Our thoughts
How to make a WordPress Blog Post
Here are the basic steps to making a blog post using WordPress. I encourage everyone to try it for themselves. Even if you don't publish it, you have to start practicing or you'll never be any good.
- Click "Posts" on the left hand side navigation bar
- On the left hand side navigation bar, under "Posts" click "Add New"
- Type in the title for your post directly beneath "Add New Post"
- Click in the large blank space to start typing the body of your post
- You can link words by highlighting the word you want to be linked, then click the link image, which is on the top row of the small icons, 6th in from the right
- Fill in the url exactly as it is in the window you desire to open, and then click "Add Link"
- Note: always check the box "Open link in a new window/tab"
- You can insert a picture, audio file or movie by clicking the mini camera and musical note to the right of "Upload/Insert" above the tool bar
- Make sure "From Computer" is selected in the top left corner of the window.
- Click "Choose File" and then find the image or audio file or movie you desire to upload. The image must be saved somewhere on your computer.
- Click "Upload"
- Make note of the restrictions on the videos, etc. that are listed in this window. If you can't get something to upload, it is probably because it doesn't fit their requirements for size or format.
- Once it has uploaded, you can edit how you want it to appear
- "Alignment" will set it on the desired side of your text
- "Size" will adjust the image to your screen
- These can always be changed by clicking the image in the post while editing, and clicking the mini picture of a mountain that comes up. When you have over that mini picture, it should say "Edit Image"
- To preview your post before you publish it and make it live to the world, click "Preview" in the upper right hand corner
- If you are not finished with your post but you want to come back to it later, hit "Save Draft"
- In the upper right hand corner below "Save Draft" and "Preview" there are three options
- Status: this is where you can change an already published post to a draft, and vice versa (in case you found a mistake or accidentally published something that wasn't finished)
- Visibility: you can change this so either everyone can see your post, only people with a password can see your post, or only you can see your post. If you choose password, they give you steps to make up a password, which you can then give to your clients.
- Publish: this is where you can schedule out your posts or publish immediately. If "Immediately" is selected, then when you click "Publish" the post goes live right away. If you select "Edit" and then choose the date you want the post to go live, click "Ok" and the "Publish" option immediately changes to "Schedule." When you click "Schedule" your post won't go live until the day you set. This is a way you could do multiple posts in advance but have only one posted live a week.
- Select what category you want the post to fall under on the right hand side of the window
- Scroll down the page and under the "Tags" section, type in the key words you think are important in the post and click "Add" after each word.
- Click "Posts" on the left hand side navigation bar
- Hover your mouse over the post you want to edit
- You can then select "Edit" 'Quick Edit" "Trash" or "Preview"
- You can delete the post by clicking "Trash"
- You can click "Edit" and it will take you directly to the post itself to change it
- You can click "Quick Edit" and it will allow you to change the tags, title, categories, scheduled date, etc. but not the actual main content
- Click "Categories" under "Posts" on the left hand side of the page
- Type in the name you select under "Name"
- You can make your category a sub-category by clicking "Parent" and selected a category for your subcategory to fall under
- Write a description of your category under "Description" for your readers to have a better idea of what this group of posts is about
- Click "Add New Category"
- You can take the same steps with "Tags" on the left hand side of the page as well
The Messenger
Jordan Moran is an account associate at Consumer Pulse Marketing. He is a soon-to-be marketing grad at Oral Roberts University ('12) Follow Jordan on Twitter at @jordanmoran5 or learn more about him at about.me/jordanmoran
Internships 101 – From our very own CPM intern
Our very own intern, Andrew Bell, wrote a testimonial that I think has a lot of value, so I wanted to repost it to our blog. You can check out his blog here.
"Hello, my name is Andrew Bell and as you can tell, I am starting my very own blog. I am a Sophomore, Business Marketing Major at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am here to express the importance of starting an Internship while in school. I’m currently interning at Consumer Pulse Marketing, and enjoying every day I’m here. I applied for the Social Media Internship with very little experience, but I have been blessed to work at Consumer Pulse. Each week when I come to work, I learn something new and apply that to my daily routine.
Starting your internship, especially your first, shouldn’t be so stressful that you cannot get school related work or other part-time job work accomplished. It helps that the authority you work under, acknowledges that you are less knowledgeable about the field you are working with, and they help you understand and start off simple. Then as you become accustomed to certain material, your employer builds on that. For small business’s that are looking for interns, keep that in mind. I understand things need to get done, but we’re still learning, and help us interns learn more from you. We shouldn’t be afraid to talk to our employer about tasks needing to be done or even voicing our opinion.
Internships are about building a foundation, not only in that company or field, but building a work ethic in the business field. Business internships provide students with mentoring and networking opportunities as well as the chance to obtain references. To any employer reading this, think back to when you were starting out. If you had a certain employer that helped you along the way, or helped you get references, I’m sure you were very thankful for that employer for taking time out of their busy schedule and helping you get started. A lot of young entrepreneur’s and student’s applying for internships are also looking for your help. A business internship also provides students with on-the-job training in their chosen career field, before completing school. Having an internship will give students a taste of the working world, and let them become familiar with a potential job sector. The education you learn at the University level is fantastic, but for some students, like myself, we often learn a lot more by real-world examples and being involved with them. As more universities stress the importance of internships, the market is becoming more competitive. Internships can teach you more about what you want to do and about what you do not want to do. No one’s career path in business is going to be a straight line. Internships in small business could be even more important. There will be many times when an employer will be too busy to do the little things that need to be done. If an intern was working for that business, not only would they have the chance to learn and help out with the mandatory needs, but could also give input on certain marketing plans or goals. I personally feel like it’s significant to stress the importance of an individual interning for your company. Do not make them feel like they just do the “busy” work; get them involved. Internships are not just a time to learn, it’s a time to think, “What can I do that will benefit this company?” Jennifer Cook and Allison Broyles at Consumer Pulse Marketing have taught me this. Who knows, you may discover your true passion for something by having an internship and working in all fields that interest you.
SOPA, PIPA, Opa!
Like a typical college student, I treat Twitter not only as a creative way to connect with my friends, but also as a source of news and current events. This week I came across a headline I couldn't ignore, referencing the article, Everything Marketers Need to Know About SOPA. (If you use the Internet – which if you are reading this post, you do – I strongly suggest give it a read.) For those of you who haven't got time to read it, please at least bookmark it, and hopefully my review will do it justice!
SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act) are bills from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate that call for more enforced regulation of copyrighted material found on the internet. This, of course, is a great thing for the entertainment industry; since the early 2000s, they have had to increase online security and monitor the way their products were being sold online. But these bills do not only apply to illegal music and movie downloading sites – they apply to all material on the open internet.
Now, why are Internet marketers being urged to read these bills? Firstly, these bills give the government liberty to not only suspend, but shut down any website that has copyrighted material on its page – without permission from its owner. What does this mean for us? Social media will become WAY less interesting. Companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr will 
Thankfully, companies involved in online media aren't taking this sitting down. January 18th, 2012, companies such as Wikipedia, Google, and Reddit are taking a stand by participating in an official "blackout" to display to online users what the effects of bills like SOPA and PIPA will do to our online communities as we know it. Many social media users are taking their own initiative against the bill, by deactivating their social media accounts for the day, as a way to participate in the blackout.
After reading what is happening in the online media industry, I can only say one thing—Please don't do this to the marketers, government! We are here to help you, not hurt you! (And, if these bills do pass, we can all thank Napster!)
Jordan Moran is an account associate at Consumer Pulse Marketing. He is a soon-to-be marketing grad at Oral Roberts University ('12) Follow Jordan on Twitter at @jordanmoran5 or learn more about him at about.me/jordanmoran
The Paradox of Organic Selling
In business, we are often taught to sell, sell, sell! Promote your product, push your sale until that dollar goes from their wallet to your bank account. While we agree that your eye must always be on the bottom line, this form of selling is not always the best method. Consider social media, events, and casual meetings as organic selling opportunities:
Imagine that you are at a neighborhood block party. Everyone has brought something to contribute to the get together, such as music, a casserole, a lemonade stand or a jump castle for the kiddos. Everyone is milling around, chatting about this or that – maybe the local elementary school's soccer game yesterday, maybe the construction that's been going on near the highway, or maybe the newest music video from the pop music icon of the moment.
As they load up their plates with barbecue, two neighbors, Kevin and Pete, discuss the roof damage to their homes during the last storm. This leads to a conversation about how Pete wants to switch his home insurance, and Pete learns that Kevin sells insurance for a living. Kevin thoughtfully gives Pete some tips on buying insurance, but does not try to make a sale. Afterall, at a social event like this, that would be inappropriate. However, he gives Pete his card just in case he needs any help, and they move on to talk about their favorite teams in the Big 12.
Two weeks later, Pete gives Kevin a call to make the switch. Although he does not know much about insurance, Pete feels that he knows Kevin and has a positive, trusting relationship with him already. He views Kevin as an expert on insurance and, possibly more importantly, as a man similar to himself.
Now, while this kind of interaction is fairly common, would you expect it to happen at every block party? Probably not. The point of a block party is not to make a sale – although it's easy to see that it can happen organically.
Maybe at the next Main Street event, Pete will recommend Kevin to another friend seeking insurance, or to his boss, who is not sure whether he should get renter's insurance for the new office space.
Word of mouth is the most powerful tool in marketing, and you can't force it. It must be earned. It must be sincere. It must be organic.
So what can you do? You can reconsider your communication strategies.
1. Find your personality. People don't do business with companies; they do business with other people. Don't be afraid to show that your business has a face and a voice.
2. Focus on relationship-building in conjunction with (or possibly in place of) traditional advertising.
3. Utilize social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, and Google+ to cultivate relationships with people who will be ambassadors of your brand. These platforms are a virtual block party, where your neighbors can be from any number of locations. *Like a block party, the goal of social media is not to sell; it is to connect. Our hope is that these connections will lead to sales organically.*
Do you employ these strategies already? What other strategies have worked for you in generating word-of-mouth advertising?
Welcome back! Now get back to work!
Most holidays are over and it is time to look forward to the New Year. This means that we must get back to work, become productive and settle once again into the routine of life. It is common for an employer to see employees struggle to meet deadlines and manage office chatter after such exciting Holidays, memories and the occasional break. In order to better promote a hardworking environment, here are three things to consider when finding that your employees are having a difficult time getting back into the swing of work:
- Conduct a meeting to help encourage employee focus and present the plans for the coming year.
- Allow people to share their experiences from the Holidays and present any questions about the direction of the company for the next year.
- Send out an e-mail welcoming everyone back to the office, as well as reiterating that it is time to get productive once
again!
These few tips will encourage all Holiday chatter and lack of productivity to be expressed in the course of one hour, preparing your group of employees to dominate the following year!
Charis Key is the partner relations manager at Consumer Pulse Marketing.
Follow Charis on Twitter at @Charisruthkey
Learn more about Charis at About.me/Chariskey
Why I know you’ll fail at your new year’s resolutions
STOP!
Don't buy that super duper in home gym set. Don't take advantage of that "pay in advance and save on your 12 month gym membership." Don't purchase that Rosetta Stone starter kit. Put down that "Top 10 Ways to Get Healthy in 2012" book. And for God's sake do you think putting a "Get Out of Debt Now" book for $99 on your credit card is really going to help?! 
Let's face it: by March, if you're lucky to even make it that far, all of those new year's resolution items are going to be taking up space in your house and office, acquiring dust, and being used for new purposes, like book ends and coasters. So what is it about new year's resolutions that makes people who never write goals down and plan to accomplish things at any other time in their life think that because they set a goal along with the rest of the world at the same time that it will magically happen?
Here's a news flash: YOU ARE GOING TO FAIL. Want to know why? Because you don't really care about those resolutions. If you did, you wouldn't have had to wait until January 1 to implement them. You would have done it already. When was the last time you created a 1, 3, 5 even 10 year goal timeline for yourself? 
Have you ever even written down your goals with a plan to accomplish them? I'm not talking about a to-do list that ends up being three pages long, doodled on, colored in, and highlighted. I'm talking about a mean, lean, procrastination fighting machine goal timeline.
I have never, and will never, set a new year's resolution. A mere 8% of people end up keeping their new year's resolutions, and that's probably because they involved eating more and spending more time relaxing. That means that 92% of people won't keep their new year's resolution. Want to do something you have always desired, but never could make it past January, like the other 45% of people? Here's a few tips that have helped me accomplish the personal goals I have had, and some AHEAD of schedule.
- Make a plan, and WRITE IT DOWN: People who write down their goals and keep them in a place of high visibility for themselves are 80% more likely to accomplish those goals. If you have a personal mission statement and core values you live by, type it up, frame it, and put it on your wall. If you don't have this yet, then make one!
- Keep SMART goals: SMART is a commonly used acronym for goal setting. As you are setting your goals, measure each goal according to this acronym to see if it is something you will actually have a good shot at reaching.
S: specific
M: measurable
A: attainable
R: realistic
T: timely or time sensitive
- Break your goals down: Once you have a goal, break it down chronologically, and backwards. Think to yourself, "In one year I want to have my CPA title." Ok, well what do you need to do at the six month mark to reach that one year goal? "In six months, I will be registered for my CPA exam and be studying three days a week using these four books." Ok, what do you need to do one month from now to reach this six month goal? "This month, I will have finished half of my last online course to have completed all the hours I need for my CPA." Finally, what can you budget into my weekly calendar THIS WEEK to accomplish this one month goal? "This week I will take three hours to sign up for the online accounting class, buy the books, and contact my professor for anything else I need."
- Budget your time: Begin to plan
your weeks and budget in time for Quadrant 2 activities. Stephen Covey talks about the four Quadrants of Time in his book "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." Q2 activities are those things that are important, but not necessarily urgent, and thus they fall lower and lower on our priorities list. We must actually block out time on our calendars and honor them as if they were actual appointments with people in order to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves.
- START TODAY! Don't wait until tomorrow or this weekend to write your plan down. Take TWO minutes right now and make a note to yourself, whether on a post it note or on your smart phone, and list 3 things you want to accomplish in the near future and budget in a time in the next week to flesh these goals and timelines out for yourself.
See how procrastination just isn't an option? If there is something you've been wanting to do in life and just haven't been able to do it, it isn't because you don't have enough time or resources. It simply is because you don't care enough or want it bad enough. The only person you can blame for a sucky, boring life is yourself. So, what will you mark off your bucket list this year? I'd love to hear your comments and maybe things you have found helpful in fighting procrastination and sticking to your goals.
This post was written by Jennifer Cook, CEO of Consumer Pulse Marketing. You can follow her on twitter at @consumrpulsemkt.
Tis the Season to Love on Your Customers!
Can you hear the carolers in the distance, the sweet aroma of cookies baking, and the chill in the air that snow is near? That’s right, Christmas is soon approaching, which means everyone is busier than ever. With office parties and school pageants, it is easy to get lost in the mix of holiday cheer.
It is during this season that companies can show their true appreciation to their customers in the midst of this hectic season. After all, would you even be in business without them? But as a business, what can you do to truly show your gratitude and increase your brand loyalty? Here are a few simple ideas to give your thanks:
- Holiday cards—although this may seem like an overdone use of thanking your customers, these always impress customers since so few companies do them well. The key is to make the cards personal. You can do this by making sure that there is a real signature on the card. Sending a cookie-cutter card with no personal touch will not be as effective as if you had taken the time to have someone sign the card. If you are in the service industry, including a personal note about an interaction you had with the client will speak volumes to how important they are to you.
- Video greeting—for those that don’t have the time or capital to send cards, create a video thank you card. Spend some time sending a personal message to your clients by recording a message to them that they can view online. Better yet, send an e-mail with the video imbedded in it using e-marketing tools like Mail Chimp or Constant Contact.
- Personal call—if you have the time, call your customers and wish them a happy holiday season. Do not just have your secretary do this, but make the calls yourself as a manager or owner. People know that this time is busy, so they know the sacrifice it is to take time to personally call people. This devotion to giving your time to customers will not go unnoticed.
- Gifts with a homemade touch—we know that everyone loves to receive gifts, so if it is in your budget, show your appreciation by sending personalized gifts to your customers. Now many business gifts tend to be useless and get thrown out, so make sure to make your gift something that your client can actually use. If you have tracked notes on your client, such as some of their favorite cuisines or sports teams, you can send them a gift that will show your
attention to detail and be something they will enjoy.
So few businesses take the time to give holiday thanks in a personal way. We all have gotten the corporate cards with the printed signature. Most of these things will not increase loyalty. Take the time to add that small personal touch; it will truly impress your clients. For some, the holidays can be a difficult time, so showing you care on a personal level can really brighten someone’s day during this demanding time.
It is not too late to use some of these ideas. It is better to show your customers that you care, than to do nothing at all.
Mantras for Survival in the Business World
“Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.”
Remember this? Does this mantra not strike a chord in the memory banks of every single person that has ever encountered a well-prepared rant on preparing to enter the grand adventure of adulthood and perpetual employment (and the oft-accompanying perpetual fear for the necessity to seek alternate employment). It is odd how often this rather wise snippet of advice is abandoned just as soon as someone succumbs to even the slightest 
of comforts within the workforce. Odder so, or perhaps more fittingly so, is how this mantra for the continued pursuit of success and advancement (and its eventual abandonment) applies so simply to a company’s identity and business practices.
The best of intentions are always implemented at the start of each new venture, of course, as a business will approach its defining “look”, projected personality or culture, and new or improved (something cannot be new and improved…) ways of handling all factions of business that will separate it from the competition. Just as a new hire will dress nicer for an interview than those conducting said interview, it’s a game of one-upmanship to enter the market with a brighter spark than those surrounding. But a sense of conformity and sought-out comfort will reveal that same new entity eventually falling into the norms, no longer striving to be the standout, the one continually making moves to be a standout in the crowd.
This sense of conformity for the sake of commonality and a strive for comradery is too-quickly adopted when, in reality, there should never be a point of “settling”. A common saying for hazardous military zones is “Never get comfortable. Once you’re comfortable, you’re dead.” Although slightly extreme for this scenario, a business that gets too comfortable in a field that demands proactivity to even keep afloat is merely drowning itself in it’s own lack of motivation. Placidity should be abandoned for not merely maintaining the same vigor present at the onset of entering the field, but also evaluating, challenging, and surpassing the competition.
Written by Sean Terska, graphic designer at Consumer Pulse Marketing. Find out more about Sean here.
Can employee satisfaction increase your revenue?
Our earliest ancestors probably learned that loyalty was a valuable survival tool. In the jungle, the desert, or the open plains, loyalty to your tribe increased your chances of surviving harsh weather and an unreliable supply of food and water.
Dianne M. Durkin, The Loyalty Advantage
Traditional management theory treats workers like any other input — get as much out of them as possible and pay them as little as you can get away with. Believe it or not, there are some companies that still see employees as just another necessary business expense. 
But unlike equipment and taxes, your employees interact directly with the customers who keep you in business! If I were a business owner, I would want to make sure the employees who are talking directly to my customers have only good things to say about the company that they work for. There are many misconceptions about what it means to improve employee satisfaction.
Let me put your mind at ease and tell you some things that employee satisfaction is NOT:
- Giving employees what they want
- Making them smile everyday
- Paying them a high salary
- Letting them do what they want, when they want
- Letting them take two hour long lunch breaks
What employee satisfaction IS:
- Listening to their ideas and concerns
- Treating them with respect
- Clearly communicating expectations in the beginning
- Following through with those expectations
- Making sure they have the tools they need to do their work
- Providing extra training where necessary
Having happy employees increases motivation: Why would you slack when you have a job that totally rocks? If you appreciate the fact that your company takes care of you, you might put in the extra effort to help the “team.” Pleasant working conditions can lead to employees identifying with the firm, and thus exerting more than a minimum effort towards their tasks. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, after basic physical and safety needs are met, what humans crave the most is a sense of belonging. Studies show that the employees who feel the greatest sense of belonging in their companies are more likely to work overtime, help others, and go above and beyond on their projects and tasks.
Retention: Happy employees want to stick around. Most reasons that people leave jobs are completely preventable! It has been said more than once, and for good reason, that employees leave their bosses – not their jobs. How many employees have you lost because you were more concerned about the monthly sales numbers? How much time do you spend asking your employees to be open with you about their experience with their managers? Many employees would be willing to supply additional time and effort when asked of them, if they felt satisfaction with their job and work atmosphere.
Recruiting: Google probably has an easier time recruiting employees than Joe’s Sweat-shop factory. (Although we can’t all offer our employees free massages and haircuts throughout the work day) Employee satisfaction can be a powerful tool for recruiting more loyal employees. Just like your business would benefit from your best customers recommending their friends, your business thrives when your best employees recommend their friends. How much time did you spend this year trying to fill various positions at your company? How much easier would it be if your employees raved so much about their love for their job that people were lining up to work for you? Then you could have the cream of the crop!
There is no substitute for employee satisfaction. Even raises and bonuses cannot bring a true sense of satisfaction to your employees. If you are feeling curious about your employee’s satisfaction levels, give CPM a call! We can conduct in depth interviews with your employees, so that you can find out how to utilize your most valuable asset, your employees!
To find out more about the author, check out Amber Scott's biography at http://about.me/missamberscott.
Follow us when we post new material
- How to make a WordPress Blog Post
- The Messenger
- Internships 101 – From our very own CPM intern
- SOPA, PIPA, Opa!
- The Paradox of Organic Selling
- Welcome back! Now get back to work!
- Why I know you’ll fail at your new year’s resolutions
- Tis the Season to Love on Your Customers!
- Mantras for Survival in the Business World
- Can employee satisfaction increase your revenue?
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