What Can Marketing Make You?

When it comes to business, spending money on things with an unpromised, unspecified or uncertain return is a tough pill to swallow. Most business owners budget very carefully – they want to know what they’re spending their money on and why; how their money is working for them. Marketing is one of those gray areas where, especially for the not-totally-new-school business owner, it can be difficult to grasp the concept of allocating large amounts of dollars toward something you only hope will work in the end.That’s why a business mindset of scarcity is much more common than one of abundance – because when the results are unpredictable, it’s easier to just stick with what you’ve got. But instead of asking, “what will marketing cost me?” more business owners are exploring the possibilities that emerge when they ask, “what will marketing make me?” And I’m here to tell you.The reason why more companies (and small businesses in particular) are opening up their minds – and their wallets – to a new way of thinking is because they have most likely found at least one of the following five things to be true:1. Marketing Makes You MoneySure, marketing costs money. But it’s not supposed to be a blindfolded spend frenzy. If you know enough about marketing to test the waters with some high-value organic techniques that will get you a lot of mileage, then go for it, by all means. This will help inform your strategy down the road so that you have an idea of the areas where you need help, and so that you can reasonably predict your marketing expenditure.However, if you seek the advice of a professional, the right marketer will set your mind at ease by not expecting you to dump huge amounts of money into their accounts up front and by explaining each strategy they propose, as well as why they’re priced the way they are. Then they’ll put together a quote which should not only align with your goals, but illustrate the anticipated return in proportion to the suggested spend.Let’s face it, ‘marketing’ is a broad term but, in essence, the purpose of any marketing strategy is to get you found. Your product or service will only make you money if it is used by people, and awareness precedes use, wouldn’t you say? Whether you employ digital marketing methods such as building a great website, blogging, email marketing, social media, and paid ads; or go old-school with direct mail, circular ads, door-to-door advertising, and cold-calling, the intent is the same: get people to buy from you.Marketing, when done right, should bring opportunities to your sales force, traffic to your website, and rings to your phone. Ask yourself: if you don’t have a website, then how are you getting found? How long will your current strategy be sustainable? Will it help you grow? If you have a website but it’s not bringing you business, then it isn’t working. Word of mouth success is wonderful, but do you have a plan in place for customer retention and acquisition? The answer shouldn’t be “how much will marketing cost me?” but rather, “how much do I want to make and how can marketing get me there?”2. Marketing Makes You ReputableHow many times have you visited an establishment based on a word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend? Probably quite a few. Ever been somewhere really fantastic that you wouldn’t have otherwise selected if not for a positive review? Exactly! It doesn’t matter if people love your business if they’re not spreading the word, and a digital presence makes it much easier for your great reviews to be found by the masses. Publishing testimonials and success stories on your website is a wonderful way to market yourself and show prospects that they can trust your brand just like other customers have. Furthermore, getting yourself listed on well-known and highly trafficked directory sites makes it easy for people to do their homework before they buy – which is an integral part of the customer satisfaction experience.3. Marketing Makes You CredibleNot to be confused with reputation, credibility is a major factor in many buyers’ decisions. How do you distinguish yourself from competitors? What makes you more of an expert on your particular field or subject area? What sets your product apart? Well, don’t tell me – tell the world! You need a platform from which you can showcase your skills, expertise, or must-have product.Blogging and social media marketing are excellent ways to use your own unique voice to educate buyers and demonstrate thought leadership without always delivering an overtly hard sell. People like information, and they’re more likely to trust you if the information you provide is relevant to their problems, needs and experiences in such a way that makes them want to come back and keep getting information from you (instead of just hearing your sales pitch and then leaving to continue shopping around elsewhere). This is especially vital for less well-known companies that don’t have as much publicized feedback or presence. In order to stand up against your competitors, you must demonstrate credibility.4. Marketing Makes You AccessibleIt’s one thing to have a website. But if you’re just starting out or if no one knows your name, it’s not enough to just have a website. How are you driving traffic to that website? Waiting and hoping are not measurable techniques that deliver results. You need a strategy, and you need SEO.Maybe you’ve heard of search engine optimization (surely you’ve used that little thing called Google). Basically, SEO is tied into the design and function of your website so that search engines (like Google) can display your content to people who are looking for related information. If your website isn’t optimized, then it’s just sitting there. Sure, someone can type your URL and probably even search for your business name on Google – if they know your name. But if you’ve got a niche product or service or you’re brand new to an area, no one will know to do that. You need your company or product to pop up in the search results whenever someone types in “Philadelphia wedding photographer,” or “men’s custom tailored vintage suits” (you get the idea).5. Marketing Makes You AttractiveThis should be self-explanatory. Let’s be honest, we do tend to judge books by their covers, and we are (even if ever so slightly) biased toward companies – and people – who present themselves well. Marketing and branding are all around you. If you’re anything like me, you’re a sucker for the pretty packaging in the cosmetics aisle at Target (or the highly visible promise of a product that does it all, is portable, and comes with a warranty).The same goes for your brand identity, whether you’re a large organization or a music teacher! The way you present yourself to the masses will play an important role in the amount of opportunity that converts to business. Online presence is becoming so important that it’s almost unacceptable to have a sub-par website. For people who still use business cards (and who aren’t constrained by corporate marketing guidelines), being memorable and capturing someone’s attention with a 3.5-inch piece of paper requires some creativity. What’s on the cover is not always a measure of what’s inside, but the cover should at least make someone want to open the book. The way your business appears to others is a reflection of the way your business will eventually appear to your banker.Lack of Marketing Costs You EverythingShort of quoting JFK for emphasis, there’s really no other way I can say it (you got it, right? Please tell me you got it). Don’t wait around doing cost analysis and pinching pennies. While you’re doing that, your competition is outperforming you. A marketing strategy doesn’t have to cost thousands. Figure out what you can spend and shop around. Start small: any improvement is a good investment. You can always scale up when your initial investment pays off.Of course, marketing isn’t the only ingredient for success. You should also deliver great customer service, quality, value, and purpose. Marketing attracts customers, but it’s your responsibility to keep them around. Remember – the internet provides complete freedom of speech. Once you build a presence, it will be just as easy for people to find negative feedback about you if it exists. In this way, let a marketing strategy hold you accountable to your business for stepping up your game in every way. You owe it to your company, and perhaps even your livelihood.So, in short, become easy to find, add content that makes people glad they found you, let the world know how satisfied your customers are, and present your business in the most appealing way possible and you’ll see why a focused marketing strategy pays off more than sticking to the status quo. You and your business can become these five things and more – just embrace it!

Jobs and Health Care, Can You Afford to Get Sick Now?

In our current economic climate having and keeping both jobs and health-care go hand in hand. With a lot of people not being able to afford health insurance on their own it is very convenient if you have a job that has healthcare coverage as a benefit. These jobs nowadays are very far and few in between however and because of this a lot of people are struggling with health care related debt. If you already have a job that gives you a health care benefit, hold on to it with dear life. If you do not have a job which provides this benefit and you cannot afford to provide this for yourself then you should be job hunting. Even if all you can find is a part-time job that has health insurance this is still better than no insurance at all.Both jobs and health care are very important to each and every person especially at the present time when our country is facing a recession. Here are just a few companies that carry health insurance for their employees; Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Starbucks, UPS, DHL, Home Depot, Hospitals, Churches, Costco and Whole foods. These are just a few companies as I am sure that there is a lot more out there that offer jobs that provide health care benefits. You can research these online and find out what is in your area and what is best for you. As I said before you can get a part-time job also, so you can still keep your current job if you have the time to juggle both. Yes jobs are hard to find especially now but you have to try for the sake of yourself and your family. It will only serve to benefit you and your family and no one else. There are so many things that could go wrong which will necessitate medical attention. This is especially important if you have small children or aged parents who are more at risk of developing illnesses.Jobs and health care go hand in hand, that is an established fact. The best options are; either you have a job that provides health care coverage or you have a job that does not but pays you enough so you can afford health insurance on your own. Either way it is your personal responsibility to ensure that you have a job or jobs and health care coverage. You can do research online to see the options that are available to you which will enable you in your decision making process. You can find a part time job and keep your current job if it is too difficult to find a regular job. Whatever option you chose it is imperative to have health care coverage as well as a job and since there is the potential to access both of them at the same time, you should go for it.-

Obtaining Quality Home Health Care

Certified home health care is a convenient in- home companion service available for seniors and their families. Opting to utilize a reliable home care agency offers rewarding advantages; to include a wide range of quality medical services. Elderly who opt to receive in-home medical services are given the opportunity to live healthy and prolific lives at home.Making the decision to receive nursing home care can be challenging for the patient and their families. Healthcare decision- making generally involves identifying key quality measures that will determine how effective such service would be. Consequently, the task for opting effective home nursing care is to identify an agency that meets clinical review standards, while also offering compassionate and compatible services that will help seniors live independently as long as possible.In the home setting, there are a variety of health care interventions utilized to help the patient maintain a comfortable lifestyle. The healthcare services have proven to be resourceful and qualitative. Home healthcare services for the elderly generally include skilled nursing care, health aides and personal assistance, and comprehensive wellness programs. A certified full- service healthcare company is ranked by its ability to provide quality patient care and extensive financial performance. More so, the home care saves lives by managing pain levels, medication administration, and wound healing as well as preventing chronic diseases.Skilled nursing care is utilized by in- home patients to improve or maintain a patient’s condition and to prevent further illnesses. Skilled nurses are registered or licensed clinical staff that ensures that the services are implemented safely and effectively. Conversely, non- professional medical staff, such as health aids or personal assistance employees provide the usual daily activities.The skilled nurses provide services, such as administer medications, administer disease management programs, and implement advanced technology. The health aids provide assistance with daily activities that include eating, bathing, and walking. They may also assist with monitoring colostomy or bladder catheters or administering oxygen. However, the responsibilities of both disciplines are clinically necessary and must meet the review standards to restore the maximal level of function and health.As the oldest form of healthcare, in- home medical care services have a variety of rewarding benefits. Incidentally, elder home care services are inexpensive due to recent Medicaid and Medicare regulations. In the United States alone, 12million Americans receive in- home health servicesas it has become extremely popular amongst the elderly population. Using specialized nursing services not only gives the family members a well deserved break, they are given the comfort in knowing that professionals are prepared to help them.In addition to obtaining professional assistance at a low cost, the patient will maintain a healthy well- being by experiencing daily socialization and communication. Social interactions helps the elderly stay connected and sharpen social skills. Because professional medical care is readily accessible, the family member is relieved of the responsibility and burdens about missing work or school to care for love ones.With that being said, family members do not have to worry about the patient not taking medications in a timely manner or eating a balanced diet as they should. In fact, home health care contributes to the long- term health of their patients as well as the economy.