st louis marketing Archives - Digital Marketing & Website Design Firm

6 Ways to Succeed or Fail in Digital Marketing for Your Business

June 28, 2020 By Matt D'Rion

A couple of years ago, I was a guest on Small Biz Radio here in St. Louis and the hosts asked me for the most common marketing mistakes businesses make. They also wanted to know what are the most common strengths or weaknesses in executing a digital marketing plan – and what constitutes a good digital marketing plan for website design, content management, Google ads, email marketing, and more.

We went into detail on this on the program and came out with 6 key points – I have summarized them all for you.

Making your Website WORK for You

November 24, 2014 By Chad Lane

After reviewing and building scores of websites, three factors stand out as most important. The good news is that they are completely within your ability to control and fix them.

These three points are senior to SEO, design, branding and positioning. Without them, no amount of SEO work will save your site. Your social media and pay-per-click efforts are entirely wasted if you don’t first address these three components to a good website.

Worried about the economy? Write a blog for new customers

March 18, 2013 By Chad Lane

According to a recent survey of small business owners, their number one concern by a large majority was getting new business despite a weak economy.

We know that to get new clients, a business must promote. That is the first step. However, this can seem like a catch-22 when money is tight. Blogging provides a viable, long-term solution to promotion woes – and they can be done for free.

Each small business owner has some expertise to offer to the community in the form of a blog. There are potential customers and fans right now searching the internet to find the answers to very specific questions that can best be answered by small business owners dedicated to their craft.

Now that “Google” is a verb, we all daily interact with the internet to find answers to questions that we would have never bothered to ask several years ago – but now it seems that someone, somewhere, is willing to answer even the most minute question.

This is why blogging is a magnificent strategy for the small business owner. While it is certainly not an overnight strategy, it is effective. The people who find your blog about your interests and areas of expertise are going to be a pre-selected group of individuals, intensely interested in what you have to say.Continue Reading

Painting Pictures with Words | Successfully Simple Copy Writing

February 13, 2013 By Matt D'Rion

The space on your brochure is better left blank than filled with copy that could be removed with no loss of meaning. The goal is to communicate what you do and how you can help. Effectively.

Compare this –

We offer services that allow expanding companies focused on various verticals to obtain synergy through cross-platform communication.

To this –

We find ways for your company to reach into new fields and find new markets to penetrate.

Notice that the additional buzzwords in the first version confused the meaning of the statement.

USPS Proposes Cutting Saturday Delivery or Reducing service to save money isn’t the answer

February 7, 2013 By Chad Lane

The New York Times just reported that the US Postal Service will soon stop delivering First Class mail on Saturday. Reduction of store hours is a common tactic used to “stem the tide of losses” for failing companies. Borders bookstore (RIP) cut back hours across the nation before closing its doors with finality.

My question is – does reduction of service to customers ever really result in turning around a failing business scene?

In this case, the proliferation of email and other messaging services is being blamed for the reduced volume of First Class mail. Email is, of course, fast, convenient and cheap – so, how exactly will making the postal service less convenient and slower make it more valuable for its customers?

I believe that the Postmaster General would better spend his time creating a way to make First Class service more valuable – not less relevant.Continue Reading

What the Nook Taught Me About Marketing

January 2, 2013 By Chad Lane

I learned a little lesson about marketing from an aborted Nook purchase over the holidays that I thought I’d share with you.

A year ago, I purchased a Kindle. I bought it used. As a Craigslist devotee, I arranged the furtive exchange of a Kindle for cash in a well-populated area, feeling like a spy on the lookout for my contact during the deal.

I was instantly pleased with it. Purchases were an easy process. Turned it on, connected to the internet, and within minutes I had made my first purchase. Based on my browsing history and purchases, Amazon has become uncannily accurate with its book recommendations.

My daughter requested a Kindle for Christmas.Continue Reading

Be Your Own Best Critic

December 19, 2012 By Matt D'Rion

Recently we embarked upon a massive project for a new client. We were hired to research and create the perfect marketing plan for the coming year; these two steps, Research and Market Plan Creation, are the first two in the bread and butter of our business (the next two being Implementation and Marketing Management).

This wasn’t a client in dire need of help due to a failing business; this was a client which is prosperous and has aggressive growth plans. They needed a cohesive marketing strategy, based on research and real world work-ability. They needed
metrics and measurable results and the ability to see with a glance if something was working or not.

As we went through the process we asked ourselves (and each other), “What are we missing?” and “Is this as great as it can possibly be?” Many times sending each other back to the drawing board with the friendly command “You can do better, go do better.” Continue Reading

Why Seth Godin is Awesome – and Why You Should Care

December 6, 2012 By Chad Lane

Seth Godin is a world-class author and marketing expert. His blog is one of the few that I read every day when it arrives at my inbox. His ideas are worth paying attention to and offer enough inspiration to be profoundly valuable.

He frequently blogs about building a tribe, a group of people who support what you do and who are invested in your success – they are part of your personal team.

“This is great, we all know that,” you may say, “But how do I devote the time and attention – among the myriad things that take my attention every day – to build that tribe? Shouldn’t people just fall in love with my product? Isn’t that enough?”

No, it’s not enough. Even if your product is absolutely superior in every way, another suitor for your customer’s attention is always in the wings. Even the legendary Odysseus had to fight off Penelope’s 108 suitors after his absence. And if Odysseus was forgotten, it is a guarantee that you will be as well.

I received insight into how we all can afford the time necessary to build our tribes today – and that it doesn’t require anything at all beyond resources that we already have. Continue Reading

Advertising is like pasta

September 21, 2012 By Matt D'Rion

Pasta is good. Advertising is good too.

Pasta can get over-cooked. It gets sticky and mushy. In the 50’s, home chefs threw it against the wall and if it stuck, it was done.

Advertising can also get over-cooked. Say too little, too often and your ads get all sticky and mushy – unappealing!

Now, pasta without sauce is great for children. It’s bland and easy to digest. Advertising which says, “Name, phone number” “Name, phone number” “Name, phone number” doesn’t have much taste, either…Continue Reading

Super-charge your referral engine

September 6, 2012 By Chad Lane

Remember when you were a kid and a parent or a school administrator exacted some form of justice? You’d nervously wonder aloud if you were going to get in trouble.

“If you haven’t done anything wrong, you’ve got nothing to worry about!”

I don’t know – that advice never really worked for me. I figured that I’d get in trouble anyway – because I looked guilty, or because someone would pin the crime on me, or…

The ratings systems on sites such as Google+ Local, Yelp, Angie’s List and others are a bit like that.

We wonder – should we solicit reviews? What if the reviews are bad? Continue Reading