As the accomplished Search Engine Optimizers of The EGC Group will tell you, keywords are the [...]]]> In November 2011, The EGC Group posted a helpful article about the King and Queen of Search Engine Optimization: Master Web Content and Keywords, respectively. We heard a lot about the mighty “King,” but what about the faithful “Queen”?

As the accomplished Search Engine Optimizers of The EGC Group will tell you, keywords are the foundation of any company’s SEO campaign. Keywords are the phrases we type into search engines when we’re looking for products, services and answers. Whenever a search is made, search engines seek out any relevant web content, making “content” our all-important King. But sitting beside every King is a persuasive Queen: guiding, informing, and inspiring the King to do what is just. The relationship between a website’s content and the keywords chosen by the company are no different. The keywords a company chooses to base their web pages on will inadvertently inform search engines whether or not the company is an expert in its industry. If a particular keyword demonstrates relevance to the search engines, as well as authority in its own right, it will be given priority by the search engine (improving the website’s ranking and traffic). A keyword is deemed “relevant” if it displays a clear relationship with the content of the page itself. Consequently, the practice of Search Engine Optimization not only promotes traffic, but also drives relevance and inspires content. In other words, you simply can’t have good content without well-chosen and strategically-placed keywords to guide the way. Think about it this way: nearly all of Google’s annual revenue of $25 billion is driven by the concept of keywords. For any company, keyword selection is fundamental to success.

Every royal marriage happens for a good reason, whether it’s motivated by politics or beauty; every Queen is painstakingly chosen to be the perfect regent. Similarly, here at The EGC Group, we spend a great deal of time researching and analyzing the perfect keywords for our clients. We use a variety of SEO tools to establish the efficacy of our keywords – tools that determine potential traffic, relevance, and quality. It is also especially important for us to measure how much competition can be expected for specific keywords. After thorough analysis, the foundation for our web content is set. The Queen is ready to meet her King. Without high-quality, high-traffic, low-competition keywords, the web content will not operate at its full SEO potential.

Keywords are essential to Search Engine Optimization but are useful in many other ways. Believe it or not, Queens have historically had “keywords” of their own: Queen Catherine the Rose, Queen Elizabeth the Mother, and Queen Victoria the Monarch, to name but a few. Keywords summarize and constitute the very essence of a company’s position in the corporate marketplace. Nike’s brand image resembles athleticism, but not necessarily affordability. McDonalds’ brand resembles affordability, but not necessarily quality. Goodyear is known for quality, but not necessarily eco-friendliness. A company’s brand is defined by its keywords. Keywords are “key” to effective marketing and successful communication. By embodying the very essence of a company’s purpose, keywords have the potential to drive relevance, promote traffic, inspire web content, and in effect, make the search engines work for you.

We provide event sponsorships that work on a variety of levels:

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Well that’s what I was always told. Companies, however, are forever asking for your feedback. How would you rate our service? How can we improve our business to better serve you? How would you rate our product? The question is, do they really do [...]]]> Don’t ask if you don’t want to know the answer, right?

Well that’s what I was always told. Companies, however, are forever asking for your feedback. How would you rate our service? How can we improve our business to better serve you? How would you rate our product? The question is, do they really do anything with the information?  How many times have you filled out a survey never to get a response?  More importantly, how many times have you, the business owner, sent out a survey and done nothing with the results?

Presumably, there are two types of surveys.  The first is the type that companies use to make process, organizational and longer term changes.  As a business, when you send out these types of surveys, are you informing the customer in the upfront that their opinions will be used to make long term changes?  If you’ve left a place for “comments”, do you have someone dedicated to reviewing and responding, when necessary, to those comments?   You should- in today’s digital and social environment, customers expect if you’re asking them to share and they do that they’ll reply.  Promptly.  And not just to negative feedback.  Even to the positive feedback.

A company that got this right in my life recently was the Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, VT.  I recently spent a weekend there with my fiancé doing our last minute wedding planning, and when we returned from our stay I received a survey. We’d had a great time, so I filled it out, complimented a few exceptional employees. Literally within minutes, I received a response back commenting on my answers to the survey, thanking me for my input.  THAT is customer service.

The second kind of survey is the type where you want specific feedback on individual experiences and employees and plan to use the answers to address unhappy customers right away.  Why put in the time and effort to do this?  Well, again- in today’s sharing-centric world, one unhappy customer has a social media megaphone to tell the world about it.  If you’re a company that cares about your reputation, and believes that even one unhappy customer is too many, then you’re using these surveys.  My colleague recently filled out one of these surveys from Apple regarding her visit to the Genius Bar.  This being a repeat visit, she’d seen the survey before, had had filled it out with positive feedback- and never heard back.  On this instance, she had negative feedback to share.   Of course, this is Apple, so she was somewhat doubtful that she’d get a response-she’s one unhappy customer in a pool of millions of happy ones. Low and behold, she did. Within 24 hours of receipt of her email, Apple picked up the phone and called her to set the record straight and rectify the situation. Talk about an easy opportunity to change a negative experience to a positive one.

The point is this- you can’t just send out surveys to change bad experiences to positive ones, or expect your customers to know that you took their feedback and made changes.  Surveys need follow up.  Thank your customers for participating.  Update them six months later with how you used their feedback to make changes.  Call them to right wrongs- quickly.  If you aren’t going to do this, don’t bother with surveys- you’re just delivering a poor customer experience.

Written by Allison Negri

1. Don’t skip the party. Go to the party for at least 30 minutes. Remember that this is only one night of the year. Consider it an extension of the workday. Go to the party, relax and socialize [...]]]> Here are some helpful “Do’s and Don’ts” for surviving and thriving at this year’s Company Holiday Party.

1. Don’t skip the party. Go to the party for at least 30 minutes. Remember that this is only one night of the year. Consider it an extension of the workday. Go to the party, relax and socialize a little. You never know, you might actually have FUN!

2. Do dress appropriately. Leave your nightclub attire at home. Find out the dress code and stick with it. If you are not sure, lean more towards the conservative side.

3. Do decide if you are going to drink ahead of time. Follow the cues from the higher-ups. If the boss is having a glass of wine, then go ahead and enjoy one yourself. Be sure to limit yourself, because someone is always watching and you would hate for drinking to come back and bite you after the party. Another good thing to remember is that if you decide ahead of time that you are going to drink, you can plan ahead and have a designated driver. No company wants to hear about an employee getting into an accident after drinking too much at a holiday party.

4. Don’t over-consume anything. Keep in mind that this does not only pertain to drinking. Over-consuming in conversation and on food can also be detrimental to your reputation. You can easily be mindful of your behavior and still have a great time. Everything in moderation!

5. Do make proper introductions. If you are bringing a spouse or guest to your holiday party, be prepared to introduce them to your bosses and coworkers. You wouldn’t want to make anyone feel awkward without the proper intro.

6. Don’t GOSSIP or talk politics or religion. I don’t think we need to explain this one. It’s just UGLY! Don’t go there!

7. Do say “thank you”. Before you leave, or sometime during the event, make sure to seek out the boss and the person who planned the event to say thank you. A lot of hard work and money goes into planning an office holiday party and “thank you” goes a long way.

8. Do put away your phone and silence it. There is nothing worse than having a conversation with someone or sitting down to dinner and having a cell phone ring. Whatever happens in the hour or two that you are at the office holiday party can wait until it’s over. If there is a real emergency, I’m sure there will be a way to contact you.

9. Do keep your hands to yourself. Don’t flirt, and avoid any other inappropriate behavior. The office holiday party is not the time to lose your job by doing something inappropriate or illegal.

10. Don’t talk too much about business. You have time every day to talk business. Spend this time getting to know your bosses and co-workers.

11. Most importantly, DO enjoy having the time to have fun and unwind together. But don’t be the entertainment, as demonstrated in this video: http://youtu.be/Pbzab1Y2ios?t=14s

Written by: Robin Matejka, Account Manager

I often identify myself as [...]]]> In a recent issue, Harvard Business Review published an article under this same title, detailing the mashup of the digital and physical retail experience. Mind you,  I am often turned off to any article that begins with “the future of…anything ” but this had some true insights into channel marketing.

I often identify myself as “the new consumer.” I read product reviews before visiting a manufacturer’s website.  Once I’ve made my choice, I toggle back and forth between tabs of several retailers’ websites, finding out very quickly where to get the best price or best service.  I am the girl who scans bar codes in front of the salesperson,  refuting his/her “lowest price” claim. Unfortunately, the retail industry is very technophobic and not quite ready for me.  And that’s not just retailers, but brands and manufacturers who sell through the channel. Categories like B2B, healthcare and education have done a better job of adopting digital from within, thus influencing how they serve this new audience.

Some brands get it. For instance, Electrolux. As a recent customer, they were there with me all along the path to purchase. More important, it was a consistent “omnichannel” brand experience. Meaning,  whether I purchased online or off, at a big box or independent dealer, I always had the same experience with the brand.  For example, they offered  the same sale price whether it was purchased at a mass retailer or individual dealer. Sony is another example of a manufacturer who “gets it”.  Unfortunately,  plenty of others have no clue. Not only does this make my experience inconsistent, but it actually delays my purchase because I have to research best prices for days/weeks.

The takeaway is this:  redesign your customer/shopper/end user experience. Start from scratch, literally draw the path of your customer, and break down the barriers that prevent you from offering one, consistently perfect experience. Otherwise, I and thousands like me will move on to your…competition.

As marketers recognize the power [...]]]> I first walked into an Apple store in 2003.  It was like a rock concert, with people clamoring to touch the “stars” and get picked for their turn at the Genius Bar.  Like so many things Apple, it was a transforming experience.  (Did I buy the stock?  Of course not.)

As marketers recognize the power of shared experiences, none is more powerful than the retail environment.  Like a good home page, it sparks a mood for a brand. Trader Joe’s creates an adventurous mood.  Wal-Mart creates a bargain-hunting mood.    It will be interesting to see how J.C. Penney changes their retail mood, considering that they’ve hired away Ron Johnson, Apple’s mastermind of retail strategy.  Stay tuned.