Marketing

We all get stuck once in a while, and being “stuck” never looks the same for two people. Maybe you’ve gotten further in your career and business than you ever thought possible — where could you possibly go next? Or maybe you feel bored but lack the proper inspiration...

After getting new customers, many business owners assume they’ll stick around — but why should they? That’s the question a great retention strategy will help answer for you. Over 70% of customers will leave a business due to unsatisfactory customer service. A big part...

Some of the greatest joys in life come from the relationships we create. When we find a person we connect with, we rarely forget or let them go. That’s why you — yes, you, the business owner — need to be on the front page of your company’s story. In print. Why print?...

Making new friends in business is challenging when interacting with people naturally drains you. You might actually enjoy meeting new people, but it wears you down faster than most. What do you do? No. 1: Set yourself up for success. Your introversion is likely a key...

Marketing is arguably one of the most creative aspects of running a business — and it’s the most important to track and collect data on. Understanding your customers begins with understanding their feedback; knowing which marketing tactics are working for them (and...

The pandemic has forced many companies not only to restructure their business, but also shift their focus and brand image going forward into 2021. Rebranding is a great time to catch your customers’ attention, but it’s most important for you to leverage your external...

Postcard marketing, as a form of direct-mail marketing, might seem a little odd in today’s age of email and social media. As it turns out, a little “oddness” is exactly the secret ingredient your marketing campaign may need. Whether you’re mailing promotional coupons,...

As a business owner, you might have some concerns about the future. Over 80% of small businesses fail within the first 18 months, and 93% of businesses fail after 10 years. We can only imagine how much worse those statistics are now during the pandemic. There are,...

It’s challenging to navigate your company’s website and content SEO. Maybe you’ve had a few late nights putting together SEO content or a content plan — or maybe you’re struggling with SEO anxiety. It’s challenging to navigate your company’s website and content SEO....

Can the right packaging sell your product for you? Yes, it can. It is especially impactful in a time when appearances mean a lot. People love posting unboxings on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, and sharing the new, helpful products they’ve bought. This is why...

Research shows that using memes, GIFs, and/or images on your Twitter social media page will increase engagement — but that’s not the only reason many big corporations are embracing memes in their advertising. Research shows that using memes, GIFs, and/or images on...

When your small business is really small — and we mean just you — then it can seem redundant to try and encapsulate your business identity through social media and marketing. It’s just your own identity, right? When your small business is really small — and we mean...

2020 has — in almost every respect — been a complete mess, and many of us are looking forward to a brand-new year. But you don’t need to wait for 2021 for your business to get a fresh start and thrive in new ways. Here are just a few ways you can jump ahead and grow...

There are many philosophies about branding — but when’s the last time you heard someone philosophize over a great cold email? Luckily, they’re more related than you think. Mastering the art of a cold email is important. Much of our social and business communication is...

During a pandemic, it’s easy to see lots of reasons why many businesses are losing customers right now. But that doesn’t mean you’re completely helpless — in fact, this might be the best time to impress consumers by reaching out to them through a beautiful, mailed...

If you could improve your first impression on a first date, you probably would. The same mentality should apply to product packaging. Nearly 72% of American consumers say packaging influenced their purchasing decision. Whether you’re thinking about shipping products...

Has your company had the same look and logo for the past 10 years? Have you considered the impact you’d have if you changed it — showing your customers that you still care about appearances and adapting to new times? Although we know not to judge a book by its cover,...

Recently, it seems more and more that print marketing — or print anything, really — is becoming a thing of the past. Don’t buy in to it. Even though digital marketing is important and will remain so for the foreseeable future, there are a few key reasons that a print...

Due to the pandemic, many businesses are reevaluating their business plans, including pivoting their entire business model. If you find yourself in a similar situation with your company, you need to think outside the box, viewing clients, family, and friend's common...

What to Do in the Gig Economy During COVID-19 The pandemic has critically hurt the gig economy. If you're a freelancer or subcontractor, you know this all too well. However, as more industries reopen, the demand for these various gig services is resurfacing. But to...

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are continually expanding their advertising tools, and properly utilizing them is a full-time job. To ensure you're making the most out of your Twitter presence, here is what you need to know. Stay positive...

It’s an exciting time for every aspect of business, including marketing. In light of recent events, some companies have to completely overhaul their advertising strategies to meet the shifting demands of their clients. However, by addressing these trends now, you...

It’s not uncommon for a business to drop down in the search engine results. It may have happened to you. One day, your business is one of the top results for a branded or prominent keyword, then the next day, your business is at the bottom of page one, or worse, on...

While we’re all adjusting to how the business landscape is changing, it’s a great time to evaluate opportunities for improvement in your business plan. One area many small-business owners are exploring is their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) marketing strategy. A...

Millennials are the largest living generation, making them either the biggest threat or the biggest opportunity your business will see in 2020. If you haven’t been doing your research, you may find that marketing to millennials requires some additional work on your...

All too often, companies agonize over the best possible brand name, and then rush through the naming process for products. Don’t fall into that trap. Things like choosing an unflattering product name or even just having the wrong product packaging can be costly. If...

Without strong KPIs in place, you’ll be left guessing about your product’s performance. Choosing the right KPIs starts with making sure you’ve optimized the goals you have set for your product. The best KPIs are tied to a goal that is measurable, and keeping track of...

Creating a buyer persona is foundational to your business strategy. From product design to content creation, if you don’t know who you’re selling to and why they want to buy your product, the battle is lost before it has begun. Here are a few key considerations when...

According to a report by the Harvard Business School, on average, increasing your customer retention by just 5% can increase profits by as much as 25%–95%. Engaging your customers frequently and effectively has never been more essential than it is now. Here are three...

In the digital age, the marketing landscape can shift in an instant. As we move forward into 2020, here are three trends that aren’t going anywhere... Social Media Shopping Social media shopping is exploding right now. If your business features an e-commerce...

The greater the clarity you have about who your ideal customer is, the better you’ll be able to serve them — and if you don’t already know who these customers are, the new year is the perfect time to start developing that understanding. Here are three tips for...

As the holidays slow the pace of business, this week is an excellent time to take a deep breath and re-evaluate the effectiveness of your referral campaign. Referrals are one of the most cost-efficient and exponentially effective ways to grow your business, and...

Your business is only as good as the vendors you partner with. But what considerations should small business owners keep in mind when evaluating vendors as potential business partners? Transparency If you don’t trust your vendor, you won’t benefit from hiring them....

The number one problem most businesses face isn’t getting customers to come to their business, it’s retaining those customers once they do come. By providing a constant assessment of how your business is interacting with customers, mystery shopping can increase...

Sales is not a science, but there are ways to improve your results through modern methods. One such technique has been developed to make closing clients easy: the sales funnel. A sales funnel is a marketing strategy that outlines a customer’s journey from potential...

Your company logo is crucial to your brand identity. It’s a representation of the company values, that should inspire action and foster brand loyalty with your target audience. Whether you’re rebranding or just starting, you need to put a lot of thought and effort...

Inbound marketing strategies have led many companies toward success. Unfortunately, misconceptions about this advertising technique have also pushed just has many companies to fail. To make the most of this marketing style, there are three common misconceptions you...

Everyone who works in sales has that one lead they just can’t close. Every lead has their own personality and needs, so it can be hard to meet those on the spot. These precise sales steps will ensure you have the means to tailor your approach to the personality of any...

With everyone sending gifts and cards to loved ones, shipping during the holiday season can be a nightmare. Receiving materials late or having your consumers receive their products late puts strain on everyone. To ensure your business doesn’t falter during the...

As we’ve approached the holiday season, we’ve talked a lot about how to handle holiday marketing and if it’s right for your company. If you do decide to take part, there are a few unique ways to stand out amongst your peers. Live Video Event There is a growing...

Employee engagement is one of the most important facets of a successful business, and there are stats to show for it: Highly engaged teams are 21% more profitable than their less engaged counterparts. And the best way to encourage employee engagement is through a...

Facebook has recently experienced backlash regarding its privacy policies, and, as a result, their advertising tools will likely change soon to calm the tides. In a recent blog post, Mark Zuckerberg outlined his vision for the social media empire as a "privacy-focused...

When developing your marketing plan, it’s easy to rely on traditional strategies that have worked in the past. But with millennials making up more of the market, those traditional tactics may not work. As the marketing landscape shifts toward millennials, there are a...

Fiverr.com has generated a following recently as the place for a plethora of freelance marketing materials and services. However, in this gig economy, there are 100’s of freelancers and platforms competing for your marketing dollar. So, is Fiverr worth the hype?...

Whether your business relies on eCommerce or thrives in its brick-and-mortar setting, face-to-face marketing can make an impact on brand loyalty. Here is a quick breakdown of what face-to-face marketing is and how it can positively impact your business. What Is...

The internet and social media apps can be very confusing. They are continually changing to meet the needs of consumers. One of the vaguest concepts in this realm of marketing is Search Engine Optimization. SEO is essential to any online marketing strategy. Here is a...

Facebook Live can be a fantastic tool for connecting with your audience. It's great for major company announcements, product launches, rebranding, etc. While it can be a tremendous tool, it can also be a hindrance if done incorrectly. Here are some basic do's and...

Email marketing is a fascinating and booming field. Many believe this form of marketing to be outdated, but it’s not. An email list is worth its weight in gold. Here are some of the email marketing basics to get you headed in the right direction.  Know Where to Target...

Surprise and delight marketing has become a focal point to some marketing campaigns. It could be a vehicle in a rebranding strategy for some, while others may use it as an incentive for their current customers to purchase more and foster more brand loyalty.  What IS a...

You really have to be creative about communicating your message to your audience. It’s important to make the most out of any method you invest in. Here is a quick breakdown of the top two channels other marketers are diving into. YouTube YouTube is one of the top...

Search engine optimization (SEO) is both hard to conceptualize and hard to keep up with. Making those most of it can be an uphill battle. A lot of people have a basic understanding of what it is, but haven’t had the chance to fully understand what it stands for. With...

Critics of holiday marketing often ask, “How can you really raise sales in the span of 30 days?” And while it may seem unrealistic, there is definitely a reason companies big and small boost their marketing budget to target a specific holiday or season. If you want to...

No matter what industry you’re in, you’re likely to have a slow season. Whether it’s a few days or a few months, you should always be prepared to combat these highs and lows. When the dreaded slow season does begin, the best reaction is to kick your marketing into...

As we’ve touched on before, marketing is one of the most important parts of any successful business venture. No matter how you choose to do it, you should always be looking at better ways of communicating. That starts with finding the best way to transport your...

Just like virtually every other field in business, marketing is constantly changing. Marketing managers have to be constantly adapting to new problems in order to keep things running smoothly. With so many moving factors, this can seem like an insurmountable task....

Marketing: Everybody who made it through high school has heard the term a thousand times, but sometimes its true meaning gets lost. We use the word so often in business that it can serve as a catchall for just about every one of our processes. And while that’s true,...

You can’t deny the importance of social media marketing. There are very few industries in which you can see real growth that don’t have a social media presence, and that aren’t actively using that presence to market to their customers. This is especially true of a...

The power of referral marketing cannot be understated. Not only does it make it easier to scale, but it leads to strong relationships that revolve around long-term business transactions. The connection you form with your partners should be your ultimate focus. After...

At face value, implementing a digital marketing plan seems like a momentous task, especially if you’re not very tech-savvy. However, this process is not only beneficial to modern business but also necessary. It’s not as much of an uphill battle as you’d think. Putting...

Traditional marketing schemes are becoming more obsolete by the day, so it’s about time you were let in on marketing’s best-known secret: Content marketing is king. With the advent of fiber optic internet access and a renaissance in direct mail — if it ever really...

When you think of marketing today, the last thing you probably think of is mailing content. Between social media, television, and online marketing campaigns, it may seem counterintuitive to seemingly take a step back into the 90s with your marketing plans. The fact of...

The start of the new year gets everybody motivated to set new goals for their everyday life. Your business goals ought to be included as well. The early months of the year is the right time to take the next step forward in your professional life. If you are an...

Marketing starts with connections and ends with interactions. The sooner and more efficiently you’re able to reach your clientele, the better results and more patronage you will experience as a result. By looking to those who have been through exactly what you’re...

Being a business owner is the ultimate juggling act. You need to know how to run a business, hire new employees, tackle taxes, market your product, the list goes on and on. When learning how to handle all of this at once, it’s understandable when some things get swept...

In today’s business climate, your best bet in marketing doesn’t have to involve renting the biggest billboard in town. Although the garden-variety methods of marketing all still hold true to some extent — TV commercials, handbills, punch cards — we no longer need to...

Social media can warrant all sorts of well-deserved reactions, and personal perceptions. Social media seemed to show up overnight and before anyone realized, it was ruling the world. Only recently have colleges and universities begin to offer Social Media majors, as...

The Know-How to Pull in an Audience with Creative Content Why You Should be Creating and Publishing Content for Your Audience   The umbrella of content marketing encompasses many aspects of creative advertising, all of which you should utilize to better reach...

Social Media, Marketing Lore, and You Learning What Social Media Can do for You In the digital age, you’d be hard-pressed to find a logical reason to ignore the potential of social media. Its influence is everywhere we turn; its scope stretching out from third-world...

Picture this: You have a great idea for a product and you build up a business around it. It takes off for a while - you’ve got a great team with a common vision and great marketing ideas. Maybe your business does well...for a while. Then sales start to suffer....

Ever since I can remember, my mom and I have made it a tradition to get up early on Black Friday and get our Christmas shopping done. Every year, my mom asks me if I “still want to get up early” to go shopping, and every year, I say, “duh.” Of course, Black Friday has...

Most adults have experience with some sort of customer service jobs. I spent a long time working as a customer service representative to get myself through my undergrad. Later on, working as a content manager in a newsroom, I realized that all that time I...

In my perfect world, all my freelancing clients reach out to me and ask me to write pieces for them. Editors from around the world beg for the opportunity to ready my work. Unfortunately, most of the time, I have to be the one reaching out to potential...

When was the last time you checked your smartphone? If you're like most people, it's probably sitting next to you right now. Or it may even already be in your hand. Mobile use has exploded in the last few years, with more people than ever relying on their smartphones...