Marketing
This post is the second in my Twitter series that will go through April. If you haven’t read last week’s post, How to Use Twitter, Part 1: Get Started, go catch up now, then come back and read about how to tweet. Twitter was established as a microblogging platform,...
I frequently get asked how Twitter works. Despite the fact that most people know about it, many don’t understand it and find it intimidating. Twitter posts, or tweets, can include text, photos, videos, or GIFs. It’s easy enough to tweet, but tweeting well is a...
Two terms you'll hear a lot when you read about email marketing are email personalization and segmentation. What do they mean, what should you do with them, and how can they help you increase response to your email messages? I’m going to answer these questions in this...
Buffer: My Favorite Scheduling Tool for Small Business Social Media For a small business, social media is a critical piece of your marketing strategy that requires time, effort, and resources. It doesn't stop with posting — an effective social media program includes...
Don't Be Spammy. Don’t add people to your list who have not expressly opted in. There are laws that govern this, and the salient point of these laws is that you must have an explicit opt-in to your list. The read must know what they are signing up for and what they...
It's time to start thinking about holiday marketing for your small business. In fact, if you're just starting to plan your holiday marketing, you're behind. According to Crowdspring, the holiday months drive 30 percent more revenue for e-commerce businesses than other...
Speaking is one of my favorite parts of my job. I have almost no stage fright, in fact, I have fun in front of an audience and I try to make sure the audience does too. What I've learned is that it's important to be authentic and relaxed, to be yourself, and to care...
Nonprofit Marketing Challenges Nonprofit marketing can be challenging with limited resources are limited and staff. Organizations must use every hour and dollar wisely — there is no room for waste or inefficiency — and that includes marketing. This article will help you understand social media as it relates to your mission and how to use […]
Video marketing is a critical part of a good marketing strategy. You don’t have to hire a pro or be a pro to shoot good video.
If small business marketing is your job, you must learn to tell a compelling story. Stories bring your copy to life. They make the difference between boring copy and words that mean something to the reader. Here’s an illustration of the power of story. I’m a fan of...
Instagram video newcomer IGTV has just been released and is waiting for your content. I tried it out a few minutes ago on my personal account (because my friends will forgive me for looking foolish if need be). I haven't spent much time on the platform watching videos...
Online Reviews Can Make or Break You Online reviews are a fact of business life. Like it or not, your customers are free to express themselves where it concerns your product or service. There's little you can do to prevent negative reviews other than provide a level...
Why Instagram Marketing Can Be Frustrating Yes, Instagram marketing can make it difficult to share your content, as, unlike other social platforms, you can't post a link in an Instagram caption. Here's how I get around this. I set up a page called My Instalanding here...
If you spend time with a search engine optimization (SEO) expert, they'll tell you to come up with 10 - 15 marketing keywords that you want to be found for online. FYI, I know very little about SEO and I value my clients enough to refer them to a real expert if they...
If you'd like to increase sales, I have an exercise for you. I want you to begin to define your avatar(s). You may have more than one, in fact, you probably will. Wait - what’s an avatar? You may also have heard them referred to as personas. Same thing. You are...
Small business growth is a bit like gardening. Sometimes you have to prune to stay healthy and flourish. Do you ever feel like work isn't fun anymore? When I first started freelancing, I felt the need to say yes to every opportunity. Refusing potential...
I get this question often from clients who don't think they have the time to write original content: Do I need to blog? My answer is nearly always the same: Yes. Yes, and yes. Why is Blogging So Important? Google. I'm really talking about all search engines here, but...
Do You Manage Social Media for Small Business? If you manage social media for small business, you know that social media and the Web continue to be important for small organizations, freelancers, and entrepreneurs; in fact, more so than ever. Your website and online...