n this week’s lead generation news, we take a look at markets. Virtual markets that may or may not exist, arbitrage markets in food and the data behind a trending meme. I try not to get stuck on some of these stories, but the virtual designer clothes thing. . .if that takes off I may just give up this work thing because it may mean I don’t understand markets at all.
Social media platforms are popular places to market your business – regardless of your specific industry or niche. Some of the most popular social media platforms to market your business with, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, have 214 million, 133 million, and 68 million users in the USA respectively. This means that no matter who your target audience is, you can be sure that at least some of them are on social media. Since they boast giant user bases and make it easy to spread information, clients come to us asking, is it really that easy?
This week’s articles lean toward big picture ideas but we round everything out with potty humor so all is right in the world. We’re going to use a consultant’s deep dive into direct-to-consumer retail for some hints on B2B marketing, think about using game film to make our marketing better, think a little about Google’s new search changes, and keep an eye on a giant Pentagon contract won by Microsoft. Then we pop into Shanghai for just a bit.
To be successful, you need an effective business strategy and a solid business plan. And while the two are closely related – and equally important – they aren’t the same thing. Understanding the difference between strategizing and planning isn’t always easy, but if you want your business to be a success, it is absolutely necessary.
In order for long term lead generation efforts to pay off, a business needs an effective strategy and solid planning. Unfortunately, many business owners focus exclusively on planning and ignore strategy altogether. This is a common – but costly – mistake.