The short answer is yes.

More and more, people are turning to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to gather key information. This includes, but is not limited to, information necessary to keep up to date on industry trends, getting deals on desired products, and creating more personal connections.

In order to work effectively, a social media campaign has to provide benefit to the customer that he won’t find elsewhere. Information has to be free of charge, provide value and provide a road map for “next steps.”

Unlike direct response campaigns, where you give customers an incentive such as a coupon to visit a store on a given day, social media campaigns require long-term effort to generate response. Whereas a postcard may sit on a desk or an electronic newsletter in an inbox, in the social media arena, the receipt of your messages is dependent on people being in front of their monitors (or smart phone) in order to see it. Much like a radio or television spot, your efforts are likely to be hit or miss at first while you determine the best time to “broadcast” your messages.

Another difference in social media campaigns is that people post questions on Facebook pages and often reply to tweets. These questions or replies need to be addressed on at least a daily basis by a company insider who has access to correct information.

What do we offer in terms of social media? We can help you set up a campaign and brainstorm copy that will provide results. We can help analyze your campaign's effectiveness and make suggestions for changes to increase traffic.

What's your responsibility? Take our suggested copy and "broadcast" it in your own voice. Follow up with people on a regular basis. The more interaction you can establish the better. The more people who can see that you have something to offer - even if it's simply a bit of free advice, the more business you will do. People will come to you pre-sold.

But most of all, you have to have patience while you find your footing in this still relatively new arena.

Twitter announced last week that they would be cracking down on people who broadcast the same tweets over and over and I, for one, couldn't be happier.

We are exposed to hundreds - even thousands - of advertising messages each day. Most of them, we tune out. Companies that use Twitter, Facebook, e-mail marketing blasts and mobile messaging have the disctinct advantage that consumers have asked to receive their messages. We are interested in seeing your messages. We want to know what you have to say.

Why, on earth then, would you take advantage of that relationship by spamming us with the same message over and over again? Nag me to read the same 20 or so blog posts and the only thing you will accomplish is getting me to unfollow, unfriend or unsubscribe. Tell me something new that I want to hear, and I'll stay tuned.

Companies think they'll gather followers, fans or subscribers by sending out the same information repeatedly. Sure, they may in the long run, but they aren't building long-term relationships. They're gathering momentum, and once people get clued in that they aren't hearing anything worth while, they will lose interest.

What do I suggest?

• Keep your tweets timely
• Relate current events to your business practices
• Tell me about your recent business accomplishments
• Tell me about some recent personal accomplishment (please, not what you ate - unless it's really impressive)

Bottom line, is keep me engaged. Social media is just that - social. If you act like the friend that tells the same story over and over again, people will stop inviting you over.

Mobile marketing refers to sending SMS (text) or MMS (multimedia messages) via cell phone to your customer base.

Customer is a key word in mobile marketing. Unlike e-mail marketing, which still retains an opt-out status in the U.S. (other countries require an opt-in), federal regulations require an opt-in for cell phone advertising, and must meet the minimum requirement of each cell phone carrier (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.). There are several different resources that will set up, approve and monitor your campaigns.

Why include mobile marketing in my advertising campaign?

• The typical cell phone user reads and responds to text messages within one hour of their receipt.
• Promotions are tailored to fulfill what your customers want, therefore you can achieve response rates of 10% or greater.
• Mobile marketing campaigns are generally less expensive than other types of media, providing businesses with a higher return on investment (ROI).
• Mobile marketing drives traffic to your location, improving customer loyalty and retention.

What kind of promotion would I do?

• Giveaways  - such as come into My Coffee House from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. this Friday to receive a free muffin with any coffee purchase.
• Special discounts - Wednesday only, get $50 off a season lift ticket to My Ski Resort.
• Information - text VIP clients with concert ticket info, new real estate listings, job openings, etc.
• Coupons - show this bar code (which can be scanned) at any My Retail Stores in NYC to receive 10% off your purchases.

How do I build my opt-in list?

• Include information on how to opt-in in your current print, outdoor or broadcast advertising. For instance, text DD (daily deals) to TARGET (short code) to receive exclusive daily deals from Target Stores
• Provide a short code on a billboard to audience members at a concert or sports venue for special deals either during or after the event
• Sign-up in store, via an e-mail request or on your Web site

Start sending promotions

• Set up your promotions
• Your provider will approve and send your messages
• Most providers provide reports so you can track the effectiveness of your promotion

At the gym this morning, I overheard two women talking about a popular local store. One thought that they had closed. She hadn't heard or seen any advertising for months. It was still open, the other told her. She had just been in there.

Most businesses have certainly experienced a decrease in sales during the past year. As a result, many have cut their marketing budgets. Cutting back is fine, as long as you do it in a smart fashion. Customers need to know you're still there. The only way they'll know that, barring walking or driving by, is to see marketing materials, receive a postcard in the mail, open a branded email, get your newsletter, or hear your ad on the radio.

Cut out the marketing or advertising line item altogether, and not only will you not attract new customers who are essential to growing your business, but your loyal customer base will shrink as they forget about you and  shop somewhere else that is advertising, or worse, think you went the way of a lot of other businesses and closed up shop.

Businesses with a strong customer base need to maintain that base. Otherwise, when people feel comfortable spending again, they will loose out and risk having to rebuild a base that they could have maintained by spending fewer, smarter dollars.

Now that Labor Day has come and gone, it's time to start implementing your holiday marketing plans. Don't worry, if you haven't started, it's not too late (unless you're reading this on December 20).

Here are some ways that we've helped people get started:

Budget
Decide what you need to spend. There are all sorts of formulas and recommendations out there. The old rule-of-thumb used to be that advertising expenditure should be 5% of your total annual sales. That no longer holds true for most industries. There's a fairly good listing of suggested expeduture per industry here

http://company.news-record.com/advertising/advertising/ratio.html

Bottom line, spend what you can afford.

Campaign
Develop a holiday campaign. Do you have a new product that you want to feature? Do you have a one-of-a-kind product or service that people can't find elsewhere? Capitalize on what makes your product or service different from your competitors and create a marketing message that will make your business stand out.

Where should I advertise?
This is dependent on what type of business you have. An online only business is going to benefit more from online advertising that it would from print advertising. Every business, though, must remember to advertise not only to their existing customer base, but to new customers as well. That may mean doing direct mail print pieces in addition to branded HTML e-mail blasts, radio advertising, online banners, outdoor (billboards and bus stops) and in some cases, cable. There's no reason to not be on Facebook and Twitter. They are free.

Web Site
If you don't already have a Web site, you need one. These days, a Web site is just as important - maybe more so - than a business card. If you have a Web site, but haven't updated it in a while, it's time. If you keep your Web site updated, think about dressing it up with tinsel, icicles, ornaments - or whatever would be appealing to your customers -  for the holidays.

Don't forget to thank your customers
It's been a challenging year for most people. Sometimes, a simple "thank you" does more to inspire loyalty than any discount or promotion. An effective way to do this if you have an e-mail list, is to create a "thank you e-mail" and send with your e-mail marketing provider.