Contact Us Today! 330.666.0802|tlmaurer@maurerconsultinggroup.com
LinkedInTwitterFacebookPinterest

A Strong Brand Can Do Big Things for a Small Business

Does your company have a strong brand?  A brand and an online presence are not the same thing. Sure, being online can provide articles or other items about you or your firm to show up in an Internet search - if people know you by name or your company name. But, that doesn't mean that a company brand is present in that mix of blog posts, web sites and social media pages that turn up in a Google or Bing search. Everything that is out there for prospects to find related to you and your business may not be saying [...]

By |2016-12-27T19:22:49-05:00June 21st, 2014|Branding, Marketing|
Read More

Small Business Marketing on a Budget

People say they do their best thinking while in the shower or on a long walk. Some, like me, find their best ideas popping up while on the road driving. I know that might be a scary thought for any poor soul on the road at the same time I am... crazy woman driving with her mind in the clouds. I've been known to record forty-five minutes to an hour of ideas during a half hour trip to see a client. Rest assured, I am still alert enough to realize when some idiot is cutting into my lane. You can [...]

By |2016-12-27T19:38:47-05:00May 10th, 2014|Branding, Customer Experience, Marketing|
Read More

The Contrarian Perspective: What You are Against?

Taking the contrarian perspective with your branding and marketing efforts is a creative way to get reader's attention.  It will work  for all of your advertisements, websites, social media postings, articles or blog.  While everyone else is blogging or writing articles on the same positive aspects of a topic, their work becomes part of the noise going out to potential customers.  Everything begins to sound the same.  Jargon, buzz words and catch phrases abound. The marketplace becomes immune to your same-old, same-old messages as you blend with everyone else. Taking a contrarian perspective can jolt attention back to you.  It can go a [...]

By |2016-12-27T20:00:44-05:00December 1st, 2013|Branding, Marketing|
Read More

5 Things Google Will Not Do for You — Ever!

When you Google search your business, you will be surprised to see what  Google can do for you.  Google may reveal things like driving directions to your location.  They may also pull up related articles, websites and social media profiles about your firm.  But,  there are a few things, which Google - and other major search engines - won’t do for you, ever.  Let’s have a look at some of those things Google will not do.   5 Things Google Will Never Do for Your Business Tell people why are you in business A Google search will never be able to expose [...]

By |2016-12-27T20:13:42-05:00September 20th, 2013|Branding, Marketing|
Read More

Customer Service – How Good Is Yours?

I've been involved in  'discussions'  in several different Groups on LinkedIn recently.  In every case, conversations eventually got around to the need for better customer experiences  for business success.  This is so true in the relationship environment we are doing business in today.  Expectations are higher than ever.  Customers expect more than what used to be called 'customer service' -- everyone claims to be great at it, but very few stand out.  Most are just sorely lacking.   I recently returned from a trip to Tucson, AZ.  I was scheduled to present a program on Designing for the Generations.  The local ASID chapter [...]

By |2016-12-27T21:02:11-05:00May 14th, 2013|Branding, Customer Experience, Customer Relationships|
Read More

Become Unreal to Stand Out – It’s Time to Be Different

Positioning your company as unreal, rather than real, can be a much better way of conveying a strong image to customers.  How many times have you heard someone walk away from an exceptional place or experience saying that it was "Totally unreal!"?   It's always a positive comment.  It shows that it was somehow so much better or different than similar experiences. Those are the kind of comments you want customers taking out your front door and sharing with others.  It's time for your firm to become unreal to stand out from competitors. I was scanning my Facebook Fan Page recently over a hot cup of [...]

By |2020-11-11T18:08:11-05:00March 25th, 2013|Branding, Strategic Planning|
Read More

The Human Side of Your Company – Show It

So many web sites for small businesses are just too generic and downright boring.  Nothing is there to make the company stand out. Nothing is there to encourage visitors who found the site to look around or buy, or ever come back again.  Nothing there to show the human side of your company.  In many cases,  these web sites are the only online marketing being done by a firm. It's hard to believe  their only marketing effort of the many Internet marketing channels available, presents their company, products or services as so, Vanilla.  Instead of presenting themselves as Rocky Road or Toasted Almond [...]

By |2016-12-27T23:41:24-05:00August 28th, 2012|Branding, Marketing|
Read More

Know Your Brand and Stick To It

Every Wednesday, I anticipate receiving the 'Marketing Minute' newsletter written by Marcia Yudkin, a respected marketing expert located in Massachusetts.  Her newsletters are routinely full of quality content, are short and to the point.  A recent article, graciously shared below, carries a strong branding message that we should all pay attention to:  develop and know your brand, then stick to it.  Remember who you are and what you set out to do.  Avoid temptations to deviate from your set direction.  No matter what - do not deviate from  your brand - not even a tiny little bit.  If you know your brand, it will help [...]

By |2016-12-29T00:35:39-05:00December 9th, 2011|Branding|
Read More

Make Yourself Memorable

Are you doing anything at all to make yourself memorable?  By 'yourself', I am referring to your small business.  To be successful, your company needs to standout from competitors to be memorable when they need your products and services. Our niece was recently married at a lovely Fall outdoor ceremony.  She and her new husband left a few days later for a romantic trip to Europe.  They spent some time in Venice.  From there, planned a train ride to Stuttgart, Germany where they would pick up a rental car and drive through the Alps. Leaving the hotel for the train trip, they hailed a taxi.  [...]

By |2016-12-29T00:53:56-05:00November 7th, 2011|Branding, Customer Experience|
Read More

Branding: Put Your Best Foot Forward

In today's world of Internet marketing and social media, and a challenging economy, small businesses on tight budgets with no marketing staff have taken to doing their own marketing.  Many have never done the research and homework necessary to develop their company or personal brand.  Without a clearly defined brand, your company is just one of a growing list of competitors, with no clear way to stand out and catch customers' attention.  Branding is the basis of all marketing efforts. Why branding is so important A well developed brand will send a constant message through a variety of targeted marketing channels that rings with: "We're better [...]

By |2016-12-29T00:57:51-05:00October 17th, 2011|Branding, Market Planning, Marketing|
Read More
Go to Top