Websites are the new brochure, and social media is not a marketing plan

20 years ago, just before the internet took off, we used to call it the "brochure solution" because all our clients thought they needed a brochure to sell their product, program, or business service.

They often got a brochure, or a postcard, or a flyer, or a direct mail piece, but they also got guidance on how to design them, how to write them, what to do with them, when & how to distribute them, and how to support their investment with other marketing tools like news releases, events, advertising, speeches etc.  We could add a lot of value to that little brochure request.

Today, the website is the new brochure.
While everyone needs one, and they're worth investing in, they need a lot of support.  New products, programs, and business services need more support than "putting it out there on social media." Social media can help drive traffic to your website but there's so much more than that to do. Social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest Google+ etc), isn't a marketing plan.  

When we develop marketing plans we consider strategies in public relations (including social media, text messaging, events, email etc), government relations, media relations, stakeholder relations, customer relations, staff relations, advertising (online, mobile, traditional etc), product and content development. When designed into an integrated marketing plan, these strategies can all help achieve your goals as well as drive traffic to your website.

So don't make the mistake of making a website and social media your only marketing solution.
If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well.

The Journey of App Development

Well, it's been quite the journey.  


I conceived of a new business and personal app about 2 years ago, and when no one else invented it, I decided to take the plunge myself about 4 months ago and I'm pleased to announce that it has just now been uploaded to the app store and is awaiting approval.  Iphone and Android platforms are in the works.  


I can hear you all asking now -- What?? You developed it first for BlackBerry? What was I thinking??


Well, since it's an app that I really wanted, and since I am a committed BlackBerry user, like most of BB uers are :), I naturally had to develop it for BlackBerry first.  Plus, it integrates a lot of native BlackBerry capability so I assumed it might also be the most challenging.


So I'm not going to tell you about the app just yet, until it is live and available for purchase, but I do want to share some Pinnacle Thoughts with you on the app development process that I have learned along the way. 


I have discovered there are four stages to developing a fully interactive app, not the kind that is basically a miniature web page.  


The four stages are:
1. Conception --- Dream and drawn out how the app will work. Write a features and benefits page. Start searching for names, urls, logos, trademarks and competition. Run it by your most trusted friends.


2. Production --- Hire an App developer and maybe someone who has been through the process before and can speak the technical language.  Utilize a non-disclosure agreement.

3. Place --- upload the App on the online stores.  This is quite a detailed process with many linear steps including getting a business payment system, proving your identity and taxation status, making applications to become a vendor, producing the rights to all third-party content, get the app reviewed and approved, and much, much more.


4.  Promote --- Start writing the marketing plan including public relations and paid online media strategies. Set a budget and make sure your promotion is true to the functionality of the app as completed.  Not all ideas can always be implemented for each platform.
I am working on parts of steps 3 & 4 and looking forward to blogging a bit more about the experience once it has launched on all three platforms! 
Stay tuned!! 
If you've developed an app, what was your experience like? Which of the four steps was your favourite and least favourite? Did i miss a step?  Please add your comments below, I just may do this again!!

QR Codes Smart for Business Marketing

Finding out which ads capture the attention of customers has always been a challenge for marketers. Getting results is usually an accumulation of a variety of tactics including advertising, trade shows, web promotion, media coverage, business cards, networking, referrals etc etc.

Now, with QR codes, everything from business cards to brochures, from t-shirts to tattoos can be tracked for their specific contribution to directing traffic to your website or online video.

Quick Response codes are barcodes that can be scanned by smartphones and tablets that have a camera and access to the Internet. Once the phone scans the code, the phone is taken online to an Internet site. QR codes can point to your company website, a coupon, a video, product information--anything you can host online. The QR code is as simple as taking a picture and it adds rich, more detailed content than any single marketing tool could. Plus, it's trackable, so you can see results of a marketing tool or for a full campaign.

As QR codes appear on more and more ads, information that captures your attention can now be captured and saved on your smartphone. I've used it to promote events, in traditional and online advertising, printed materials and more, for clients. It helps me know and show where the results are being generated. With useage growing in Canada by nearly 500% quarter over quarter, QR codes will become more commonplace, and more used by consumers.

To use a QR codes, download a QR code reader to your smartphone. One of the most popular is i-nigma. To download the i-nigma QR reader, text the word barcode to 393939. You will receive a text message back with a link to their download site.

To start using and tracking QR codes in your marketing, email info@pinnacleresults.ca