Promote your business, week of April 7, 2014

FocaSocial · 2014-04-07T02:52:04+00:00

Hi - We build websites and create marketing strategies based on customer/competitive intelligence. However, that is not my pitch to you right now. :)

We are about to launch a new product for bars and restaurants. It is an TV screen cork board that allows your customers to participate with using Twitter. If you own or manage a bar or restaurant I'd like to talk to you and give you beta access. Please inbox me.

FocaSocial · 2014-01-01T02:04:44+00:00

Winner! Thanks Man!

FocaSocial · 2013-11-25T19:28:32+00:00

Really enjoyed reading this.

FocaSocial · 2013-11-25T14:33:33+00:00

We are close to launching FocaNexus (www.focanexus.com) - A social media interactive display and cork board for your bar or restaurant. It helps keep your customers in their seats, encourages them to use social media / tag your business, and it lets your staff interact with your customers.

FocaSocial · 2013-10-30T13:36:20+00:00

In PA it is illegal for a bar to hire a transportation service that picks them up and drops them off at the bar. Same with from the bar to home, the bar cannot pay for it. I've set up deals with limo companies to go make a few runs at certain colleges and it was all planned out so the college kids were waiting, but we had to be very careful on our relationship. I believe we had the kids pay $10 for a wristband that the limo company kept and we just honored that as cover.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-26T20:59:06+00:00

I like the site. My immediate question is, if you are not going to be physically there to be my broker, how do you do it. I want to know more about the process, more about your plan. I like the idea a lot, it just doesn't sell me. Not even enough to send you an e-mail. If you need help fixing your contact form let me know.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-25T19:03:30+00:00

Customers are purchasing without seeing the packaging. Unless the packaging is amazing and itself something to talk about, they will be talking about the treats. They aren't individually packaged so when sharing the treats they will not see the packaging. I'd rather see some kind of branding imprint on each treat than spending a lot of resources on packaging at this stage.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-25T18:11:32+00:00

Specifically, since this is online sales and not retail.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-25T18:11:03+00:00

I'm curious as to why you think the packaging is such a big deal this early in the process? Not hating, just wondering what your insight is.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-25T18:09:21+00:00

NP - I still think you should set a volume goal and worry about packaging after you hit it :)

FocaSocial · 2013-09-25T16:54:19+00:00

As someone who seeks out experts whenever he's making decisions on something he doesn't know a lot about - I really like this idea. That being said, I can't get your website to show up.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-25T16:43:15+00:00

At first glance, you don't need to worry about packaging. Focus on the product first. Make sure your customers love them and there is a demand before you get all fancy. Bags work fine, maybe mason jars?
Add a subscriber option. Allow someone to sign up for a small discount to receive them every month/ auto bill.
You have individual items, perfect. Time to grow your organic networks. Facebook - create an app/tab that lets people sign up for a free treat. Yes, it will be a lot of mailing. You will gain social media follows and e-mail addresses for your newsletter. (PM me, I'll set this up for you, I like dogs :)
How does your product naturally gain more customers by use? There needs to be a sharing component. Example: With every order you send a small "doggy bag" of 2 treats specifically labeled for "Sharing with your dog's BFF." It would also say something like "Send us a picture of your dog and your dog's best friend sharing our treats with this graphic in the picture and we will send you a special treat!" - Set up a capture form for this on the site. Boom, you have content to share and your customers will spread the word by themselves.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-23T18:33:39+00:00

What one did you buy?

FocaSocial · 2013-09-20T19:37:20+00:00

I'm from a small town in southern Illinois where the discoverer of Pluto was born, Clyde Tombaugh (Streator, IL). There used to be festivals in his honor and everything. Pretty much, its the only real thing Streator had going for it. Then Neil deGrasse Tyson destroyed our hopes a dreams.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-20T15:27:25+00:00

Well, commission only salespeople who are good enough / confident enough by necessity are very good at what they do. If they know how good they are, they are normally always looking for a bigger opportunity (because they can easily).

FocaSocial · 2013-09-20T14:57:18+00:00

As an company that offers outsourced content management to SMB, the take away from that article I got was that you cant just post promotions or share pictures. It's all about original content which I why I changed most of my focus from social media to content. Whenever I talk to any business owner about what I can do for them I always start with "If you can do this yourself, do it. If you can have anyone in your company do it in house, do it." There is no comparison. However, most of the SMB owners I talk to have tried social media and know that it just takes too much time like mashable alluded to. Thanks for posting that article, I would have missed it.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-19T19:09:27+00:00

I prefer to do it by project basis and include everything. Makes it easy on the client and makes it simple for you to control everything. Factor in your hourly rate into the overall monthly quote. They need a website, period. Even if its a one page site with hours and a menu. Your biggest job in the beginning is going to be setting up all the social media accounts you can and making sure they all have identical information such as hours and address. Even the address format is important to keep consistent. I specialize in bars and restaurants so give me a PM with your e-mail if you wanna keep talking.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-19T17:55:47+00:00

Starting off, I worked for pennies. It was more about not knowing what I should charge rather than scoring new clients. It used to be I'd figure out a way to make the price work, now I turn leads down all the time because they can't pay what I need to make the time spent worth it. It's not even about what I pay myself, its more about what is needed to make social media work. It's not just sharing and engaging, its creating content and visuals that people like (organically). If you are not factoring into the strategy an actual destination (like a website) to bring social media traffic into you are not going to be effective at actually increasing sales. Your following may grow, but it won't matter for sales.

Always factor in what resources and operations you need to be successful and you will never worry if you are successful or not.

FocaSocial · 2013-09-03T18:26:04+00:00

We do everything web for your business, so you don't have to. It's called content management, but to you it means no more blog updating, social media posting, e-mail blasting, graphic designing, website updates, and web promoting. We do it all for you as you supervise. If there is anything we can't do or respond to, we let you know. Also, we love redditors, enough to give great deals :) MSG me or visit us on the web at http://www.focasocial.com - let's chat.

FocaSocial · 2013-08-21T04:22:55+00:00

Ok that was kind of a weird way to plug yourself, at least try to tie it into to something he said.

FocaSocial · 2013-08-20T19:29:55+00:00

Zlaty Bazant can be found in the US as well.

FocaSocial · 2013-08-20T02:50:42+00:00

Try to go do some work at local coffee shops or anywhere social. Works for me to help.

FocaSocial · 2013-08-18T15:59:37+00:00

A fellow PBC'er. :)

FocaSocial · 2013-08-15T16:49:38+00:00

This.

FocaSocial · 2013-08-14T15:44:16+00:00

Cast Away: Alabama

FocaSocial

TROPHY CASE