In today’s changing economy, businesses need to re-think how they are doing business and be more creative.  In response to this need, MetroAction will kick off its spring Business LINK series with a seminar on fusion marketing on Tuesday, March 9 in Scranton.

“Fusion marketing allows businesses to partner with other like-minded businesses to promote each other.  It’s the perfect way to collaborate with fellow businesses, while expanding customer base.  And it’s one of the easiest and least expensive ways to grow a business,” says Dara Coslett Granza training and development specialist.

Presenter Catherine Bolton, principal of River Rock Communications, will teach how to identify non-competitor businesses that share the same customers and how to develop marketing techniques to promote partnerships.

The fusion marketing seminar will take place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on March 9 at MetroAction, 222 Mulberry Street.  Cost is $30 per person and pre-registration is required.  Visit www.MetroAction.org or call (570) 341-0270.  Participants are encouraged to bring brochures and/or business cards to share with other participants.

Business LINK seminars focus on learning, innovation, networking and knowledge.  Upcoming topics include green IT, customer service training and strategic planning.  For more details visit www.MetroAction.orgg or call (570) 341-0270.

Marketing is an integral part of every business’ operations. It’s really the foundation for your business’ success. But do you know what marketing is? Many business owners confuse marketing with advertising. MetroAction’s Marketing 101 seminar shows you how marketing is much more than just advertising your business. (more…)

This article is provided by the Greater Scranton Area SCORE Chapter.

Owners of new and growing small businesses today know one thing for sure: conditions on the business playing field can change rapidly. The technology that seemed cutting edge last year is now outdated; or worse, obsolete. Buyer moods can swing dramatically, and marketing strategies are in constant flux. (more…)

This article is provided by the Greater Scranton Area SCORE Chapter.

For a small business, taking the first steps into advertising can be an intimidating and mysterious process. Even though we see advertising everywhere, creating and using ads ourselves can seem alien and expensive. Understanding how the medium works and what it can and cannot do for a small business is tougher than it seems. And there is always uncertainty over results.  (more…)

This article is provided by the Greater Scranton Area SCORE Chapter.

Some small business owners believe they can stand out with just a great product and exceptional service, and that they are too small to create a “brand.” But to set your business apart—no matter how small—branding is a vital strategy in today’s competitive marketplace. (more…)

This article is provided by the Greater Scranton Area SCORE Chapter.

Most small businesses have a Web site of some kind and many are relying more and more on the Internet to help their marketing and sales efforts and contribute to profits. But wanting a Web site that works hard for the business and actually getting one that does so are two different things. (more…)

This article is provided by the Greater Scranton Area SCORE Chapter.

Okay, so you’ve hired the best designers around and pulled out all the stops to build a full-service Web site. Sorry to say, that’s not enough. Even business owners armed with a fantastic Web site can still feel invisible if they haven’t taken the next step—generating visibility for the site. (more…)

Over the past three months, MetroAction hosted a 3-part seminar series focusing on incorporating emerging technology into a business’ overall marketing plan.  More than 65 business owners and professionals attended the seminars, sponsored by Penn Security Bank and Trust Co.  Marketing gurus Jack Reager and Matt Artz of BlackOut Design provided attendees with insights on how to use and manage technology in their marketing plans.

The first seminar, “Taking Your Business Online”, covered the landscape of the web today, what to keep in mind if you are just starting out on the web or if your business has been on the web for years, and explored the available tools to ensure you are engaging your clients and putting your business’ best foot forward.

The second session,“Maximizing the Power of Electronic Marketing”, demonstrated how the web has become one of the fastest growing mediums for advertising and how to ensure you are maximizing your online presence to build your business.  One attendee commented, “[This seminar] gave me an increased knowledge of how our current website functions and ideas to improve and drive users to it.”

The last session,  “Marketing with Emerging Technology and Social Media”, made sense of new technologies and showed how to use them to gain a competitive advantage. Matt reviewed tools such as MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn, among others.

“The series was very well done.  I learned many important things to increase the overall effectiveness of our websites.”, stated a participant that attended all three sessions.

So, you’ve done it. You’ve finally made the commitment and decided to go into business for yourself. But have you stopped to think about how you’re going to let people know about your new company or the products and services that it offers?

If this is you, then now is probably the time to begin thinking seriously about a marketing strategy. To some this may be an intimidating thought. After all, there are many different types of marketing and finding a mix that fits your business may seem like a daunting task. Fortunately, marketing is not as hard as it sometimes appears and there are many different avenues that can be taken in order to achieve marketing success.

So what is marketing? Even if you don’t know the dictionary’s definition you probably have an idea of what it is and if you have been in business for any amount of time you’re probably already engaged in some form of marketing, whether you realize it or not.

Many business owners (novice and veteran alike) think that marketing is an extravagant and expensive campaign that is comprised of billboards, television spots, mass emails, and countless phone calls (to name a few). It is true that marketing involves these things, but it is so much more than that. Simply put, marketing is everything that goes into selling a product or service. Everything in between the transfer of a good or service from the seller to the buyer is marketing.

What makes a marketing project work is how a business arranges all of the different types of marketing to form a unique message that captures the attention of the consumer.
In order to do this, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Simplicity is the key to a good marketing strategy – Everything, from a slogan to a logo, should be kept simple. The simpler it is the more likely people are to remember it.

Don’t think that one form of marketing is enough – Do everything you are capable of doing to get the word out about your business. This means go beyond stuffing mail boxes with brochures and start incorporating some different things. Build relationships with people, set up a website, advertise etc.

Don’t think that marketing is a quick fix – Creating and implementing a good marketing strategy is one of the best things you can do for your business. But it will not solve all of your problems. Just keep in mind that marketing is not an end, but a means to an end.

Don’t wait – The sooner you begin marketing your business the sooner you will be established in the minds of your target market as someone who provides what they want.

There you have it: a few basic steps to better your business and improve your chances of success.

MetroAction, in partnership with The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, will be hosting a 3-part seminar series to help area businesses incorporate emerging technology into their overall marketing plan.  The Marketing Mastery Seminar Series will be held on September 10, October 1 and November 5 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Chamber, 222 Mulberry Street, Scranton.

The September 10 session titled, “Taking Your Business Online”, will cover the landscape of the web today, what to keep in mind if you are just starting out on the web or if your business has been on the web for years, and explore the available tools to ensure you are engaging your clients and putting your business’ best foot forward.

The October 1 session, titled, “Maximizing the Power of Electronic Marketing”, will show how the web has become one of the fastest growing mediums for advertising and how to ensure you are maximizing your online presence to build your business.

The November 5 session, titled, “Marketing with Emerging Technology and Social Media”, will help make sense of new technologies and how to use them to gain a competitive advantage. The session will review tools such as MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn, among others.

The seminars are $35 each or you can bundle all three for $99 per person.  Jack Reager, President, BlackOut Design, Inc., will present each session.   The Marketing Mastery Seminar series is sponsored by Penn Security Bank and BlackOut Design, Inc.  Register for all three sesions today!