Are you interested in, or already involved in the process of building a new business? Alongside creating and introducing a valuable product or service to the public comes the responsibility of marketing your business to connect with consumers and help your company’s vision become a reality. A company’s potential is only as strong as it’s marketing strategy. That being said, there are a handful of first marketing steps that we consider absolutely essential to any growing business.

Branding

“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover…” A popular phrase that continues to hold its meaning in relation to people..but in business? Branding plays an integral part in converting prospects to clients. In a sense, a company’s logo is their first impression – something you only get one shot at. Your company’s logo should be created by a professional known for producing quality work, and be supported by strategic planning that relates the design to your product or service.

Functional Website

A company’s website is their main attraction as far as web presence is concerned. That’s a big deal. Whether someone is seeking out more information about your product, the company in general, or contacting you, your website is more than likely where they’ll first land. Functionality is key here. While complex and intensely interactive webpages can be a plus, sacrificing load time or compromising media in the name of flash is not recommended. Finding the perfect balance between interactivity and functionality while maintaining your marketing plan’s strategy is a sure fire path to creating the optimal website for your business and brand.

Social Media

In the technological era that we live in, information and communication have become innately accessible. Anyone in the world with access to a computer can quickly review a company’s selling points, initiatives and even their personal voice. By creating and managing a personality on social media outlets, businesses give themselves avenues of directly connecting with their consumers. Prospective and current customers utilize tools like Facebook and Twitter to review, shop, and ask questions, making the active maintenance of these social profiles a key to influencing publics and expanding business.

E-mail Marketing

“E-mail marketing?” you might be asking yourself. Yes – e-mail marketing. A final addition to our list of essential first marketing steps, e-mail marketing is still as alive as ever. Not only does this medium of communication allow regular contact and influence upon your most targeted market, but it also allows you to aggregate consumer data over time. E-mail list subscriptions do well to ask for birthdays, location, and gender of those who sign up as these figures will help to further define your audience while also showing which segments of your target market are most responsive.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and connect with professionals to strategize and build your marketing plan by implementing these essential first marketing steps for new businesses.

The post Essential First Marketing Steps for New Business appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

If you run a business, small or large, chances are you’ve questioned whether blogging for business is worth it. The answer is a resounding yes! Blogging not only helps drive traffic to your website, but also establishes your voice to potential and returning customers. Here are a few of the biggest positive impacts blogging for business offers:

Increase Web Traffic

These days, virtually everyone relies on search engines to answer any and all of their burning questions. Where your business ranks on popular search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo! greatly impacts  your online visibility – so much that search engine optimization (SEO) is the biggest focus of blogging for business. Better search engine ranking, achieved through keyword usage and compelling content, leads to increased website traffic which inevitably leads to improved digital return on investment (ROI.)

Establish Yourself as an Industry Authority

Whether someone is seeking out information about your company or relating to your company’s practices, blogging is an easy stepping stone to becoming recognized as leaders within your industry. Create content that answers people’s questions or sheds light on information pertaining to your brand that isn’t readily available elsewhere on the web. Each time your potential customers rely upon your information, your business takes a step further in being more widely recognized and more highly regarded.

Connect with Your Audience

When it comes to connecting to your audience, blogging is a major factor. B2C communications like blogging for business help to establish a more personal connection with potential and returning customers. It also gives them an avenue of interacting with your business by allowing them to leaving feedback in your comments section – a good way to collect contact information as well! Be sure to respond to interaction to make your communications even more personal.

Spread Your Reach

Blogging shouldn’t be done just for blogging’s sake. When writing posts, make sure you are focused on especially compelling content. Avoid creating pages that will naturally result in bounces – people entering and immediately exiting your site. Captivating information along with creative copy will urge readers to share your posts on their own social media platforms thereby connecting your business blog with brand new consumer segments.

Take Control of Your Business’s Identity

Considering the basis technology now occupies in our lives, there is probably a ton being said about your business on the web. Why leave the comments to others when you can be in control of the particulars. Make sure that people searching for you are receiving accurate and complete information by ensuring that your top Google results are the right ones.

REM Creative Group – Best Practices Blogging for Business

Blogging for SEO and business expansion is not the easiest of tasks, especially to business owners and executives who spend their days locking down deals and managing operations. Luckily, REM Creative Group in Miami is ready to create and foster your business blogging efforts to help achieve your business goals! Contact us today for more information.

The post Blogging for Business appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

A new year is upon us, and with it comes new business challenges and opportunities. As a Miami social media agency, we at REM understand that social media provides big and small businesses with chances to connect with new prospects, improve conversion rates and bolster existing relationships. Online based B2C communication has become an integral factor in the success of businesses in today’s tech-savvy culture. So much so in fact, that consumers almost equate the online profiles of businesses with those of their friends and family. Your business’s Facebook, Twitter, Google + or other landing page is highly regarded as the most personal connection point available to anyone on the other side of your inner workings’ veil. That being said, let us examine methods for fine tuning your social media practices and suggest an affordable solution in the form of a Miami social media marketing agency.

Balance Your Posts 

While it is safe to assume that your social media followers are interested in what your business has to offer, it is even safer to assume that their interests do not end there. When deciding on what content to share on your social channels, try to create a ratio of posts that focus on adjacent content. Four out of five times, you want to post information that will be relevant to your brand and customers. Save that other 20 percent of your sharing to promote what’s really important to your business and bottom line. Your followers will appreciate the adjacent content, thereby driving interaction and helping your online voice to avoid taking on the persona of a pushy car salesman.

Create Content

Simply said but not so easily accomplished, creating content is a major factor in gaining and keeping the attention of prospective and current audience members. Provide people with the answers they need regarding a topic you are (or want to become) the authority on. Blogging is an especially useful way of creating content as it provides collateral for all of your social platforms while creating virtual avenues leading to your landing pages and hopefully, revenue!

Dominate Social Real Estate

Social media real estate can be thought of as the space your posts occupy as well as their interactivity within that space. Many social media practitioners recommend using at least some type of imagery for each piece of content shared. The visual weight of photos will greatly increase the likelihood of wandering eyes finding your posts. Videos are also especially useful in attracting otherwise inattentive eyes – especially true for autoplay enabled platforms such as Facebook.

Find Your Optimal Timing

Simply put, the goal of social media is to bolster your business through compelling information that is presented to the largest and loyalest faction of your audience. In order to accomplish this, a certain frequency of sharing is necessary, but it is imperative that you don’t over-share and drive away your audience. Finding the time of day in which your posts receive maximum attention and interaction using various platforms’ analytics tools or external tools such as Hootsuite or Sprout Social will help avoid the pitfalls of poor social timing and frequency.

Engage Your Followers

You’ve found balance in your sharing, created content that supports your business goals and customer’s mindset, incorporated visuals to expand your social real estate and found the optimal post times for each of your platforms. Now what? Perhaps the most important aspect of social media management, and easiest, is to engage your followers! Reply to messages, tweets and comments, like other’s posts, offer insight where applicable and even follow influential and especially loyal socialites. There is nothing like a (even semi-) personal response from a business that you care about. Follower engagement will go a long way in the future of social media.

Miami Social Media Marketing Agency

Do you want to connect with more customers, build your business and increase your brand’s reputation and loyalty? Contact us at REM Creative Group to find out how we can help your social media and other marketing efforts from our office based in sunny Miami, Florida. We are the leading Miami social media agency when it comes to personalized and committed service to growing your small or large business!

The post REM Miami Social Media Trends for 2015 appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

Here we are in the middle of yet another holiday season, and we love it! But with the New Year around the corner, have you done everything you can to position your business for success in 2014? Don’t worry, no one has it all figured out, and even the experts need to take a few minutes to reflect. One thing is clear, consumers are turning to the web more than ever and if your online presence is stellar, you could be losing out. Now is the perfect time to start brainstorming on how to making your website work for you, instead of the other way around. Take a few minutes to create a web design “wish list” and lay out exactly what you need to make 2014 your best and most profitable year yet.

Consistent Content Marketing              

It used to be that a few great clients and word of mouth advertising were all you needed to build a customer base. The truth is, today’s consumer doesn’t have time to talk because they’re too busy trying to educate themselves online about your products and services. Do you have fresh, relevant and engaging information available for them? If you don’t, your competition will. Consumers are savvy and they need consistent, reliable and informative content, period. Develop a content marketing strategy and start redefining yourself as an expert in your field.

Mobile-Friendly Layout

The landscape is changing rapidly and mobile devices- iPhones, laptops, notebooks and iPads are quickly outpacing desktop computers as the preferred method for online browsing and buying. There’s no doubt, we’re in a mobile world and if you don’t keep pace, you’ll be left behind. Your website needs to be fully functioning not only from the office, but across all mobile platforms. That means images are clear and appropriately sized, content can be read easily and products can be found in a snap. If you opt not to go mobile-friendly, potential customers who do seek you out will most likely get tired of re-sizing, scrolling and having to squint to read about your business.

Functionality

Do you ever check to see how fast your site loads when you pull it up on Google? If it takes more than 3 seconds, you could be losing valuable traffic. How about your opt-in forms and contact boxes? Are they working properly? This “under the hood” stuff is important for reducing bounce rate and ensuring user experience is up to speed. Again, today’s consumer doesn’t have time to wait for slow websites or contact forms that don’t work, they’ll simply go somewhere else.

Optimized Social Media Engagement

Building relationships and drumming up conversation with influencers is an important part of building “buzz” for your brand. But unless your site optimizes these opportunities for social media engagement with the right access, you’ll have a hard time reaching anyone. Sounds simple, but maybe it’s time to revisit how easy it is to engage from your site. Do you have a comment section clearly visible at the end of your blog posts? Are you providing links to your Twitter account and Facebook page?

The New Year brings all kinds of new ideas and opportunities for business growth. But before moving ahead without a plan, take a few minutes to create a website wish list that can guide your efforts and maximize return on your investment in 2014.

The post Web Design “Wish List” appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

If you’re trying to grow a business, you may have heard a lot of buzz lately about digital marketing- web site optimization, social media, keywords… the list goes on and on. The truth is, with mobile technology, emerging platforms and social trends moving at breakneck speed, there’s a lot of ground to cover to keep your online campaign competitive. E-mail marketing, search engine optimization and content creation is a never ending job, taking up more time than you originally budgeted. But here’s the rub. Your online presence- your website and more importantly, your digital marketing strategy is what will define whether or not your business gets off the ground in 2014.

Maximizing Social Media Channels      

Whether we like it or not, social media is here to stay and it’s only going to get more intense into 2014. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ are offering businesses unparalleled opportunities to connect, engage and compel consumers to investigate brands, share experiences and develop loyalty. Emerging platforms like Snapchat, Instagram and others make it easier than ever to share video clips and pictures for real time value. The fact is, if you haven’t created a social strategy, the time is now. If you’re new to social media, let your current customers know that you’re getting involved. If they follow you, you build credibility and legitimacy even faster with happy, engaged customers from day one.

Web Site Optimization

Today’s online consumers are savvy. In fact, as of this past September, 54 percent of people use multiple platforms to browse the web. That means online shoppers are using both desktop and mobile devices like iPads to find products and services they want. Your website simply must be up to speed, optimized to reach as many users as possible. That means an aggressive SEO plan, regular updates and compelling content that targets keywords relevant to your audience.

Get Found and Offer a Superior Experience

How do you know if your site is optimized? Consulting with a professional website design company is the easiest way to ensure you’re getting the maximum exposure possible with optimized features, engaging content, superior visual design and more. Getting your target audience to your site is step one, but keeping them there by offering a superior visit is just as important. The fact is, online consumers recognize quality and they will reward you for it.

From search engine optimization to social media marketing to mobile-optimized websites, the key in 2014 will be to take full advantage of opportunities for growth by ensuring a strategic digital marketing plan. REM Creative Group is a South Florida creative agency with one objective- to wake up your brand. For expertise in website design, email marketing or website marketing, Miami businesses trust REM to maximize digital success.

The post Is Your Digital Marketing Strategy On Point for 2014? appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

In today’s age of multimedia consumption, consumer attention span is short and you have less than ten seconds to make a meaningful impression. While compelling copy and the right business name are critical, businesses looking to stay competitive have one thing in common- a professional logo. Your business logo is the first and last thing consumers see when they decide to buy your products and services- or walk away. A high quality, memorable and punchy logo can increase revenue, add visual appeal and establish trust fast than almost anything else. Here’s how the right logo can maximize your business.

Create a Lasting First Impression

An eye catching and creative logo immediately gives an impression about your business. Before anything else happens, people see your logo and make assumptions about how you do business and why they should use you over your competitors. Are you credible and professional? Are you an expert in your field? These are the questions folks are thinking about when they view your business. The right logo not only builds trustworthiness, but establishes longevity and is a sign that you are here to stay and not just another fly-by-night start-up trying to make a quick dollar. It’s an investment and it’s the key to a lasting first impression that is positive and valuable.

Add Visual Appeal

A quality logo is also the face of your business and exactly what people will remember when you are not around. Will it help them recall you when they are searching for something in particular? Maybe. Without a logo, the chances that they will remember you significantly decrease. Despite the compelling copy you have on your webpage, it’s your logo that people will remember. The visual appeal of a high quality, professionally designed logo is like a smiling face greeting and welcoming customers to come on in and look around. If they like what they see, they’ll commit it to memory and seek you out in the future.

Establish a Dependable and Trusted Brand

Believe it or not, a strong logo is a sign that your business is dependable and a trusted resource for delivering what you say you will. A quality logo establishes your brand as reliable and consistent. When customers look to purchase the same product or service again, it feels good to see a strong logo representing the merchandise they like. Remember, your brand is what will differentiate you from the crowd and exactly why your logo needs to needs to be robust, powerful and above all- a good reflection of who you are.

A professional designed logo is but one piece of a brand building strategy designed to help you grow your business. It’s a powerful symbol folks will remember, trust and recognize for years to come. Represent your brand with the right logo and you’ll create your own identity, reinforce your business and gain the professionalism you need to compete.

For professional logo design in South Miami, Coral Gables, Brickell, trust the experts at REM Creative Group to position your business ahead of the curve.

The post Are You Maximizing Your Business Potential With a Professional Logo? appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

Years ago, when you wanted to inform your customer base about a great new product you’ve launched or introduce them to a new aspect of your business, you sent them a brochure or a letter inviting them to give you a try. My how times have changed. Hardly anyone receives marketing literature via traditional mail anymore and savvy businesses are quickly learning the value, convenience and cost effectiveness of using email marketing to boost sales, increase revenue and reach a wide range of customers to promote products and services. If you haven’t yet pursued email marketing, here’s how a few carefully crafted strategies can pay off big time.

Maximize Your Customer Contact Database

Let’s assume you have a small business in South Miami. You spent time developing a spectacular website and you reach a good deal of your customers online. In fact, your customer contact form is buzzing and you have new potential customers filling out forms every day. These are the names and email addresses of folks who not only like your product line, but have pretty much told you by filling in their details to “Send me information”.  As a Miami business owner, professional email marketing in Coral Gables can elevate your business to the next level by reaching targeted customers with information on sales, promotions, even a newsletter.

Drive Traffic to Your Website and Build Relationships

“If you build it, they will come”. Not necessarily true with online business and website sales. The truth is, you need to have targeted traffic or no one will be around to buy anything you offer, regardless of how revolutionary. Driving traffic to your website can be challenging, which is why the right strategy is so important. A South Miami email marketing campaign would help the clothing store owner from above not only increase website visibility, but build relationships, potentially adding even more names to a growing email database.

Get a Piece of the Fastest Growing Marketing Medium Today 

You’re not alone if you’re excited about what the internet offers in terms of access to customers and a marketing medium that’s light years ahead of where it was just a few years ago. The key is to use technology appropriately to maximize your marketing dollars and get the most value out of a few carefully designed strategies. Businesses who engage in email marketing correctly will quickly differentiate themselves as folks worldwide are spending more time online than ever before. Email marketing in Coconut Grove, Brickell or South Miami isn’t limited to Florida, but can reach the widest possible audience worldwide.

The post Email Marketing is Here to Stay…Are You On Board? appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

Most of us know what graphic design is. It’s using a visual medium to communicate a message, whether it’s to sell, announce, or persuade an audience. Graphic design is everywhere around us from magazine ads and business logos to billboards, even album covers. But what makes a graphic design compelling? How do images and words create the biggest visual impact?

Emotional and Engaging

Graphic designers are creative folks. They can take a message and create a design that informs, but also evokes emotion and persuades. Compelling graphic design in Coconut Grove or on a South Miami billboard may invite you to visit South Beach for an afternoon of shopping or stroll through a particular boutique. The perfect combination of imagery and words leaves you wanting to know more and that’s the defining difference between compelling graphic design and just a picture with a few words.

A Call to Action

Do you think you can get someone to do something just by showing them a picture? A great graphic design can. In fact, it happens more often than you think, which is why it’s so important for the graphic design service you choose to be exceptional. After all, you only have one chance to make a first impression, if it’s not gripping, you don’t get a do-over. Forceful graphic design provides a call to action. It’s pretty, sure. It’s emotional, maybe. But it absolutely must leave the viewer wanting to act. Whether it’s to buy that sweater, try that brand of cola, or in the case of graphic design in Coral Gables, visit South Beach for an exceptional meal.

Unforgettable

Like catchy jingles, compelling graphic design makes an unforgettable impression. Through a combination of artistic flair and technology, graphic designers reach people on levels they never knew existed. A simple logo, complementary colors, memorable images and meaningful words persuade, engage and most of all leave an impression that is etched in the mind as a constant reminder to try that product or look into that service.

Unforgettable and extraordinary, compelling graphic design, whether it’s an image, words or a combination of the two, can distinguish your business by giving you the competitive advantage you need to reach more people effectively, leaving the megaphone and the competition behind. For compelling graphic design in Coral Gables, South Miami, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Brickell, consider REM Creative Group- where creativity never sleeps.

The post What Makes Compelling Graphic Design? appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

Maybe you’ve got a great business running and you’re slowly building a reputation for quality products and exceptional service. But what else can you do to take it to the next level?  How about your online brand? Are you getting the most value you can? Here are two red flags that it’s time to enhance your online brand.

Your SEO Strategy Isn’t Working Like It Used To

Chances are, you’re probably familiar with search engine optimization (SEO) and maybe even tried your hand at a few different techniques for building traffic to your online business- and that’s great. However, you have to keep in mind, what worked well yesterday may not work today and vice versa. No, the search engines are not trying to trick us or drive us insane (although it feels like it), but rather, they’re constantly changing how they view written content. In other words, what they label as “spam” and what they consider “quality content” is constantly being revised. To many of us, it makes little sense, but there is a trick to delivering quality, fresh content that will be picked up by the big guys like Google. This is where the investment into professional SEO services will pay back tenfold.

Your Website Needs a Face Lift

Does your website still feature “new” products that are over a year old? How about your navigation? Is it easy for consumers to find products you offer? And purchase them?  You’re not alone if you’re busy building your business and find it a challenge to keep your online presence fresh and relevant. The good news is, it’s easy to add some new content or restructure a few components on your site. Your online presence is a huge part of your brand, and it tells everyone in less than three seconds what you are all about and if they should trust you.

Building brand awareness is a critical part of enhancing your exposure online. The more people recognize and trust you, the more they will seek out your products and services- and that’s what’s going to grow your business. Remember, it all comes down to exposure and if you don’t have any, it doesn’t matter how amazing your product line- no one will see it. Consider ramping up your SEO strategy, and take a hard look at your website. If you think it’s time for a new look and feel, go for it.

The best techniques usually involve a combination of strategies- a little of this, a little of that. The more you experiment, the easier it will be to devise the perfect campaign to maximize your business. For web design in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Downtown Miami or anywhere in South Florida, visit us at REM Creative Group. We can help you get on your way to seeing the traffic- and the revenue- you’ve been looking for.

The post Is It Time to Enhance Your Online Brand? appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.

It used to be years ago that a nice office space with a few strategically placed potted plants and a well dressed reception area could position your business as professional. Today, while the first impression still rings true as a differentiator between amateurs and those “in the know”, chances are there is no need for potted plants because the majority of your office space is on a computer screen. It’s true, as more and more businesses take the leap from bricks and mortar to the online marketplace, the first impression shifts as well. What does that mean? Simply that despite your stellar products and services, you had better make certain your webpage is up to speed visually if you want to legitimize your business. Here’s how a first impression can “make” or “break” your online business.

Clean, Streamline and Easy to Navigate is Inviting
Have you ever had the unfortunate occurrence to stumble upon a website that has so much going on that you instantly feel dizzy? There’s a reason why the most successful online businesses choose professionals to design their online space- they know what works and what doesn’t. Unfortunately, too many colors, too much movement and too many places to click can drive potential business away as visitors will quickly leave your page in search of something a little less chaotic. A clean, easy to read and easy to navigate site is inviting, and one that visitors enjoy.

The Value of Professional Content
In the world of online business, “content” refers to the written word. It doesn’t matter if it’s introductory speech, product descriptions or simply advice on how to garden, anything on your webpage is content. The point is, content simply must be good. No, it must be great to succeed. Remember, you don’t have your winning smile and baby blues to flash at your customer. And you can’t strike up a conversation because they are wearing your favorite team logo when they enter your store. Rather, you have to grab their attention- and hold it- with written word. It’s not an easy thing to do and precisely why so many people choose to hire a professional content writer. Besides, nothing screams amateur faster than a misspelled word or two. And if you can’t spell, how are you ever going to create consumer confidence in using your products or services?

The “Look and Feel” Factor
So what’s the bottom line? There’s a “look and feel” factor with online businesses that many successful entrepreneurs have learned while many others have not. The online marketplace is a tricky field to navigate, and securing the help of professionals to ensure your visual first impression is top notch is simply a smart strategy for success. Chances are, you’re great at what you do. Don’t let an unprofessional first impression prevent your business from exceeding even your own expectations when you can easily secure the help of skilled experts. Trust the expertise of a professional team like REM Creative Group and put your best “first impression” foot forward.

The post How a First Impression Can “Make or Break” Your Online Business appeared first on REM Creative Group Blog.