Happy (do something) New Year!

Ready for a New Year for your business? Well then you need to do something NEW.
If you don’t want it to be just like last year you should trying something new and different.
Theoretical physicist and old school Geek,  Albert Einstein was a revolutionary. He encouraged us to do things differently. I love his theory of insanity. “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
The good news is that we don’t need to understand the electromagnetic field or the quantum theory to revolutionize our business. ~:-)
For the new year I encourage you to use some new technology and improve (or begin) your online marketing.
We simply need to make more connections more often with our potential customers. It is simple, but I didn’t say easy. Get out your Rolodex (physical or digital) and update your contact info for friends and clients.
Getting Started.
I first recommend we take an honest assessment of where you are at today and where you’d like to be in 3, 6 or 12 months. Please fill out this basic goal worksheet that I’ve included in this article and then pat yourself on the back – you’ve just completed the first step towards revolutionizing your business.
1) Grow your Facebook Fans
Invite ALL of your customers and friends to “like” your page.
2) Grow your other social networking contacts
There are many social networks out there. Wikipedia lists about 100 “major active social networking sites”. Since time is finite, I would just look to Google+, LinkedIn & Twitter. You might find other industry specific sites – add them to your list.
3) Grow your eMail Marketing List
Start collecting Names and eMails from everyone you do (or would like to do) business with. You can do this by having entries at your front desk, by asking and even direct from your website or Facebook or Google+.  Many of our clients and business associates utilize this information with an eClub, a monthly eMailout for informational items, holiday greetings or coupon offers for eClubbers only.
4) Grow your Snail Mail list
Postage isn’t cheap, but direct mail (if properly targeted) has the potential to generate more sales. Add the mailing addresses of your clients that aren’t in your address book yet.
5) Connect :-)
This is the fun part. Share your success!
Share on the social sites, start an eMail list, send direct mail & start BLOGGING. The key to connecting is to deliver value. If you give real value people will appreciate the connection.
Some of our clients share specials or coupons, others share updates about the business offerings and service. Our focus @ omOrignals Marketing! is to share knowledge, have some fun while helping people grow their businesses.
Ready to get different results?
Then you, my friend, are ready to try something new. If you’d like to increase your connections, please contact omOriginals for a 30 or 60 minute consult. I’d be happy to help you connect the dots. I encourage you to do something new & different in 2012 to revolutionize your business through creative marketing!
Oscar Myre IV is the chief Geek and Creative Director at omOriginals Marketing! in Longview, WA. His team of individuals help create and produce anything and everything “marketing” – from web sites to graphic design (like all the great ads in this publication), and everything in between….including +1 codes.
Reach them 9am – 5pm Monday through Friday @ 575-9839 or online anytime @ www.omOriginals.com

Google +1 and why you need it

Thanks for tuning into another edition of Geek Speak. This summer I shared with you about Google’s answer to Facebook. Google Plus One (+1).
There has been a fair amount of hype with Google’s new social efforts. Fast forward to today “Is Facebook dead, yet?”
No, not at all. My Facebook connections and interactions continue to grow like crazy. ~:-) But today I want to discuss my favorite feature of Google Plus One. To save ink I’m going to refer to it as simple +1 button.
Here it is. The +1 button.
You might say, “So what? It looks like a Facebook “like” button to me.” My first reaction was, “I wonder if the +1 affect search results. That would be awesome!”
<<Remember I’m a marketing geek…
Fortunately, I was correct. Search results are now personalized based on the likes of those in your Circles. Circles are similar to friends on Facebook. As a marketer, this really changes the game.
In the past, there was one Google and one set of search results (at least for this article). Now the social aspect is shaking it all up. Rest assured search results are still based on Google’s proprietary algorithms, they aren’t thrown out the window(or chrome), they now just have a social component. Sites with more +1s will appear to be more relevant and thus ranked higher.
Google appears to be personalizing the search results on the micro and macro level. Meaning if you are logged into your +1 and you do a search, Google will give sites higher rankings if people in your circles (your connections) have +1’ed those sites. Additional on the macro level, the +1s of people outside of your circle are changing your search results as well. I suspect that when I search, my results are personalized by my connections AND by others on Google(outside of my circles).
Is this making your brain hurt yet?
The bottom line is this. Google has a new Plus One button and you want it on your website so you will have better search rankings.  Savvy professionals can get the code for their websites @
www.google.com/intl/en/webmasters/+1/button/
Need help with integration? omOriginals Marketing! can help with any site regardless of who developed it.  Isn’t it nice to know a geek?! Call us local geeks at 575-9839

Want to try a button? You should first get an account with Google. If you don’t have one you can get signed up (it is free). http://www.google.com/+
I invite you to read the intro article that I wrote in my August 2011 BLOG post.
Time to start clicking.
You can see examples of +1 on omOrginals.com and on ValleyBugler.com.
You’ll see that we’ve placed the button on each individual page. This allows visitors to “vote” for individual pages. If you appreciate this article, I’d appreciate your +1.

Dedicated to a true geek Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Long before I embraced the fact that geeks are cool, I was a fan of the Steves and of Apple.
At our first house I cut down a pine tree and replaced it with an apple tree. It was a McIntosh of course. We then built a pond and named our first 2 fish ‘Steve’ and ‘other Steve’. They were affectionately named after Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
With Steve Jobs at the helm of Apple they have made some amazing products that have shaped the world of computers. I embraced their mantra “think different”.
My first Mac was an 8100 that I bought used from a good friend in college. It (my first Mac) was a year old and so much faster and intuitive than the PC that my dad had bought me months before. The first Mac that Michelle and I purchased together was the original iMac (Bondi Blue).
We’ve enjoyed a few macs over the years, a Grape iMac, The Cube (brilliant machine ahead of it’s time). My first laptop was a titanium Powerbook, I affectionately called it TiBook (Titanium). Somewhere in the mix I picked up a mini, eMac and 3 or so iMacs. Michelle and I currently love our MacBook Pros. Steve was a visionary and a showman. I don’t know how many of his keynote speeches I watched over the Internet. Countless, probably.
Without exception Steve would wear his patented blue jeans and black turtleneck and present the next big thing that would change the computing world. He would sell the future. He would show us brilliantly simple solutions to complex problems.
Whatever he was showing off, he made you want it and feel that you needed it. Steve’s charisma created what has been called the RDF “Reality distortion field”. He had a mesmerizing way to make his passion yours. And being a showman, he truly understood how to do an encore. On special occasions he would finish his presentation, well almost and then he would say, “there is one more thing”.
When he said this, the MacAddicts knew it would be big.
As an innovator not everything they made was a hit. One of my favorite quotes (one that I can’t find anywhere online) is this:
“Good companies make mistakes. Great companies make it right.”
Steve and Apple have been one in the same for so many years. Even after they fired him in 1985, I’ve seen them together. I’ve always appreciated his presence.
Here is a quote that shows what could have been called arrogance (it wasn’t true):
“You know, I’ve got a plan that could rescue Apple. I can’t say any more than that it’s the perfect product and the perfect strategy for Apple. But nobody there will listen to me.” — Fortune, 1995
Well he was right. Steve came back to Apple in 1996 and had an amazing run. Unfortunately, for all us; Steve, his family, and fans Steve lost his battle to cancer this year. He will will be missed. I was looking forward to his next “There is one more thing.”
I hope and believe that Steve will always be in Apple’s DNA. In this way Steve will live on. Let’s finish this quote from Steve that he shared at Stanford when asked to do a commencement speech.
“Do what you believe is great work. The only way to do great work is love what you do.”
Steve Jobs 1955-2011
Oscar Myre IV is one of the geeks at omOriginals Marketing in Longview, who will miss Steve, and all his quirky greatness. You can reach the local geeks: 575.9839

Retain customers and Grow your business with e….

Hello Geeks,
It is my job to help businesses with their marketing and communications needs. We are always on a quest to find cost-effective (with emphasis on effective) way to help businesses grow. Before you figure out what you marketing you need to first consider “who“ you wish to market to.  I read many articles discussing ”Customer Acquisition vs. Customer Retention” Or what does it cost to get a new customer compared to the cost to keep and current customer? My conclusion. The best potential customers to market to, are those that you have already done business with. ~:-)
I recently found the following stats from Frederick Reichheld of Bain & Company to back this it up.

• Acquiring a new customer can cost 6 to 7 times more than retaining an existing customer.
• Businesses who boosted customer retention rates by as little as 5% saw increases in their profits ranging from 5% to a whopping 95%.

Now that we got the “who” to market to. What is the most cost-effective way to connect with our current customers. I found eMail to be the answer. Disclaimer: I know that not “Everyone” has an eMail account. But, I can’t think of a friend that I personally have that doesn’t have eMail. I Googled for some stats and according to Internet World Stats almost 80% of North American have internet access. http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats14.htm
Back to eMail. I’m not suggesting that you starting eMail everyone in the world. That is SPAM. I don’t believe that sending SPAM (Unsolicited eMail) benefits legitimate businesses. I’m saying eMailing can be a few very effective to nurture current customers and potential customer who opt-in or sign-up for your eMail Marketing list. But, no one was to joining one of those so we created “VIP eClubs” for businesses. The eClubs help them say, “Thanks” to their customers and deliver value to their inboxes. Many of our clients have us send coupons, tip & tricks or newsletters or articles like this <GeekSpeak>.
The key to eMail marketing is to deliver professional eMails, consistently and to offer a genuine value. We’ve had the opportunity to help business that on have a just a few eMail address to business that have collected thousands. Regardless of the size of your list, eMails can be sent for a fraction of the cost of postage from the USPS.
I love to harness the power the the Internet and eMail to help businesses. Here are just a few types of business that we’ve had the honor to setup and manage eClubs for; Nail studios, Chiropractors, Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Professional Services, HVAC, Car Washes, Non-Profits, Retail Stores & Automotive Repair. Regardless of your industry a professional eClub should be part of your marketing plan.  Want to see what one of these things look like? I thought you’d never ask. ~:-)
You can sign-up for GeekSpeak @ http://omoriginals.com/omoriginals/eclub
<GeekSpeak> delivers web + print marketing tips, tricks to your eMail inbox fresh each month.
To learn more about eClub for your business you can contact omOriginals and request a free 30 minute eClub consultation. omOriginals.com | 360.575.9839
Oscar Myre IV is the owner and creative director at the flourishing company, omOriginals Marketing! in Longview, WA. They’re local geeks and ad designers for this paper, who have esteemed clients from all over Cowlitz County (and the nation), and would be happy to chat with you about your own online marketing goals and thoughts. They can be reached at (360)575-9839 or online @ omOriginals.com

Does Your Business Really Exist? Google it!

For years it was my job (or part of it) to convince people on the importance of using the Internet for business. I don’t really do this anymore.
It’s not that I don’t still believe that the Internet is a powerful tool for marketing business, the shift is that everyone else knows it now too. Instead of me convincing people on the value of a web site, I now get to jump right in and help them harness the power of the Internet.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting with Mr. Rick Winsman, President/CEO of our local Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce. Our subject of discussion was about all things “business and the internet”.  Imagine that! Mr. Winsman expressed to me that “every business needs to be online”. He went on to say, “If people can’t find a business online it is likely that they (the business) won’t be around much longer”.
Maybe that is what happened to the Dinosaurs. ~;-)
We all know that Big Foot (Sasquatch) exists. But, does your business really exist?
Let’s find out the existence of your business with two simple questions:
1) Can people find your business online?
To find your business, let’s do some searching. Go to Google.com and get started. I recommend you take some notes on the results (digital or old school pen and paper will work). We are going to do two types of search.
A search for your “business name” and a search for your “product or service”.  Type in your “business name” and hit return/enter. I typed in “omOriginals”, and I also tried “Valley Bugler”. I’m happy to say, “We exist!!”
Next click on “maps” to see if your business is on the map.
Our second search is for your keys words such as “Longview WA Marketing” or “Longview WA Newspapers”. You can do these searches without the state name, but sometimes the results show Longview, TX.
Record your results. Don’t be shocked or discouraged if you don’t show up on the first page or results for your keywords. Just be motivated to be on this page so people can find you.

[Quick Tip: To be found for your “keyword”, make sure your web site has Google content discussing your keyword. Relevant (and fresh) is the best way to receive better search rankings. For maps, you need to add a list, or edit].

I recommend you do the same searches on bing.com, yahoo.com and even facebook.com <<< wow 400 words in before mentioning facebook!
And if all of the above is over your head, then call me anyways because we can help it make sense for you.
Now to our second question.
2) What does your presence say about your organization?
Start with the basics, to make sure your information is correct and up-to-date. Then ask yourself if you’d be interested in your business (based solely on what you see online)?
Not too interesting? Then perhaps it’s time for an online marketing review. Here at the office, we are currently offering those for free. If you’re interested, please give Johnene, our awesome Administrative Assistant and Office Manager a call! She can get you on our calendar with a free review. (360)575-9839
Long Live your Business.
Make sure your business can be found AND is putting it’s best foot forward. Take advantage of today’s technology – not only to survive, but to flourish.
Oscar Myre IV is the owner and creative director at the flourishing company, omOriginals Marketing! in Longview, WA. They’re local geeks and ad designers for this paper, who have esteemed clients from all over Cowlitz County (and the nation), and would be happy to chat with you about your own online marketing goals and thoughts. They can be reached at (360)575-9839 or online @ omOriginals.com

<GeekSpeak> is also published monthly in the Valley Bugler Newspaper.

Google’s Answer to Facebook: Google +

When discussing G+ with Kelso Mayor David Futcher, another early adopter, he expressed some excitement, but we agreed that “the world doesn’t need another Facebook”. But, we see that it is bigger than social, it combines the world of social AND search. PLUS other Google offerings such as; eMail, Video, Calendar, Documents, Photos, Reader, Web & More.

Groupon watch out: Facebook has a Mobile Deal for you

Facebook has launched a new way to coupon. It is called Facebook Deals. This is how it works… when people check IN to your business on their Mobile phones they can receive “Deals.”  Note: They are only available for claimed “Places” on Facebook @ this time. The end of this article will tell you how to claim your “Place”.

What is Facebook Places? On your mobile phone, you can check IN (tell the world where you are at). This is cool and a bit spooky at the same time. Instead about worrying that Big Brother watching everything you are doing, you are telling him. There is great info here for advertisers and potentially bad people. So I can enthusiastically encourage businesses to use places, but more cautiously consider it for your personal use. As a page owner you can offer 1 (and only 1) of 4 deals at a given time. Here is an overview for each Facebook Deal:
1) Individual Deal
Reward individual customers when they check in at your business. Best for simple discounts or gifts with purchase. This is a simple coupon with nothing to print. People simply show their phone to get the deal. It (the coupon) is displayed on the phone after you check-in with your phone.
2) Friend Deal
Reward groups of customers when they check in together. Help spread the word about your business more rapidly. Similar to a individual deal, but you only get the “coupon” if you and multiple friends check-in. The page owner determines how many check-ins required to get the deal.
3) Loyalty Deal
Reward customers for visiting your business a certain number of times, similar to a traditional punch card.
4) Charity Deal
Pledge to donate to a charity of your choice when customers check in at your business. A win-win for everyone! We are currently running a Charity Deal @ our studio to support Project Joplin.
Watch the Video
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10100211990206733
So how much does it cost to offer a Facebook Deal?
It is currently free, I’m not sure if this is just until they are out of beta or if this is free forever.
Claim your Place:
As I said above you need to claim your place on Facebook to be able to offer a deal.
To claim your Place, search for your business name on Facebook via the normal Search bar. If your business’s Place already exists on Facebook, click on it to visit its page. At the bottom left side of your Place you may see a link that says “Is this your business?” Click on the link and you will be directed to a claiming flow.
Facebook will ask you to verify that you are the owner through a phone verification process, or you may be asked for document verification. If your claim is confirmed, you will be able to admin your Place on Facebook. This took about 3 days for FB gave me admin access to our “Place”.  I then requested that they combined my Page and my Place. This took 7-10 business days to combine.
If you do not see the “Is this your business?” link on a Place, then it is not available to claim at this time.
The Deals features are going to be HUGE. I recommend you take claim to them ASAP. If you’d like to learn more about how to use Facebook, please check out our website or give the office a call to learn about upcoming FB Classes and Facebook Consulting, available Monday through Friday 9am – 5pm.
We take care of your marketing – online and off – so YOU can take care of business!
omOriginals Marketing is owned and operated by Oscar Myre IV and Michelle Myre of Longview, WA. To see how he can put the “Master” influence into your marketing, call (360)575-9839 or online omOriginals.com

Websites vs. Facebook

The battle is on!
A few years ago it seemed like every business now had a web site. Fast forward to day.: More and more businesses are now getting Facebook Pages. So the question is this, “which is better – a great website or a great Facebook Page?” Let’s dare to compare!
WEBSITES
I built my first web site in 1997, and so much has changed since then. Today’s web sites should be built with two audiences in mind. People and Search engines.
1) People: Your business web site allows you to put your best foot forward in front of the world. Business and organizations of any size can (and should) have professional sites. I recently read that over 70% of consumers pre-qualify a new business online by visiting their web site before even visiting the business!
With almost 3/4 of people getting their first impression of an organization online, it is mission critical to have a website that educates about your company and the value that you offer. With a web site you are in control of your brand.
2) Search Engines: Today’s phonebooks aren’t books at all, they are sites likeGoogle, MSN & Yahoo! New technology, but old-school marketing prevails. In the olden days, if your business couldn’t be found in the book, it didn’t exist (in the all important consumers eyes).
Today that is true as well. If someone “Googles” your business name or for your products and services and they don’t find you, they will go to your competitor. If you don’t exist online, eventually you won’t exist at all.
FACEBOOK
I built my first Facebook Fan Page back in 2009, and so much has changed since then. Facebook has made the internet approachable, and even fun.
There are literally millions of people using Facebook each day that don’t consider themselves geeks or even computer people. This flood of new people is a tremendous opportunity.
These users are checking you out on Facebook AND on your web site. The power of Facebook is that way users create and/or share info about your organization. They shape your brand! It is your job to help share what you want them to share.
And the winner is?
As you might guess, the the winner is the businesses who use BOTH a professional web site and Facebook page. The trick is how to do them both together, without wasting a lot of precious time. I’ve seen many business start to put a ton of content together and placing it only on their Facebook page.
The result is an anemic web site and an annoying business Facebook page. You need to find balance and integrate the two. Your local web developer should be able to advise or consult for best strategies.
I invite you to meet with your favorite marketing geek and draft up a online marketing plan that uses complementary web, social and eMail marketing to drive your bottom line up and up. To learn more about online marketing visit omOriginals.com and check out some upcoming class schedules. Call (360)575-9839 or online @ omoriginals.com
Oscar Myre IV is the web guru and head geek at his web development and marketing company, omOriginals Marketing! in Longview, WA. omOriginals serves over 300 businesses, both locally and internationally based. When he is not being geeky for businesses, he enjoys playing in his backyard with his kiddos and running the lake.

GeekSpeak- What’s new with Business Facebook Pages?

I recently had the opportunity to teach a group of professionals about how to use Facebook for their business. I told them that the knowledge that I was instilling in them was dynamic and that it could change overnight. I said “Facebook changes a lot”.

Less than a week later, Facebook unveiled their new and improved Pages (for businesses, mind you). To upgrade or not upgrade? That isn’t a question, Facebook made the update to our Pages for us automatically.

Here are some highlights of the new Pages from FB with my insights.

Photos at the top: The most recent photos that you post to the Wall of a Page you admin, or photos you tag your Page in, will appear here. If you want to remove you can click on it and then on a little X to remove it. They aren’t removed from Facebook just from the top of your page.

Use Facebook as your Page: You are now able to receive notifications for your Page, view a News Feed for your Page, and like and post on other Pages as your Page.

Want to give it a try? (you can always switch back)

One way to switch between profile mode and Page mode. From your Page, you can click the link on the right that says “Use Facebook as [Your Page Name],” and then switch back by clicking “Use Facebook as [Your Name].”

What can you do with your Page?

Essentially, anything you do while using Facebook as your Page will appear on Facebook as coming from your Page (usually a business or organization).

Notifications: You can view notifications of Page activity and new fans on your page through the top navigation bar.

Wall filters: Pages now have two publicly visible Wall filters-”Posts by Page” and “Everyone.” When viewing a Page Wall with the “Everyone” filter, the most engaging posts will appear at the top (i.e., posts will not appear in chronological order). Page admins will be able to view additional filters-”Most Recent” and “Hidden Posts.”

eMail notifications: You can opt to receive notifications when people post or comment on your Page. This was a popular request. In the olden days you had to logon to FB to check your page, now you can receive notifications via eMail. Now that is progress! I’m not kidding, my wife (Publisher of this fantastic paper) has complained about the lack of this basic feature from the start.

Featured Pages and admins: You can feature other Pages your Page likes, or admins of your Page, in the new “Likes” and “Page Owners” sections on your Page.

Mutual connections: When people visit your Page, they will be able to view friends who also like your Page, as well as other Pages that both they and your Page like.

Navigation: Page can now be found in the column underneath your Page profile picture. The text in the box that used to appear in the box underneath your Page profile picture will now appear in the Info tab.

Profile picture size: The profile picture size for Pages has been adjusted down to 180×540. You should update your old profile picture.

The one constant for Facebook is change. Some call it progress, I call it job security. ~:-)

If you’d like to learn more about Facebook you can contact my company, omOriginals Marketing! for some consultation or to ask about upcoming classes.

www.omOriginals.com

(360)575-9839

Oscar Myre IV is the creative Director at omOriginals Marketing and co-publisher of The Valley Bugler, as well as acting Graphics coordinator for all advertising. He enjoys running the lake when he isn’t tickling or playing with his kiddos at their new house.

Geek Speak – “TAG” happy – connecting print to web

Between the print world and the digital world there has been a great chasm. Imagine this, you are sitting down in your recliner, drinking a nice cup of coffee reading the Valley Bugler Newspaper. Life is good, reading positive stories and LOL over the hilarious jokes. You are enjoying a good balance of stories and ads. You see an offer that interests you from a local business. It invites you to go to their web site.
Now is the digital disconnect. No matter how many times you click (or tap or touch) the web address it’s still just a piece of paper…
So how do we cross the digital divide? (Go from print to digital?) You might circle or cut out the ad to look at it later. If you are geeky you might go to your computer or grab your laptop and type in the web address to take a look. If you are extra geeky you might type in the url into your smart phone. Unfortunately, the above ways are cumbersome. In our world of instant gratification, your interest may be redirected back to your coffee or to your favorite Newspaper.
Enter the Quick Response QR Codes.
These 3-D bar codes (see below) are the bridge that can drive people from print to digital! >I think of them as paper based hyperlinks.
What does that mean?
You scan (take a picture of) the code on your smart phone and it links you directly to a web site. And you aren’t limited to just web sites.
The code can contain a phone number, social media link, an SMS message, a google map, V-Card data or just plain alphanumeric text, and the scanning device will respond by opening up the correct application to handle the encoded data. The codes were originally created in Japan in 1994, they’ve been in Europe for years and now we are seeing them in the US.  QR Codes use the ISO-18004 standard. This means they are the same across the globe. They simply differ in the content the contain.
If you’ve read this months Bugler you’ve already seen a handful of these codes. To read the codes you need to first get a scanner app for your smart phone. I’ve created a mobile web site that you can use to find a free QR code reader for your phone. Note: Your phone needs to have a digital camera in order to scan codes. With your phone in hand, open up your web browser and go to http://m.omoriginals.com
You can select your phone Manufacturer (Brand) and get setup. Here are three codes for your scanning enjoyment.

Now you can scan the code, check out a web site and even call the business or buy something on their website without getting out of your chair or spilling your coffee. Now that’s geeky.
Word to the wise (for businesses): Keep in mind that these paper hyperlinks send people to websites on mobile devises. Your web site may not be ready for the mobile world. You will likely need to make some significant changes to your website to make it mobile friendly before sending people there.
This is just a glimpse into the future of these codes. If you want to be a digital bridge builder, I invite you to contact my office to request a QR Code consultation. Scan the code in this article to connect. ~:-)
Or for those of you who WANT this type of technology but don’t have a clue what the above article is all about, you can call our office @ (360)575-9839 or go online to:
omOriginals.com