Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Hitting the Wall...

What do you do when you hit the wall?  Every company, no matter the size, at some point is going to face an overwhelming challenge or “Hit the Wall”.  How that challenge is met is critical to the survival of the company.  Should the business leader become discouraged or defeated, then the business venture will most assuredly fail.  The ability to step back, access the problem(s) and stay focused on finding workable solutions is key to survival.

Recently, along with our affiliate partner NEX21 Partners, we gave ourselves a challenge to create and launch a new program called BestDealerJobs.com, and to do so in under 11 weeks.  We have previously taken on some pretty lofty goals in the past, but this was a new arena to most of us!

We hit many, many walls during the process: Building a webpage – not a problem, we do that. Match candidates with employers, again, not a problem. Our top notch HR team has done that for multiple companies for over 10 years. Build a webpage to both collect candidates and match them to the best suited employers. Now that was new to all of us. Oh, and we needed to complete this and market it across the country - all in 11 weeks!

Repeatedly, we hit the wall, but we worked together as a team to knock them down or push each other up and over them. In the end, we accomplished our goal!! BestDealerJobs.com  has been launched.  We are still tweaking and perfecting it, but the answer to the question for all of us at NEX21 Media & Partners as to ‘What we do when we “Hit the Wall”?’  We pull together and overcome!

Social Media Place is a division of NEX21 Media, LLC. NEX21 Media is a proud member of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, and The Better Business Bureau.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Building on Expertise


“What do you do?” It is a question we have all been asked and often.

Over the years I have held many job titles, and at times, struggled with the answer to this question.


You see our company is a little bit different in “what we do”. There are many companies that provide the services that we offer at
NEX21 Media.  But what we do differently is we offer our services to suit and fit the needs you require to grow your business.  Rather than running all over town meeting with your website designer, social media coordinator, graphic designer, printer and a marketing team; all of these services can be obtained at one place. 

That is “what we do” at NEX21 Media, all under one roof.

Often times businesses feel they cannot afford or do not need marketing support. While the reality is, "how can any business NOT AFFORD specialized marketing expertise?"

Businesses of all sizes should consider a marketing plan the blueprint or road map to success.  (Please see our previous blog “The Five Broad Strokes of Marketing” for more information on marketing strategies.) Can your business really succeed without a marketing plan? Let us help you devise the best strategy to grow your business.

NEX21 Media pools multiple resources together under one roof, and we are here to assist you with making your business successful and grow. We handle many of the necessary tasks, freeing you to focus on what your business does best!


Let NEX21 Media develop a marketing strategy that’s right for you.

With “My Brand In A Box” you can build the services that are right for you.

Contact us at Marketing@NEX21.com

Social Media Place, is a division of NEX21 Media. who are proud members of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, and The Better Business Bureau.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Is LinkedIn the “Angie’s List” of Business Professionals?

Image courtesy of Google Images

“Generating new business opportunities through LinkedIn” is a discussion topic I recently discovered.  It was a discussion started by Beth Baxter, Co-Founder of Camper CafĂ©; I’ll share a few of her tips here below.

The topic really got me to thinking about how LinkedIn has evolved in a relatively short time. LinkedIn originally launched in May of 2003 and was specifically designed for professional networking. As of January of 2013 they report to have 200 million acquired users.

If you are like me, your first perception was LinkedIn was a site to aid in job searches. Employers are able to list their available positions and search through its users for qualified candidates. Conversely, job seekers can upload their resumes and review the posted opportunities that employers are seeking to fill. However, with the launch of Company pages, many businesses (especially small business) are finding they are able to build their company credibility and reputation with their LinkedIn recommendations.  Over 50% of users polled, state they are more likely to do business with a company they follow. That makes LinkedIn a very valuable marketing tool.

As previously mentioned, here are some of the suggested tips to making LinkedIn Company pages work for you and your company:

1) Keywords, Keywords, Keywords!  (You may remember this same topic from one of our previous blogs, “Are you a Successful Blogger?” posted October 25, 2012).  Your profile should be easily searchable, just as with your website. You want people to find you!

2)  Build good quality connections.  Get to know your individual contacts and engage with them regularly.

3) Give referrals.  The more you generously give, the more you will receive in return!

4) Join groups and follow industry leaders.  Consider participating in discussions and add useful content. Other users following or participating in the same groups will take notice.

LinkedIn is a leading method to improve and enhance Google searches for your company name. People will see and be directed to links for your LinkedIn profile when performing research on you, your product, service, or company. Therefore, it only makes sense that a LinkedIn Company page be a part of your digital marketing plan.

Brand Creation, Website Design, Social Media Marketing, Print Media, and Internet Marketing. Let us assist you with your Marketing needs. Email us at marketing@NEX21.com

Social Media Place is a division of NEX21 Media, LLC. NEX21 Media is a proud member of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, and The Better Business Bureau.

Monday, April 8, 2013

6 Helpful Tips to Maximize your Facebook and Twitter Business Pages



If like many other businesses, you are continually looking for ways to increase your social media presence, you are not alone. The following suggestions are quick, relatively easy to implement, and have been successful in helping grow our business. We wanted to share them with you.

1. Have an Eye-Catching Photo
Facebook is designed so that whenever you add a new friend or “like” a new business, for example, you see the profile photo for that person or business page. It will appear in News Feeds, as well as, beside any Comment users may leave. Your photo is your first impression and can be overlooked or actually draw users to your page.  
So be sure your photo stands out.

2. Update, Update, Update
I cannot stress this enough. Please do not let your page become stale. People will notice if you regularly update your page with new and pertinent information, and if you do not, they will likely not return. Updating your page at least twice a day can be a good start. If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, assign someone who is capable of doing so, and have it maintained it daily.

3. Videos & Photos are a MUST
Most people enjoy looking at photos or videos, and there is a good chance that if it’s something they like, they will ‘share’ it with others. So try to include either or both in your posts and draw users to your page.

4. Content Strategy
It is important to provide useful and engaging content, and have a content strategy. Share good articles. Also remember to occasionally thank your customers for their support, and make sure you have liked their page(s), as well.

5. Use HASHTAGS
Twitter can be very effective. Using the # symbol to categorize messages makes it easier for other Twitter users to search for specific or related tweets. The easier you are to find, the more traffic your pages will receive.

6. Follower Support
Getting followers can be a challenge, and it takes time to gain a number of them, so be patient. Be sure to follow those who are following you. Make sure you are not following spammers or low-quality accounts. Send out messages on Facebook asking people to follow you on Twitter. REMEMBER, Twitter followers hang out on Facebook, too!

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226036#ixzz2OkJbnlTO

We are proud members of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, and The Better Business Bureau.


Social Media Place is a division of NEX21 Media, LLC. NEX21 Media is a proud member of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, and The Better Business Bureau.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

My Brand in a Box TM

 Do you know your company’s Marketing Strategy?  How familiar are you with it? Have you reviewed it lately?  Do the pieces of your marketing campaign seem incoherent or spread to wide? If you are unsure of the answers to these questions, this article is for you.

First, let’s assess your current marketing position. Is your marketing task list is continuing to grow and, regardless of the new methods and efforts tried, are you unable to trace any success to your bottom line?

Are you aware of how much you have spent on marketing during the last six months?  Currently, do you measure or qualify any of your marketing efforts? How do you gauge if they are working and successful?
If you are unable to successfully answer these questions, now is the time to begin and implement a consistent marketing plan.

For example, if your website has not been undated in six months, it most likely could benefit from a tune up. It should be updated to ensure search engine optimization (SEO) and Adwords are working to the best of their ability and maximizing your company’s marketing efforts. Does your content skillfully tell your story and attract the potential customers you desire?

Courtesy of Google Images
Another question to ask, does your company have a logo?  Many small business owners feel they do not need a logo, and it is possible to build a profitable business without one.  However, an artfully depicted logo can help build awareness of what your business is all about and make it easily identifiable. Think about it, do you not instantly recognize those brown package delivery trucks or that red and white canned soda without having to read the name? A distinct logo sets apart your brand and creates brand recognition.

Today, you are constantly bombarded with various forms of Social Media, including advertising outlets from television, radio and print. But you may ask, “Why do I need a Facebook page or Twitter account?  I really don’t have time for that.”

This is a discussion we have held in our own company, on several occasions, regarding the varied areas of our work. Recently, a post was published that clarified the reasons of why even “Joe the Plumber” could benefit from a Facebook page. In the NY Times, David Freedman posed this question, “Why Would a Plumber Need Social Media?”  The responses were varied and some quite interesting, with as many saying no as yes.

Some things, however, are proven. Social Media can provide customers a way to share online “word-of-mouth” referrals, allow companies to offer coupons to attract both return and first- time customers, or supply basic website maintenance tips to businesses.

These are all areas in which we can help and advise you, and here are a few examples of the business solutions we offer:

Brand Creation, Website Design, Social Media Marketing, Print Media, and Internet Marketing - All of it!  You can pick and choose the services you and your company need and build your own individual Box.

Let us at NEX21 Media assist you with your Marketing needs.  Email us at marketing@NEX21.com

Social Media Place is a division of NEX21 Media, LLC. NEX21 Media is a proud member of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, and The Better Business Bureau.

Monday, February 18, 2013

What Does It Take To Be Successful?


Picture courtesy of Yahoo Images

Personally, I am a HUGE football fan!  I honestly cannot remember a time when I was not.  I am a product of a “mixed collegiate” marriage as my father was an Alabama fan and my mother is an Auburn fan.  Over the years I have learned several things from faithfully watching football, as well as, having a son who played over 6 six years of middle and high school football.

A few traits, in particular that I have seen echoed in both business and football, are strong discipline and work ethic.  Should you ever listen to a successful coach talk about his team, he will usually comment on his team’s strong work ethic, discipline to train, endurance to practice the long hours it takes to succeed, and all while attending to and maintaining their academic requirements.

Business owners are required to be disciplined, as well.  Successful owners will develop strategies and stay the course, focusing on their core markets and carefully monitoring and measuring their success. This discipline and measure enables them to overcome obstacles such as under capitalization, which is often a result of poor planning, poor location or poor management skills.  While these problems can be difficult to resolve, they are not insurmountable. An owner’s willingness to ask for help when needed and the drive to stick with the plan, when the odds are against you, is what it takes to succeed. Winning, whether it is at football or in business, requires dedication, endurance and discipline. It is generally not easy and is fraught with competition and obstacles to be overcome, but the victory is well worth it!

Vince Lombardi once said “It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're a winner, when you're number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you're not a winner.”

Businesses are similar; they need to have faith and be disciplined during the entire year, not just for the ‘big game’. They should strive to make the business, as well as, its employees skilled and able to execute at all times. When you strengthen the ‘players’ and hone their discipline, you strengthen the ‘team’ (the business) and establish a ‘playing field’ for the individuals and the business to WIN!

At NEX21 Media we strive to be CHAMPIONS for each of our clients. When we help them to achieve success, we are successful! Let us join you in forming a ‘winning team’!

Customize your Marketing Strategy with My Brand in a Box! Let us assist you with your Marketing needs. Email us at marketing@NEX21.com

Social Media Place is a division of NEX21 Media, LLC. NEX21 Media is a proud member of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, and The Better Business Bureau.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

How Does Google+ Affect Search Results?

+1 helps people discover relevant content—a website, a Google search result, or an ad—from the people they already know and trust. The +1 button appears on Google search, on websites, and on ads. For example, you might see a +1 button for a Google search result, Google ad, or next to an article you're reading on your favorite news site.

Adding the +1 button to pages on your own site lets users recommend your content, knowing that their friends and contacts will see their recommendation when it’s most relevant—in the context of Google search results. In addition, a user's +1's appear on the +1 tab of their Google Profile. While +1’s are always public, users can choose to make the +1 tab visible or invisible on their profile.
When a signed-in Google user is searching, your Google search result snippet may be annotated with the names of the user's connections who've +1'd your page. If none of a user's connections has +1'd your page, your snippet may display the aggregate number of +1's your page has received.

See more here....