Whether or not your message gets heard has a lot to do with the way you present it to the market.

We can all relate to how challenging it is to take in all the communication we receive on a daily basis — television, radio, billboards and other outdoor messaging, signage at the drive-through, e-mail, voice mail, newspaper, Twitter and Facebook — just to name a few that impact me by 6:15 in the morning.

As consumers both personally and professionally, we make numerous decisions each day on what we will spend time reading and what we will ignore due to lack of time or interest. Our available time to review and receive messages continues to be challenged by the sheer number of messages we receive, not to mention the myriad of other demands on our time.

With the birth of social media, the 30-second rule has become at best the three-second rule. This challenges our ability to capture the attention of our audience members, engage them and convey a meaningful message.

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Understanding what transpires at every point of contact with your company can provide some great insights into why prospects and customer may or may not engage with your company. Sometimes it has more to do with the experience someone has than what solutions you have to offer.

The Recruitment Phase
Recently I needed to hire a roofing contractor. I conducted a Google search, ran off a list of BBB affiliated companies in my area, selected a handful and made some calls.  Seriously, at 9:15 in the morning, I reached only answering machines or no answer at all. The one that called me back within an hour was the contractor I hired. Out of the gate, these six or so companies disengaged a prospective customer at one of the first points of contact. The company that did call back handled the rest of the call effectively. They were professional, communicated they had the expertise to handle my problem and scheduled an appointment before the phone conversation ended.

The recruitment phase for most businesses is the most expensive. This phase encompasses advertising, lead generation, Internet presence and all that goes into building market awareness and reputation. It is here where you need to pay close attention to your outbound messaging, how easy you make it for customers to find you and how you respond to them when they do call for help. Things to measure success in this scenario might include tracking the source of the lead and ratio of inquiries received to appointments booked.

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While listening to a representative with a local food manufacturing company talk about his company’s success with leading innovation and being first to market, it piqued my interest and led me to do some research on whether or not this was a winning strategy across the board.

What I didn’t realize is that this concept has been bantered about for decades.  What I uncovered were some good reminders about what it takes to successfully lead the market.

Read the full article in March’s Columbus Smart Business.

Have you been in “protect mode” ― a little cautious about taking chances with your business? Have you been waiting for sure signs that it’s time to invest in your company’s future?

In her latest article for the monthly publication GREENCREST’S Chief Strategy Officer discusses how to strengthen your market position and position your company for growth.

You can read the article in its entirety on the Smart Business Columbus website.

Your potential customers are searching online for information to solve their problems. They’re looking for relevant content – and more often than not, they find it. The question for you is whether or not they’ll find answers from your business. Columnist Kelly Borth of GREENCREST, helps you answer this.

“In the digital era, content is king. No matter what type of product or service your business represents, your potential customers are searching for information to solve a problem or fulfill a desire online. These are savvy shoppers. They look for content that is meaningful and relevant. And more times than not, they find what they are looking for — at least enough information to select who they will contact as a result of what they found in their search.”

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In her latest article for the monthly publication GREENCREST’S Chief Strategy Officer discusses how to analyze industry trends and determine the effect and impact they are likely to have.

You can read the article in it entirety on the Smart Business Columbus website.

Kelly Borth, GREENCREST Chief Creative Officer, shared with October’s Smart Business readers her insight on “How to Join the Mobile Revolution and Help Change Your World”.

“The mobile revolution is here and skyrocketing. It reminds me of social media in 2009 —it was no longer something to ponder, but rather to embrace.

One of the biggest adjustments businesses have had to make in the first decade of the millennium to remain relevant has been to adapt to the major shift in the way people communicate. Well, it’s time to crank it up another notch and join the mobile revolution.”

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