Blog Posts - SuperDeluxe Marketing .:. Marketing Strategy . Content Marketing . Branding

Drink This, Eat That, Buy Me Now: The Stories That Convince

7/31/2018

By Maureen Jann and Paula Kiger

Dear readers: take a look around at your environment (then come back to this post, please!). I’m guessing that for many of you, there’s a bottle of water not too far away. You may be drinking it as you read. Maybe you're in a restaurant or coffee shop, where purchasing a bottle of water is an option, or in a home where the fridge has at least one bottle (or even a case) of the stuff.

Bottles of water are everywhere, the fact remains. Many of us reflexively grab one on the way out the door, despite environmental ramifications (buy a reusable one, they're great!). Have you ever wondered: what story was told about bottled water that made it so ubiquitous?

Entrepreneur Report: 1 Year of Business

7/9/2018

I’m facing two big milestones this month. One that has come and gone and another one is around the corner. I have been in full-time business for a year as of July 1st and I’m turning 40 as of July 17th.

Who knew that July would be fraught with so much meaning? Isn’t this supposed to be the happy-go-lucky month where the sun finally comes out in Seattle and it’s semi-acceptable to drink a ice-cold lager at 3 in the afternoon?

Customer Personas: Turning Data Into Personas

6/19/2018

Back in May, I was the expert on Erika Heald’s tweetchat #ContentChat about customer personas, and since then I’ve been sharing the highlights of the conversation in a series of blogs. Part 1 was about what you need to know before you start the process of persona development. Part 2 focused on getting to know your customers. In this, the final installment, I’m talking about pulling together all of that work you did to finally create your customer personas. Enjoy!

Buyer Personas: Getting to Know Your Customers

6/5/2018

Early in May, I was the expert on Erika Heald’s tweetchat #ContentChat. The topic was a deep dive on personas: why they’re important, what (and who) who you need to create them, and how to put them into a format that’s usable and helpful. The conversation was so rich I felt compelled to share some of the highlights — and there were a lot! In Part 1 of the blog series, I covered what you need to know before you start the process of persona development. Now, in Part 2, we’ll dig in and focus on getting to know your customers! And if you're interested in skipping ahead, read Part 3 .

Customer Personas: Know Thyself, Know Thy Competitors

5/22/2018

Early in May, I was the expert on Erika Heald’s tweetchat #ContentChat. The topic was a deep dive on personas: why they’re important, what (and who) who you need to create them, and how to put them into a format that’s usable and helpful. The conversation was so rich I felt compelled to share some of the highlights — and there were a lot! Following is Part 1 of the chat highlights, where we focus on what you need to know before you ever start thinking about your customers: defining some commonly-used terminology, then working to understand yourself and your competitors. We have tons more about personas in part 2 and part 3, so keep reading!

Brand Ambassadors vs. Influencers vs. Employee Advocates vs. Thought Leaders

4/28/2018

Last week I was delighted to be featured on the Content Marketing World tweetchat #CMWorld. If you see me around, you probably know I’m on da twitterverse as @SuperDeluxeMo (look me up! Let’s be friends!) The focus echoed what I’ll be talking about at Content Marketing World during my solo session: turning employees into thought leaders.

Although the whole “what is a thought leader” question might seem like a boring old “state of the union” question, I think it’s actually an interesting opportunity to dig a little deeper.

Picking A Social Media Management Tool: My Journey

10/30/2017

I’m in the process of choosing a social media platform. What’s clear is having a process is going to make this easier. If you’re a small business owner or leading a small marketing team, you’re probably tired and don’t have time for this kind of nonsense. That’s why I’ve put together a framework that might help you narrow down your social media tool choices based on your specific needs. Here goes!

What this social media management tools post IS NOT:

This is not an exhaustive list of social media management tools. Those exist. I won’t be recreating them. See them here, here, and here.

Guide to Social Media for Startups & Small Business

10/20/2017

How often do I need to post on social media?

I get that question a lot – and my answer is probably not as straightforward as you’d like. The good news is: a lot of people have already documented best practices for this subject. There's no need for me to reinvent the wheel when it comes to social media frequency statistics, but I will provide you with a few choice resources to help you make decisions:

Infographic: How often should you post on social media? – Buffer
How Often to Post on Social Media – Proven Research from 14 Studies – CoSchedule
How Frequently You Should Post on Social Media According to the Pros – Forbes

It's critical to note – and you'll see this in the articles above – that the need for social media posting varies from platform to platform. But what you won't see is that it's also different for every business. It’s on you, the business owner, to test and measure the effectiveness of your social media efforts.

Oh man, that sounds daunting, doesn’t it?

Here’s the good news: I’ve created a clear and concise guide to help launch your social media program. The guide outlines a few simple steps to get your social media program rolling so you don’t have to start from scratch. And – BONUS – there's a simple guide to testing and measuring included with the guide. For the record, this guide isn't exhaustive. There are a ton of things you CAN do to get your social media strategy up and running. The guide is meant to be a simple plan that might work for your business.

Seattle Startup Week: Big Marketing, Little Budget

10/6/2017

This week I had an opportunity to be a moderator and presenter at Startup Week Seattle, Techstars. Today’s talk, Big Marketing, Little Budget was a sexy little title that didn’t really bely the meaty nature of the topic. What it all boiled down to, is that marketing for startups is about in helping your market understand why they should trust your business. And that’s no easy project.

My Content Marketing World 2017 Expectations

9/5/2017

It’s my second year at Content Marketing World and I’m already so delighted I have this opportunity. I come to represent one of my clients and myself so I can make connections and learn, but I expect to come away with so much more.

So, I come to this year’s CMWorld, with high hopes. And as much as I like to think that I am a free-spirited gal, ready to go with the flow, I’m not. I’m coming with a plan. I expect to get more and give more than last year. Here’s what I’ve got up my sleeve: