North Coast Media, LLC

6 ways to ensure your webinar will attract an audience

By Diane Sofranec, Managing Editor

Webinars are an excellent lead-generating tool because every person who signs up must disclose their name and contact information. The trick is attracting an audience.

A successful webinar hinges on many factors: compelling topic, engaging speakers, targeted and timely marketing. It IS possible to offer a webinar your audience will want to attend.

As you plan your next webinar, ask yourself these 6 questions:

1. Did I choose an interesting subject?

A hot webinar topic is the best way to attract a large audience. Select a subject your potential audience needs to know more about right now. If you’re stumped, check social media to see what people in your industry are talking about. For example, the next webinar for North Coast Media’s Pest Management Professional will focus on how to talk to customers about the Zika virus.

2. Are my speakers knowledgeable?

An expert speaker will give your audience a good reason to attend your webinar. Choose a speaker your audience trusts and respects. Because your audience is attending to learn more about your topic, be sure your speakers can offer accurate and useful information. They should have no qualms about answering audience questions on the fly, either.

3. Are my speakers good presenters?

When you choose your speakers, ask them whether they have public speaking experience. Those who have typically know better than to recite their notes or talk too fast. Seek out energetic communicators. Hold a practice session so you will know what to expect and can offer advice if necessary.

4. Do my slides convey my message?

Webinar slides should not include every word of the speaker’s speech. Instead, slides should highlight the key points of the presentation. The text should be easy to read and include images that illustrate the key points. Speakers should strive to make the topic easy to understand. They can accomplish this by explaining – not reading — the text on their slides.

5. Is my marketing message accurate?

Your webinar should deliver what you promised your audience would learn. Make sure your marketing materials convey the information your speakers plan to share. Otherwise, your audience will drop off the webinar in droves, and think twice about attending any future events you offer. Use bulleted points and straightforward language (In this webinar, you will learn how to…) to communicate an accurate message.

6. Did I get the word out early enough?

When you’re ready to market your webinar, consider using every marketing channel at your disposal. Print, email, social media, website, and direct mail are all worthwhile options. Don’t delay; you want your audience to sign up and put your webinar on their schedule at least one month in advance.

By planning ahead, you can provide your audience with a webinar they will want to attend and pass along to their colleagues.

Diane Sofranec has more than 25 years experience in B2B media. She joined North Coast Media in 2013 as a digital content producer. Now managing editor of the company’s Pest Management Professional magazine, Sofranec frequently writes about social media and mobile trends and techniques.

Photo credit: Project On Government Oversight via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

5 reasons you need YouTube

By Diane Sofranec, Managing Editor

If your company has Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, you may think you’ve got social media covered. But if you don’t regularly upload videos to YouTube, you’re missing out.

Here are five reasons why YouTube is a social media platform you simply can’t ignore.

1. YouTube has more than 1 billion users worldwide.

No surprise here. Everybody knows YouTube is the site to visit when you want to watch a video. In the United States, 81 percent of Millennials, 58 percent of Generation Xers and 43 percent of Baby Boomers use YouTube. What is surprising is that only 9 percent of small businesses in this country use YouTube, according to statistics compiled by DMR.

2. YouTube is more than crazy cat videos and movie trailers.

Because anyone can upload a video to YouTube, the videos are as unique as the people who watch them. Consider creating videos that showcase tips related to your company’s products or services, share your company’s history, and highlight fun employee events and activities. There’s an 11-hour(!) limit for videos, but keep them to just a couple minutes to hold viewers’ attention. There’s also a place to include a summary and web address, so videos can help boost traffic to your company’s website.

3. There’s more than one way to use YouTube.

Sure, YouTube has billions of users, but they don’t all create and upload video. YouTube makes it easy to share, comment on, and rate videos, too. Create a compelling video, and it might make the rounds on other social media sites, like Facebook.

4. YouTube is widely believed to be the second-largest search engine behind Google.

YouTube is comprised of a lot of videos. Users upload an astounding 300 hours of content every minute. To find the content they’re looking for, YouTube users search the site, which has pushed YouTube toward the top of the search engine heap. To ensure your company name pops up in a YouTube search, post a video. As an added bonus, YouTube videos rank in Google searches because Google owns YouTube.

5. YouTube makes it easy to upload and track your videos.

It’s easy to shoot a video on your smartphone and instantly upload it to your YouTube page. Then, you can use YouTube Analytics to track its popularity. There’s no need to notify subscribers to your YouTube channel that you posted a new video, because YouTube does that for you.

So what are you waiting for? Create a company video, establish a channel, and get your company’s information out there, for billions to see.

Photo credit: Rego – d4u.hu via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Hotel safety when traveling for work

By Diane Sofranec, Managing Editor

I just returned from a business conference held in a lovely hotel located in a neighborhood that wasn’t safe. How did I know the moment I arrived I would have to be careful? To access the front doors and the ground floor elevators, I needed to insert my room key; whenever I ventured outside, the hotel staff advised me to “stay safe” and the cops on bikes took their nightly breaks in the hotel lobby.

When your job takes you out of town, there are ways to stay safe when you reach your destination in an unfamiliar city.

When you’re at your hotel:

Arrange your travel plans so you arrive at your hotel during daylight hours, if possible. If you’re driving, use the hotel’s valet parking service for your vehicle to avoid parking in an unfamiliar area.
Leave your travel information — the name of the hotel and your estimated arrival and departure times — with someone back home.
Avoid revealing your room number; you don’t know who could be listening. If the front desk staff says your room number out loud, request a different room and ask them to write down the number instead.
Seek advice from the hotel staff before you venture out. Ask hotel staff about the safety of the neighborhood you’re in or plan to visit and which areas you should avoid. If you plan to take a cab, ask how long the ride should take and what it should cost. Enter and exit though the main doors of the hotel.
Before leaving your room, turn on a light. If, when you return, you see something amiss, leave your room immediately and head to the front desk to ask for a security check.
As you leave your room, make sure your door closes and locks behind you.
When you’re in your hotel room, lock your door using the deadbolt or chain. If your room is on the ground level, check the locks on sliding doors and windows to ensure they are secure.
Be aware of your surroundings on your hotel room floor. Take note of where the emergency exits are located.
If you’re in the elevator with someone who makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t get off on your floor. Exit on the next floor possible and take another elevator to your room.
Even if you’re expecting room service, a delivery from the front desk or housekeeping, never open your hotel room door before checking to see who’s there. Look through the peephole or keep the chain locked before opening the door.
Treat your room key like your house key. Sure, it may be made of plastic and the hotel will give you another if you lose it, but keep it in a secure place, and don’t leave it where others will see it (like on your table while dining in a restaurant). If you lose it, ask hotel staff to issue you another with a different access code.
Meet business associates in the lobby, never in your room. Same goes for delivery people when ordering in food.
Avoid wearing valuable jewelry. If you must, be sure to have it on when you leave the room. Otherwise, store it in the safe at the front desk.

Whichever town your business takes you to, always be aware of your surroundings and what’s going on around you. Have a safe trip!

Photo credit:

Photo credit: Mt. Hood Territory via Foter.com / CC BY

ServSuite University

ServSuite University is an annual event that gives our customers the unique opportunity for in-depth learning about everything that ServSuite pest control software has to offer. At ServSuite University you can get new details on the old modules, get the newest information on our latest developments, and also, get a glimpse of what the future will bring to the industry.

How to create compelling Facebook posts

By Diane Sofranec, Managing Editor

Launching a Facebook page is easy. Finding great information to post takes some effort.

But if Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is correct when he said consumers in the United States spend an average of 40 minutes on Facebook each day, it’s well worth your time to create compelling content.

You want your customers and your potential customers to check out your Facebook page on a regular basis. Posting new content regularly will keep them coming back.

Consider sharing information your customers will find helpful or humorous, and remember to be yourself when you write your posts. Here are a few ideas on how to fill your Facebook page with interesting and engaging content.

Post content that showcases your company. Consider showing the evolution of your company logo through the years, taking a picture of your staff in action, or showing off your fleet of vehicles. Remember, anyone who shares a post with your company’s name or logo is helping you publicize your services.

Snap a selfie with your satisfied customer when you’re still on the jobsite, and post it on your Facebook page right away. This is a great way to spread the word that your customers love what you do for them. Ask nicely and chances are your customer not only will be happy to help but will share the post with their friends and family.

Post discounts and promotions that will retain current customers and attract new ones. Be sure to include a call to action (call us today at 800-555-1234) to make it easy for them to take advantage of your offer.

Celebrate the charitable work you and your employees do for your community. Take photos or video, and post them with a link to the organization you’re helping. It’s a great way to show you care and it spreads the word about charities that need a hand.

Share links to articles you think customers and potential customers would find of interest. If you own a pest management firm, for instance, perhaps the local news station reported on an outbreak of bed bugs or maybe a video of a pizza-loving rat has gone viral. Add stories like these to your Facebook page to boost likes and shares.

Include pictures and video with your text. You’re competing with hundreds of other posts, so you want to grab your customer’s attention. Use your smartphone to snap a photo or shoot video; the quality usually is fine for Facebook.

Encourage engagement by asking customers to post a photo. Request a snapshot of a squirrel or hornets nest, if you own a pest management firm for example. Or if the weather is bad, post your own photo and the ask them to show you what the weather is like where they live.

Show your Facebook followers what your company is up to. After all, the majority of people who post on Facebook write about themselves, so why should your company be different? Did you recently relocate or hire someone new? Are you just about to start your busy season? Are you restocking your truck or storage shelves? Snap a photo and share the news.

Every time you create a post on Facebook, you’re helping your business. Write posts with your loyal customers or potential customers in mind and you should begin to attract new followers.

Facebook Photo credit:

Photo credit: Spencer E Holtaway via Foter.com / CC BY-ND

5 website mistakes to fix in the new year

By Diane Sofranec, Managing Editor

What is your New Year’s resolution? If it’s to have the best year ever, why not start by making your company’s website the best it can be? Your website gives the world a glimpse of your company; does it leave a good impression?

Take a long, hard look, and keep an eye open for mistakes. If you find any, be sure to correct them right away. Here are five common errors that may seem small, but could alter the perception the public has of your company.

1. Wrong copyright date.

On Jan. 1, be sure the copyright date on your website reflects the new year. Not only will the correct date protect you from visitors who think they can steal your content, it will give the impression that the information posted there is current and regularly updated.

2. Misspellings.

You probably have read the words on your homepage so many times you’ve practically memorized them. But that’s precisely why you may have overlooked a spelling error or two. Ask a trusted colleague to give it a once over. Be sure to pay particular attention to proper names and places, and correct whatever is wrong. An error-free website puts forth a professional appearance.

3. Outdated information.

Scan your website for such information as expired offers, reminders about events that have already taken place, and bios for staff that are no longer with the company. Pay particular attention to your “Contact Us” and “Events” pages, and watch out for phrases like “coming soon” or “register now.” Also, make sure your list of products and services is comprehensive, and add whatever is missing. Correct mistakes that give visitors the impression you never look at your own website.

4. Same old story.

If your “About Us” page has not been updated since your website went live, now is the time to make it current. If your company has since won an award, received good press, or relocated to a bigger office, add a sentence or two that shows how it is evolving and growing.

5. Nothing new.

When your homepage looks the same every day of the year, visitors may mistakenly believe your company is stuck in a rut. Start off the new year by showcasing something different. This time of year, many companies are reflecting on how their industry is changing and whether they are meeting their customers’ needs, so put this information to good use. A simple change now may give your business a boost.

Resolve to make your company’s website the best it can be. It’s a sure way to get the year off to a great start.