Mass Marketing Resources

PodCamp. Get your social media on.

February 14, 2012 By Liz Provo Leave a Comment

PodCamp 3 Western MA

I went to my first overnight camp when I was in sixth grade. I had a lot of fun swimming, hiking, and making new friends, right up until the waterfront director got hit by lightning and a tree fell on my cabin. I guess the idea of camping didn’t settle too well after that.

Last year I became a camper once again — a pod camper at PodCamp 3 held in Western Massachusetts. PodCamp is an informal, “un-conference” style, day-long series of workshops, roundtable discussions and networking that’s all about social media, podcasting, video production, tech gadgets, mobile marketing, apps, blogging and more. There is something for everyone at PodCamp, whether you are just dipping your toe into the pool of social media or are a full-fledged, high diving, tech savvy social media junkie.

PodCamp’s agenda is a work in progress, with sessions scratched on pieces of paper taped to the wall, and campers chatting about where to go first. There were many options: SEO for social media, Facebook privacy settings, WordPress help, video for iPhone, PR strategies, it’s important to know that if you are not getting what you want in a particular session, it’s not bad manners to leave.

PodCamp 3 ended shortly after 4:00 PM as everyone gathered in the main conference hall to wrap up the day. At one point I had visions of us all breaking into a camp song as we gathered our gear, said our good byes and made plans for the next gathering. I left thinking that 1) there are a lot of highly talented, creative, giving and fun-loving people here in Western Mass; 2) we are all learning and sharing ideas about how social media – the good and the bad — is affecting our lives, our children’s lives, our client’s lives and how user-generated content is creating and reporting our news; and 3) how we use social media is as varied and unique as we are as individuals. There is no one right way to “do” social media and for those of us who are involved in helping other small businesses wade through this brave new world. We just need to continue to connect with each other in meaningful ways.

I am encouraging my clients to come to PodCamp 4 this year and hope to bring back a lot of great ideas myself that I will share through our newsletter, Facebook, etc.

If you are going to PodCamp 4, here are some helpful things to bring:

Your smart phone, laptop, tablet, camcorder and don’t forget the chargers!
Power strip (There will be many trying to access outlets at the same time, remember)
Business cards
Pen/paper

Lunch is provided and included in your registration fee, and there’s even an after-party.

You can follow PodCamp on Twitter, hashtag #pcwm , and the website is http://podcamp.westernma.biz/

Mass Marketing Resources
USA liz@massmarketingresources.com

Filed Under: Events, Social Media, Technology Tagged With: PodCamp, workshop

The un-postcard

February 13, 2012 By Liz Provo Leave a Comment

As a small business owner, it’s important to get your message out about upcoming events and promotions as much as possible. You post your events to your website, your blog and get the word out through social media – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

With so much emphasis on free marketing using the power of the internet and social media, it’s not a wonder that print media has taken a back seat.

Enter, the postcard. Using a photo and a full-color design, the postcard is not just for mailing anymore. Get creative with where and how you use your postcards. Here are a few ways to get you started:

Special gift vouchers
Bag stuffers
Loyalty cards
“Save the date” event reminders
Asking for customer reviews on Yelp, Google, Amazon, Merchant Circle, Manta, etc.
Thank yous and customer appreciation!
Referral incentives

Postcards can be easily designed using your own graphics and printed locally or by using one of the many online print companies. One company we use offers 100 full color 2 sided cards for under $24., often including free shipping or additional discounts of 15-20%. Want to mail 500 postcards to a list of prospects or customers? Not a problem. We can create the design, complete the order and handle the entire mailing for you at a very reasonable cost.

Filed Under: Marketing, Print Media Tagged With: creative marketing, postcards

FSBO Boot Camp 2012

February 3, 2012 By Liz Provo Leave a Comment

The Massachusetts real estate season will soon be upon us, which means it’s time for FSBO Boot Camp! What is a FSBO Boot Camp? It’s a three hour workshop, jam packed with all the information you need to be successful selling your own home.

We brought the FSBO alternative real estate concept to Western Mass in 2001, holding the first EVER seminar of its kind in the area – our “How To Sell Your Own Home” workshop. At that time, for sale by owner marketing was in its infancy. Home sellers who chose the DIY route had very little resources available to them beyond purchasing a generic yard sign and running a classified ad in the local newspaper.

Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner opened its doors, offering a comprehensive way to market real estate without paying hefty real estate commissions. We helped private home sellers by leveling the playing field, demystifying the real estate process, debunking age-old myths perpetuated by NAR-speak, and offering concrete ways to put their properties in front of a wide pool of buyers that would compete head-on with listing agents.

Many changes have occurred over the last decade to continue to make it easier for sellers and buyers to connect naturally with one another, further inhibiting the “arms length” transaction that real estate agents have preferred. Today, marketing is relationship driven, using the power of the internet and social media to bring buyers together with sellers. There are still many challenges for home owners who want to be successful selling “by owner”. That’s why FSBO Boot Camp exists; helping you to save your hard earned money and keeping your equity where it belongs — in YOUR pocket. Knowledge equals power. Are you ready for a FSBO Boot Camp?

Learn More & Register Today!