Why Your Business Needs a Blog

bloggingforbusiness

“If you want to catch more fish, cast a wider net.”

Throughout my meetings with businesses over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed one common trait: As we first sit down to begin our conversation, they tell me they’re not really sure about the whole blog thing. More specifically, they don’t see how it can be of value to their business.

And hey, let me start off by saying that I get it – I get why they don’t get it. Especially with an older business that has primarily used traditional marketing (i.e. word of mouth, ads in the local paper), then I can certainly see why a blog might seem a little daunting or too cutting-edge. But the reasons a business should have a blog far outweigh the reasons it shouldn’t. Hold on to your hats folks, ‘cause I’m about to give you a brand spankin’ new perspective.

YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS A BLOG BECAUSE…

  1. It’s a promotional tool. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if your biz doesn’t have a blog (or if you’re not maintaining the one you have), then you’re missing out on free publicity. A blog is another method of putting your business’s name out there for everyone to come across. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you are – restaurant, independent consultant, photography, grocery store, consignment shop, etc. – a blog will promote your brand and amp up your online presence. Also, a recent HubSpot survey noted that companies that blog receive 97% more links to their website.
  1. It creates engagement. A blog is basically an open invitation for feedback from your audience. Great content is a magnet for comments, shares, likes, etc. Start off by writing an informative and interesting article about something related to your industry, and then share it on your social media pages. Your audience will do the rest!
  1. It shows off your expertise. You’re a professional and you want people to trust you, right? Blogging is a fantastic way to earn some of that trust because it puts your expertise, character, skills and creativity on full display. No matter what you think, your clients or potential clients really are genuinely interested in what you have to say. So show it off while earning some of their trust simultaneously.
  1. It makes you more valuable. Think about a few of your competitors. Do they have a well-maintained blog? Are they on top of any modern marketing methods that create a value for their customers? By staying on top of your blogging and marketing game, you’re setting a higher standard and creating more of a value for your clients.
  1. It fuels SEO. Blogging is the most natural way to optimize your site for search engines. You can shell out a small fortune to promote your page on Google, Facebook, etc. – or you can take the organic approach by creating consistent, valuable content that Google and other search engines will reward you for.

Still not sure if blogging could create value for your business? Call me, email me, text me, message me – I would love, love, love to chat with you about all the creative ways we could make a blog work for your biz.

 


hayley-gable-bowermanFor the last decade, Hayley has been leaving her mark creatively on small, independently-owned businesses through editorial- and design-based marketing strategies. As a believer in the art of storytelling and the influence of a strong brand, her goal is to unlock the value that all small businesses possess and use it to their advantage using creative, strategic marketing methods.

Email Marketing Do’s and Don’ts

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Think email marketing might not work for your business? Think again. Check out these email marketing stats that were recently released by salesforce.com.

  1. 44% of email recipients made at least one purchase last year based on a promotional email. 
  2. 33% of email recipients open email based on subject line alone. 
  3. Roughly half of an email list will be active – either opening or clicking on emails.
  4. Subject lines fewer than 10 characters long had an open rate of 58%. 
  5. Personalized subject lines are 22.2% more likely to be opened. 
  6. For B2B companies, subject lines that contained “money,” “revenue,” and “profit” performed the best. 
  7. 64% of people say they open an email because of the subject line.
  8. 7 in 10 people say they made use of a coupon or discount from a marketing email in the prior week.
  9. 39% of marketers have no strategy for mobile email.
  10. 72% of B2B buyers are most likely to share useful content via email.
  11. Monday emails had the highest revenue per email. 
  12. 27% of consumers were more likely to say their favorite companies should invest in more email. 
  13. Emails that include social sharing buttons have a 158% higher click-through rate.
  14. Women click 10% more often than men on mobile emails. 
  15. 82% of consumers open emails from companies.
  16. 64% of decision-makers read their email via mobile devices.

So, what’s the recipe for a perfect email campaign? Here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider before sending off your next piece of communication.

– DO –

Craft a killer subject line. In email marketing, it’s almost always the subject line that causes people to open or delete your email, so putting the right combination of words together is pretty much imperative to the email’s overall success. If you’re not a marketing vocabulary genius, that’s totally okay. Here are a few tips for creating an effective subject line:

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  • In the words of Don Draper (by the way, did anyone catch the Mad Men premier last night?), make it simple, but significant. Steer clear of lengthy or overly wordy subject lines. Those with 28-39 characters typically have the highest click-through rate.
  • Ask questions. If you’re sending out an email about an upcoming event or in-store sale, a few ideas could be: What are your plans this weekend? Or Want to know about something amazing happening Friday?
  • Be persuasive. Words like free, sale, party, event make for great marketing language.
  • Include a call-to-action. What do you want your audience to do? Make it clear whether you want them to go to your website, visit your store, sign up for a contest, etc.
  • Don’t be too sales-y or pushy in your subject line. The folks at MailChimp tell their customers “when it comes to email marketing, the best subject lines tell what’s inside, and the worst subject lines sell what’s inside.”

– Make the email design attractive. Whether you use a theme or hire a designer to develop a custom template, it’s important to stand out and look clean, vibrant and exciting.

– Set clear expectations. Sometimes I’ll open an email from a business and I’ll skim all the way down without finding any real purpose for the campaign other than just to plant their name in your inbox. Ahhhhhhh. Can I just stand on my soapbox for a sec and say that annoys the living heck out of me? What a surefire way to get people to either unsubscribe or report you as spam. Please don’t be that business. Make the point of your email clear from the get-go. An attention-grabbing subhead will usually do just the trick: “There’s Lots Going On At Katie’s Photography Studio This Month…Read On To See What We’re Up To!” or “XYZ Services, Inc. Was Just Awarded Small Business Of The Year! Check Out Our Major Accomplishment”

– Include a call to action right away. OK, so they’ve opened the email – what next? Be up front and clear about this. “Visit our website now through Sunday to get 40% off all orders!” or “Like us on Facebook to be entered into our spring giveaway!” are a few examples of effective calls to action.

– Send from a real person, not a generic company account. Guys, there’s absolutely nothing personal about sending from info@xyzcompany.com or emails@hairsalonforyou.com. This rings especially true for small businesses who set themselves apart by offering community-based, face-to-face relationships with customers. Bottom line: People will recognize an email from johnsmith@smithfamilybuilders.com – making them much more likely to open it than if it were from an unfamiliar name or address.

– DON’T –

– Bombard your subscribers. Depending on the kind of business you run, keep emails to a minimum. If you offer daily or weekly specials, one email a week is ideal. If you offer occasional specials, deals or news (seasonal, monthly, etc.), once or twice a month works just fine. Any more than this and you’re taking the risk of just flat out annoying your subscribers.

– Write lengthy, wordy paragraphs. People will skim through your email, so this is not the time or place to write a novel about your latest sale, achievement, new hire, store opening, big event, etc. Keep it short and to the point. Use bulleted or numbered lists, and limit paragraphs to 2-3 sentences tops.

– Forget to include crucial information. Don’t forget to include your contact information (all phone numbers and email addresses), links or social sharing icons to your website and social media pages.


 

hayley-gable-bowermanFor the last decade, Hayley has been leaving her mark creatively on small, independently-owned businesses through editorial- and design-based marketing strategies. As a believer in the art of storytelling and the influence of a strong brand, her goal is to unlock the value that all small businesses possess and use it to their advantage using creative, strategic marketing methods.

Ways To Boost Your Business’s Social Media Presence Right Now

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Morning Coffee with Gab is a weekly feature aimed to inspire and encourage small business owners to get on top of their organization’s marketing game. So before your day gets crazy, grab that cup o’ joe and give this a quick read – we’ll get your day off to a great, motivating start!

 Ways To Boost Your Business’s Social Media Presence Right Now

Use images. People are visual, and if you’re only posting text or links on your social media pages then your audience will surely get bored. There’s no need for you to be a professional graphic designer who can use every Adobe program with your eyes closed, but you should be able to consistently post simple, high quality photos of your products, services, etc. Invest in a decent camera and aim for photos that spotlight your products/services in a setting and background that isn’t overly busy. Want to touch up those photos with a super easy-to-use and free photo editing program? I swear by www.picmonkey.com.

Use the power of storytelling. This is a really effective tool for your social media marketing because it’s a surefire way to persuade people and call them to action. Have you ever been sucked in to watching an entire infomercial on TV because it began with someone’s real-life story – maybe even one you could relate to somehow? That’s why infomercials work – they tell a story. Your job is to tell a story, too – it could be yours or it could be your clients’. If you own a salon, take some before-and-after shots of a client’s hair and ask them for the story behind it. Why did they want this change and why did they hire you to do it? If you own a restaurant, promote your front of house staff by telling their stories (where they went to school, what their favorite dish off the menu is, why they enjoy working there, little-known fact about them, etc.).

Be interactive. This seems like an easy one, but the sad truth is that there are too many businesses out there today that have social media pages (as well as a significant following) that have gone stale because of their lack of engagement. Listen up: If people choose to like/follow you, this means they genuinely want to hear from you. Don’t let them down. Throw out an occasional fun question of the day, survey, etc. and see what your audience has to say. Also majorly important is that if someone asks a question or makes a comment that invites your response, be sure to reply to that person in a timely fashion. In this day and age, there is such a thing as social media etiquette (which we’ll cover in another post) and it should definitely be followed.

Evoke emotion. Any content that evokes emotion from your audience is almost always more likely to generate shares or retweets. So, how do you do this? Tell stories (see above) about your customers that have a happy ending. Infuse a little bit of your personality through each of your posts, and use emotionally-charged, descriptive words. Whatever you write should light a fire in people and ultimately inspire, motivate and entertain them.

Be consistent with your posts. Two to three posts per week is ideal for a small business, but if you really want to step up your game, make it five to seven times per week and see just what happens. Come up with a list of a few creative post ideas, think a little strategically about the kind of response you want, when you should post them each, etc. and then schedule them via a social media management program such as HootSuit, Sprout or Buffer. Not feeling up to it or don’t have the time? Contact us today and we’d be happy as a clam to do this for you.


hayley-gable-bowerman

For the last decade, Hayley has been leaving her mark creatively on small, independently-owned businesses through editorial- and design-based marketing strategies. As a believer in the art of storytelling and the influence of a strong brand, her goal is to unlock the value that all small businesses possess and use it to their advantage using creative, strategic marketing methods.

 

 

Five Ways To Write An Effective About Us Page For Your Business

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Often times when business owners sit down to draft content for their website, they begin with what they think will be the easiest. Typically this is the “About Us” part of their site, which actually ends up being the part they spend the most amount of time on because they’re unsure of 1) how exactly to go about writing it (as far as style, tone, technique, perspective, etc.), 2) the impression they want to give, and 3) how to be compelling and get their overall message across.

This is an extremely important part of your website that you do not want to neglect.

how_to_write_an_effective_about_us_page3Why? People are seeking a window to connect with you – a window to find something in common or just a way to bond. Your story is that window. So while the rest of your site may come off as dry or technical, your About Us story is a chance to prove that you are human, you are personable and you are charismatic.

Let’s talk for a second here about the standard, cookie-cutter business bio that you’ll find on most company websites.

“JohnDoe Services was founded in 2007 and has become a national leader in providing broad spectrum computer consulting services. Our team of experts utilizes the latest technologies to ensure customized solutions for each of our clients. JohnDoe Services continues to grow by being an innovative, full-service IT company that puts its customers first. Contact us today!”

Does this bio humanize the business at all? Does it give it a face? No. It’s dry, it’s not engaging, and doesn’t even tell a complete story. Lame, right?

So I know what you’re thinking: How do I even begin to tell my business’s story in a way that doesn’t come across as lame?

Here is your answer.

  1. Start off by jotting down in two-three sentences the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY of your business.
  • Who established the business?
  • What is the business? What does it do?
  • When was it founded?
  • Where is it located? What areas does the business provide service to?
  • Why are you in business? Why do you do what you do every day?
  1. Establish a tone that is conversational.

Pretend that you’re out at a restaurant, you run into an old friend and they ask what you’re up to with your career these days. What would you say and how would you say it? Write down your response. When you weave this response into your final draft, make sure the tone is relatively consistent with the rest of the content on your site.

  1. Show some personality and have some fun.

Offer your audience a way to connect with you by having some fun answering these questions.

  • How did you really get started with this business? Is there some back-story or special circumstance that got you to where you are today?
  • Was there ever a turning point when your business decided to change direction?
  • What sets you apart from others in your industry? Why should people call you and not the other guys?
  • Is there one moment throughout the history of your business that captures its essence in a nutshell?
  • Who are the employees behind your company? What makes them so awesome?
  • What do you specialize in? What are you really, really, really good at?
  • Is there a famous quote or saying that you or people in your business often have about something?
  • What’s a fun fact about your business that many may not know?
  • What makes you credible? What are your certifications, awards, honors, etc.?
  1. Be authentic.

Whatever you do, don’t try to be something or someone you’re not. If you’re a startup, own it. If you’re a small, family-owned business, flaunt it. If you have a hugely successful business, back it up with facts – tell everyone why. Just don’t add fluff to make it seem like you’re somebody else. Use it to your advantage to be who you are.

People love authenticity. Be creative by showing before-and-after shots of your business. What did your office look like way back when? What does your workspace look like now? If you’re business is in a transitional phase (relocating, remodeling, adding staff members, etc.) then talk about it (just don’t forget to go back and update it once the transition has been complete).

Showing off a generic photo of your staff is okay, but how about adding a few candid shots of your team members at their desk or out and about performing their job? Again, be real with people. Show everyone that you’re genuine.

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  1. Show off your passion for what you do.

 Think back to a time when you helped out a client and afterwards thought to yourself “This is exactly why I love what I do.” You guys, this is called passion – and it’s very important for everyone to know about!

When people know that there’s a heart and soul behind the work they need done, they are more inclined to hire you. Make this an essential part of your business’s story.

To summarize, your business’s story should be accurate, engaging, interesting and authentic. Need help crafting or re-crafting your business’s About Us page? Contact us today and we’ll get to work making the most out of this crucial section of your website.

hayley-gable-bowerman


For the last decade, Hayley has been leaving her mark creatively on small, independently-owned businesses through editorial- and design-based marketing strategies. As a believer in the art of storytelling and the influence of a strong brand, her goal is to unlock the value that all small businesses possess and use it to their advantage using creative, strategic marketing methods.