Geoffrey Moffett

Marketing

  • Going Viral: Is Dumbing Down Your Content Worth Sacrificing Your Brand’s Integrity?

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    Geoffrey Moffett

    people using phone while standing

    As a small business owner, you may have heard the phrase “go viral” thrown around quite a bit. It’s a tempting idea – the thought of your content spreading like wildfire, reaching millions of people and boosting your brand recognition and sales overnight.

    But is there an “easy” way to go viral? Some might argue that the answer is yes – just dumb down your content and write for the masses. After all, everyone loves cute animal videos, silly memes, and clickbait headlines, right?

    While it’s true that simple, attention-grabbing content can sometimes go viral, it’s important to ask yourself: is that who you’re writing for? Are you willing to sacrifice your brand’s integrity and message to chase fleeting internet fame?

    I would argue that the answer should be a resounding no. While going viral may seem like a shortcut to success, it’s often not sustainable or beneficial in the long run. Here are a few reasons why:

    1. Going viral doesn’t guarantee sales.

    Sure, you may get a lot of views and shares on a viral piece of content, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to increased revenue. Your content may entertain people, but that doesn’t mean they’ll become customers or clients. It’s important to create content that grabs attention, aligns with your brand’s goals and values, and encourages people to take action.

    1. Dumbing down your content can harm your brand’s reputation.

    If you sacrifice quality and substance to go viral, you risk damaging your brand’s credibility and reputation. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and discerning regarding the content they consume and the brands they support. If your content is perceived as cheap or insincere, it can turn people off and harm your long-term growth.

    1. Viral content is often short-lived.

    The internet moves at lightning speed, and what’s viral today may be old news tomorrow. Trying to churn out viral content constantly is a recipe for burnout and inconsistency. Instead, focus on creating content that provides value to your audience and builds trust and loyalty over time.

    So, what should you do instead of chasing viral fame? Here are a few tips:

    1. Focus on your target audience.

    Instead of trying to appeal to the masses, focus on creating content that resonates with your target audience. What are their pain points? What kind of content do they enjoy and engage with? By honing in on your ideal customer or client, you can create content that is more likely to drive results.

    1. Be authentic and consistent.

    People can sense when a brand is disingenuous or just trying to follow the latest trend. Instead of chasing what’s popular, focus on staying true to your brand’s voice and values. Consistency is key – regularly creating quality content that aligns with your brand will build trust and establish a loyal audience.

    1. Don’t be afraid to take risks.

    While you don’t want to sacrifice quality or authenticity to go viral, that doesn’t mean you should shy away from taking risks and trying new things. Experiment with different types of content, platforms, and formats to see what resonates with your audience. Just make sure you’re doing it with a purpose and a plan.

    Final thoughts. Going viral may seem like an easy way to succeed, but it’s often not worth the cost to your brand’s reputation and long-term growth. Instead of chasing fleeting internet fame, focus on creating quality content that resonates with your target audience, stays true to your brand’s voice and values, and drives actual results.

  • #BelfastHour Returns For 2023: Connect, Network, and Stay Informed with the Vibrant Northern Ireland Community

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    Geoffrey Moffett

    Are you ready to start networking and connecting with other like-minded business owners in Northern Ireland? Look no further than the weekly Twitter event #BelfastHour, which brings together local businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals for an hour of fascinating conversation and networking.

    This evening sees the return of #BelfastHour for the new year with Lynn Recruitment being the featured business. There’s no doubting the benefits of participating in BelfastHour.

    #BelfastHour is an excellent method to broaden your professional network and build crucial business connections. Whether you’re looking for new clients, collaborators, or just a sounding board for your ideas, the wide variety of #BelfastHour attendees is likely to have something to offer.

    #BelfastHour is a terrific way to stay up to date on the newest events in the Northern Ireland area, in addition to networking. Conversations and connections formed through #BelfastHour can help you keep in the know and ahead of the curve on everything from new company openings to future events.

    So, what are you holding out for? Join #BelfastHour on Twitter this evening at 9 p.m. for the first #BelfastHour of the year.

    Simply use the hashtag #BelfastHour and #LynnRecruitment to join the conversation.

  • Become a Master Storyteller: Tips for Small Business Owners to Engage, Inform, and Persuade

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    Geoffrey Moffett

    lighted we are all made of stories red neon wall signage inside room

    Are you a small business owner looking to stand out in a crowded market? One powerful tool you can use is storytelling.

    Storytelling has the ability to engage, inform, and persuade your audience, making it a valuable asset for any business. Whether you’re telling the story of your company’s founding, showcasing your products or services, or highlighting the impact you’ve had on your community, storytelling can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level and build a strong, loyal customer base.

    But how do you get started with storytelling? Here are a few tips to help you craft compelling stories for your business:

    1. Identify your story. What makes your business unique? What are your company’s values and mission? Your story should reflect these elements and help differentiate you from your competitors.
    2. Know your audience. Who are you trying to reach with your story? What are their interests and needs? Tailor your story to appeal to your specific audience.
    3. Use a clear, concise structure. A good story should have a beginning, middle, and end, with a clear goal or message. Keep your story focused and avoid including unnecessary details.
    4. Use emotion to connect with your audience. People are more likely to remember stories that evoke emotion, whether it’s joy, sadness, or excitement. Find ways to tap into your audience’s emotions to make your story more memorable.
    5. Include a call to action. After you’ve captured your audience’s attention with your story, be sure to include a clear call to action. This could be anything from asking them to visit your website or follow you on social media, to encouraging them to make a purchase or sign up for your newsletter.

    By incorporating storytelling into your marketing efforts, you can effectively communicate your brand’s message and values to your audience. So why not give it a try? Start brainstorming and crafting your business’s story today and see the impact it can have on your customers and your bottom line.

  • Align Your Startup’s Sales and Marketing Efforts with Simple Goals

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    Geoffrey Moffett

    three pens on white paper

    As a startup, it’s important to have clear and defined goals in order to effectively align your sales and marketing efforts. This is especially true when the team is small, as there are fewer people to coordinate and fewer resources to work with.

    Having simple goals can make it easier to focus on what’s important and avoid getting sidetracked by unnecessary tasks or projects. It also allows everyone on the team to clearly understand what needs to be accomplished and how they can contribute to reaching those goals.

    When setting goals, it’s important to consider what you want to achieve in the short-term and the long-term. Short-term goals could be things like increasing website traffic or generating leads, while long-term goals could be things like establishing a strong brand presence or expanding into new markets.

    It’s also crucial to make sure that your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. This ensures that you have a clear idea of what success looks like and can track your progress along the way.

    In terms of sales and marketing, aligning your efforts means making sure that both teams are working towards the same goals and using the same strategies to achieve them. This could involve coordinating campaigns, sharing resources, and communicating regularly to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

    Having a united front is essential for any startup, and simple goals can help make that possible. By keeping things focused and organized, you’ll be able to make the most of your resources and drive your business forward.

  • Build Your Audience Before You Sell: Why it Pays to Connect with Your Customers Before Launching a Product

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    Geoffrey Moffett

    As a business owner or entrepreneur, it’s important to understand the importance of building an audience before you sell a product. Having a dedicated group of followers or customers can make all the difference in the success of your product launch.

    One key benefit of building an audience before you sell a product is that it allows you to gauge interest and demand. By connecting with potential customers and engaging with them on social media or through email marketing, you can get a sense of what they are looking for and what they are willing to pay for. This information can help you fine-tune your product and pricing, increasing the chances of a successful launch.

    Another advantage of building an audience before you sell a product is that it can help you create buzz and generate excitement around your launch. By engaging with your audience and giving them sneak peeks or early access to your product, you can generate anticipation and build anticipation for the final product. This can help drive sales and ensure that your product has a strong launch.

    However, it’s also important to keep in mind that building an audience takes time and effort. It’s not something that can be done overnight, and it requires a consistent, long-term strategy. This might involve creating valuable content, engaging with your audience on social media, or running promotions and giveaways.

    Overall, building an audience before you sell a product is crucial for the success of your business. By connecting with potential customers and engaging with them on a regular basis, you can gauge demand, create buzz, and increase the chances of a successful product launch.

    On the other hand, there is also value in selling to your audience before you build the product. This approach, also known as “validated learning,” involves testing the market demand for a product before investing time and resources into developing it.

    One way to sell to your audience before you build the product is through pre-orders or crowdfunding campaigns. By offering pre-orders or setting up a crowdfunding campaign, you can gauge the level of interest in your product and determine whether it’s worth investing the time and resources into developing it. This can be especially useful for entrepreneurs or small business owners who are working with limited resources and need to be strategic about how they allocate their time and money.

    Another way to sell to your audience before you build the product is by using a “minimum viable product” (MVP) approach. An MVP is a basic version of a product that has just enough features to be functional and allow users to experience the core value of the product. By launching an MVP, you can test the market demand for your product and gather feedback from early adopters, which can help you improve and refine the final version of the product.

    In conclusion, both building an audience before you sell a product and selling to your audience before you build the product can be effective strategies for businesses of all sizes. By connecting with potential customers and engaging with them on a regular basis, you can gauge demand and build anticipation for your product launch. On the other hand, using pre-orders, crowdfunding campaigns, or an MVP approach can help you test the market demand for your product and gather valuable feedback before committing to a full-scale launch.

  • The Importance of a Consistent Display Picture for Content Creators

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    Geoffrey Moffett

    As a content creator, your display picture (DP) is like a logo for your personal brand. It represents you and your content to the world, and it helps your audience to easily recognize and connect with you. Therefore, it’s important to choose a DP that accurately reflects your personal brand and to keep it consistent across all of your online platforms.

    One way to do this is to use the same DP for years, or at least until you feel that it no longer accurately represents your brand. By using the same DP consistently, you establish a sense of consistency and reliability for your audience. They will come to associate that DP with you and your content, and they will feel more comfortable engaging with you as a result.

    In addition to keeping your DP consistent over time, it’s also important to use the same DP across all of your online platforms. This includes social media platforms, blogs, and any other online spaces where you share your content. By doing this, you create a cohesive and unified online presence, which can help your audience to easily find and follow you no matter where they are online.

    Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t update your DP or change it if you feel that it no longer accurately represents your brand. However, if you do decide to make a change, it’s important to be mindful of how it might impact your audience and to consider the potential consequences before making a decision.

  • On social media, you either are the marketing funnel or you’re in one

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    Geoffrey Moffett

    Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, with many of us spending hours scrolling through our various feeds each day. This constant presence has made it an incredibly valuable tool for businesses and marketers looking to reach a large audience. As a result, we are all now part of the marketing process, either as the target of marketing efforts or as part of the “funnel” leading potential customers to a product or service.

    The marketing funnel is a concept that describes the journey a customer takes from awareness of a product or service to purchase. It typically consists of four stages: awareness, consideration, conversion, and loyalty. On social media, businesses and marketers use a variety of tactics to target users at each stage of the funnel in order to drive them towards making a purchase.

    At the top of the funnel, businesses use social media to increase awareness of their brand and products. This is typically done through tactics such as sponsored posts, influencer marketing, and engaging content. The goal of this stage is to reach as many potential customers as possible and pique their interest in the product or service being offered.

    Once a user has become aware of a product or service, they move into the consideration stage of the funnel. At this point, businesses and marketers use social media to provide potential customers with more detailed information about the product or service, such as features and benefits. They may also offer special promotions or discounts to entice users to consider making a purchase.

    If a user is interested in a product or service, they will move into the conversion stage of the funnel. At this point, businesses and marketers use social media to provide users with the information they need to make a purchase, such as pricing and availability. They may also use retargeting tactics to remind users of the product or service and encourage them to take action.

    Finally, once a user has made a purchase, they enter the loyalty stage of the funnel. At this point, businesses and marketers use social media to engage with customers and encourage them to continue using their product or service. This may involve offering additional support or promotions, or simply engaging with customers through comments and replies on social media.

    As you can see, social media plays a crucial role in the marketing funnel. Whether you are a business looking to reach potential customers, or a user being targeted by marketing efforts, it is important to understand how the process works and how you fit into it. By being aware of the tactics being used on social media, you can make more informed decisions about how you engage with businesses and marketers and protect yourself from any unwanted or unnecessary marketing efforts.