Finding joy is the overarching theme at my daughter’s school.
It is perfect as children are good at finding joy in the simplest of things. It is also a reminder to find joy throughout the day. Yet, in the busyness of our professional lives, practicing gratitude often takes a backseat. As enter the Thanksgiving season, what if we took the time to find joy in the most miniscule of things each day?
Practicing gratefulness is particularly important for business leaders in challenging times. Research shows that an attitude of gratitude can mean fewer sick days and higher job satisfaction rates. It is easy to appreciate that both of those things help the bottom line.
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
~Vincent Van Gogh
Start by finding the positives.
Was that presentation you’ve worked on for a month canceled at the last minute? Great! Now you have time to connect with a coworker or to make the call you have been putting off. Was a meeting called unexpectedly? No problem. Now you can grab that extra cup of coffee while you listen to a presentation.
Uplift yourself. Each day give thanks for one very small thing or accomplishment. Start daily and increase from there, consistently giving thanks for things that may seem miniscule.
Show simple appreciation. We all like to know our time is valued. Give thanks to your team for simple things. This can include changing the copy paper or hopping on a call at the last-minute. Pay attention. Check in with your team often to let them know you care. Celebrate any and all successes, no matter how small. If they are out of sorts one day, drop them a quick note to let them know you appreciate their work. Circle back often.
If you’re like a lot of businesses this year, you threw out your 2020 marketing plan and have been in triage mode for six months. Q4 is the perfect time to re-evaluate your company’s marketing plan to include a good marketing planning outline and process, messaging, strategies and brand.
This year’s best laid marketing plans were most likely laid to waste in the second quarter. It’s now Q4 of a very weird year – speaking from, well, every point of view – and everyone is working under the guise of not knowing what is coming next or when. Some businesses are continuing to just execute 2020 marketing strategies with messaging that is not currently relevant to growing their top line or their bottom line. Stop reacting and get proactive with your brand.
Typically, clients reflect and plan ahead this time of year, and this Q4 should be no exception.
In fact, we recommend doubling down on the planning. This year though, planning may look a lot like pivoting for most businesses. There is very little business-as-usual going on, and your company’s business plan should reflect that fact.
We are working with clients that are facing different year end results – from more than 75% decline in sales, to flat, to having the best year ever. We have clients who’s marketing plan has them pivoting completely and launching new brands, born of the new normal or a long-held dream. But the one thing all of our clients have in common right now is that they are planning in order to be able to continue to pivot if need be. They are ensuring that their future strategies will be on-brand even if the content has to change.
Now is the perfect time to step back from your business plan and take an objective perspective on your company’s state of affairs.
Is your brand’s marketing plan going in the right direction? Do you need a more focused or broader message? Are your communication strategies getting you in front of the right customers on the right social media channel? Is your brand voice in tune with the state of the world? Know who you are, what you stand for and how to communicate that mission to your customers. What is your highest and best use? When you have a plan, this is how you can frame all of your future content – even if it keeps changing.
Plan ahead to pivot.
Planning a marketing infrastructure to put in place now and building on it through Q1 and Q2 of next year can help pivot your brand toward a new goal, refine your mission and elevate your relevancy. Have a plan in place to be able to address the unknown needs of your customers as they arise in 2021. You don’t necessarily need the answers now, but you need to have a plan to be able to answer the questions your customers will have. Your marketing plan for next year should include key messages, strategies, a budget, timeline and content calendar through Q2 of 2021 to carry your company into Q3. Spend your marketing time wisely this quarter to build the brand you’ve always wanted to become next quarter and beyond.
A tracking pixel is a little HTML code that tracks behavior
from your customers – it records for instance when a user visits your website
or opens an email from you, or interacts with a banner ad that your brand has
created. It essentially fills the same role as a cookie but tracking pixels
cannot be blocked by normal browsers like cookies, so they offer an alternative
information tracking process.
A tracking pixel is also a tiny graphic with the dimension
of 1 pixel by 1 pixel. Because it is this tiny, no one notices when it is
included on a website or in an email because it is usually designed to blend into
the graphics.
Brands can use a tracking pixel to gather this behavior data and then analyze it to make better decisions on what to put on their website, in their emails, on their social channels. Where are most of your customers located so you can market to them at a local level? Are most of your customers are on-line late at night, so it would make more sense to schedule your emails or social media when they are on-line looking for answers? Maybe a tracking pixel could give you more insight into answering questions like these.
How Does a Tracking Pixel Work, and What’s in it for You?
By adding this little snippet of code to a website or email, the brand links a piece of content – like a web page, an email, or a banner – to the pixel’s server. Then when a user, let’s say visits the brand’s website (where the tiny pixel is) the code gets processed by the browser being used and is then registered and noted in the server’s log files.
When this process occurs, several different pieces of
information can be transferred in regard to the content that a user is
interacting with. Brands can find out answers to questions like:
What is the screen resolution of this device?
Is this content being viewed on a mobile device or desktop?
What is the OS of device the customer is using?
Is the customer looking at your content in a browser or in an email program?
What is the IP address and location of the viewer?
When was the content was viewed?
What types of ads does the customer like clicking on?
One of the most common use of tracking pixels is for retargeting. Did you just look at a pair of shoes yesterday and now you’re seeing those shoes in Instagram? Do you feel like you were just talking about a specific thing and BOOM there it is in Facebook? That is a tracking pixel doing its job. That little guy is trying to be helpful!
Tracking pixels are also used to measure a marketing
campaign’s performance or track conversions. They can be used to build an
audience base for a new product or service.
How to Insert a Tracking Pixel
Web and social analytics tools such as Google Analytics and the analytics available within Facebook for Business, for instance, give brands thorough explanations and tutorials on implementing tracking pixels. There are two ways to include a tracking pixel in your website:
Through your CMS dashboard.
In the hardcode of your website. If this is the case, you will need to get your web developer involved.
What’s in it for your customers?
Tracking pixels can benefit customers over time, as the data garnered can be used to make offers more relevant, questions answered more readily, and overall make the user’s experience better. Privacy advocates argue that pixels violate user privacy and allow spammers access to personal data more readily. User consent must be secured first and GDPR rules require the choice of opting-out of being tracked.
Many of the data points tracked and logged by a tracking
pixel can be helpful information to brands when they decide what to highlight
on their website – which part of the website is the most popular and gets the
most traffic? One could infer that this particular content is valuable and
sought after and therefore create more like it to be more helpful to their
customers in the future.
Use tracking pixels wisely and carefully by being a responsible brand – answer their questions, be helpful, get them the information they need. In this way, the tiny tracking pixels can yield big results for both you and your customers.
From day one of my FPM internship, I quickly realized the importance of active learning and most importantly active application. The world of marketing thrums on the excitement of people bringing new ideas to life and sharing them with others. It’s only natural that this excitement creates a lively and dynamic environment where you learn lessons as quickly as you apply them.
Along this journey of active learning and active application, I was able to stretch myself in new ways. From trying to figure out how to prioritize your tasks to navigating uncharted waters, I give you – the ultimate list of lessons.
Top 5 Ultimate Lessons Learned
Ultimate Lesson #1
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Whether you get a job in the business world or take your neighbor’s dog on a walk, everything is a learning journey. When you don’t know what a certain word or task means, ask for example pieces. Once you see examples, you’ll be able to tweak your work as you go. By being open about your confusion, you’ll be able to get more clarity and open the channel of communication with your team.
Ultimate Lesson #2
Embrace your mistakes! No one is perfect – we are all human. Although we strive for perfection, the only way to get better is to learn from your mistakes. Aim for a more efficient and effective thought process the next time you get a task you have trouble with. Undoubtedly, practice makes perfect!
Ultimate Lesson #3
Communication is key! A million and one things happen throughout the day and you can’t expect everyone to know what you are doing, nor can you assume that once you are done with your task that there isn’t more to be done. When you effectively communicate throughout the day with your team members, everyone is able to be on the same page. As a result, better teamwork is able to unfold.
Ultimate Lesson #4
Time management is KEY! When you are delegated multiple tasks with multiple deadlines, it’s imperative to write down a to-do list. Write the list from most important to least important and work your way down to increase efficiency. By creating this list, you’ll be able to track your progress throughout the day and create a drafted timesheet. At the end of the day, a completed list can give you the best feeling of accomplishment.
Ultimate Lesson #5
If you’re on time you’re 10 minutes late! When there is a time set for a meeting, client call, or even deadline, always aim to be present, poised, and punctual. Show initiative by being early. You’ll need those extra minutes for a bathroom break that would have overwise left your client awkwardly waiting for you at the front or needed when you attempt to submit a project right on the deadline but then your computer dies. Without a doubt, you never know what may happen so it is always best to be prepared with a pocket of time.
Conclusion
From being a senior at Baylor University to being an intern at Front Porch Marketing, I’ve used these pockets of wisdom in many facets of my life. These lessons have served me in more ways than one and now my hope is that they will serve you. May you flourish in all of your future endeavors!
Anywhere on the internet, you are greeted with constant advertisements cluttering your favorite websites, YouTube videos, and social media pages. It’s very possible you overlook those ads or even have an ad blocker to rid of them altogether. Flyers are still effective in the world of marketing because people actually read them. They are cost-efficient, tangible, and eye-catching. They also create valuable face-to-face connections with potential customers.
Cost-Efficient
Flyers are one of the most cost-effective ways to promote your business. Rather than renovating your website or paying for advertising space, flyers can be mass-produced on a modest budget.
Tangible
Customers like having something they can put their hands on. With today’s internet flooded with online advertising, coming across a high quality and printed flyer is a delightful surprise. The flyers’ extra thickness allows the flyer to be placed into any mailbox neatly. Even when falling to the floor, a flyer remains solid and presentable to pick up.
Because flyers are palpable and tangible, they have a significant effect on the audience just upon the first initial glance. Customers are more likely to read an advertisement that can be held and touched than an online one. This makes your choice of marketing stand out from the rest.
Eye-catching
In addition to flyers being cost-efficient and tangible, the design of your flyers makes all the difference. There are very few limitations to flyer advertising. They enable you to get creative. Therefore, you can employ unique designs while ensuring your intended message expresses clearly.
Imagine walking into your favorite coffee shop and seeing a colorful, stunning flyer posted right at eye level while waiting for your drink. You’d probably notice it. Visualize shopping at an outdoor mall and seeing a stunning flyer as you walk to the next store. You might stop and have a brief look.
Creates face-to-face connections
The biggest reason why flyers are effective in marketing is that you are creating face-to-face connections with your potential customers. This is especially important when distributing flyers by hand. Having in-person interactions make people feel valuable and much more likely to take an interest in what you have to say. Unlike advertisement emails, people are not in a hurry to trash it, which automatically ups the chances of your flyer being read.
Conclusion
Flyers might appear to be an old and ancient way to promote a business, but they always have proven effective in marketing. They are one of the most affordable ways to market your business. They are tangible, causing more people to give your advertisement a second thought. Through its limitless design, they catch your eye when you’re out and about and going to your everyday locations. And lastly, flyers create face-to-face connections adding a personal touch to your message. Businesses still rely on flyers for these reasons and more, proving that they do work and are likely to stay for many years in the future.
Curbside Sales for restaurants and retailers appear to be here to stay – so think upselling, at least for a while. Your customers still crave your product. But, they want to enjoy the purchase and the consumption of it in their own homes. The simplest way to keep retail and restaurant doors open is curbside service.
Rather than shopping in your store, customers can order on line or by phone. Then, they can swing by your store as you bring their package to their car. Instead of dining in your restaurant this evening, customers are calling in their order. The customer then pulls up to your curb 15-20 minutes later ready to take their meal home.
Curbside pick-up – partnered with on-line or phone ordering – gives restaurants and retailers an effective way to keep selling. Indeed when things open back up again, this is also a new way to increase sales to an additional audience beyond the traditional in-store or in-restaurant customer.
Pick-up is not a new practice, but it is one that has been quickly honed during the pandemic.
There are best practices for curbside sales that will benefit both the customer and the business owner. Keep in mind that the easier you make things for your currently stressed-out customer, the more likely they are to return for this convenience again and again.
Get ready for curbside pick-up by optimizing your website and social media
Get your website, customer email and social media up to speed. Make sure your customers know you offer curbside service and how that works is a way of upselling. Put this information on the homepage of your site. Build a separate landing page for curbside and link to that on your social platforms. Zanata Restaurant in Rockwall added a pop-up talking about Curbside Pick-up on its homepage.
Remind customers weekly on social about curbside service. Consider having a weekly curbside special with a great photo of the item and the deal.
Build community with your customers. Encourage them to take a picture of their purchase (food or clothing or whatever it is) and tag your store on social media. Then you in turn repost their picture thanking them publicly. This is called “User Generated Content” and is a best practice by big and small brands alike.
Make the ordering process easy for everyone
When customers are ready to order, provide an on-site phone number for the customer to call or text to let you know that they are at your curb ready to pick up their order.
Process payments in advance either on the phone or via your website or app. Keep the transaction at the curbside swift and contactless. If you must transact at the curb invest in a mobile card processor.
At the time of order, ask your customer for their type and color of car picking up, and a description of the driver for clear instructions to deliver the right order to the right car.
Designate a parking space or a specific spot as the curb service pickup area. Mark this area with signage that has clear instructions and the on-site phone number for the customer to call once they have arrived.
Create a designated table inside to place curbside orders to streamline delivery during busy times. Have plastic ware, extra sauces, etc here to add to bags for food orders. Add tissue and gift bags here for retail merchandise.
If you have the outside space to create a pop-up drive thru, this format can make things easier for both the customer and the business for upselling. Emporium Pies in Bishop Arts District built a pop-up “Pie-Thru.” Customers get pie without leaving their cars, mimicking their famous long line of people waiting to get pie on any given weekend.
Upselling: Keep them coming back for more
Restaurants: include an order menu in the bag with the take-away food to make it easy for the customer to order again. Hand write a thank you note on the menu. Let the customer know how much their order meant.
Ask the customer if they’d like to add a gift card to their purchase to either use next time, or to share with a friend. Or, if the customer hits a certain dollar amount on an order, add a gift card to the order as a thank you. This gift card will act as a bounce back for them to return to your store again.
Invest in higher quality to-go containers to maintain integrity of your dishes. Presentation and temperature are still important. Big Al’s Smokehouse BBQ packages every to-go order in tamper-proof, sealed packaging. Consider branding your to-go packaging with stickers or hand-written “Thank Yous.” Adding stickers with your store’s logo and phone number or website helps remind customers how to find you.
Think outside the to-go box for upselling
Consider narrowing the selection of items to your restaurant’s most popular items to offer curbside to streamline delivery.
Offer Family Meals versions of your most popular items. Make it easier for families to just order the “Daily Family Meal for Four” for instance.
Package an appetizer-entrée-dessert. This is an easy to pick-up choice. Switch out this special weekly to allow for local availability of ingredients or a chance to use up what’s on hand.
And of course, have staff deliver bags or packages to customers’ cars wearing branded masks.
Add the ability for the customer to add grocery basics to their order: milk, eggs, butter, bread, fresh veggies. Saving them an extra trip to a store can earn you a more loyal customer.
Go above and beyond to offer an experience while they wait
Live music outside adds enjoyment when guests come to pick up their order.
Some restaurants, depending on TABC laws, offer drinks to go to sip on while you wait for your order.
Customers can order ingredients for one of your signature dishes with instructions to learn how to make it themselves at home. Some restaurants have even staged events. Consumers buy the ingredients kit and then tune into a Zoom with the chef to make from home.
There are more North Texas restaurants good to go best practices for how to do curbside service right by upselling. And there are several ideas for optimizing the outdoor space you do have. Re-imagine how to use it for curbside service and outside sales.
You can successfully make this way of doing business good for your bottom line.
Communicating with your target audience is always important. Using the right tone to do so is paramount, particularly in the current climate.
There are several examples we can use from the last few months. Similarly, some have already popped in your head.
Here are three tips to avoid the wrong tone in communications:
• Stay connected. Social media and email communications play a crucial role in our interactions with clients, consumers and co-workers. Engage with each of them consistently across platforms.
• Build relationships. Don’t focus only on sales. Work to build relationships by sharing content meaningful to your audience, not simply advertising your products and services.
• Strike the right chord. It is important to acknowledge, in a genuine manner, the challenges facing the world. Changing your email greeting or signature is one simple solution. However, don’t simply throw an email together full of overused phrases such as “in these uncertain times” or “our new normal.” Use rhetoric and language relevant to your audience, but do not pander.
Clients have asked us if they should communicate about certain issues. We are always happy to provide our feedback. If you have worked with us before, you know we have opinions. We are not afraid to share them either.
But, above all, we want what is best for our clients personally and professionally and what is best for their businesses or organizations.
If you are going to participate in a conversation about sensitive issues, here are three additional tips:
• Choose wisely. If you are going to engage regarding sensitive subjects, make sure you add value to the conversation.
• Explain your position clearly and succinctly.
• Commit to specific actions. Share those commitments with your audience and be accountable to them.
How you communicate is as important as what you communicate. The tone is equally as important. Do not be tone-deaf.
In conclusion, no matter the topic, always be genuine. As a result, say what you mean and mean what you say.
Next up in the Rocker Spotlight series is Front Porch Spring Intern Sarah Kiburz! A recent grad from the University of Arkansas, Sarah gives us the scoop on her internship and all things marketing.
What is the biggest misconception about marketing today?
That it is pushy and unwanted. People think marketing is all about selling something, which is partly true, but it is more so about meeting people’s needs.
One of the biggest lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?
Be confident and assertive! It is okay to highlight your accomplishments in order to get noticed. Hard work goes a long way, but you can’t expect people to note every good thing you do. Speak up and be your own advocate!
What does good marketing look like?
Good marketing meets the customer where they are. It connects on a deeper level, is expertly timed, and highlights the purpose behind the business.
If you could be anywhere in the world right now where would it be?
Either on a beach in Maui or watching a Broadway musical in NYC.
If you could describe yourself in three words what would they be?
Loving, thoughtful, driven.
What is your favorite thing about FPM?
As Front Porch’s Spring Intern, I am able to work diligently on projects with minimal supervision. It is a great feeling when your boss trusts you and your work!
In what ways does the team at FPM have aligned values?
The team at FPM has aligned values in that they truly believe in the clients they work with. They establish deep relationships and are therefore able to create meaningful, high-quality work that resonates with customers.
Your goals for FPM?
I hope Julie and the team can continue to grow the business by adding clients and potentially expanding the team to take on a whole host of new clients. They are some of the busiest people I know, and they love a challenge!
How would you describe the culture at FPM?
I would describe the culture as incredibly inclusive. The team is a tight-knit group that likes to have fun, but everyone gets down to business whenever necessary. It is a fast-paced work environment where there is always something that needs to be done.
How does FPM differentiate itself from other marketing companies?
FPM has an incredibly experienced team that acts as a powerhouse when it comes to meeting clients needs. They differentiate themselves with a casual and humorous approach to marketing but are no strangers to hard work.
Fun fact?
I am musically inclined! I danced(mostly ballet) for 12 years and played the violin for 6 years, which I have been wanting to pick back up. 😊
Continuing on in our Rocker Spotlight series is Front Porch Lil’ Rock Maria Gregorio, who will share her insights on her own career and her experience on the Porch.
What is the biggest misconception about marketing today?
People want quality marketing for very little money. Cheap and great quality don’t really go together.
What advice would you give to someone struggling with creating a brand identity?
Sit down, talk with customers, friends and colleagues. Have lots of post-its and pens around. Branding can be a tedious process but worth it in the end when you know who you are as a company and what you stand for.
One of the biggest lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?
Keep learning and growing. If it looks like you can’t grow or learn in your position, its time to look elsewhere.
What does good marketing look like?
Responsive, meets the customer where they are, makes you smile.
If you could be anywhere in the world right now where would it be?
My parents’ house in the Philippines.
If you could go to dinner with one person living or dead who would it be?
My grandpa (deceased).
If you could describe yourself in three words what would they be?
As the Front Porch Lil’ Rock nickname hints, I am short, funny, and quirky.
What is your favorite thing about FPM?
No commute! Seriously though, that we get to do interesting, creative work for great clients.
Tell me about a major milestone in your life?
When my husband visited me in college, Memorial Day Weekend 2001. We have been together ever since.
In what ways does the team at FPM have aligned values?
I think we’re all straight shooters who want to do great work and do right by people.
Your goals for FPM?
Grow the business and continue helping small businesses achieve their dreams.
How would you describe the culture at FPM?
We are a fun group who work very hard and genuinely like being around each other. That’s not something you see every day in other workplaces.
How does FPM differentiate itself from other marketing companies?
I think that judging from our quirky titles and the name of our company, people can tell that we like to do things a little differently. It does sound a little “folk-sy” but we just want to do great work for companies we believe in.
Fun fact?
I have never lived in one place for more than four years. (military brat/railroader wife) And I used to do acting competitions in high school. I liked playing the villain 😈
Next up in the Rocker Spotlight series is Front Porch Rock Star Vanessa Hickman, where she shares her experience on the porch and things she has learned throughout her career.
Biggest Misconception about Marketing
The biggest misconception about marketing today is that there is one solution to advance brands in their marketing goals.
Advice You Would Give To Someone Struggling With Brand Identity
As a marketing maven and Front Porch Rock Star, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is “your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do”- Steve Jobs.
What is Good Marketing?
Above all, good marketing is intentional, consistent and precise.
Dinner With 1 Person Living Or Dead
If I could go to dinner with one person living or dead I would choose Jesus.
Describe Yourself in 3 Words
I describe myself as loyal, inclusive and loving.
Favorite Thing About FPM
My favorite thing about FPM is delivering results for a variety of clients. Above all, I would describe the culture at FPM as collaborative, caring and dedicated. Furthermore, FPM differentiates itself with its sound strategy, excellent execution and tenured team members.
Fun Fact
My fun fact is I graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts when I was 20 years old.
