Tayloe Marketing and Consulting announces addition of video production services

Tayloe Marketing and Consulting announces addition of video production services

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with SoMedia Networks,

the largest provider of on-demand video production services in North America.

This partnership allows us to offer a range of high quality video products designed to create awareness,

engage your customers, and drive more business for you.

Depending on your specific business objectives, we have different types of video products

to meet your needs.

Video Products Include:

• Company Profiles—Showcase your business, product ,or service

• Customer Testimonials—Establish credibility through endorsement from your
customers

• Scripted Ads—Grab attention and persuade customers to take action

• Feature News Stories—Spark media interest and generate buzz online

• Video News Releases (VNR)—Use in conjunction with a traditional press release to
spark media interest and stand out from the crowd

All video products are offered at very competitive prices as standalone offerings or as part

of other marketing service packages.

Learn more about our video production services.

The propensity to purchase increases by 97% through video social sharing (ReelSEO).

Tayloe Marketing & Consulting now offers high quality HD video production including scripted ads, company profiles, customer testimonials, and mini news stories!

Infographic for video

See the above  infograph for more info on how video works for your small business or NPO!

Press Release:

Absolutely Terrifying Marketing

Growing up in the backwoods of Missouri, I was taught from a young age to never show fear, especially in the presence of animals. So I learned to conceal my fear, as best as I could to survive, both in the woods and around people. However, I still was filled with fear during certain activities. Although I loved to climb trees and jump of cliffs, I was scared of heights, and would sometimes get the ‘shaky leg’! I also would get petrified before going on roller coasters, but yet I did it anyway! Public speaking is another nemesis of mine, which is not great when you are in the public relations and marketing field. So I have had to learn to put on my big boy pants and go out and just do it (I can throw in more motivational cliches if you like 😉 ).

The Manta is terrifying, but fun!

Overcoming our Fears

What gives me courage is knowledge that  many of the most successful athletes, actors, business men and women, and other leaders we look up to confess that they have had to, or still do, deal with their own personal fears.  Being scared or terrified is nothing unique or even a negative personality trait. It is simply how we deal with circumstances we are either unfamiliar with, or have not prepared for well enough.  Although scared of heights, I went parasailing a couple years ago, and had a blast!

Bradley G. Tayloe

Even after 15 years of being in sales and marketing, I still get nervous in front of crowds, especially when I have not done it for awhile. So I have joined a couple of networking groups here in Sarasota to not only discuss the services my marketing company offers, but to help me become more comfortable speaking in front of others.

One of my first mentors, Mr. Bill Gouldd, taught me: “Fake it till you make it!” At first I thought, as did some others in the organization, that “Faking it till you make it” meant buying expensive clothes, cars, homes, toys, and pretending as if you had reached a certain level of success so others would think “wow, they did it and so can I”.  I understand now that what he was teaching us is that “Fake it till you make it” means to ‘fake’ the attitude of success, that one should have a 110% FAITH that you will be successful in what it is you are pursuing. Confidence breeds success, and success breeds more success.

Terrifying Marketing

Yes, that is my wife and I way up there 🙂 Beautiful view of the Gulf and storm clouds!

Developing marketing strategies and using new marketing tools can also be as downright terrifying as flying several hundred feet above the Gulf of Mexico! We get comfortable in using familiar techniques that have let us have a certain amount of success, and then focus on other areas of our business. With new social networking sites, Internet marketing, video production, email marketing, ever changing search engine optimization (SEO) standards, and countless other changes with what is the best way to market your business, it is overwhelming for many small business owners and non-profit organizations to have a complete understanding of current best marketing practices. These constant marketing changes also make it more of a challenge to put a comprehensive marketing strategy together.  As we have mentioned in other blogs, using a consultant is a great way to gain knowledge and put forth a plan of action to better serve not just your business, but your customers and prospects as well.  Knowledge is power, and being filled with knowledge can help us overcome our fears.

If you have concerns about how to best market your company, make the right decision and contact a marketing consultant today. We are happy to offer a free consultation at Tayloe Marketing and Consulting:

Click Here for Free Consultation!

How to get Cost Effective Video Production Services

Have you ever been curious about how to get high quality, HD produced video for your small business? There are many types of video that a company can have produced. These include profile, ad, testimonial, and custom video. Custom video allows you as the business owner or manager to have greater input on what message you want to send out in your video production.

While most will agree that video is an effective way to attract more clients, create interest, and generate conversions, what is less known is how cost effective video productions are. The fact is they are very affordable, and with current productions methods, you can showcase your video on a variety of different formats. From websites, YouTube, TV, radio, mobile devices, or showroom, your video will get your message and your business in front of more people, with higher efficiency than any other marketing medium.

So what type of video and length is right for your business? To answer this question you should consult with a marketing video expert. They will be able to provide you with a full understanding regarding the type of video that would best suit your particular business. More importantly, a good video marketing consultant will analyze your target market and know what is the best way to capture them.

Let us look at the most common types of video: Testimonial, Profile, and Ad. If you are in a highly competitive industry, with few differentiators, then perhaps a testimonial video would be best. Restaurants, Realtors, Insurance agents all have a very few separators in their business models, but word of mouth and testimonials/referrals are what usually drive a prospect to becoming a client. What better way to share how you have achieved success in helping others to either enjoy a wonderful dining experience, or purchase a new home, than through a 30 or 60 second Testimonial Video?

A profile video is a great marketing tool for a small business who is new to the area, has a product that shines in the spotlight, or a unique concept. Perhaps you are a pool builder, a medical professional, or lawyer. A video profile will highlight specific areas of your business and demonstrate how great your product and services are!

Advertising video, or video ads have multiple benefits. One of these is that in addition to being produced in HD quality, they are also “Radio ready”. This means that the voice-over done on the video can be easily transferred to an audio production ready for radio advertising. Advertising is great for all companies in almost all industries, from hair salons to golf courses, Realtors to contractors. A good video ad will end with a strong “Call to Action” that helps to convert interested viewers into prospects.

Are you ready to take your small business to the next level? Click on the above links to see video in action, and see below for more information on the “Video Profile“. The best advice you can get is from a marketing consultant who will partner with you, to best understand your and your prospects needs. To see more information on Video Profiles, Testimonials, and Video ads, click the following link: Tayloe Marketing Video profile. The information provided will assist you in making the right decision for your small business.

Use a Consultant to Overcome Small Business Marketing Challenges

When you are starting, revamping, adding a new product line, or rebranding your company, there often comes a time when you look at your marketing strategy and wonder, “Is this right? “Have I looked at all possible options”?  These questions do not arise because of lack of experience or education in marketing. In fact, many small business owners do have either a business background or higher education in the subject.  According to a poll done by the National Federation of Independent Business nearly half of all small business owners possess at least a bachelors degree, with nearly half of those having majored in business.  Having an education in business or even a background in marketing is a strength, and can provide you as a business owner with some advantages.

However, whether or not you have a business degree or background in marketing, as a small business owner you will still have several common challenges to successfully implementing a marketing strategy for your business. These challenges are why it is imperative to either contract a marketing consultant for their expertise and specialization, or hire a full time marketing director.  The most common challenges are: Time, perspective, research, current marketing trends, and implementation.

• Time is the biggest obstacle to many small business owners. With so many parts of a business to run, trying to handle all aspects of it on your own is very overwhelming. Unless you can honestly dedicate the necessary time to your marketing effort, without hampering other functions of your business, you need a marketing consultant.
• Perspective is an often overlooked challenge in the marketing field. Typically business owners look at a product and how it will be branded, promoted, priced, and placed through what we want, not as how the consumer desires or needs it. Having an expert in marketing who is in touch with the needs of your target market is critical to optimizing the ‘four P’s’: Product, Promotion, Pricing, and Placement.
• Research is a critical measure to undertake to understand exactly who you are targeting, what methods of marketing work best to reach them (do you use traditional, social, video, word of mouth, or some combination of these advertising components), and who your competition is.  This is important whether you are a start-up or an established small business expanding locations or product line.
• Marketing Trends are similar to perspective, however the difference in marketing trends is in planning for future events. A good marketing strategy will use a SWOT analysis to measure your companies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to help with forecasting various internal and external trends that will affect your business. For example, if you are in the roofing business, your market depends on many factors: the building industry, the environment and climate changes, economy, and government regulations. A good marketing consultant will help you to plan for most foreseeable events, so you can have a contingency for best or worst case scenarios. If there is a market trend that shows a shifting from shingles to Spanish tile in your area, you want to be prepared for that, and know who your potential suppliers could be. Or maybe there is an increased interest in PV solar installations, so you would be wise to co-market and work with a solar contractor for additional opportunities in that industry.
• Implementation. OK, so you finally have taken the time, done the necessary marketing research, looked at marketing trends, and have gained an outside perspective on your customers needs and wants. Now what? Now, you need to formulate a marketing strategy and implement it into your daily business operations. This is where it gets hard, because this is where the time factor really comes into play.  You have done all this work and to not use it is not just wasteful, it can ruin your business.  A marketing consultant will help you draft your marketing strategy, and then if you desire, they can either implement it for you, or find the right person to do it. 

The goal of any marketing plan is to do two things: Increase your brand awareness and increase your conversions. If you are simply getting the word out about your product, but not gaining more customers, there may be an issue with pricing, placement, or even the product itself. Your conversions are great but you find that they are mostly repeat clients or you are not reaching the percentage of the target market you desire, you may need to alter your promotional methods. Again, working with a marketing consultant can help you achieve this, but there is one final piece of advice to offer. Make sure whomever you work with as a consultant is a willing team-member and has a buy in to your product.  If they cannot empathize with your passion and share in your desire to be successful, then you may want to look elsewhere. They may be a great consultant, but perhaps your particular industry is just not the right one for them to consult on. Do your due diligence and find your success!

Teamwork = Customer Service Excellence for Small Businesses

TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More. This is the message corporate managers try to convey to their employees.  That customer service is not just the right thing to do; it is a part of your job requirement.    Yet, we all have been to the local restaurant,  shopped at the small mom and pop retail store, had work done by a local contractor, and after a terrible customer service experience, we shook our heads in wonder of how the heck are they still in business!

If you are a small business owner and have just one or a couple stores, excellent customer service is of utmost importance to you.  Why?  Think about it, and the answer should be clear.  If you go to a Target or Pizza Hut and the service is terrible, chances are you will blame it on just the employee or that store.  You will often hear from friends and family in different areas that they ‘hate’ a certain brand because of continued bad experiences at that store, yet your own experience is good with that same brand locally.   With hundreds or even thousands of locations, national franchises and brands can, unfortunately, afford to have the occasional bad store and/or employee experience.  Yet if you are a business with one or two retail storefronts; a local contractor with only a handful of clients; or just one restaurant; your reputation is ALWAYS on the line.  One bad experience and the damage can be done, permanently. With reviews easily available on Google, Yelp, Foursquare, and many industry specific sites, all it takes is one pissed-off customer to downgrade your customer service rating. We have all heard the saying that a happy customer will tell ten friends about their experience, but an upset customer will tell a hundred.  With the ease of submitting an online review, that hundred can become thousands very quickly.

So now that we know the downfall of bad customer service, how do we prevent it?   The best way is by creating synergy and making sure all your employees have ‘bought in’ to your company. You will know when your employees have bought into the product and you as the owner.  Tardiness, turnover, gossip, laziness, and negative reviews will lessen, while teamwork, volunteerism, going the extra mile for customers, and energy will be displayed.  The return of investment (ROI)  in training and creating a teamwork atmosphere is easy to see, but only after it is implemented.  However, this strategy is not something to be done just once.  To successfully implement a teamwork environment, you must make it a continuous effort.  Here are some suggestions on how to drive your team to success by creating synergy:

• Short, yet informative meetings (if there is nothing new to share, do not have a meeting just to have one!).
• Training on new products and services done by employees, with supervision by the managers.  You want to create a team of superstars, then have your new workers do a training session on a product or service for the experienced workers.  Again, this should only be done when there is something new to share, or at least once every couple of weeks.
• Training can also be cross-promotional.  Have your employees teach a different division on what they do.  If you own a restaurant, have the waiters teach the hostess, the cooks train the waiters, etc.  By having an understanding of the other personnel’s duties, it will create greater appreciation for that position throughout the organization.
• Team outings during work hours.  That is right, shut the business down once every quarter for a team outing on a Friday afternoon. You may lose a couple hours of production (do it by department if you have to), but again, this is about long term rewards.
• Recognize! If someone does something above and beyond, give notice to the employee.  If someone is promoted, do a simple press release and spread the news.  Everyone loves to see their name in print…well most of the time…and what better way than a simple press release that will give kudos to those who have helped your business grow.

The most important thing to do is to create an atmosphere that is rewarding and fun. Remember, all employees do not have the same motivators. Some may be energized by money, some by extra time off, some by just a simple “thank you” or “job well done”.  Have discipline and consequences for poor performance, but know that most customer service issues are preventable if your company’s employees have the right attitude.

If you are ready to create a teamwork environment and would like more details on how to implement different team strategies,  please do contact us! From press releases to marketing plans, we can help your small business.   For more information,

Co-Marketing Vs. Co-Branding Explained for Small Business Owners

As a small business owner, you have probably had networking sessions and referred work to others in either the same or different field of work.  When I worked as a boy for my father’s construction company, I would notice that for some jobs that were either outside of his scope of expertise or just did not have time for, he would refer them to another contractor in town. Developing a relationship like this with other companies is a key component to survival, and if the referrals are returned in favor, then it can lead to a prosperous referral partnership.

Co-Marketing and Co-Branding are different from networking and referrals.

Co-Branding is when two separate brands come together to form a new product or integrated product. An example of co-branding would be Oreo and Dairy Queen and their famous Blizzard! ,               Chevrolet Bumblebee Transformers Limited Edition Camaro, and Taco Bell’s

Co-Marketing is a true partnership between two separate brands that will use their combined efforts to market each others products. A new product is not created, but because there is commonality between the two products, a co-marketing venture makes sense.  Some common examples of co-marketing are Kohl’s with the Food Network (if you watch any Bobby Flay show, like “Worst Cooks in America“, you cannot help but to notice this almost overwhelming marketing effort),  Omega Watches with James Bond  , and Honda with the NHL.

As a small business owner you may wonder how these multibillion dollar organizations can be similar to your company. The fact is that there are co-marketing opportunities around you all the time. For example, while looking for new opportunities to increase market share and brand awareness for a very small water treatment company, I developed a relationship with a solar company. Bringing the two owners together, we found there was a common interest in providing top of the line products and services to homeowners. So they entered into a co-marketing agreement that allowed them to sell both company’s products across the floor, promote each other in their materials, and increase brand awareness to each others current and new customer base.

If you have a pool service company, maybe you may utilize a co-marketing agreement with a landscaper, since you are both offering a service that many homeowners require. You love maintaining pools, but cannot stand the thought of doing landscaping. So why open another part of your business? Just find a reliable, reputable partner to duel invest your marketing dollars with and you will both benefit from this partnership.  If you are a hairdresser and you have a friend who does nails, you could both market each others’ services and draw in additional customers that way. You do not need to relocate or set up shop next to each other, just a nice link on each others website, some promotional materials describing your partners business and why you recommend them, and perhaps a video ad showcasing how fabulous your clients look after a visit to your hair salon and their nail salon.  The opportunities are endless, but they are time consuming and require finding the right partner. If you would like a free consultation on how to set up a co-marketing or co-branding strategy, please do contact us.

For a free whitepaper on how to implement Inbound Marketing for your small business,     and fill out the form. You will receive a welcome email with a whitepaper attachment as our thank you.

Is your Small Business reaching Baby Boomers and Seniors?

Marketing to Seniors: Online Versus Offline

Seniors are using technology

There is a new article in Entrepreneur Magazine that shows the senior market is still best reached through ‘traditional’ methods, such as direct mail, word of mouth, and TV/Radio mediums. The article quotes a research study finding that “zero percent of seniors were sourced via online marketing for their purchase”. It goes on to state that online mediums are just not used by seniors to make a purchase or research, that it is more for games and staying in touch with friends and relatives.

While this article showcases how important it is to have both an online and offline presence with your marketing plan, it does not fully take into account the fact that more and more seniors are using the Internet, and many of them are using it for research of products and services. So while many seniors may not hear about your service through online methods, it is still important to have an online presence for when they do go online to research. As a Forbes article highlights, baby boomers may not be early adapters of new technology, but most have had experience using and even developing technology before it became a mainstay of daily life in the 21^st century.

If you are looking for the best marketing strategy for your small business, you should consult a professional who will work with you to develop a plan of action that will reach out to your target market with the most effective methods. Using video, search engine optimization, print, television, radio, online, and a variety of mediums are most likely going to be your best resource to increase your marketing power. While you should not rely on a website or social media marketing alone, as with most things in life, a good plan has balance and is reflective to your business’ individual needs.

Thanks for reading. If your small business would like a free marketing consultation, please do contact us.  If you are a senior who shops or does research prior to a purchase, or you are an agency who has successfully marketed to seniors via online methods, I would love to hear from you.

3 Facebook Tips for Small Business Owners

Do you desire to tip your marketing efforts back into the right direction, but do not have a large, or any, advertising budget? One of the advantages of social media is that it is basically free. However, being free does not mean that it is without effort or technique. Let us use Facebook as an example. There are many different ways to optimize your business’ Facebook Page. The following are some basic tips to help you reach out to your customers and have more interaction with them. After all, the goal of ‘social media’ is to be social, have a conversation, and extend your businesses presence in a way that will build trust, awareness, and ultimately a decision to purchase your product or service. Enjoy the tips and please feel free to add to them and/or comment!

1. If you have a website (and you SHOULD!) make sure it is listed at top of your ‘About’ section, so that visitors do not have to click on  the ‘About’ tab to get to it. How you ask? Simple. Click “Edit Page” on the top right of your page, then click on “Update Info”. Make sure all sections are filled out  and do NOT put anything in the “Official Page” box as this is only for fan pages of other businesses, bands, etc. |Be especially certain you have listed the correct address and other pertinent contact information. Make sure to edit your profile to have just the name of your organization as the sub domain URL: Facebook.com/YourCompanyRules In the “Short Description” box, located just under the map, enter your website first, then hit enter and finish filling out the box with a short description of your business. You will still want to add your website below in its own box. The advantage of doing this again, is so your website is visible as soon as someone visits your page. Remember, you want to make it as easy as possible for your visitors to find out about you and lead them to your website, where hopefully they will continue down the purchase funnel. See the image at the bottom of this post for a visual example!

2. Use pictures! People love pictures, so whether you are a contractor, restaurant, Realtor, flower shop, or dance studio, there are always pictures of your work, your product that you can share! Better yet, share some images of happy customers (with their permission) or ask guests to post their pictures on your Facebook page using your product or visiting your store. Utilizing pictures increases “Likes” by 53% and comments by 104% research has shown, as posted by HubSpot (by the way, if you are looking for good inbound marketing information, make sure to follow @HubSpot on Twitter or subscribe to their blog).
3. Keep in mind, that just because you have a good number of “Likes” does not mean all your new activity is showing up on their Facebook wall. Facebook uses an algorithm that is based on consistency and current engagement. In other words, if someone liked your page a few months ago, but has not liked any other posts or commented recently, chances are that your page is no longer getting prime time on their wall. Of course if they want to check your business out again, they will see everything posted, but the important thing is to keep your customer engaged. Do not just post promotions, ask questions! Like: “What is your favorite sauce to use when visiting Almighty Tacos?” or “Who all plans on attending the XYZ County Fair?” or “We will have a booth at the Realtor Convention and would love to see you!” This type of activity engages the prospective customer to stop and comment.
I hope you have enjoyed this blog and are able to implement some of these tips. If you have any questions or would like to know more, please feel free to contact us at Tayloe Marketing and Consulting. Thank you for reading and “Make it a Great Marketing Day”!

Understand your Consumer’s Behavior

As a small business owner, you have probably desired to know how to reach your consumers. What are they thinking? Why did they choose your product, or a competitors, or decide to just not buy at all. Understanding your consumer’s behavior is not rocket science, but it is scientific.  The definition of consumer behavior is complex enough: “Consumer behavior is the study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select, purchase, use, or dispose of products, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy needs and desires” (Solomon, 2009, p. 7).

  So what do you take out of the definition? The most important takeaway is that consumers behave the way they do based on their needs AND desires. I think it is important to break those down even more. Humans have many needs, and even more desires. An example I like to use is this. I love Chevrolet  Corvettes and the Chevy Silverado. This sports car and truck combo is my ideal garage stuffer. However, I have one year old triplets. So unless they want to ride in the ‘trunk’ of the ‘vette, or in the bed of the truck, my desired vehicles are not exactly what I need. Just not practical. So I happily drive an Oldsmobile version of the “SwaggerWagon” and get my girls and wife where I need to. My consumer behavior would desire to own something that is not practical for my family needs, so I purchase what is needed.

When it comes to your small business, you must put out products and services that your consumers will both desire and need.  If you are a book store, you are competing now with a multitude of electronic devices that allow convenience and often free books online.  So how do you compete with this consumer desire to read the latest novels, but has a need to save time and money?  The key is in offering something that an e-reader cannot, such as book clubs and groups, a 30 day money back guarantee (think about this one, how many actually buy something and return it, even if they do not like it!), have a nice reading room, etc.  If you are an independent mechanic, how do you compete with the consumer behavior of taking it to the chains and dealers? Again, you must differentiate yourself from them, and the other independents. Have an online presence, do maintenance workshops, offer discounts for local residents, and offer courtesy transportation within say 5 or 10 miles of your location.  The consumers desire is often to do business locally, but out of time or knowledge of what and who can assist locally, they go to the chain store and dealers.

Take the stress out of the equation for the consumer and make yourself visible. In real estate, there is a term called being a secret agent. This is someone who does not hand out business cards, have an online presence, network with other small business owners, or advertise at all, or very selectively.  This is YOUR business, you have to promote it, and again, make sure that your product is meeting both the desire and needs of your target market. Again, it can be something as simple as convenience that makes a different to a consumer. If you are a restaurant owner, and your competitor is bringing in more business, why is that? Chances are you both have quality food, an appealing curbside and interior, along with a pleasant staff. The difference could be something as simple as one has their menu available online, which allows the on the go parent an chance to easily see what to bring home for dinner, or who has a special going on that sounds appeasing to their family.  The desire would lead the potential customer to either of your stores, but the need to know ahead what their costs and choices are led them to another store. If all things are equal, all it takes is small difference to change the behavior of the consumer. Obviously branding, reputation, advertising budgets, and location are all important. But if you have made strategic decisions to set your business up with a good brand, strong reputation, and have spend money to make sure the community knows about, yet are still missing business, look at the little things. You may be surprised what a little extra effort can produce!

REF: Solomon, Michael R.. (2009) Consumer behavior: buying, having, and being. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall

If you have questions on how to better reach your customers, increase your brand awareness, and develop a winning inbound marketing strategy, please contact me: info@tayloemarketing.com Thank you for reading and “Make it a gread day”!

Working with Equator? GSS Title can Handle It!

GSS Title is pleased to tell you that we have a unique relationship with Equator – we love it!

That’s right, we have a system for these transactions which number at least 150-200 open in Equator at any given time. We have our own logins and have now closed hundreds of transactions using Equator.

If you have short sale transactions that require an Equator initiation, let us do it for you. This way, you won’t have to be bothered with those pesky emails that land into your inbox late at night. And, no more calls from buyer agents wondering what’s going on with the transaction because we send updates to all parties to the transaction in real time with our transaction tracker. There is no cost to you or your seller, or the buyer for that matter. We only get paid at closing by the lender.

You may download and print our handy listing submission package right from our website at http://gsstitle.com/submit-order/ and once we get this package back from you completed and signed, we will get to work right away on the transaction.

To your Success!

Bradley Tayloe

Director of Marketing

GSS Title, LLC

Florida Licensed Title Agency

1990 Main Street, Suite 750

Sarasota, FL 34236

Email: info@gsstitle.com
Tel: (800) 477-4580

Fax: (941) 914-9522