Are You Responsive?

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OK I don’t mean you personally; I’m referring to your online presence.

Internet usage on mobile devices (smart phones or tablets) is growing every day. Mobile usage of the internet now exceeded desktop usage, 80% of internet user own a smart phone and the average adult user claims to spend 20 hours online per week.

2011 Internet Mobile Usage

2013 Internet Mobile Usage

2015 Internet Mobile Usage

So what does this mean to you?

Well, it means if you don’t want to lose any potential clients, then you need a great looking website that is also optimised for mobile browsing. The problem with many current website is that the user experience on mobile devices is unfortunately terrible and that’s a mission for responsive design.


A responsive website, respond to the screen size of the user. So instead of creating different website for different devices, your responsive website rearranges the elements to fit any screen. Which means you’ll get more happy visitors which also leads to more happy customers.


Interested in Responsive design? Want a responsive website for your business? That is something we can definitely help you with, we can provide responsive website solutions to suit a plethora of scales and budgets. Contact us today!

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

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Northamptonshire Chamber 60 Minute Seminar

The Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce is proud to present 60 minute Seminars. These FREE seminars are delivered exclusively by Chamber members, enabling you to tap into the vast amount of knowledge and insight that Chamber members share.

Alongside their Business Exhibition, at the Park Inn Northampton, on 11 September, they will be running 2 FREE business seminars, all delivered by Chamber members. And as the seminars are part of the exhibition they are open to non-members.

10am - Make your brand stand out from the crowd

Delivered by: V3 Creatives

Marketing your product or service in today’s highly competitive environment can be a challenge to any new or old business. Competition is fierce in almost every trade, the volatile condition of the market and a highly informed and spoiled for choice customer base, make it a specialised task to position your brand for both maximum visibility and enhanced respect.

Customers today are influenced by several elements beginning right from the identification of the brand’s logo and identity to how and where they encountered the promotional messages.
A strong brand creates a powerful connection between you and your customers, employees and other key stakeholders. It cuts through noise and clutter and delivers a clear picture of who you are and what you do.

Developing a brand is more than just a creative exercise; it’s a discipline involving research and analysis, plus structured management and implementation. This seminar explores what branding is, why it’s important and will give you a step by step guide as to how your brand can influence your customers purchase decisions.

You will leave with six strategies to work on over the coming year:

  • Reinventing your brand positioning; reviewing your unique selling proposition;
  • Re-examining current marketing initiatives;
  • Knowing who you want to sell to and why;
  • Taking advantage of cheaper marketing costs, putting market value ahead of price;
  • Concentrate on your data-base and revamp your website;
  • Increase direct marketing

By the end of this session you will understand how to create a connection between your brand and your customer. The truth is your company has a brand. The key question is what does your brands identity say about you and are you underestimating its potential?

V3 Creatives is your exclusive creative design firm dedicated to quality graphic design that can help make your business stand out from the crowd. With design innovations and a creative eye, our studio can provide your company with real world marketing solutions that you can rely on.

For over 10 years our team have offered Brand Development, Graphic Design, Online Marketing and Printing services to enhance your business structure and showcase your brand in an entirely different light.

The Northamptonshire Chamber's Business Exhibition

These 60 Minute Seminars are part of the Northamptonshire Chamber’s Business Exhibition, held at Park Inn Northampton, which will showcase some of the county’s leading businesses and provide visitors with the chance to expand their network of contacts. Entry to the exhibition is FREE, with the chance to win a year’s FREE Chamber membership so make sure that you don’t miss out! No need to book, just turn up on the day.

Friday 11 September 2015
Park Inn Northampton, Silver Street, Northampton NN1 2TA
Business Exhibition open 09.30 – 15:30


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 10

Cameron Herold: Let’s Raise Kids to Be Entrepreneurs: The point of Cameron Herold’s TED talk is to show us how we can teach our kids to be entrepreneurs. But there are a number of entrepreneurial lessons if you read between the lines. He talks about his experience as a kid entrepreneur and how the little businesses he ran prepared him for the huge companies he’s running today.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 9

Powerful inspirational true story…Don’t give up!: Sometimes things will go terribly wrong. You have two choices. Give up or push forward. How you deal with failure will determine how much you matter.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 8

The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us: Study after study after study has found that higher monetary rewards don’t lead to better performance when it involves conceptual, creative thinking. Pay people enough so they only think about the work. Then provide autonomy, mastery, and purpose if you want to create a remarkable team.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 7

Steve Jobs 2005 Stanford Commencement Address: This video took off in the wake of Steve Jobs’ death because it embodies the principles that he leaned on to build Apple and live his life. He tells three stories that shaped the man he became. One, about how he was adopted as a kid and why dropping out of college was one of the best decisions he ever made. Two, about how getting fired from Apple was one of the best things that ever happened to him. Three, a quote about death that he first read when he was 17 and how it shaped his entire life.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 6

Will’s Wisdom: Will Smith shares his philosophy on Work Ethic & Focus.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 5

Everything Started as Nothing: The world’s largest companies, most successful people, and most incredible stories all have one thing in common. They start as nothing.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 4

The Rocky Story by Anthony Robbins: One of the world’s most interesting entrepreneurial struggles told by one of the most motivational people in the world. It’s the true story behind the Rocky franchise. Just listen to it.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 3

The Best Motivation Video: Nobody has an obstacle-free path to success. Failure is part of that path. And those who fail the hardest seem to experience the most success simply because they attempted the most things. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 2

Where Good Ideas Come From: Ideas don’t just happen. They start as slow hunches. And your hunches need to collide with other people’s hunches to be fully formed. The internet makes it easier than ever to connect with other people’s hunches which encourages great ideas.


Motivational Videos for Entrepreneurs Series - Part 1

Entrepreneurs Can Change the World: Anything is possible as long as you maintain your kid-like perspective.


Direct Mailshots Designed and Delivered

Ever wonder why you get so much spam in your inbox? The reason is, it makes money. If the guys sending unsolicited email are getting rich by annoying people who aren't interested in their less-than-salubrious offerings, imagine what you could do with a legitimate email marketing campaign aimed at people who actually want to receive your e-shots?

Email marketing is a cost-effective form of direct marketing which can help promote customer loyalty and bring new business to your website. A well-devised email marketing campaign will, on average, provide higher conversion rates than traditional direct marketing and will cost less money to execute.

Whether we can build an email marketing campaign designed to lure first time visitors to try your products or services and we can encourage customer loyalty by reminding people how great your services are, as well as alerting them to current offers or new products that might excite them.

E-mail Marketing: Direct Mailshots Designed and Delivered

Our skilled V-Mail team will craft an eye-catching e-mail marketing template with enticing calls to action which reflects your brand and your website. Our expert copywriters will create super-sticky text that will see recipients flocking to your website in droves. We can even target your e-mail offers at particular customers, ensuring the most relevant offers are received by the most willing recipients.

V-mail-smallV-Mail will thoroughly test your e-mail template to ensure that it looks great for every recipient. We will also manage the upload and delivery of each e-mail campaign. Our e-mail marketing software is designed to prevent recipients' servers mistaking your emails for spam, meaning you will get a high delivery rate. We can track how many e-mails are delivered and how many bounce. Our tracking software will also record how many people open the e-mails, how many recipients click on links and on which links they click.

Click here to find out more about V-Mail, our simple, elegant yet powerful email marketing tool for your business.

Contact V3 Creatives for Advice on Email Marketing

Our online marketing experts will provide a thorough analysis of the results of each e-mail marketing campaign in order to assess the effectiveness of different links, types of copy and layouts so that we can continue to improve the conversion rates of each successive campaign. Your e-mail marketing will become more cost-effective as you progress as the amount of business you receive from each e-mail shot increases.

Contact the team at V3 on 07886391561 or e-mail us at [email protected] or use our contact form.


Richard Branson Series - Part 4

Career Curveballs: Embrace Change or Become Stagnant

If you are running a successful company, one of the most terrifying things you can ask your business partners is: “What do you think about starting an airline?” When your successful company features The Sex Pistols, The Rolling Stones and Culture Club, the idea of going into aviation sounds even more shocking.

"I found myself running down Ladbroke Grove in London with tears streaming down my face and a $1 billion cheque in my pocket."

To be a real entrepreneur you always have to be looking forward. The moment you rest on your laurels is the moment your competition overtakes you. Out of frustration at poor service and cancelled flights, I ended up chartering the first Virgin flight. It was only natural that out of that frustration – and subsequent fun and excitement! – I began seriously considering the idea of a whole airline.
 

However, to my colleagues at Virgin Records who lived and breathed music 24 hours a day, aviation was completely alien. While I was no expert, I could see how having an airline would expand the brand, create jobs and provide new adventure and opportunities. Nevertheless, when I told my partner Simon “I’ve got a proposal here,” it should have been no surprise when he called me mad. “For God’s sake!” he shouted. “You’re crazy. Come off it.” Still, entrepreneurs have to take calculated risks. After protecting the downside by keeping the two companies separate, and agreeing a deal with Boeing, whereby we could hand the plane back after 12 months if the airline wasn’t working out, we started Virgin Atlantic.

I’ve often joked about the best way to become a millionaire – start out as a billionaire and launch an airline! While moving from the music industry with Virgin Records to aviation with Virgin Atlantic was a huge career curveball for me personally, it was an even bigger jump for the rest of Virgin, not to mention my friends and family. We went from taking on rival labels in the charts and in the clubs to challenging global airlines in the air – and eventually in the courts!

Despite being independent companies, Records and Atlantic were intrinsically linked (a model that has worked well across the Virgin Group ever since). However, when British Airways’ Dirty Tricks campaign put a huge strain on the future of Virgin Atlantic, we had to make the decision to sell Virgin Records in order to give the airline the financial muscle to compete. It was the right decision, but an incredibly tough curveball moment. I found myself running down Ladbroke Grove in London with tears streaming down my face and a $1 billion cheque in my pocket.

Companies are simply groups of people working together to make a difference – so by selling a company it feels like you are losing a part of your family. It certainly felt like that for me, and for all of the Virgin Records team. However, decades on, Virgin Atlantic has been joined by Virgin America and Virgin Australia (not to mention Virgin Galactic) in the skies, and Virgin Records celebrated its 40th anniversary last year with a new generation of disruptive artists flying up the charts, from Emeli Sandé to Bastille.

If we hadn’t embraced change, we would have become stagnant – and you probably wouldn’t be reading this article.

This post is part of a series in which V3 Creatives looks at inspirational advice from one of our favourite Entreprenuers

Source: Linkedin
Photos: Richard Branson


15 Great Banksy Street Art Photos and Quotes!

"There are four basic human needs; food, sleep, sex and revenge."

Banksy
 

"Nothing in the world is more common than unsuccessful people with talent, leave the house before you find something worth staying in for."

Banksy
 

"Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a f***ing sharp knife to it."

Banksy
 

"You’re mind is working at its best when you’re being paranoid. You explore every avenue and possibility of your situation at high speed with total clarity."

Banksy (Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall)
 

"Some people become cops because they want to make the world a better place. Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better looking place."

Banksy (Wall and Piece)
 

"People who get up early in the morning cause war, death and famine."

Banksy (Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall)
 

"I need someone to protect me from all the measures they take in order to protect me."

Banksy  

"My main problem with cops is that they do what they’re told. They say ‘Sorry mate, I’m just doing my job’ all the f***ing time."

Banksy (Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall)
 

"Become good at cheating and you never need to become good at anything else."

Banksy  
(Wall and Piece)

"If you want to say something and have people listen then you have to wear a mask. If you want to be honest then you have to live a lie."

Banksy
 

"Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they’re having a p*ss."

Banksy (Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall)
 

"A wall is a very big weapon. It’s one of the nastiest things you can hit someone with."

Banksy (Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall)
 

"A lot of mothers will do anything for their children, except let them be themselves."

Banksy (Wall and Piece)
 

"The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules but by people following the rules. It’s people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages."

Banksy
 

Source: Street Art Utopia


Richard Branson Series - Part 3

"Mandela's Way": A Leader's Genius Distilled Into Perfect Lessons

Many books have changed me, but the one that stands out is

"Mandela's Way: Lessons on Life, Love, and Courage"

by Richard Stengel.

It is no secret that Madiba (Mandela's clan name) has had a huge influence on my life, as he has on many others. In this book, the author managed to distill Madiba’s wisdom into a set of lessons that are as unique as they are simple. They helped reinforce my own belief in thinking of others before oneself and in the need for business to be a force for good. They also painted a vivid picture of one of the world’s true heroes.

I Believe we all have the potential to learn new things and change for the better every day. I was 60 by the time I read "Madela's Way" for the first time, but it has left a profound impression on my life.

I don’t usually enjoy reading biographies all that much, and find that their writers often struggle to communicate the spirit of their subject – especially those with big personalities. However, this book demonstrates the humor and humanity of Mandela, as well as his courage and conviction. One of the most striking elements of the man is his sense of humor: He's usually laughing and joking, putting smiles upon the faces of all around him. He is consistently honest and says the same thing behind closed doors as he does to someone's face.

The book details 15 lessons from Madiba, explaining each through personal examples and insights.

  1. Courage is not the absence of fear.
  2. Be measured.
  3. Lead from the front.
  4. Look the part.
  5. Lead from the back.
  6. See the good in others.
  7. Keep your rivals close.
  8. Have a core principle.
  9. Know when to say no.
  10. Know your enemy.
  11. It’s always both.
  12. Love makes the difference.
  13. It’s a long game.
  14. Quitting is leading too.
  15. Find your own garden

I imagine Influencers will discuss books that shaped their life early on, and rightly so. However, I believe we all have the potential to learn new things and change for the better every day. I was 60 by the time I read Mandela’s Way for the first time, but it has left a profound impression on my life.

Mandela and his wonderful wife Graça Machel brought together The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working together for peace and human rights, in 2007. As Virgin Unite incubated The Elders, we have been fortunate to watch the group grow into a formidable force tackling issues such as conflict resolution and women’s empowerment. With Mandela as the Founding Elder (and now an Honorary Elder), they really do embody the values and lessons discussed in Mandela’s Way.

Richard Stengel did a wonderful job on sharing Mandela’s wisdom through his words, and I would encourage anyone in need of inspiration to read it. What book changed you?

This post is part of a series in which V3 Creatives looks at inspirational advice from one of our favourite Entreprenuers

Source: Linkedin
Photos: Richard Branson


16 Ways to Use Social Media to Promote Your Event

By Kimberly Reynolds

Does your business conduct events?

Are you wondering how to use social media to promote those events?

Social media is a powerful tool to gain exposure, whether you’re hosting a physical conference or an online event.

In this article I’ll show you 16 creative ways to increase awareness, engagement and sales for your event.

 

#1: Use Facebook Ads to Remarket to Prospects

Facebook custom audiences allow you to show ads to people who have already visited your website. This is called remarketing (also known as retargeting). Advertisers can show event ads to Facebook users who left the website before purchasing a ticket.

Remarketing can be a very effective strategy because people rarely buy the first time they hear of an event or see an offer. This is especially true for big-ticket items like conferences and conventions.

If your event features well-known experts, include their likeness on your advertising assets.

Pro Tip: When you advertise to prior website visitors, be sure to EXCLUDE Facebook users who have already purchased a ticket. This can easily be accomplished by creating a custom audience from the same page you used to track conversions; i.e., your thank-you page.

Facebook allows you to include and exclude multiple audiences for each ad set.

 

#2: Create a Highlight Reel From Prior Events


Video provides a unique opportunity to convey the energy and excitement of a live event. Great visuals and catchy audio are a potent combination that drives registration. It also creates engagement opportunities as the video is shared with friends.

Create a video that conveys the excitement and fun of your event.

Things to keep in mind when creating a video:

  • Remember your intended audience. Your video should convey the value of your event to prospective attendees. Make the benefits of attending crystal-clear.
  • Host on both YouTube and Vimeo. Each platform has different strengths, so take advantage of that. YouTube is the #2 search engine in the world and the most used video platform on the Internet. Vimeo, though smaller, offers more control over your brand and no distracting banner advertisements.
  • Leverage it everywhere. Video can be shared almost everywhere: your website and/or event landing page, in your newsletter, in articles, with affiliates and on social media, including 15-second clips on Instagram.
  • Facebook loves video. Uploading native video maximizes your exposure in the news feed. In fact, Socialbakers reported that “Facebook videos achieved a 10 times higher viral reach than YouTube links did.” You can also set your video as Featured for maximum visibility on your Facebook page.

Remember to include a registration link in the description of your video, preferably near the top.

 

#3: Harness the Power of Visual Testimonials


Do you have great comments in the exit surveys from previous events? Maybe you’ve interviewed attendees or speakers and captured statements of excitement about specific sessions, speakers or your event in general. Don’t let those nuggets go to waste!

Create a template with branded images and a consistent color palette to help unify your marketing efforts and make it easy to share testimonial quotes.

Create simple graphic images with these quotes and comments. Share these visuals in your email marketing campaign, social platforms, blog posts and email signatures.

Be sure to give attribution to the commenter. People love to see their comments used and they often share this type of graphic. Also, having these third-party statements lends credibility because they provide positive word of mouth about your speakers, sessions and event.

Bonus: Create a testimonial video. Video is an extremely effective medium to showcase the passion and enthusiasm your event inspires. A well-done testimonial video builds trust by allowing viewers to see and hear words of praise, rather than simply read them.

Testimonials from presenters are especially effective because they are generally considered trustworthy and credible sources of knowledge.

 

#4: Empower Affiliates, Fans and Attendees With Shareable Assets


Make it easy to share your event. Provide a web page with branded downloadable resources that fit any platform.

For attendees: Capitalize on their excitement! Provide a button to immediately share a tweet or post when they land on your thank-you page after registering.

Tip: ClickToTweet makes it super-easy to create a simple, pre-crafted tweet.

For affiliates/fans: Make it easy for them to share your event by providing a variety of downloadable content: audio, video, an article, graphics, updates (Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn/Google+), email/blog posts and blurbs/newsletter updates.

Provide options to accommodate different posting styles as well as the image requirements of the various social networks. For example, rectangular images work best on Twitter, while square images look best on Instagram.

Rich media assets like audio clips and short videos ensure there is something for everyone to share.

 

#5: Use Photos of Attendees in Social Updates


If you have a repeat event, leverage those fun photos you took at previous events. Even better, share user-generated content on your social accounts.

Take a flattering, fun picture of some of your attendees and create a status update. Identify the people in the picture and be sure to tag them if you can. This gives people an opportunity to comment and talk about how much they learned or what a great time they had and how much they’re looking forward to attending again.

Have a photo booth at your event to capture fun photos of attendees to use in marketing future events.

Photos of attendees look great in posts and they also make for creative ads!

 

#6: Create One Unified Hashtag for Use Across All Social Channels


This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many events skip this vital step. Create, use and market your event-specific hashtag. You should be using this hashtag well in advance of your event dates and it should be included on EVERYTHING. Every digital image you create, every piece of collateral, your email signature… Anywhere you can think of—share it!

By using an event-specific hashtag, you’ll make it really easy for people to find not only what you’re sharing, but what other people are saying, too!

This is also a great way to create and participate in an engaging conversation with attendees and interested parties.

 

#7: Mention Your Event and Hashtag in All of Your Bios


Now that you’ve created your hashtag, don’t forget to add it to the Bio (About) section of each of your social accounts. An event hashtag in the Bio section is an often-underused tactic, but it has the potential for big gains. Once you have a link to your event, update your Bio section, and then people have a very simple way to find out more. They just need to click the link!

Not only does this create an easy way for people to see the event, it also ties that event directly to YOU. Ultimately, people connect to people and this is one way to give authenticity and transparency to you personally, not just the event.

Bitly links in your bio are a great way to track the effectiveness of your event marketing on Instagram (shown here) and other social media sites.

 

#8: Share Pictures of Speakers With Quote Overlays


It’s almost impossible to overemphasize the importance of using visuals in your marketing. Donna Moritz of Socially Sorted explains, “In this fast-paced, noisy online world, visual content is the best way to not only capture the attention of fans, but also to have them take action on your content.”

While a headshot of a speaker might excite some people, it’s important to share something worthwhile from that speaker as well. Take one powerful statement from each of your speakers and add that to a graphic containing a headshot of the speaker. This gives people something to tie to that speaker, a glimpse into his or her personality or presentation.

This also provides another opportunity to give your speakers additional exposure. (And for them to share with their own audiences, providing exposure for your event.)

Make sure the images are compelling and enticing enough to share.

 

#9: Create a Group Post Featuring Event Speakers


Odds are, you selected your event speakers because they’re thought leaders in their fields. What better way to highlight the caliber of talent at your event than an expert roundup blog post?

Asking your presenters to contribute to this type of post has several benefits:

  • Your speakers will feel appreciated when they are afforded an opportunity to display their expertise to your audience.
  • Prospective attendees get a preview of the excellent content shared at your event.
  • Your readers gain the wisdom from multiple experts in one post.
  • This type of post is often one of the most shared, providing you valuable evergreen content.

Some ideas for roundup posts are marketing tips, favorite tools, blogging tips and marketing predictions. You can also do niche roundup posts such as Facebook advertising tips, Twitter tools, etc.

A blog post featuring your event speakers doesn’t need to “sell” the event to be an effective marketing tool.

 

#10: Share Behind-the-Scenes Visual Content


A LOT of work goes into pulling off a fantastic event. Give a glimpse into this exciting and sometimes chaotic experience by sharing images and videos of the preparations going on.

Share stories of how you’re pulling everything together and don’t forget, mistakes and challenges happen. Be authentic and share the challenges you face and what steps you took to resolve them. It humanizes your brand and makes you more relatable.

Posting behind-the-scenes photos and videos is also a great way to generate buzz and boost engagement. It builds an emotional connection by fostering a sense of being an insider to the event, a “glimpse behind the curtain.”

Share important steps in the planning process—like this tasting at the caterer—to build excitement about your upcoming event.

Content ideas:

  • Venue and surrounding area
  • Route to important local sites/attractions
  • Closest place to get a good coffee
  • Event signage and goodie bags
  • Fun things to do in the area
  • Bloopers

Convey the scope and attention to detail of your event at a glance with behind-the-scenes visuals like this photo of the staffing schedule.

 

#11: Create a Facebook Event Page


Most people log into Facebook at least once a day. Make it easy for them to keep up with event news by creating an event page listing. Your event page is also a great place to encourage networking before the event. The convenience of an event page also encourages sharing by attendees.

To help make your event a success, Facebook has added new tools such as targeted news feed ads and event insights to measure the effectiveness of your efforts.

As the big day approaches, don’t forget to send out reminders to encourage people to RSVP on your event page.

Check your Facebook event page regularly to answer questions, share tips and delete spam.

 

#12: Welcome New Instagram Followers With a Video Invitation to Your Event


Instagram has made it very easy to offer a warm welcome: direct messages with video. You have 15 seconds to say thank you to your new followers and invite them to your event. This is especially effective if the person making the video will also be at the event to greet attendees. Who doesn’t like to see a familiar face when in unfamiliar surroundings?

You don’t need fancy equipment to make a quick video—just a smartphone!

 

#13: Mention the Event in Your Podcast


Whether you have your own podcast or you’re a guest, seize the opportunity to discuss your upcoming event. Be sure to talk about your value proposition—not just who the speakers are, but what your listeners can gain by attending.

Remember, you’re asking people to invest time and resources to attend—highlighting important takeaways is a great way to pique interest and get more registrations. And don’t forget to talk about the fun stuff, too!

Erik Fisher, community manager for Social Media Examiner and podcaster at Beyond the To-Do List, suggests, “Make sure to mention the event consistently across multiple episodes, mention it multiple times per episode without being too ‘salesy’ and use a clear call to action for your listeners.”

Other tips:

  • Mention the event as a “sponsor” of the podcast.
  • Interview presenters and mention that they will be at the event.
  • Make it part of the conversation.
  • Use an easy-to-remember URL when you mention the event.

 

#14: Create Special Graphics in a Variety of Sizes for Your Speakers


Make it fun and simple for your speakers to promote their presentation at your event. Be sure to use a great photo of the speaker and keep the image consistent with the branding for your event.

Since different social media platforms use various sizes of images depending on the type of post, take the time to create graphics in a multitude of sizes. This makes it convenient for your speakers to optimize the images on whatever social network they use.

Encourage your speakers to share, share, share the graphics on their social platforms, blogs, email signatures and more.

Square graphics work well on Instagram, Facebook and Google+.

Rectangular graphics look awesome in tweets and they can also be used as Facebook Open Graphic images.

 

#15: Leverage Facebook’s Call-to-Action to Drive Traffic to Your Registration Page


You’ve already (hopefully) updated your cover photo to showcase your event, so why not take it a step further by adding a Call-to-Action (CTA) button?

Facebook recently rolled out its new CTA button for pages, said to “bring a business’s most important objective to the forefront of its Facebook presence.” What could be more important than generating event revenue for your business?

Different call-to-action options provide a variety of choices to draw attention to your particular event.

You can also specify different destination URLs for desktop versus mobile traffic.

 

#16: Add Your Event to Your Email Signature


Have you considered how many emails you send and receive on any given day? Each one of those is an opportunity to spread awareness for your event. Simply add a hyperlink and/or graphic to your signature line.

An eye-catching graphic in your email signature is a non-invasive way to spread awareness.

These are just some of the tactics we have implemented to promote Social Media Marketing World. It’s important to try a variety of tactics and see what resonates with your audience. If something works, remember to document it in your marketing plan to use again.

Source: Social Media Examiner


Richard Branson Series - Part 2

Best Advice: Protect the Downside

I wanted to share the best advice my late father gave to me. When I was 15 and wanted to leave school to start a national Student magazine, I remember him telling me that I couldn't do so until I had sold £4,000 worth of advertising to cover the printing and paper costs of the first edition of the magazine, so we knew the sales would be all upside. I worked out of the phone box with even more determination to try to get advertisers to support us. Once I'd got the advertising sold I went to see the headmaster and told him I was leaving school. He told me I would either go to prison or become a millionaire! While it was a big risk to leave school, I knew I had a good idea and knew I had the downside covered, so I was confident I was making the right decision.

"My headmaster told me I would either go to prison or become a millionaire."

When I decided to go into the airline business, we were the hottest independent record label in the world and were as profitable as we had ever been. I remember having to sit down with my fellow directors at the record company and tell them that I was thinking of starting an airline. You can imagine their reaction! There was a serious danger that friends for life were going to change to ex-friendships rapidly!

One can fully understand why. The idea of putting 20 years of building a record company at risk – they just couldn't understand where I was coming from. The airline industry at the time was absolutely awful. You were lucky to have a cold bit of chicken dumped in your lap during a flight, there was no such thing as in-flight entertainment, the cabin crew never smiled and the experience was dreadful.

I really felt if we could create a really fun, high quality airline that got all the details right, we'd have a chance to survive and even flourish. You can never be sure until you've tried it. So, once I had negotiated the price for a second hand 747 from Boeing, I said to them that if Virgin Atlantic wasn't successful, then I wanted to be able to hand the plane back at the end of the first year – therefore protecting the downside. It was the most difficult thing to negotiate, as Boeing wanted to be sure that the plane was off their balance sheet and a successful sale. Fortunately for me planes weren't selling all that well. They decided they would take a risk with me as they wanted a competitor to British Airways in the UK, so BA couldn't hold them to ransom every time they negotiated on a plane.

When I sat down with the directors at Records, I was able to say at the absolute worst we would lose six months' worth of profits. But if it went well, we would then be able to buy a second and third plane, build another successful business and something we could be really proud of. Because I had the downside protected, they could see the logic of my decision. While they didn't welcome it with open arms, they gave me their blessing.

I've written this sounding incredibly sensible. The truth is, rules are made to be broken. There have been many occasions, especially early on in my business career, when I've had to ask my ever-understanding wife to sign a sheet of paper with me to put a second mortgage on our home in order to get a business deal done! However, the theory is sound: trust your instincts, but protect the downside. And, of course, remember to listen to your mum and dad's advice!

This post is part of a series in which V3 Creatives looks at inspirational advice from one of our favourite Entreprenuers

Source: Linkedin
Photos: Richard Branson


Book Design: Woman of Destiny by Roselle Thompson

Woman of Destiny, A Calypso Novel is a brilliant perceptive novel about a young girl’s quest to find her absent father and the truth about her past, in order to make sense of her present existence, amidst a variety of complex emotional highs and lows. V3 Creatives designed the book cover and the accompanying educational study guide as a part of our on going work with Eagle Publications.
 


Richard Branson Series - Part 1

Best Advice: No Regrets, and Practicing What You Preach

The best advice I ever received? Simple: Have no regrets. Who gave me the advice? Mum’s the word.

If you asked every person in the world who gave them their best advice, it is a safe bet that most would say it was their mother. I am no exception. My mother has taught me many valuable lessons that have helped shape my life. But having no regrets stands out above all others, because it has informed every aspect of my life and every business decision we have ever made.

It is one thing to dish out advice; it is another to lead by example and show exactly what you mean through your actions. My mum has always had a keen entrepreneurial streak herself, and still does today. When I was a child, she inspired me to take risks in all manner of business ventures. Most of them didn’t work out (notably growing Christmas trees and breeding budgerigars!) but the lessons learned were invaluable.

The amount of time people spend looking back on failed projects has always astounded me. If we were to add up all of the hours spent regretting mistakes and use that time to develop new ideas, who knows how many brilliant new businesses would be created. Even now my mother starts more new projects in a week than most people do in a year.

She explained how to think of setbacks as part of a learning curve. Sometimes it will be steep, but if you concentrate on looking forward rather than back, the climb will be easier. My mother was able to ingrain that advice in me – not just through words, but through actions.

This post is part of a series in which V3 Creatives looks at inspirational advice from one of our favourite Entreprenuers

Source: Linkedin
Photos: Richard Branson


Print Work: Royal & Derngate Souvenir Programme

Royal & Derngate Community Choir (RDCC) is made up of a wonderful group of amazing individuals from Northampton's local community, all of whom share a passion for singing. On the 6th February, they celebrated their 10th Anniversary with a Gala Concert featuring one of the UK's leading female reggae artist, Lover's Rock sensation Sandra Cross.

Without compromising our professional standards V3 Creatives was able to successfully print and deliver the Royal & Derngate Souvenir 10th Anniversary programme within a very reduced timescale.