Give these online resources a whirl!

The Internet is full of all sorts of resources and tools that offer marketing and public relations suggestions and solutions. Below you will find links to pages we find useful—perhaps you will find one or two beneficial to your practice!

• Mashable: This online news site is dedicated to covering digital culture, social media, and technology. Mashable is an excellent source for articles and infographics, including these recent reads: like Which social network should you use – and when? and How to Perfect Your Elevator Pitch.
• Social Mention: This website allows for real time social media search and analysis. Conduct real time searches to see where/when your brand (or any other search term you choose) is used in social media. You can also set alerts when your search terms are picked up across social media channels. This tool is an excellent means of tracking your brand on the web.
• Hootsuite: This online source is the leading social media dashboard used to manage and measure your social networks. If you post messages across multiple social media channels, this is an excellent source for scheduling posts in a single, easy-to-use location.

What online tools and resources do you find beneficial? Share them with us here or over on Facebook!

Ready, set, organize!

April is Records and Information Management Month. Do your part by taking a look at your records—are they organized? Kept efficiently? Disposed of properly? Take some time this month to get a better grip on your records.

Organized records and efficient information management is key to increasing your overall productivity. It is also beneficial for better performance, encouraging free thinking and better brainstorming, and thus, better results.

Tips for better organization of your records:

• Include filing and record management as part of your weekly (or even daily) schedule. This will help you to avoid being lost in a mountain of files and will allow you to be better organized and know exactly where items are exactly when you need them.
• Peruse existing files and organize them. Take time to label or color code documents by type—are there files you use more than others? Files you only use for reference? Files you don’t use at all anymore? Organize them in a way that makes sense to you and dispose of those files you no longer need in an appropriate manner.
• Don’t forget about digital files! They are just as important to keep organized.

What are your tips for better record and information management organization?

QR Codes Demystified

QR codes (or quick response codes) are popping up all over marketing campaigns—and chances are, you’ve seen them on the packaging of your favorite foods in the grocery, on pages of the magazines you read or even on the back of a peer’s business card.

These simple codes may prove to be the next technological wave of marketing future.

The basis of a QR code is to capture the intended audience at the peak of interest. They are basically two-dimensional bar codes, similar to what you would find on a clothing tag at the department store.

QR codes can be scanned using a scanner or reader on your smartphone—and they instantly take you online (be it a Twitter page, YouTube video, website, profile, etc.—anything with a dotcom address.)

If you own a smartphone and haven’t yet downloaded an app to read QR codes, do so today! There are numerous free options; simply search for “qr code reader.”

So how can you use a QR code to market your small business? There are three basic concepts you will need to think about to use these codes effectively to connect and engage your audience.

1. Content. Where will the QR code take your audience? How will it be used? What is your customer call to action?
2. Position. Where will the QR code be placed? Where will it be used?
3. Share. Don’t just wait for people to stumble upon your code—find a way to share it! (Perhaps via email or social media.)

When it comes to actually creating your QR code(s), there are plenty of free options available online. Simply search “qr code creator” in your favorite search engine.

If you are looking for creative ways to use QR codes, check out this article by Fast Company.

Are you currently using QR codes in your marketing ventures? If yes, what ways have you found most effective? If you aren’t, how would you be able to incorporate a QR code in your marketing plan?