IMC, an IT consulting firm whose client base includes many nonprofits, had a website with a muddled message and limited functionality. Lazzaro Designs collaborated with a third-party tech expert to completely redesign the website, sharpening the firm’s message, updating the site’s visual impact, enhancing the viewing experience by improving its responsiveness, reorganizing the site’s architecture, and advising on an ongoing blog from which to launch e-marketing blasts. It’s live now–take a peek!
> If you need help building or refreshing your website, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
You know that nothing happens immediately, but still it’s hard to send out your first marketing e-blast, write a bunch of blog entires, or tweet your first tweet and then wait for your inbox to be flooded with inquiries.
Here’s a little wisdom from a guide called Successful Advertising written by Thomas Smith in….wait for it….1885. In it, Mr. Smith says:
The first time people look at any given ad, they don’t even see it.
The second time, they don’t notice it.
The third time, they are aware that it is there.
The fourth time, they have a fleeting sense that they’ve seen it somewhere before.
The fifth time, they actually read the ad.
The sixth time they thumb their nose at it.
The seventh time, they start to get a little irritated with it.
The eighth time, they start to think, “Here’s that confounded ad again.”
The ninth time, they start to wonder if they’re missing out on something.
The tenth time, they ask their friends and neighbors if they’ve tried it.
The eleventh time, they wonder how the company is paying for all these ads.
The twelfth time, they start to think that it must be a good product.
The thirteenth time, they start to feel the product has value.
The fourteenth time, they start to remember wanting a product exactly like this for a long time.
The fifteenth time, they start to yearn for it because they can’t afford to buy it.
The sixteenth time, they accept the fact that they will buy it sometime in the future.
The seventeenth time, they make a note to buy the product.
The eighteenth time, they curse their poverty for not allowing them to buy this terrific product.
The nineteenth time, they count their money very carefully.
The twentieth time prospects see the ad, they buy what is offering.
Will you need 20 attempts before prospective clients knock on your door? Hopefully not. Using e-blasts as an example, we like to counsel clients on a series of 6 to 12 monthly blasts before they evaluate their effectiveness. One thing we can say with certainty, whatever mix of marketing strategies you decide upon, you’ll need more than one!
> If you need help with e-blasts, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
We are big fans of the e-blast! This marketing email is delivered to a large list of subscribers using software such as iContact or MailChimp (to mention just two of many options). The service is typically free or low-cost and is very easy to navigate and manage. Using engaging copy and eye-catching images, Lazzaro Designs has sent out monthly e-blasts (such as the one shown here, top) to highlight a service or a particular characteristic of our work.
A hybrid of a postcard and an advertisement, the e-blast is a cost-effective way to keep your name in front of clients and potential clients, as well as provide easy hyperlinks to drive traffic to your website and your blog. Lazzaro Designs has helped several clients create their own effective e-blast campaigns, as was the case for Consulting For A Cause (see bottom image).
> If you need help creating an e-blast, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
Everyone wants a blog added to their website and with good reason. Blog entries are an excellent way to keep your audiences up-to-date on your organization’s developments or give your take on items in the news. They are also great ways to launch e-marketing that drives traffic to the blog. A new blog entry is a good reason to update social media sites, too. But, it’s worth stating the obvious: Blogs only work if they are written. There is nothing worse than going to a blog to see a blank “under construction” page or that the last entry is from a year ago.
Our writers have helped many of her clients avoid this moribund state. In some instances, they have written blog entries regularly (say, on a monthly basis) or, as in the case for one hospital system, edited clinician-submitted entries on patient wellness topics into blog-ready, compelling copy.
> If you need help keeping your blog up to date, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
