It is probably safe to assume your company has a marketing plan. That’s document detailing the strategies to market your products and services to the defined target audience. However, do you find your company falls short in executing the plan? That’s where the Content Calendar comes in!

Let’s face it, priorities change, and problems come up. Next thing you know, it is six months down the road, and you have forgotten what was in the original plan, let alone followed through with implementation. And this lack of follow-through can negatively impact your business.

Follow Through on your Plan with a Content Calendar

One way to eliminate this situation is by developing a content marketing calendar. By definition, it’s a tool that helps you plan and execute your marketing strategy. It turns your plan into actionable deliverables.

Creating a marketing content calendar may seem daunting at first, but in its simplest form, consider it a living, breathing document used to plan your content. The amount of detail and layout can vary according to your organization’s preferences. At a minimum, it should contain a separate column or tab for your platform(s), content to be published, and the publishing date.

How to Create a Marketing Content Calendar

It may seem overwhelming but consider these key pieces of information as you start to plan your content calendar.

• What marketing platforms do you use? Social media, email marketing, blog posting. No matter what platforms you utilize, it’s most efficient to keep track of your content in one document.
• Determine how often you publish content. Do you post to your social media channels three times a week? Do you send a monthly email or maybe a weekly communication? How often do you write blog articles? Twice a month?
• Create your content calendar. It’s recommended to plan your content at least one month in advance using either an excel spreadsheet or a Google Sheet. Create a separate tab for each marketing platform (social media, email marketing, blog articles, etc.). For social media, create a new tab for each month of content.
• Plan your content. Consider key dates to promote your product or service. Do you have an upcoming product launch or event? Are there specific holidays or national days you want to highlight?
• Build out your calendar. After you’ve answered all the questions above, add those items to your content calendar. Plug your content into the assigned content tab for each month or week.

Next Step: Executing Your Content

The next step is to add additional levels of detail. Consider the supporting images and content needed for each social post, email, blog article, on your content calendar. Assign ownership and build out timelines. Who is responsible for image creation, content development, social media posting and building and launching emails?

Now it’s time to see the benefits of your hard work pay off. Publish your content and monitor your results using analytics. Find out what content and images generate the greatest response and what fell short. Test your messages and images. Change your content accordingly. Be creative and…HAVE FUN!!! It all starts with a good content calendar.

Welcome Thomas Bahash, our new summer intern, to the Porch!

It’s time to welcome a new team member — Thomas Bahash — to the Porch. He’s an Advertising and Brand Strategy major at Texas Tech, and a golfer (in case you didn’t notice). We love our summer interns, and we’re so excited to introduce you to Thomas. You can read about him on our team page, and today, we’ve asked him a few questions about his perspective on advertising, so you can get to know him better. And then you can send him a big “howdy!”

What is the biggest misconception about advertising today?

aI believe the biggest misconception about advertising is it’s easy and simple. Many people don’t understand the research and work that has to be done before you release an ad.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

A piece of advice I would give my younger self is to not sweat the small things so much, learn from them, but don’t dwell on them.

What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned so far at school?

The biggest lesson I learned from college is to stay organized, it is hard to juggle school work, extracurricular activities, and live on your own for the first time. Staying organized makes everything a little bit easier.

What does good brand strategy look like?

A good brand strategy effectively conveys its mission to the appropriate audience.

If you could go to dinner with one person living or dead who would it be?

If I could attend dinner with anyone in the world, it would be Justin Thomas. Justin is a great person and role model to all ages, hopefully he can help me work on my swing as well.

If you could describe yourself in three words what would they be?

Three words to describe me are personable, determined, and energetic.

Tell us about a major milestone in your life?

A major milestone in my life was being elected captain of my high school lacrosse team. At that moment, I realized people looked up to me, and I wanted to do everything to become a great leader. I still use things I have learned from being captain in my everyday life!

From your perspective, how does Front Porch Marketing differentiate itself from other marketing companies?

Front Porch Marketing differentiates itself from other companies by establishing close relationships with its clients. I have not met a company as friendly and welcoming as theirs!

What is a fun fact about you?

A fun fact about me is I am from the Jersey Shore.

How Do You START Marketing Your Small Business?

Marketing your small business can be an overwhelming task if you’re starting from scratch. Where do you start? What’s the most important thing? What are the marketing steps to take to get to success?

Over the years, Front Porch Marketing has written a ton of articles to help small businesses succeed — on everything from social media to marketing plans. Today we’ll gather those up in a helpful list that you can use to start marketing your small business. Even if you’re starting from scratch.

Start Your Marketing With a Plan

Before you start doing anything, you need to have a big, bad marketing plan. Why? This steering document will help you know who your audience is and what your goals are. It will help you develop strategies to succeed, and tactics to reach those people.

As months pass, though, don’t forget you’ll need to continue to cultivate your marketing plan to make it grow, much like weeding and feeding a garden. Weed out what’s not working, and do more of what is working. A Marketing Plan is a living document.

Make Your Business Look Like It Means Business

To present the best face of your business to the world, you’ll need a logo. This visual symbol of your business’ legitimacy will be a reminder everywhere — your email, your website, your invoices, your staff’s golf shirts. Designing a strong logo and implementing it is key to a strong brand voice.

Can Your Customers Find You as You Are Marketing Your Small Business?

Most businesses have a website, as their home-base on the internet. This is the first place customers will go to find you and learn more about your business. Is yours up-to-date? Or do you need to build your first website? Maybe you just need to expand your presence by adding a social media channel or two after a social media audit. Depending on who your customer is, you might choose Facebook or LinkedIn, Twitter or TikTok, to reach them.

You might also want to consider email marketing to reach your customers. Engage and connect with customers. Make their lives easier by helping them solve problems. Email marketing has power, and building your email marketing list can build your business.

Grow Your Audience With Advertising!

Reaching your consumers wherever they may be is important. So your marketing plan might likely include some form of advertising. Do you need digital advertising to reach new customers on the internet? Maybe text message marketing and advertising (SMS) to build loyalty with your existing customers. Would testimonials on your website convince others to try your company?

Establish Your Authority With Media Relations.

Some businesses benefit from having the news media write about them in editorials, reviews and interviews. Effective media relations can get great results for your business goals when done properly. Customizing your news to each publication can benefit both parties.

Start Your Small Business Marketing from Scratch By Taking the First Step

Read through some of our articles to help you get started on the journey of marketing your small business. Remember that it’s a marathon, and that you can continuously improve your approach to get better and better results. Need help with any part of your journey? We’re here to help.

“Business Lessons” Are Not Your Typical Mother’s Day Tribute

This past weekend, we all celebrated Mother’s Day. Some of us celebrated by remembering their mothers who are no longer with us. One of the things I remember the most about my mom is her sensibility. She had a philosophy for life that was kind, inclusive, smart and at the same time funny. That’s why I can remember some of the bits of wisdom she both repeated and modeled to me as a child, and have used them as business lessons in my career.

While most of these were not given to me in the business context, I have been able to apply these 5 life lessons as 5 business lessons. Moms sometimes have a very clear vision for what makes a successful brand, company, or business. And now I can say that my mom was my first business consultant. So I’m going to share some of her wisdom with you in honor of Mother’s Day.

Close enough for government work.

We might all just stop trying to be perfect. You are good enough just the way you are! My mom would always say “close enough for government work” when something didn’t come out exactly as I expected it would. And instead of being upset, we’d all laugh. And we’d move on. And we’d try again.

Because heck, if a giant business like the government doesn’t do it perfectly the first time, then how can we be expected to do so? Do your best and that will be good enough. It’s our effort and perseverance that counts.

Not what I would have done, but just as good.

As a business leader, recognizing that your colleagues or direct reports might not solve a problem exactly as you would have, evaluate others’ work through fresh eyes. Weigh their solutions against the brief or the client ask, and if it works (even if its not what you would have done) then it’s good.

This simple and valuable business lesson will go a long way toward building trust and loyalty within your team. After all, you hired these people and they are experts at what they do, so treat them as such.

Take care of everyone smaller than you.

When I was very small, this meant if a friend falls down on the playground go help them up and make them feel better. Or if a kid younger than you seems like they need a friend, be one. Share your snack with kids who don’t have one. That sort of thing.

As I got older, the meaning became less literal and more figurative. “Smaller” could mean less access, fewer resources, more burden. Anything that made someone’s life smaller than yours.

So now as an adult, if you have access to something that others don’t, share your access. Hire a non-traditional intern who might never have had the opportunity. Bring a younger colleague to an industry event or dinner. Give public kudos and rewards to your team. Create and support programs in your company that create a more equal, diverse and inclusive environment for everyone.

Practice what you preach.

If you say one thing, but do the opposite, what message are you sending about yourself? You’re damaging your credibility said my mom. When you demonstrate this business lesson — that you know what you’re talking about — then people will believe that you are an expert.

For example, if you are a digital marketing agency that handles social media for your clients, but your own agency doesn’t have social media channels, how can potential clients know that you’re an expert?

If you need help, ask.

This was one of the most important lessons that I learned from my mom, that I’ve applied to my entire career as a business lesson. It’s ok to not know how to do everything. It’s ok to say in a meeting “Well, I don’t know the answer, but I will go find out.”

Leaders, surround yourself with people who are better at things than you are, and ask them when you need help, and you’ll always be successful. We are all over the “fake it til you make it” mantra. Be vulnerable, ask for help. In the process, you’ll be giving someone else a compliment by asking for their expertise. And you’ll probably be learning something new.

My Business Lessons From Mom Made Me a Successful Business Person

I hope you’ve enjoyed some of the wisdom that my mother shared with me. She always said that if you can do something that might help someone, take that opportunity. I’ve tried to follow that advice my entire career. And I would consider myself successful in that regard…and to me that’s the aspect of business acumen that matters the most.

LinkedIn mistakes can be avoided with careful branding and strategy.

LinkedIn continues to be a powerful tool for brands, B2B, B2C and nonprofits, as well as business leaders — and instead of LinkedIn mistakes your company can make LinkedIn a tool for driving your bottom line. Often, companies and nonprofits as well as business leaders approach us to partner with them on LinkedIn strategies and execution. But a few things need to be in place before we start.

When and How to Get Started With LinkedIn

Front Porch Marketing first looks at the brand architecture, target audiences, and competitive environment. For a LinkedIn strategy to be successful, there has to be a good marketing foundation. Therefore, if the branding and strategy isn’t right to begin with, we will not be able to help. We believe in being stewards of our Clients’ budgets and brands, so we consider a one-off LinkedIn initiative to be shooting money into the wind. And that LinkedIn mistake isn’t brand- or thought-leader building.

With that said, these are the five most common LinkedIn mistakes we are seeing companies make right now:

1. Brand pages reposting individuals’ content on its feed

Individuals should share brand content on their feed not the other way around. Content should lead back to the brand.

2. Brand pages posting once or maybe two times a month is a LinkedIn mistake

People cannot see the posts without regular consistency. Be consistent to create connections with your audience.

3. Brand pages only posting what is happening with the company

But what’s in it for your followers? To be truly successful on LinkedIn, provide value and insights no matter where they come from. It’s not what’s all about you you you.

4. Brand pages are not being social

LinkedIn members are commenting and liking your posts. Are you engaging them and doing the same in return? Talk to your followers and this will lead to insights that will inform future content.

5. Business leaders are not convicted about the network

They say that people are only trying to sell me things, or that social media is a waste of time. And the worst of all, *that* isn’t worth sharing. Your followers want to know more about your company, what it stands for, how it can help them, what it’s like to work there and more. LinkedIn is not a mistake — it’s a platform for engaging with your employees, your future employees, your peers and the larger business world.

Want to chat more about LinkedIn, and not make a LinkedIn mistake?

We are happy to do so, to help your company understand how LinkedIn can be a business-driving tool for their industry online. Let’s have a real conversation on the Porch.

Programmatic Advertising is Driving Results.

After Q1, clients historically shift focus based on marketing, advertising and communications results so far in the year. The Front Porch team than also ebbs and flows to make sure our efforts are successfully driving topline revenue for our clients.

One of the tactics working for our clients right now? Programmatic advertising. As we start Q2 and continue into 2023, this advertising approach is driving results.

What is Programmatic Advertising?

It is a bit different than digital advertising. Programmatic advertising utilizes automation and algorithms to achieve success. Too far in the weeds: but it is about the process of ads purchased and sold. But it is different than traditional media-buying techniques. Programmatic advertising meets the potential customer when and where they are. This approach optimizes the efforts of the advertising, hyper targeting the most interested, most matched customers with the brand.

What is the Difference Between Display Advertising and Programmatic Advertising?

Clients often ask us what the difference is between display advertising and programmatic advertising, since in many cases they can look the same. The answer is that programmatic levels up:

• Display advertising refers to how ads are bought
• Programmatic advertising goes beyond simply placing a digital display ad on a website, and is more about how ads appear and in what format — serving the right ad to the right person in the right place at the right time

How to Get Started with Programmatic

Before you dive in, your team or your marketing partner needs to do the due diligence to understand your target market. With more in-depth information, programmatic advertising can work harder for your client and find the customers that are looking for your client’s brand.

Then, as you implement your plan, these are the things to look for and monitor in order to continuously improve and optimize your advertising, maximize your budget and reach the best customers for you:

• Cost per Click (CPC)
• Click-through Rate (CTR)
• Cost per Completed View (CPCV)

Want to Know More About Programmatic?

How can we help? The marketing and advertising landscape is evolving at the speed of light. And the Front Porch team is keeping up and leading the way to better outcomes for our clients. There are many benefits to choosing programmatic advertising such as efficiency and low-cost awareness. So please ask, as we love sharing our client successes, expertise and fodder. Sometimes the fodder isn’t relevant, but it sure creates great conversations and we’d love to have one with you.

Need to apply some spring cleaning to your marketing and PR? As the Marketing/PR saying goes, Sweet April Ideas Bring May Results! The positive power of spring cleaning can be applied to a company’s PR and marketing strategy. And now’s the time to do it!

Five Ways to Spring Clean Your PR:

Outer Order Contributes to Inner Calm

Take a hard look at documents and correspondence that have not moved from your desktop and/or email box for months. If the strategies and ideas no longer apply to your clients’ overall objectives, then hit the delete button. A clean slate will give you a renewed focus and attitude towards your clients’ success.

Happiness is a Spring Cleaned Marketing and PR Plan

Spring is the perfect time for marketing — messaging should be thematic of revitalization. Revisit the marketing and PR plan that was developed at the beginning of the year and assess your progress. Ask yourself the question: where are we now and what fresh practices can we use to achieve results? This simple check-in is a great first step to shining new light on your communications program and spring cleaning your messaging.

Put a New Spring in Your Marketing/PR Step

Now that your marketing and PR plans have been spring cleaned, and your inbox is updated and clutter free, there’s room to add new items to your wheelhouse. First, embrace the changes and explore different strategies, such as updating target media, or identifying new thought leadership speaking opportunities. These tune-ups could be just the thing you need to take your clients’ business to the next level!

There is a Season Turn, Turn, Turn!

As the classic Byrd’s song says, there is a season turn, turn, turn, a time to build up, a time to break down. To begin with, Spring is a time for renewal, use this period to build enthusiasm for your clients’ offerings/services. So Spring cleaning your PR can mean teasing new trends that are applicable for the warmer weather. Introduce spring-inspired products that are available for a limited time. Bring back seasonal bestsellers.

This Collateral Won’t Spring Clean Itself!

Spring is abloom with life — after months of winter, people are ready to immerse themselves in the warmer weather. Use this to your advantage and imbue your website with colorful palettes, as you spring clean that website. Inspire optimism by using florals to spell out words. Capitalize on content that talks about being active and enjoying the great weather.

Get Started on Spring Cleaning Routines for Your PR

When you take the time to spring clean your PR practice this quarter, you’ll reinvigorate your clients’ messaging. And sooner than later, the work you’ve put in to refocus your messaging will pay off.

Are You Using the Right Copywriter Tools?

Copywriter tools can help make writing easier, more fun and more dynamic. When you’re writing professionally for your job, it can sometimes be overwhelming. Websites, social media, brochures, press releases, oh my! But with the plethora of online tools available, you can always make sure that you’ve got someone (the interwebz) looking over your shoulder to help you make it better. Just like your high school English teacher.

Here Are 5 Copywriter Tools You Can Use in Your Daily Work

Thesaurus.com

Make your writing a little more exciting thrilling with some more pizzazz-y words using Thesaurus.com. Type in a simple word and get a fresh supply of better words to spice up your writing. Use this tool to help you with naming assignments, headlines, and more.

ChatGPT

There are many uses for a language modeler (none of which involve high school essays, kids), which is what ChatGPT is. It’s AI trained to write. It doesn’t think, though, so answers can come back sounding very plausible but be completely fabricated because it’s only a language modeler. Try it for small, specific social media posts in which you give it all the details, searching for specific jobs online using specific job titles, or giving you something to start with when you’re writing a blog post by giving it topics.

Emojipedia

Do you write a lot of subject lines? 🤔 Adding an emoji to a subject line as texture is current best practice. To easily look up and copy/paste any emoji visit Emojipedia. You can type in a prompt and it will give you all the relevant emojis that fit.

Grammarly

Clean up your writing. Make it proper and concise using the platform Grammarly. It even has a new AI-powered desktop app you can install and use on practically everything. Make your high school English teacher proud.

Content Row

Are headlines the hardest for you? Try on-line tool Content Row. Type in your topic, and Content Row will generate headlines for you. And, they’re all scored for effectiveness so you know they’ll generate clicks.

As you can see, it’s easier than ever to make your writing better! Try a few of these copywriter tools and let us know what you like.

Seasoned Business Leaders: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

As a seasoned business leader, the old adage, “You don’t know what you don’t know,” has been replaying as a reminder in my mind over and over again for the last year. Sometimes when you’ve been doing a certain thing for a long time, you might become insulated from innovation by doing things the way you first learned them. You might even forget the best practices you learned at the beginning in favor of doing what works at the moment in your business. At this point, reminders for seasoned business leaders can be helpful to continue to grow.

So this week I’m sharing here some reminders for business leaders who may need a refresher on the must-dos and must-haves when things are rockin’. And even before they’re rockin’. These apply whether you are a start-up or veteran. I was reminded this week of what I don’t know when I launched a new business of sorts, and finally brought it to life.

Seasoned Business Leader Turned Start-Up (again)

As most of those who know me know, my son is in college in Central Florida. After his freshman year and countless visits to Florida, more for my sake than his, I had an idea. Buy a place in Florida. I’m there all the time to see my son, and when I’m not there I could rent it out to others who would enjoy the beach as much as my family does.

So, I did countless hours of research. Ran numbers backwards and forwards. Consulted my business advisor. Then, did more research. Then, I contacted several owners of rental properties and local small business owners in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Next, I refinanced the house. In addition, I had to take out another significant loan to get this idea off the ground.

As I last blogged, this is not my first rodeo. But, I am here to tell you old dogs do forget the new tricks. As a seasoned business owner, I was reminded in the course of this new project, just how much these business basics matter.

Business Leader Basics to Remember

1. Finances

Make sure you have extra in the budget for unexpected expenses during start-up. Money isn’t made in the first and sometimes second year of business. Remember that. Another thing going through my head these last few months is that real estate is a long term investment, as most businesses are. Seasoned business leaders know to endure the short term pains for the long-term gain.

2. Time

Remember that time is your inventory. Don’t go down rabbit holes. Overthinking and questioning yourself aren’t necessary. Stay focused on what matters. Make decisions and then move on. Most of all, be efficient in all you do.

3. Support Network

Partner with the experts. I don’t know construction. Or anything about the short-term rental space. Nor do know much about HOAs, (but I do now) so I found and made friends with the BEST in these categories. I am so grateful for them and their expertise. Also, my family and friends were there when I needed to vent, cry, scream or say queue #5.

4. Front Porch Marketing Team

If you have two businesses, make sure each of the business teams are in support of the other. The Front Porch team kept the Porch rockin’ while I was bobbing and weaving in and out so I could get Calming Corner (our new beach space) up and running. Seasoned business leaders build teams they can count on in crunch times.

5. Saying Uncle

Yes, you can have too much on your plate. So ask for grace. Be nice to yourself. Realize you do have physical and mental limitations.

6. Good Enough

Our first renters were to arrive at 4 p.m. on the 1^st of April. There was cleaning to be done. Some pictures were not hung, etc. But the place was beautiful. It was time to finish the cleaning and save the rest for the next time she was vacant. Good enough is sometimes perfection.

“The Calming Corner” is Up and Running

I am proud to say that as we are building this rental business, we are also supporting other local businesses. The new couch is manufactured in Florida by a Florida-based company. The patio furniture is manufactured in Volusia County and the business is owned and operated by a local husband and wife duo. And our boutique vacation rental company, Florida Vacay Rentals, is owned by a local female rock star who is also my “Florida Anchor.” And I am honored to call her my friend.

So here is my shameless plug for Calming Corner, our new Front Porch view! Please note, NEW photography coming soon, because there are all new floors, paint and furniture. And there is a fabulous remodeled master bath. Shorehom by the Sea, Unit 54, also has a new bedroom pocket door, a new pantry, a new washer dryer closet and more.

Oh, and, as of April 6, it has a brand new air-conditioner, that was not in the budget … sigh.

Spring Has Officially Sprung — So Let’s Organize Your Workspace?

This year, I’ve added “organizing your workspace” to my spring-cleaning to-do list! If you’re anything like me, you associate spring with spring cleaning. It’s time to dust off the cobwebs of those ceiling fan blades you rarely touch, clean out the closets and tackle the flowerbeds. I love strolling the aisles at my local greenhouse to pick out the flowers I’m inevitably going to see wither away in the triple-degree Texas heat. And, it’s time to get my workspace into tip-top shape.

Clean Your Workspace, Clear Your Mind.

Whether you’re working remotely or in an office, it’s the perfect time to sort through the piles of papers that have accumulated on your desk, clean out those old emails and establish that new online folder organization system you have been daydreaming about.

Now, I realize that not everyone receives the same amount of joy that I do from filling a large trash bag full of unnecessary papers or an inbox with only a handful of emails. Some of you may argue that there isn’t enough time in the day. While others might cite there is evidence that a messy desk is a sign of genius. Say hello to my husband’s top excuse. Ha!

Organizing Your Workspace Has Multiple Benefits

No matter what camp you fall into, it’s hard to argue that there aren’t benefits of a well-organized space.

1. Increased Productivity. How many times a day do you find yourself searching for a piece of paper, email or document? We’ve all been there, but when you have a clean and organized space, you’ll inevitably spend less time searching and more time doing.
   
2. Reduced Stress Levels. Meeting in five minutes. Can’t locate the document you’ve been tirelessly working on. Enough said!
   
3. Boost Creativity. When you’re organized, you’re typically not working under the gun of a million deadlines. When you’re calm and in control, your creativity will flourish.

You might now be asking the question: How Do I Tackle My Unorganized Workspace?

• Start small. First you need to remember,your mess wasn’t made in a day. It might take a little time to organize your workspace into the space you want. Pick the time of day you’re most productive and set a timer for 15 minutes. Grab the stack of papers and go.
  
• Tools and Resources. Hit the office supply store or your supply cabinet at the office. Grab the file folders and organizers and start labeling and sorting. You should now be able to see the top of your desk.
  
• Online Organization. Your inbox really only needs to house emails that require your response. Everything else should have a home. Create folders in your inbox by client or project and file them accordingly. The same goes for documents. Take it a step further and establish a naming convention for your documents to make things even easier.

How to Maintain Your Organized Workspace

Once you’re done organizing your workspace, it’s just as important to maintain it. You don’t want to turn around a month later and be back at square one. Set aside 15 minutes at the end of each workday to tidy up your space. Throw away the papers and go through your emails and documents.

Soon, you’ll find a tidy workspace is second nature and the habits you created will be easy to maintain. Happy spring cleaning!