3-30-11 Blog Text

How can a small business hope to compete with the “Big Box” retailers?

As we write these words, a revolution is underway regarding the manner that retail business is done today. Competition is fierce among purveyors of goods and services to capture the attention of their target audience.  National “Big Box” retailers have the financial ability to flood the market with T.V. spots, radio ads, and full page newspaper advertisements. It is fiscally impossible for the “Mom and Pop” operation to compete head on with these large players.

So, what can the small business owner do to level the playing field? The answer, quite simply is to choose a viable alternative of business communication. That alternative includes Social Media marketing. If your business does not currently have a strategy in place to utilize the amazing reach and power of the Internet, it is likely that your business will be an early victim in the evolution of  marketing .

New generations of consumers are demanding new methods of business communication. Old styles of messaging information are less effective with the “50 and under” age demographic, not to mention the rising costs associated with using traditional advertising mediums. Today’s smarter, better adapted consumer requires new techniques to provide insights into the goods and services available from local business, and the most effective, affordable ,sustainable manner to communicate with this target audience is through a strategy that includes Social Media marketing.

A classic irony about this circumstance is that the companies that offer a Social Media connection find that their traffic is better, their closing ratios higher, and their cost to promote their messages are substantially lower than previous traditional venues. When done correctly, a Social Media program can produce dramatic results at a lower cost than ever before, while building a following of loyal consumers anxious to share information about your company with their friends.

Don’t despair, it is not too late to implement a Social Media strategy that can turn your bottom line in a positive way sooner and less expensively than you might expect. Your customers and your competition are using the Internet for information about your business. Without a strategy to message your clients, your chances of survival are reduced and your ability to  compete  profitably  faces longer odds for success.

The time to act is now, the need to act is compelling. Don’t let another day go by without gaining an education into how the correct Social Media marketing strategy can place your business on level footing with any competitor and learn the survival skills necessary in a fluid and changing environment.

Contact Boostwave Consulting  www.boostwaveconsulting.com today and begin the journey to make your business visible and your adaptation to the evolving market complete.

Boostwave Blog 3-28-11

As we approach the Spring season and the traditional time of renewal, it seems an appropriate time to consider the importance of taking the time to consider new perspectives. As we enter into Spring 2011, there is not a more timely consideration for any small business than the planning of a Social Media marketing strategy.

Ironically, there is not a better time for small businesses to utilize the power of Social Media. Costs associated with traditional business advertising have prevented many small operations from broadcasting their business messages. T.V. is usually far too costly for the average business to consider. Radio spots , while more affordable than T.V., are less effective, and the penetration of display advertising in the local newspapers are diminished due to the rapid decline in subscriptions.

Often, for little more than the cost of a ½ page ad in the metro newspaper, small businesses can develop an affordable sustainable system of Social Media messaging that reaches the large age demographic represented by the “50 and under” group. This prime audience demands a new approach to obtaining information about current events. On average, this group spends 3 hours a day browsing their various Social Networks, extracting information and offering opinions about a wide range of subjects, including messages sent by businesses describing their goods and services. This two-way dialog is the direction of the future, although it is present day activity that fuels the changes in marketing necessary to access the tremendous purchasing power that this group represents.

Boostwave S.M. Blog   3-29-11

The story of the over protective Gatekeeper

Once upon a time there was an employee of a reasonably successful medical practice who was employed as the office manager of this 6 year old practice. Her job included interacting with in house employees as well as determining the best usage of the prime physician’s time.

She was very capable in her position, and assumed more and more authority to ascertain the most efficient use of everyone’s informational access. Yet, despite everyone’s best efforts, the growth of the practice was stifled. There were very few new patients seeking the services offered by this office, and most of those were referrals from existing clients.

Desperately searching for methods to stimulate business, the manager aggressively attempted to send out her business message through traditional outlets. This attempt failed because the ‘Gatekeeper” had refused to consider a contemporary perspective on the information revolution initiated by the “50 and under” age group. When newspaper, direct mail and radio were unable to provide the expected results, she still refused to consider a Social Media marketing strategy simply because she did not understand that her exact target audience was seeking information virtually exclusively through their Social Media network, and had not been exposed to the previous traditional marketing strategy. They were just looking in a different direction to receive the same information.

You see, this medical practice specialized in breast augmentation and enhancement, where the average age of the patient was 29 years old, thus guaranteeing that the typical target consumer for the services provided by this practice went unnoticed because they  relied on old fashioned advertising vehicles to generate traffic.

The moral of this story is quite uncomplicated. To succeed in sending a message in today’s market environment, a new method must be utilized. The majority of potential consumers get their information on line, and a Social Media marketing strategy is a sure fire way to ensure that your business message is communicated  to an audience that is actively searching to hear that message.

The recent earthquake and Tsunami in Japan proved again not only the force of Mother Nature, but the incredible power of the Internet, as information about the event was broadcast live on the Net, providing an even more effective early warning system for Hawaii and the West Coast than the program available from the U.S. Geological and Weather Services.

A similar storm has begun to affect small businesses throughout the nation. A new wave of consumers have arrived at the marketplace with impressive numbers. This collection of “50 and unders” have chosen to follow a new path to receive business and personal information.

It is not a coincidence that over 95% of the country’s newspapers have undergone a dramatic decline in subscriptions. These same enterprises have all elected to supplement their exposure by utilizing the Internet as a viable tool to reach the over 160 million young consumers that demand a new business plan.

As we approach an era of business Darwinism, where any small business must adapt or die, the best hope for any small business to endure and thrive in a challenging economic environment is to alter the method that it communicates to a target audience. It is imperative for any small business to develop a strategy of a Social Media marketing solution. This sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional business messaging allows any small business to effectively broadcast their message to a specific target audience by communicating via a Social Media Community the same information formerly sent by newspaper, radio or direct mail.

To donate to Japan Relief, please click here.

Boostwave Consulting provides proven and affordable marketing analysis, support and consulting services specifically for Small Business owners. Boostwave Marketing Consultants understand the challenges that small business owners are faced with and aim to provide a step by step marketing approach that minimizes risk and focuses on strategic growth. While most small business owners are experts in their particular line of business, we are experts in the tools and techniques that are known to promote stable business growth.

Talk to a consultant today and begin your journey on the path to growth.