3 Mobile Trends for Retail

Posted on March 23, 2012 by 341studios

With our upcoming Roundtable on April 5th discussing Mobile Technology – here are a few of our favorite mobile tech trends we’re keeping an eye on!

1. NFC (Near Field Communication):

Taking QR Codes one step into the future! Highly rumored (hoping) that this technology will be included in Apple’s next iPhone this fall, taking the technology mainstream.

NFC is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish radio communication with each other by touching them together or bringing them into close proximity. In a nutshell – you can simply touch your phone to a tag, and your transaction is complete! Your wallet’s days are numbered.

2. QR Codes and online commerce:

This is a great example of how QR Codes can deliver content quickly with a well-developed app or mobile website.

A virtual grocery store in a subway station in Seoul, South Korea with products labeled with QR Codes has increased online sales by 130% for Tesco Homeplus.

The virtual display is exactly the same as in the actual stores, but the QR Code allows shoppers returning home from work to place the items in a virtual basket, checkout, and pay. Simply scanning the QR Code places the product in the online cart and when users have completed their online shopping it is delivered to their door just after they get home. This great idea comes from Cheil Worldwide, South Korea’s largest advertising agency.

3. Location-based deals:

Personalized shopping, based on location, is the hottest thing going and is poised to finally unlock the full potential of mobile marketing.

Shopkick rewards walk-ins with in-store “Kickbucks” and other related discounts that can be redeemed at checkout. In order to ensure that users are actually in the store, retailers install sensors that send a high-frequency signal to the iPhone confirming the user’s position. Shopkick users receive Kickbucks for scanning specific products, trying on clothes, and making purchases.

A perfect example is MobSav.com, which is revolutionizing the way people are shopping with coupons. More than just another coupon website, MobSav.com brings online coupons to your mobile phone. What’s more, the coupons are for places and services within your current vicinity—all done via GPS. Imagine seeing the most relevant coupons around your area. No need to cut, print, or carry around coupons anymore because it’s all right there on your cell phone!

References:

1. Definition of NFC 2. 2d-code.co.uk 3. Change How we Shop (Tensile blog) 4. MovSav

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Video for Business – Tips from a Media Pro

Posted on March 16, 2012 by 341studios

This week, we have the pleasure of featuring the very talented Matt Shea, of Matt of all Media Productions, as our guest blogger. In line with our last Roundtable on video for social media, Matt will share production tips and discuss the benefits of using video to boost your business.

Video: Tell Your Story, Grow Your Business.

Guest Blogger: Matt Shea, Matt of all Media Productions

A video about your business leaves a lasting impression about the quality, value, and importance of your products and services in a way that text and images alone cannot.

Every business has a story—what kind of services you offer, why your products are superior, and ultimately, how you can help your customers. With a video, you can package that story into an easily accessible and engaging format—the same format that already accounts for nearly 50% of all Internet traffic, and is projected to see an over 78% increase in advertising spending this year.

  • For your website, video keeps visitors around longer when seconds count—increasing their investment in your products and services while providing you with a longer window of time to make an impact on them. Demonstrate how your products and services work, showcase your establishment’s atmosphere, and explain how you can help.
  • For prospective customers, video jumpstarts your relationship with them—putting a trustworthy face to your company and forming a personal connection that locks out the competition before you even meet.
  • For your business, remain competitive by taking advantage of popular contemporary media and positioning yourself as an industry leader to reinforce your customer’s perception of your products and services as cutting edge.

The key to success with video? Making sure the impression you leave is a good one.  Like anything that represents your company, the quality of what prospective customers see reflects upon their perceived quality of your business.

If you create a video yourself keep it short and sweet, and take care to ensure it’s done in a quiet and brightly lit location. Review it before posting it, and make sure it accurately reflects the quality of your business. If you hire a professional, make sure they understand your goals—whether it’s a direct increase in sales, better brand recognition, more informed customers, or anything in between. If you’re unsure exactly what you want, ask what will work best for your business—they’ll help you review the possibilities, and explain how a video can fit in with any marketing you’re already doing.

Example: A short and sweet, low-cost newsletter video:


To learn more about video and how it can impact your business, sign up to receive The Viewfinder, a free e-newsletter sent 6 times a year by Matt of all Media Productions.

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Facebook Timeline – It’s Just About Here!

Posted on March 14, 2012 by 341studios

There’s been a lot of talk about Facebook’s new Timeline layout, and we’re excited about the changes! The new format provides a bigger canvas to make your business stand out, and we think it’s a big improvement over the old, generic-looking page “wall”.

Last week, Paul Boutin of The New York Times posted an article (“Ready or Not, Time to Share More”) that does a really good job of explaining Timeline’s features and walks you through how to navigate the new design. If you don’t have Timeline yet, you will. Facebook is forcibly updating all accounts to the new layout on March 30th, so it’s time to take a fresh look at your page and convert it over to Timeline. So get ready and get informed!

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341 Studios Presents at Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

Posted on March 7, 2012 by 341studios

341 Studios was delighted to be invited to present at the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County’s monthly Roundtable. We were honored to be in the room (courtesy of the newly renovated Maritime Aquarium!) with some of the most vibrant arts organizations representing museums, art galleries, theater companies…it was a who’s who of the arts! 341 affiliates Rhonda Hurwitz and Lisa Schneider used top-notch examples to show how social media can help boost visibility, interest, and engagement with patrons and visitors. We are so fortunate to be in an area brimming with arts and culture. Helping these organizations better connect with and broaden their audience is one of the most rewarding parts of our work. We invite you to learn more about the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County and encourage you to fan, friend, like, and follow one or all of their participating organizations. Being social and cultural is easier than ever!

Click here to download the full presentation.

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Catching New Customers with Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Posted on March 2, 2012 by 341studios

With our clientele primarily made-up of small businesses with controlled budgets, 341 Studios is always on the lookout for ways we can help our clients save on time, resources, and essentially get more bang for their marketing buck. Something that has been around for a while, but many may not know how to incorporate into their marketing plan, is pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.

Pay-per-click advertising is a form of online advertising where, when someone types in specific search phrases into a search engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo!), the paid advertisements appear at the top and right-hand column of the screen. But isn’t that valuable/really expensive web real estate? Actually, it is—but here is the great thing about PPC ads, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

Here are 6 tips to help you get started:

1. How does pay-per-click work?

  • PPC is all about keywords. First, you set up a PPC account with one of the search engines, choose keywords or phrases that relate to your products and services, then create a simple ad with a title, subheading, and description. The position of your ad in the search results will depend on how much you bid for the keywords (we’ll get to that).

2. How much does it cost?

  • Some of the search engines charge a small set-up fee, but after that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. Also, when you set up your ad and select the keywords, you will probably be bidding against other advertisers for the same keywords. The more popular the word, the more expensive.

3. What can you do on a tight budget?

  • PPC allows small businesses with a limited marketing budget the opportunity to compete against larger companies for the same ad space. When you create your PPC account the more specific the keywords will be less expensive and you will be able to cast a net for those in your target audience who are specifically searching with the same keywords. For example, a patio furniture company may think using the keywords “inexpensive”, “patio”, and “furniture”, is sufficient—but do you know how many other similar small businesses (let alone larger chain retailers or warehouses) are vying for the same words? The better choices would be more specific, “eco-friendly”, “outdoor”, “dining sets”, “Norwalk, CT”.

4. Why advertise online?

  • It’s understandable to think that any online ad a small business creates will just get swallowed up by the bigger companies’ ads; however, PPC now offers geo-targeting, which allows you to only have your ad be displayed to those searching online who are located in your target area.

5. How much control do you have after posting a PPC ad?

  • Pay-per-click is actually the most controllable form of online advertising. Anyone who creates and posts an ad can turn it “off” or “on” depending on your seasonal sales or marketing budget.

6. How do you know it’s working?

  • Once you set up a PPC account and create a keyword-smart ad, you can immediately see if the ad is attracting the right consumers by tracking how many people clicked on the ad; then go one step further by checking the increase of visitors to your website and whether or not they placed an order.

Source: Costco Connection – February 2012

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5 Tips for Getting Professional Headshots

Posted on February 24, 2012 by 341studios

This week, 341 is thrilled to feature Blake Robinson, of Blake Robinson Photography, as our guest blogger to share tips on getting a professional headshot for your profile picture on your company’s social media pages. For over seven years, Blake has been capturing engaging profile shots from his Norwalk studio—his work has been featured in USA Today, New Canaan-Darien Magazine, The Darien Times, amongst others—so when one of our clients (or us!) needs a new headshot, Blake is our first call. However, with cameras now being incorporated in every hand-held gadget, it’s no wonder everyone thinks a simple shot taken with their smartphone will suffice. That may work for your personal pages, but when it comes to your company’s website or LinkedIn page we strongly encourage our clients to go professional. Here are some of Blake’s anecdotes and tips for creating the perfect headshot:

5 Key Tips Before Getting Headshots

Guest Blogger: Blake Robinson – Working both in the studio and on location, photographer Blake Robinson serves the Connecticut communities of Darien, New Canaan, Stamford, Norwalk, Westport, and Greenwich.

A Greenwich-based surgeon, Dr. Furlik, a neurologist who happens to be a very attractive woman, tells this story in her book (paraphrased here):

I needed some business attire clothes to wear in the office for meetings with patients. At Saks, the saleswoman kept bringing out these rather sexy outfits with plunging necklines, which I kept refusing, but she didn’t get the message. Finally I said to her, “I don’t think people that are facing brain surgery are really going to be interested in seeing my cleavage”. (Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside, by Katrina Furlik)

Dr. Furlik had surely thought about my first question on headshots.

1) What impression are you trying to make with your audience? When people look at your picture on a website, for example, how would you like them to respond? Possible answers: This seems like an open, friendly person. This is someone I could work with. This is someone who is confident and experienced in their field. That first impression is so important. Think about your own reactions—good and bad—when you look at headshots.

2) Serious or not? My advice is generally to stay away from serious. Even when I shoot conservative bankers who want a formal look, I’m always trying to bring out an engaging smile.

3) Color scheme? If the headshot is going onto a website or blog, think about the surrounding colors on the page. For example, it may make sense to use a colored backdrop and/or wardrobe that complements the color scheme of the page.

4) Props? Consider using props in your headshot. Here’s a headshot I took of a makeup artist holding her brushes.  In general, think creatively. Envision a headshot that has energy and enthusiasm, with a pose that is not clichéd—but also not gimmicky.

5) In sync with the photographer? Choose a photographer that has a style that fits what you are trying to achieve. Is the photographer creative and willing to work with you to achieve a unique, engaging image that pops off the page and makes a positive impression on those who see it?

For more tips visit Blake’s blog, which was designed by 341 Studios: http://blog.blakerobinsonphotography.com/

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Why You Should Take an Interest in Pinterest – One of the Fastest Growing Social Media Platforms

Posted on February 23, 2012 by 341studios

I know, I know…it seems like as soon as we all get the hang of promoting our businesses on the latest social media platform another one swoops in to steal the spotlight. First it was Facebook, then LinkedIn, then Twitter; and let’s not forget Google+ among the plethora of others. While some may still be scrambling to figure out how to juggle their company’s profile on all these social media sites, one more ball has been added to the rotation, and this one definitely shouldn’t be dropped. It’s called Pinterest—a virtual pinboard for users to post, share, and “re-pin” inspirational images and DIY projects, which they categorize as ideas for, say, their future wedding or dream home. With a simple, welcoming interface and the ability to organize an infinite amount of images found online and follow other users, Pinterest seems to marry the best aspects of Facebook and Twitter, and be void of any “corporate” tones that one might get from LinkedIn. So how can this latest-and-greatest social media site help your business? Easy. First you should create a personal account to become familiar with the online community. Once you realize how user-friendly, creative, (and addicting!) it is, you can create a profile for your company. Have products to sell? Post high-quality images of each item with informative captions. Don’t have products? No problem, you can also create boards that have images of things that are related to your services or that are pertinent to your field and might be interesting to your followers. The key is to post regularly and only the best images you can find, or create, to encourage your followers and other Pinterest users to click on (or better yet, re-pin) your image for more information.

Here are two great articles for more information about Pinterest and how it can be a part of your company’s marketing strategy:

How Pinterest is Becoming the Next Big Thing in Social Media for Business

Like it, Pin it, Sell it – Why Pinterest Matters for Your Business

Also, check back on Friday when this month’s guest blogger, Blake Robinson, of Blake Robinson Photography, explains the importance of getting professional photographs.

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The Maritime Aquarium’s Fintastic New Website

Posted on February 20, 2012 by 341studios

341 Studios is delighted to be a part of helping the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk launch their new website. The website is part of the Maritime Aquarium’s “Fintastic Refurbfishment”, a major undertaking featuring a colorfully redesigned main hall, new seal show, 21 new exhibits, 27 new species, and more than 300 new animals. The Maritime Aquarium asked 341 Studios to create a new website to reflect the energy and excitement of the refurbfishment. We are thrilled to help this beloved family destination get the attention it deserves on the web, from potential visitors, and from school groups. The new site is eye catching, engaging, easy to navigate and, most of all, chock full of info. We invite you visit the Maritime Aquarium’s new site; even more, we strongly encourage you to visit the Maritime Aquarium in person. It’s absolutely specrabular!

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Show Red a Little Love: The Many Meanings of Red for Your Business

Posted on February 14, 2012 by 341studios

It’s Valentine’s Day, and here at 341 we’re seeing red! (and magenta, crimson, scarlet, and every shade under the “red” tree). As graphic designers, we understand how versatile the color red can be, with brighter shades conveying energetic vibes and darker shades being associated with power and bold elegance. However, the interpretation of colors is subjective—what evokes one reaction in someone can create a totally different feeling in someone else—here are a few tips to help you embrace the right red for your business:

  • Red embodies some of the most beautiful and inviting hues, but many people steer away from using it for their business logo, website, or even office decal in fear that it’s too dominating. Incorporating just the right amount and degree of red can actually aid in your company to attract and communicate with potential customers.
  • The various shades of red are associated with a plethora of meanings including energy, strength, power, femininity, determination, and (or course) love.
  • Red can be a powerful accent color, but it can also have an overwhelming effect if used too much in a design. Instead, consider using it to bring a few text boxes and images to the foreground.
  • Red is often used to attract attention and stimulate people to make quick decisions—it’s the perfect color for “Buy Now” or “Click Here” buttons on Internet banners and websites.

Love the meanings but feel the color is still too strong? Something as simple as changing the hue or saturation of a color can evoke a completely different feeling and meaning that will result in a perfect match for your business.

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Google Trends from the Fresh Intelligence Roundtable Series

Posted on February 11, 2012 by 341studios

Yesterday morning, at our Fresh Intelligence Roundtable on Google Trends, we welcomed back the lovely Kate Hamilton-Miller of Search Smart Marketing who shared with us the ins and outs of why certain websites are listed first during an online search and the importance of making sure your company’s website meets certain SEO requirements. Surprisingly, it’s not just a matter of which website has the most content, or was created first, that ranks it on top in a Google, Bing, or Yahoo! search, but rather a complex matrix-like interaction that occurs between the search engine and the content of your website. It also largely depends on the association between the keywords throughout your pages and the keywords a viewer types into their search engine. Some of the extremely informative tips Kate presented include:

  • The evolution of a search
  • Google vs. Bing
  • Local search opportunities
  • Why keywords are king
  • Useful tools for business owners
  • Successful SEO

Download the full presentation and handout.

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