Jun.09

June 9, 2016
0 Barbara St. Clair

Why Twitter is Cool For Artists

About a month ago, the team at Creative Pinellas, where I hold the position of Executive Director, sent out a survey to over 4,000 artists and members of the arts community. We asked, “How do you use social media?” and were not at all surprised to find 76% said they used Facebook regularly or considered themselves expert users. We were surprised that only 19% said they used Twitter regularly, with similar results for Instagram and Pinterest.

 

Why were we surprised?

 

Because Twitter is a terrific platform for visual and performing artists to show their work! With millions of people using Twitter – everyday – it offers a proven way to build a local, national and even international audience, to reach people who want to engage with you, but who would likely not know you any other way, and to build connections and relationships.

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Marketing
artists,marketing,promotion,Twitter

Dec.01

December 1, 2015
0 Barbara St. Clair

It Was the First of December

To think, only a few months ago it was summer.  It is weird how time stretches and collapses, isn’t it? Or maybe not so much…

 

One hundred years ago, in 1915, Albert Einstein published his theory (since tested and supported by evidence) that time is in fact relative. And, that depending on where we stand (relative to other bodies in the universe) the passing of time may change, going faster relative to time on Earth, for someone outside of Earth’s gravity and slower for someone right here, where with the exception of a few astronauts, all of us are.

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Marketing
Einstein,iPad,iPhone,Kahneman,marketing,social media,social media marketing

Nov.17

November 17, 2015
0 Barbara St. Clair

Let’s Talk About…Brand Personas

One positive outcome of the current marketing revolution is the recognition of how important and useful Customer Personas can be in creating targeted, strategic and ultimately satisfying customer experiences that lead to enhanced business results.

 

When combined with the customer engagement strategy of the inbound marketing / sales funnel and real-time social media conversations, Customer Personas give marketers a tool to influence the step-by-step evolution from an anonymous-yet-interested-party into a known and engaged relationship and ultimately to a sale.

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Marketing
brand,marketing,marketing funnel,Marketing Personas

Nov.06

November 6, 2015
0 Barbara St. Clair

B-Smarketing

There are so many interesting conversations going on right now about marketing, and if you are listening in as I have been lately, the messages are important, accurate and very consistent.

“Attract your target audience into the sales funnel.”

“Transition visitors to your site from anonymous explorers to marketing qualified leads by providing content that answers a question or a need.”

“Nurture by providing valuable and engaging information (that by its nature builds trust and confidence). “

“Move them deeper into the funnel by demonstrating how what you have to offer meets their needs and convert them to sales qualified leads and then customers.”

Like water following a riverbed down to sea level. Wow. It almost seems to good to be true.

For the most part it is true.  Although to put it in more traditional terms, a lead who takes the next step, whether it’s downloading a white paper or an e-book, registering for a webinar, or signing up for a newsletter is giving a “buying signal.” And woe to the sales and marketing organization of today (or any day) that doesn’t have its ear to the ground on that one.

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Marketing
brand,branding,customer engagement,inbound,marketing,marketing evolution,marketing funnel