By definition, the target in B2Bs is other businesses- the lead could be the secretary of an important company or a top executive. Whoever it is, they are scouting out information to use in their business’ day-to-day life. Because of this, we have to handle them differently by positioning our client as the expert in their field. This strategy is not always about the direct sale of the product, but rather establishing a relationship between the client, their community, and their industry.

Social media for B2Bs must focus on the broader spectrum: organizations the client belongs to, governing bodies, associations, memberships, etc. We have to engage and interact with them while also indirectly targeting their consumers, who can become major advocates even if they aren’t the direct target.

One of the biggest challenges for a creative agency (like Ilfusion) is that we must perform research and get to know the client’s industry: how their business works, who are the major players, and how best to reach them. Our job to reach the target audience, being in the right place at the right time when those targets need our client’s products.

Populating social media platforms and blogs is extremely important in B2B marketing because writing original content is the key to setting the business as the ultimate expert. Through blogs and social media, we establish a relationship between our customer’s business and the industry. Social media helps drive traffic to their blogs and websites. Even if someone isn’t looking for them at one specific time, chances are that later down the road they will and we want our customer’s business to come to their mind.

In the end, measuring ROI is extremely difficult for B2B clients, but once you have established a metric system for measuring reach, engagement, and interaction, you can factor in numbers like cost per lead, creative time to develop messaging, engagement time, and monitoring time, all of which will show a return on social media investment.

Google updates its search algorithms constantly, with estimates on the number of changes ranging from 300 to 600 times per year. The goal of these changes are typically the same: the return the search results that best fit the searcher’s needs. You might ask yourself, “why does Google care about relevant content?” Google needs to deliver trustworthy and relevant search results to maintain its customer: you.

Here’s a million-dollar answer to the question “how do I rank highly in Google’s search results”: be what people are searching for. Legitimate content created by professionals who get to know you, your business, and your industry is the best bet for your long-term search engine optimization (SEO) and social media optimization (SMO) strategy because Google is always tweaking its algorithm to find that kind of content— relevant content. By contrast, Google’s algorithm updates focus on penalizing sites that use “black hat” techniques designed to take advantage of the rules. This is true both of the new Google Penguin update and the previous update, Google Panda, both of which focused on culling results that offered little substance.

Don’t believe us? Here’s a quote straight from Google’s own Webmaster Central blog:

‘”White hat” search engine optimizers often improve the usability of a site, help create great content, or make sites faster, which is good for both users and search engines. Good search engine optimization can also mean good marketing: thinking about creative ways to make a site more compelling, which can help with search engines as well as social media…In the pursuit of higher rankings or traffic, a few sites use techniques that don’t benefit users, where the intent is to look for shortcuts or loopholes that would rank pages higher than they deserve to be ranked…The goal of many of our ranking changes is to help searchers find sites that provide a great user experience and fulfill their information needs. We also want the “good guys” making great sites for users, not just algorithms, to see their effort rewarded.’

So, how do you know if your SEO company is “white hat,” “black hat,” or somewhere in-between? A “white hat” firm will provide you with a strategy that revolves around high-quality content— as in, content designed for human readers -first and foremost. Optimizing content for Google and other search engines will serve as a tool in that strategy, but not as the strategy itself. Penguin is the future of Google, but content is the future of search, and search engines will only get smarter about finding the best of it!

As an added bonus, once your site’s Google rank improves because you have great content, not only will your audience find you…they’ll actually engage with you, too.

There is a huge misconception that marketing and sales are the same thing when in fact, they are two separate business concepts. Though sales and marketing work together very well, the skill sets, people, and jobs are completely different.

The biggest difference is the actual job performance. In marketing, it’s our job to make the overall company more appealing to their target audience. We create the logos, design graphics, shoot and film projects, and strategize what our customers can do to reach their audience. We make the company more functional so the sales team can do their job.

In sales, it’s their job to go out there and present what we create. They are the ones directly interfacing with their audience and building relationships on behalf of the company. In sales, they are actively seeking new customers at trade shows, networking events, and cold calls; they find the customers or bring the customers to the business.

All in all, marketing is the act of really making that company more appealing to do business with so the sales team can effectively take that directly to the target audience. Sales shouldn’t be outsourced; they need to be on staff of the business. Marketing, however, does need to be outsourced because it is more complex with very specific people with very specific skill sets.

You can usually determine your company’s tone when you define the image you’d like to project. If your business is developing casual mobile phone games, you’ll probably have a different tone than an executive search firm focusing on placing six-figure salary CEOs. A business may also want to define its tone in different outlets: your blog or Facebook page may be more casual than the rest of the copy on your site or a brochure.

Defining a tone is easy, but implementing it isn’t! If you’ve got a few keywords and phrases that you use to describe your tone, you need to make sure that every single blog article, tweet, and other document coming out of the company meets those standards, as well as any specific requirements for its outlet.

If you’d like to discuss your company’s online tone and other marketing strategy, be sure to get in touch with us! 888.420.5115 or send us an email.

This process can be quick and painless or a great toil depending on the work flow. At Ilfusion we try to take care of the whole process for you, and making it go smoothly relies on being prepared. Here are some of the matters that must be dealt with before a site can launch:

1. The clients, designers, developers, and copywriters finish building the site. Obvious, right? But make sure every typo, error, and tweak has been handled before the site launches!

2. All of the files that make up the site must be transitioned to the appropriate location. That means they need to be uploaded to your web host (it’s easiest if we host your site ourselves, but we work with other hosts as well). If a database exists, that will need to be configured and moved as well, especially if there’s a content management system (CMS, like WordPress) involved.

3. Once the files (HTML, PHP, CSS, etc) are in the right place, all files, links, and other info must be checked again to ensure that nothing went wrong in the transition. This is to ensure particularly that there are no broken links. At this phase (and possibly the previous) you may preview the development site at an address that contains a long number, the “IP address.”

4. When the site is fully functional, it’s time to set the domain name. In reality, a domain name is simply a shortcut for the browser to visit a numerical IP address, and your Internet service provider uses a domain name system (DNS) server that maintains records of all of these shortcuts. So, you point your domain name to the right IP address, and in a matter of hours (as few as 2 and as many as 24) all of the DNS servers will update to include the new shortcut.

5. If we haven’t already set up all email addresses and servers, now’s the time to get it done. These include updating the MX records (the domains responsible for processing your emails), CNAME records (domains that manage your files, such as FTP), databases, 301 redirects (additional domain names that point to your site), and other information. If you have an IT team who wishes to maintain full control over the DNS, they can simply create an “A record” to point to an IP address- this will allow email and other records to stay as they are while allowing the new site to go live seamlessly.

Once all the DNS servers update (or “propagate”) you can view your website at its domain name and everything should be working properly. You can try clearing your browser’s cache to see if that resolves to the new site a little faster.

It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it to make a clean transition for you and your customers!

Video is huge when it comes to online marketing, whether it’s on YouTube, Vimeo or embedding on your website. Because let’s face it, watching a video is a million times more fun than reading text. With the “share” function on all social media platforms and worldwide exposure, a business can reach maximum views and expand their market with just one video!

The Ilfusion team does a lot of writing, filming, and editing video for local, regional, and nationwide customers with the goal of creating the best video we possibly can. We go on-location wherever our customers are or stay right at home in our in-office production studio that is equipped with lighting, various backdrops and green screen. We’ve filmed all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as well as Houston and Austin. We’ve also filmed in Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and even Mexico!

We shoot a more cinematic style to engage audiences, encourage interaction, and promote a call to action. And it’s just more fun! The creativity shines through during the storyboard write-up and final editing while our professionalism is seen with preparation and efficiency.

So is your business taking advantage of all the video options there are out there? If you’re not, don’t come crying because a competitor just went viral online!

The first and perhaps most important element to a marketing campaign is your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your campaign? A general answer is obvious: companies looking to hire employees. That’s basically true for just about any employment agency, but it’s also much too general to base a marketing campaign on, so let’s narrow it down a bit. Think about the following three things:

What industries does your business have the most experience in?

Many recruiting firms wind up working in a particular industry because people within a given industry talk; you can build a strong reputation via word-of-mouth. If you’re just starting your firm or don’t have a particular industry that you’re focusing on, you might consider whether there’s an industry you could specialize in. Talk to your employees to see if anyone has any particularly strong “ins” into an industry, such as experience or a family history in a given field.

Where is your business located?

This element can be a little varied. For example, a staffing agency based in Dallas/Fort Worth, where Ilfusion lives, may need to narrow down its region to start with as it’s a large metropolitan area. An agency based in a smaller city can more reasonably aim to become the premier employment agency for their region in a smaller span of time.

Do you tend to place entry- to mid-level workers, or more experienced seniors and executives? Do these positions require college degrees?

If you’re having trouble narrowing things down in either of the above categories, consider this. A staffing firm who places a lot of entry- and mid-level workers has a younger audience on average than a firm who focuses on senior and executive job searches. Similarly, there’s a big difference between placing high school seniors and college seniors. The marketing tactics you choose may depend heavily on this demographic.

Generally speaking, you should be able to narrow your target down by two of these elements. For example, you may focus on placing seniors and executives in the city your business is based; you might place entry- and mid-level workers within a particular industry; or perhaps you stick to an industry with a major presence in your city.

Determining your target audience is a vital first step to developing your strategy, and will impact how you reach out both to clients and job candidates, which we’ll discuss more later. Don’t worry- picking a target does NOT limit you to only working with that demographic! The goal is to determine your strengths so that your marketing campaigns can play to them. If you’re having trouble figuring out who your target is, give us a call and we’ll help you out! 888.420.5115 or send us an email.

The roles are for the average husband and wife. Both need to be of average height (for men that means 5’7″-6’1″), ages 28-35, and a healthy weight (not too heavy nor too thin). No supermodels need apply; we’re looking for the average, everyday couple!

These four videos will be of national exposure and a high quality portfolio piece.

• Filming will occur May 14-15 in the DFW area and will be a total of 12 hours, broken up into two six-hour days
• Auditions are by appointment only and will be held April 23 – May 9, 2012, 1pm-4pm weekdays
• Send your audition reel to deann@ilfusion.com

Auditions will take place at Ilfusion’s studio on 1057 Foch Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76107.

For any questions call 888.420.5115×201 and ask to speak with Marvel Girl or The Wizard.

Distinguished Annual Award Given by Fort Worth Business Press

Jeff Langhammer has been selected as one of the 40 recipients to receive the prestigious honor of “Forty Under Forty” given by the Fort Worth Business Press annually. At only 32 years of age, Langhammer is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ilfusion Creative, Fort Worth’s fastest-growing creative agency. Ilfusion has more than doubled the size of its staff in the last six months in response to overwhelming interest in its services, necessitating a move to an open-concept office and studio space in West 7th Fort Worth this past January.

“I’m honored to receive this award from a publication as well-regarded as the Fort Worth Business Press,” Langhammer says in response to the accolades. “Our team is enthusiastic and works very hard, so it’s great to see that hard work recognized.”

In spite of the growth spurt, Langhammer has kept the firm’s fun and friendly vibe fully intact. “We definitely want to be the kind of place where people want to come to work and are excited to bring their best every day,” says the CEO and Co-founder. Along with CIO and long-time friend Ryan Li, Langhammer created Ilfusion out of a small, existing agency, increasing its offerings to include high-definition video production, photography, social media, and public relations along with the company’s existing web and print design capabilities. The company’s growth isn’t limited to staff size or offerings, however. Langhammer and his team constantly research the latest and greatest marketing techniques to incorporate into the traditional and new media tactics in which the firm is already well-versed.

Langhammer’s passion for working with the Hope Center for Autism led him to produce a fashion show event at Fort Worth’s Brownstone Kitchen+Bar every quarter to raise money for the cause, with the next event being held on Thursday, May 3, 2012. He even volunteers his DJ services! Langhammer has personally worked with the Sportsmen’s Club of Fort Worth for the last 5 years on their annual game dinner volunteering his time to create graphic design pieces for their marketing materials. He has worked with the Dallas / Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation for the past two years and has donated a retainer to assist with the Foundation’s website maintenance and optimization. While at May Advertising, he designed team T-shirts and raised money for the Alzheimer’s walk. He also raised money participating in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas’ Bowl for Kids Sake. Langhammer worked with the Fort Worth Habitat for Humanity by volunteering to create and deliver new signage for the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. He also volunteered time to install all new window signage at the store.

Born to a family with a long history working in marketing and advertising, Langhammer says that he always knew he would work in a creative environment. His grandfather was a classic “Mad Man” of the 1950s, and his uncle is a commercial photographer. Most weekends Langhammer can be found racing his car or DJing for his friends and co-workers at the Ilfusion Creative office. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington in 2003.

But what if we lived in a world that didn’t have social media? How would businesses successfully advertise and interact? Here are some plausible ideas we think would work:

• Pass out candy with the business name printed on the wrappers. If you’re going to a park or other highly populated public area, add a little jingle to bring people to your van. Don’t worry if they seem wary at first, once they see the candy, they’ll come running.
• Host special events. These don’t have to be elaborate; a simple impromptu popup booth in a bathroom will work!
• Get t-shirts, sweat bands, sweatshirts, socks and sweatpants made with the business logo. Hire someone to run around town sporting this uniform or hand them out at the special events you’re hosting! The more people see it, the more they’ll remember it. Better yet, hire 100 people!
• If you don’t want to hire a person, building a robot to do the dirty work is always an option.

Thankfully we have the technology to build relationships, interact, and spread the message businesses want to spread. Keeping information all in one place that is accessible by computer or phone allows us to take the time we would be spending building robots or passing out candy to be more social!