Interview Series: Penny Haynes, Encouraging Enterprises, Inc.
As part of our ongoing interview series with entrepreneurs and small businesses, we interviewed Penny Haynes in Holly Springs GA. Her business, Encouraging Enterprises, Inc. helps its customers through its two websites: CommercialCreationCenter.com, and OnlineCommunityMagazines.com. Be sure to follow @pennyhaynes
What service/product(s) does Encouraging Enterprises, Inc. provide?
Commercial Creation Center - personal assistance plus simple software to create and post audio and video to promote your business
Online Community Magazines - you offer a complete multimedia marketing and publishing system to every member of your online or offline community
When did you launch your business?
Started in 2004 with audio/video training, publishing and services
What’s your elevator pitch?
How do you market yourself to increase your income without going broke? I solve that problem by giving you the most effective and affordable online marketing technologies - video and audio. My clients get top search engine rankings and create instant rapport with their potential clients.
What marketing tools does your company currently use?
RSS, Audio, Video, Social Media, Social Networks, Advertising
What has been your greatest marketing tool?
RSS/Audio/Video, which give me top Google rankings
What are the biggest challenges your company faces in marketing its product and what are you doing to overcome those challenges?
The money to expand my reach via more traditional methods, such as hiring a salesperson. I am working on cross promoting with other entrepreneurs, and am hosting contests and online international events (http://InternationalPodcastingExpo.com).
A lot of companies are shifting their marketing efforts to online tools and free social media marketing. Has your company made this kind of shift, and if so in what ways are you marketing online?
That’s basically ALL the marketing that I do. Podcasting, Blogging, Articles, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, TubeMogul
How are your company’s sales tactics or way of doing business being affected by this recession and do you have any advice to other small business owners?
The recession has stopped me from continuing to go to offline conferences and expos. I did that twice last year, and due to the recession, I haven’t recouped those monies yet.
Any cost saving tips?
Use RSS, Audio and Video - it’s inexpensive and effective as a marketing tool. Also, write an ebook, create a free excerpt, and try to get it circulated.
I think it is cool that she solely uses social media marketing channels as her means of marketing. I would be interested to know if that can be just as effective as standard more costly marketing procedures.
I don’t know about all of this social media hoopla, I feel that quality leads are generated through standard means of marketing. I know a number of people dislike the lack of transparency on the internet and since social media is centered around the internet it too lacks transparency and seems misleading at times…just my two cents.
Yeah, social media marketing can be extremely effective BWGeorge. Not only are the savings associated with social media marketing great, but the speed with which you can reach your target market is amazing and unparalleled. It takes a bit of know-how to figure out how to get started but after that just about anyone can manage social media marketing campaigns.
This is a great idea, the twitter type social marketing media work well for those constantly checking in on those channels. The way Encouraging Enterprises leverages audio and video media is very interesting and I feel that it is capable of reaching larger audiences.