Face & Body Conference

“On Saturday, July 17 I had the privilege to participate on a panel discussing marketing tactics at the 2010 Face & Body conference. The panel was moderated by the Dean of the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology, Deedee Crossett. Also participating were Shelley Costantini, owner of the Belle Pelle Skin Studio in San Francisco and Sally Haims of Sally Robb Haims Public Relations. More than 125 conference attendees listened in and shared their thoughts on marketing trends in the skin, face and spot industry.”

- Kelly D. Conway
Founder and General Manager

Who’s In and Who’s Out?

The statistics are in!

The newly formed Social Media Marketing genre have taken companies by storm.  Small companies have found an inexpensive way to speak with their customers about special events, promotions, problem-solving and much more.  But, the questions has shifted from: should I join the conversation to where do I join in the conversation?  MySpace was a large forum and a launchpad for the social networking generation, but movement has appeared to shift fom MySpace to Facebook.  Yet, companies still ask…should I join MySpace?

A recent study of business owners found from 2009 to 2010, social networking sites such as MySpace, Digg, Flickr, and StumbleUpon have become less important than their more popular counterparts: Facebook, Twitter, and a company blog.

This research is a strong reinforcement of what we have been saying at Strike Marketing for a year now…not to mention the success our clients are finding from implementing a strong social media marketing program!

What is Inbound Marketing?

The traditional forms of marketing include: trade shows, telemarketing, direct mail and other forms that have been around for years.  Yet, with new technological advances, it is becoming harder and harder for businesses to reach their consumers with these methods.  How often do you jump off your sofa to talk to the telemarketer on the phone or answer the door at dinner time to purchase the new “goodie” from the salesman?  I’d guess the answer is: not very often!

The new generation of consumers come from a high-tech world.  The internet is a primary source of information about a product or company before making a purchase.  So, why is it that we still think of traditional ways to market to our consumers?  Human nature moves towards consistency and working in the same manner that we are used to…but it is time for a revolution in marketing!  The new crave: Inbound Marketing.

What is Inbound Marketing you ask?  Inbound marketing is inviting your consumers to come to you… because they are already searching for your company!  Instead of pushing a message to the public, invite the consumer to become a part of your world – the world they are already so involved in.  Inbound marketing allows the consumer to “come to” the company in a virtual sense: Facebook, Twitter, Blog, etc.  This involves an open dialogue between consumer and company in which information flows frequently and freely.

Strike Marketing is a huge supporter of Inbound Marketing and we invite you to speak with us about the opportunities your company may be missing by excluding the realm of inbound marketing.

Help Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Clean-Up

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is currently one of the top newsworthy stories.  Strike Marketing works with many “Green” companies, so why wouldn’t we be too?!  The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is drastically expanding as days and time passes, so many people are wondering: What can I do to help?  Well…Here’s an answer!!

San Francisco company, Matter of Trust takes donated hair, nylons, wool, etc. to create mats that help soak up spilled oil.  Each mat can absorb approximately a quart of oil!  Matter of Trust is looking for your help now.  Help save our oceans and our planet by visiting the Matter of Trust website to find out how you can donate items or encourage your local salon to help.

We will be doing our part to help, what will you do?

SMM as the new Word of Mouth?

We did a story in 2009 about the possibility that social networking sites have allowed for a new version of having a pen pal. I’ve been pondering more out of social networking lately and it crossed my mind that social sites have allowed for a new form of word of mouth.

Word of mouth was once deemed the best form of marketing – when cast in a positive light. Word of mouth is free and spread by a trusted source. It wasn’t encouraged by a business,, but from peer to peer.  But word of mouth has changed forms, in a sense. People still talk at school, work, or on the phone; however, social networking sites have allowed for an additional forum for peer to peer talk.

Social netwokibg sites like facebook, myspace, Twitter, and yelp have allowed peers to speak to eaach other about great sales, services, companies, etc. Yelp was recently hit with a lawsuit regarding their rating techniques by a business.  Businesses are worried that their image is being misrepresented. If you think back to word of mouth, it can be good or bad. It is all based on how the consumer views the company it’s products and/or services. So why should companies be outraged by what people are doing or saying on social networking sites?

If a company wants good reviews, then it is their responsibility to provide great products and customer service. Social networking is a way of open, honest communication that reaches millions. Create a positive business and the payback should be immense with such a large forum talking about their business practices.

Jennifer DeMarco
Marketing Manager