“Socialize” Your Email Marketing
Like chocolate colliding with peanut butter, great things happen when social links meet your email newsletter! Allowing your subscribers to share your emailed content via social sites with links within your messaging can catapult your CTR (click though rates) through the roof! Don’t believe me? Why, just take a look at the spectacular infographic below!
Pressed for Precious Time
Wow, it’s May 1st already. Where has the year gone??
There are just not enough hours in a day, right? Screw a Klondike Bar! What we busy business owners would do for an extra hour each day! The project management gurus at Mavenlink have put together this fun infographic about what time means to small businesses and some help on how you can get a little of it back with some time management tips.
Is Your Business Successfully Slacking?
Small businesses play a significant roll in powering and sustaining our country’s economic growth. The only problem is not all of these businesses are successful. It’s still pretty risky to start a business these days. In 2010, the number of businesses that opened (742,000) almost mirrors the number of businesses that closed (754,000). Still, that doesn’t seem to deter those with relentless entrepreneurial spirit… which is a good thing. The trick is not to “slack” on the most important business aspects that will ensure success.
Slacking on Market Research - Sure, your idea is brilliant… revolutionary, even… but you still have to me sure there is a viable market for it. With that, you’ll need to make sure you can effectively service your target market. Determine if the demand for your product/service is at a level that will sustain your business.
Slacking on Operations - Everybody hates paperwork. Entrepreneurs are largely “idea” or sales-oriented people and the thought of bookkeeping makes us break out in hives. Improperly handling your back-of-the-house operations, can break your business.
Slacking on Protection - Do not under estimate the power of a good insurance policy! Not having proper coverage could not only destroy your business but ruin the personal assets of the business owners too.
Slacking on Promotion - As much as we talk about marketing and promoting your business here, you already know that this is a biggie! We’ve got loads of advice on it right HERE!
Biting Off More Than You Can Chew - Be careful not to move too fast by taking on more clients or projects than you can handle or hiring more staff than you can afford. Finding the right balance will make clients and employees… and by extension, you… very happy.
Is your business successful or successfully slacking? Let us know how you’re doing!
How are Cloud Backups for Home & Work Different?
As more individuals and business owners turn to the Cloud to back up data, it is not surprising that the services are catering to different needs. Before it is possible to understand the differences between work and home Cloud services, it is important to recognize what the data backup software is and how it works.
The Cloud is a structure of off-site, remote servers that store user data for personal or business use, according to Jake Rocheleau on HongKiat.com. Connecting to Cloud services requires an online network connection and an account, with different settings and storage options for the different needs of companies and individuals.
Data Differences
Although the services have many similarities for home storage and business data storage needs, the amount of information that the cloud can store is vastly different. According to Samara Lynn of PCMag.com, the storage needs of a business and an individual are vastly different, so the services related to storage are a key difference.
In the case of a business, a larger amount of storage is necessary to backup all of the data. Even small businesses accumulate a wide range of information about customers, suppliers and the company employees. Backing up a large amount of data is time consuming, so businesses will need services that help speed up and manage the process easier. Hybrid solutions are often used for businesses to help streamline the upload process. Cloud for personal use does not require hybrid services because the storage requirements are generally much less than businesses.
Synchronization Needs
The differences between home Cloud services and business Cloud services often relates to synchronization requirements. Businesses need to have Cloud services that allow improved synchronization in the office environment, noted to Mark A. Smith of Information-Management.com. The ability to synchronize information onto several computers or mobile devices is essential to quickly accessing data and improving the company’s ability to work as efficiently as possible.
At home, the amount of synchronization is limited. Many users might only need to synchronize the data to one or two devices rather than an office full of computers. The efficiency of syncing data at home does not require the same focus because the speed is not compromised with several devices accessing information.
Security
Security is an essential part of maintaining and running a business. The amount of data a hacker can obtain from a personal computer is limited. A business can have data from dozens, thousands and even millions of individuals, including customers and employees, so security is essential.
Online backup software for businesses has more security features, methods of encrypting data and measures to protect information to reduce the risk of hackers accessing the account. Although home Cloud services will have many security features, it is not the same level as the services offered to companies.
Compliance
Compliance is another consideration for businesses. Regulations do not apply to the Cloud services of personal users, Lynn stated. Companies, on the other hand, must focus on meeting any regulations and compliance requirements when selecting a service.
Backing up data is important for personal and business needs, but the exact nature of backup software will vary based on the situation. In many cases, businesses will have greater requirements for data, security features and accessibility than those using Cloud services at home.
Making a Great Newsletter
Last post, we explained a bit of why email newsletters are important and how they should be an important part of your marketing strategy. Now let’s talk about what should go into them to make them great. Your newsletter is one of the most effective ways you have to communicate with your clients and prospects. Here are some elements that will help ensure your message is opened and read.
Design - As with everything, it all starts with a great design. Just like with your website it should be aesthetically appealing but also simple and easy to read and navigate through. Colors and fonts should match your website and company brand unless there is a specific reason not to such as a seasonal, holiday, or special themed promotion.
Something New - The main content of your website should not be regurgitated in your newsletters. True, one of your goals is to drive traffic to your website and you can “tease” your readers with introductions to your latest blog post, etc., but newsletters should have new content not seen anywhere else…or at least your subscribers are the first to see it before the general public. This creates an incentive to be a subscriber.
Special Offers - In the same vein of having new content, offering a special perk for your subscribers will also give them incentive to not only open your newsletter but continue receiving them.
Personal Connection - Most newsletter programs have the ability to use merge data tags so that you can address your subscribers by name or include other personal elements from their subscriber profile that may be relevant to the newsletter content. Having something as simple as “Dear Christie” will create a personal connection and can lead to a conversion.
Call to Action - Yes, your email newsletters need effective calls-to-action too. Once they open and read your message, what do your subscribers need to do next? What do you want them to do? Be sure your calls-to-action are clear and entice the reader to make a move.
Easy Opt Out - Not that you really want your subscribers to leave you but for whatever reason they sometimes may wish to stop receiving your messages. It may not have anything to do with dissatisfaction and they may have the intent to resubscribe someday. However that all can be ruined if the unsubscribe process is too difficult. One-click unsubscribes are the best. If the reader has to jump through too many hoops, the less likely they will be to return.
Are you making great newsletters? Let us know (comment below). Need help? Get some specific input.
Why Are Email Newsletters A Good Idea?
At some point in your marketing planning and research you’ve probably heard or read that sending out an email newsletter to your contacts and subscribers is a good idea. It is and should be incorporated into your overall strategy. Why? Here are a few reasons…
Keep In Touch - The most obvious reason to incorporate a newsletter is to keep in touch with your contacts. Why wait for them to visit you when you can visit them…right in their inbox?
In Sight, In Mind - Newsletters keep your business and brand on the mind of your customers, colleagues, and whomever else is on your contact list. When they receive your message it will call to mind their experience with you and hopefully encourage them to continue the relationship.
Personal Touch - In conjunction with what was said above, newsletters can be used to create a personal connection with your contacts. You can address them by name in the message, send them a note on their birthday, and in some cases, custom content.
Why wouldn’t you want to reach your audience on a deeper more personal level that will bring you more return in the future?
Are you using an email newsletter in your marketing strategy? Tell us about it!
Want help implementing an email campaign? Let us know.
In-House or Outsourced Marketing?
When you first started your business, you undoubtedly wore many of the “hats” necessary to keep things running smoothly. As your company grows, you will definitely need to hand off those hats for other people to wear… for business productivity and for your own sanity. One of those hats being the one labeled “marketing” and you’ll be faced with the decision to either hire a full-time marketing person or contract out marketing functions.
Before you draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper titled “Pros and Cons,” here’s a handy infographic by Mavenlink that could be of some assistance…
Steve Jobs on Marketing
I stumbled upon this video showing a young(er) Steve Jobs on a stage in a pair of shorts in 1997, introducing a shift in Apple’s marketing that would eventually lead them to become a household brand. He’s introducing the “Think Different” campaign, which would be a pivotal point in Apple’s presence.
In this video, Steve speaks to the elements of a marketing campaign that get a response, and that it’s not about the brand or what you’re selling. It’s about what you’re about. Great, moving 6 minutes of inspiration from one of the great world-changers.
Image Is Everything!
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. These days, with the social media world placing enormous emphasis on using high-quality images in content, no truer words have ever been spoken.
Where once written content was king, there has been a giant shift to the “visual” with the popularity and rapid growth of social sites like Pinterest and Instagram as well as the new timeline view on Facebook. Images can positively enhance all aspects of online content about your company.
- Articles/posts with images have 94% more total views than articles/posts without.
- 60% of consumers are more likely to consider a business that has an image show up in local search results.
- 67%of consumers say image quality is very important in selecting/purchasing products.
- Social media posts with photos have higher user engagement than text only.
Get Your Thousand Words Worth – Here are some tips to get the most out of your images:
- In articles and posts, use relevant images and search-optimized captions and metadata.
- For local searches, use high-quality images of your actual business instead of just your logo.
- With product images, include multiple views of each item.
- In social media, use high-quality “fun” images that people will want to share.
(Data source: MDG Advertising)
Reinventing the Wheel: Does Your Business Need a Do-Over?
Lately we’ve been giving you mountains of information on how to amp up your marketing and your digital presence. It might not be just your website that needs an overhaul…it could be your entire business. According to a study by Citibank, “More than half of small-business owners say they’ve reinvented their company to stay afloat or competitive.”
How do you know if it’s time to reinvent the wheel? See the cool infographic below for some enlightening information on evolution. Important takeaways are to make peace with letting go of old models that no longer serve the purpose of your business and have a good strategic plan for executing the change.
“Socialize” Your Email Marketing
May 14, 2013Is Your Business Successfully Slacking?
April 23, 2013How are Cloud Backups for Home & Work Different?
April 9, 2013Does Your State Make the Grade?
February 12, 2013Hook, Line and Sinker: Today’s Top Phishing scams
January 22, 2013“Socialize” Your Email Marketing
May 14, 2013Is Your Business Successfully Slacking?
April 23, 2013’90s Tech Icons: Where Are They Now?
March 16, 2012
