Mike Klassen - Direct Market Designer, Consultant, Speaker, Author

Episode 19 – Content Marketing: LinkedIn

Mike Klassen — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:00:16 +0000

LinkedIn has been around since 2003. But for many, it’s taken a backseat to sites like Twitter and Facebook.

So the question is, does LinkedIn still have any value for content marketing?

I believe it does and in today’s podcast, I share how you can leverage LinkedIn.

The Connect with Your Connections PDF I mention can be found on the Resources page.

(Click here to subscribe to the Increase Sales & Build Deeper Connections Podcast on iTunes.)

Episode 18 – Content Marketing: Facebook

Mike Klassen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:17 +0000

As we continue our series about where we can share and repurpose content, I want to look at Facebook.

Like Twitter, Facebook may seem almost too obvious to mention.

But it’s a good idea to examine how we share our content on Facebook so that we’re doing it in a way that has the greatest impact.

(Click here to subscribe to the Increase Sales & Build Deeper Connections Podcast on iTunes.)

Episode 17 – Content Marketing: Twitter

Mike Klassen — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:00:38 +0000

In this episode, we’re starting our exploration of where we can share content.

On the surface it might seem obvious to mention Twitter. After all, most people know to share links to their content on Twitter, right?

But I want to give you some ideas about the benefits of Twitter that you might not be aware of. Benefits you’d want to take advantage of even if you’re not the biggest Twitter fan.

(Click here to subscribe to the Increase Sales & Build Deeper Connections Podcast on iTunes.)

Episode 16 – Content Marketing: Your Starting Point

Mike Klassen — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 09:00:11 +0000

I’m starting a series on content sharing and repurposing, also known as content recycling.

Content marketing is pretty-much a requirement for businesses these days. But too many businesses miss great opportunities to let people know about that content, and aren’t aware of how they can recycle that content to reach even more people.

With this series, you’ll learn how to leverage your content so it’s working harder for you.

You can download the free guide I refer to in this podcast, Great Ideas for Generating Great Content, at: http://www.mikeklassen.com/resources

In future episodes, we’ll explore specific channels where you can spread your content, most of them free of charge. But today, let’s talk about a great starting point for your content marketing efforts.

(Click here to subscribe to the Increase Sales & Build Deeper Connections Podcast on iTunes.)

Episode 15 – A Marketing Lesson from The Next Food Network Star

Mike Klassen — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:00:17 +0000

Television isn’t always the vast wasteland people often claim it is.

There are times when shows, even when they’re mainly intended to entertain us, can teach us something we can apply to our businesses.

Today I share a lesson that was reinforced while watching The Next Food Network Star on the Food Network. It’s a simple lesson, but so often ignored.

(Click here to subscribe to the Increase Sales & Build Deeper Connections Podcast on iTunes.)

Episode 14 – A Brilliant Two Word Call-to-Action

Mike Klassen — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:00:35 +0000

We always hope that we’ve made things easy for people who want to buy our products or services.

And yet, we could probably find an unlimited number of head-scratching marketing pieces that lack clarity. Maybe you’ve had one or two like that in your company’s history.

A brilliant two word call-to-action I once saw reminded me how important it is to make things as simple as possible for the buyer.

(Click here to subscribe to the Increase Sales & Build Deeper Connections Podcast on iTunes.)

Episode 13 – Why Print Marketing Still Matters

Mike Klassen — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:00:42 +0000

Is print marketing dead? The short answer is no. Print marketing still has a strong role to play for many businesses.

It’s great if you can do all your marketing online. And some businesses can. But others realize that it doesn’t do much good to only market online if no one knows to be looking for the type of product or service they offer.

While print may not be as popular as it has been in the past, I want to outline some reasons why print is far from dead.

(Click here to subscribe to the Increase Sales & Build Deeper Connections Podcast on iTunes.)

Episode 12 – The Most Important Component of a Direct Mail Promotion

Mike Klassen — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:00:25 +0000

Every so often, a spirited debate comes up about the most important component of a direct mail promotion.

Is it the list, the offer, the response mechanism, the main message, the mailing option, or something else?

It seems to be human nature that we want to rank things and come up with an actual “most important.” And for the longest time I did have a specific item I thought was #1. Today, though, I explain why I now look at it differently and why you want to avoid the ranking trap.

Episode 11 – The Importance of Sharing the WHY Behind Your Business

Mike Klassen — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 06:00:53 +0000

Do your customers and prospects really care about the reason you’re in business and why you do what you do?

For the longest time, I would have said No. In fact, my websites reflected that position.

However, I realized I was making a big mistake in how I reached my original position. Perhaps you’re making the same mistake. Let me share with you what I discovered.

Episode 10 – Some Stunning Stats About Content Marketing

Mike Klassen — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 05:00:41 +0000

So, is content marketing all hype and just a fad? Not if findings in a recent poll are any indication.

It appears consumers really do respond to custom content more favorably than less personal types of marketing. And if that’s true, how should your business respond?

In this episode I mentioned the Custom Content Council. Their article, The Stars Align for Custom Content, is available at http://www.customcontentcouncil.com/content-mag/summer-2011/stars-align-custom-content.