Sometimes I think we get so caught up in the latest, biggest, tech-iest thing – augmented reality!Slack! artificial intelligence! – that we forget to look at tested tactics that may not be as shiny and new, but they are effective. Ladies and gentlemen, I am talking about email marketing.

I can feel the collective “ugh” in the room.

Email is spammy. I get too many emails every day. Email is so… 1995.

Well, the ‘90s are back. And email marketing is still here – for good reason.

Email is still here – for good reason.

Email is a Huge Part of Our Day

According to an Adobe survey, consumers overall are checking their personal email an average of 2.5 hours per day and they are checking their work email an average of 3.1 hours per day. Half of all respondents said that when it comes to receiving offers from marketers, they prefer being contacted via email.

Even respondents born in the ‘90s spent a staggering amount of time in their inboxes – 18-24-year-olds spent 5.8 hours of their day checking their email.

Why do we use email so much? Adobe had a few ideas: “Why is email so ingrained in our lives? One reason may be that it’s so manageable—we can sort, file, filter, and generally get things done. It’s also a known, safe quantity. We’re familiar with how to make email work for us, and we feel confident about the privacy of our data.”

Email is Owned Land

A strong mix of marketing channels is important to any marketing plan – social media, paid media, direct mail, etc. – but email is one of the few channels that can be considered “owned land.”

FaceBook could fall of the face of the earth tomorrow, but you still have your email list.

Emails are Customizable

Email segmentation gives businesses the opportunity to tailor their message to their customer – whether that’s segmenting by demographics or by a trigger, such as recent website activity or a recent purchase.

Segmented emails perform much better than non-segmented emails. When compared to their non-segmented counterparts, segmented emails have a higher open rate (14.31%) and unique open rate (10.64%). They also have a lower bounce rate (4.65%) and unsubscribe rate (9.37%).

Emails are…. Intelligent?

Remember when I mentioned AI earlier in this post? In the future, artificial intelligence could help make your email marketing be even more effective. Machine learning could take a lot of the guesswork and time out of A/B testing, personalizing content, timing emails, and finding new audience segments.

It’s safe to say, email is here to stay. Which is a great thing – emails are customizable, they are data a company owns, and are a big part of consumers’ everyday lives.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go check my email.

How effective was your last email campaign? Did you segment your email list? If so, how?

Digital marketing continues to win this marketing season as digital marketing spending continues to rise. This is not new. In 2016, eMarketer.com projected digital spend would exceed television by as much as 36% by 2020. 

According to WebStrategies, the following are earning their spots on marketing budget rosters:

• Email marketing – Email marketing continues to be the best player to generate ROI.
• Social media marketing – A solid first-round pick. In that category, Facebook continues to hold the top spot and Instagram comes in 2nd.
• Search and display marketing – Search and display marketing still earns the largest share of digital marketing budgets. In 2018, 78% of those surveyed indicated a plan to increase their Google Ads budget. Online display (banner ads, online video, etc.) takes the second share.
• Live events – This is another competitor making a comeback. Two thirds of marketers plan to increase spending on live events in 2019. This is not a surprise as the digital world faces fierce competition and privacy challenges.
• Video Marketing – The MVP for growth in digital marketing budgets goes to online video. Investment in this category is expected to more than double 2016 numbers by 2021.

With the rise of Facebook Live, live events and video are teaming up (think megachurches with pastors appearing on screens, political candidates announcing intentions via live video and the use of video as part of the in-home sales trend in the beauty and cosmetic categories).

Regardless of your industry, here are 4 tips for video marketing:

1. Mind your audience. Take care to advertise to your target, not yourself.
2. Don’t complain just for the sake of complaining. You can sell your brand without negativity.
3. Keep it short and simple. The clock starts running as soon as your audience clicks on your link. Don’t fumble around. Have a solid plan and stick to it.
4. Be clear in your play-calling. You are the quarterback for your brand. Run or pass, assist your audience by clearly telling them what you want them to do and how they can do it.

To score with any marketing campaign begin with the end in mind to increase your opportunity for success. There are still significant advantages to veteran players such as traditional media (now referred to as “offline”) in terms of building awareness, extending reach and driving your brand message.

It is important to find the right balance between online vs. offline spending. That ratio will vary from brand to brand. Let us be your marketing coach and manager. We can help you find that balance and manage that content.

In 2019, social media marketing is an essential tool for developing a connection with your audience. In some ways, social media marketing is similar to online dating. You are courting your audience with social media, and a connection won’t develop by being overly promotional with your posts.

Successful social media marketing requires an investment of significant time (and resources). Your investment can pay dividends, but it requires planning. Developing strategies with clearly-identified goals and target audiences is key. But avoiding common faux pas is equally as important.

Seven of the (many!) dos and don’ts for social media marketing

1. Be social. You have to put yourself out there, so don’t be nonexistent on social media. You can’t influence anyone if you have no profile.
2. Be interesting. Know Your Audience. You want to pique and maintain viewers’ interest, so post varied content they will find interesting and valuable. Don’t make it all about you by only posting promotional content.
3. Be genuine. If your brand is all about fun, your audience expects a certain playfulness to your social media. Don’t send mixed messages by being inconsistent in your marketing.
4. Be available. Social media marketing is a 24/7 customer service opportunity, so engage often and consistently. Don’t ignore posted questions or concerns.
5. Be a good listener. Always pay attention -and respond gratefully- to consumer feedback. Don’t ignore the negative feedback, because you can’t develop relationships by ignoring (or deleting) criticisms.
6. Be Aware. Use hashtags and handles to attract interest, but don’t appear desperate by using too many. Keep it effective and efficient.

Be smart. Check your content for spelling, grammar and phrasing, and correct mistakes as soon as they’re caught. Don’t be insensitive in your phrasing or messaging.

We cannot say it enough – strategy is critical.

Content is key. Consistency is key.

Social media management is customer service and poor customer service will hurt your brand’s reputation.

Unlike in dating, it is a good idea to outsource social media duties. Those of us with the experience and knowledge can create and implement social media marketing strategies that follow all the rules.

Give us a call to help influence your audience to swipe right on your brand’s social media marketing!

“One of the greatest rock songs ever written is ‘Stairway to Heaven’ [by Led Zeppelin]. ‘Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on.’ So, whatever’s wrong, whatever’s not working out, whatever you’re not happy with – in yourself or a situation – take the initiative and fix it.” – Shaun Breidbart, comedian and executive director, The Ivy League of Comedy

As you choreograph your brand’s 2019 marketing plans, press pause if the same old song and dance is on repeat – particularly in the following four areas. A remix (and the addition of instrumental help) may be your brand’s ticket to achieving rock star status.

1. “Let it Go.” Turn Over Control of Social Media.

Time is money. Social media marketing isn’t just about increasing sales. It is storytelling. It is about consistent connection with your target audience. For social media to truly boost your brand, dedicated time to engage with your audience regularly – in real time – is crucial. You can’t press pause for vacations, trade shows or weekends.

Mistakes are costly. Social media management is customer service. In the absence of a solid social media strategy – and someone experienced to execute it – mistakes are likely. Poor customer service leads consumers to give brands the freeze-out.

The person/company managing your brand’s social media is its agent, tour manager and promoter all rolled into one. Outsourcing those managerial duties gains you an experienced professional who knows the ins and outs of social media.  This frees you up to focus on other areas of your performance.

2. “What are You Waiting For?” Take the marketing plan off the back burner.

Leaders must understand the importance of brand marketing. As we’ve said before, we love partnering with business leaders on single release initiatives. But to avoid being a one-hit wonder, a brand needs a solid marketing plan to complement their strategic plan.

If the creation or implementation of a marketing plan is left “Standing Outside the Fire” you will have no plan. If you have no plan, you will have no direction. Without direction you won’t have consistency – leaving your brand running “Against the Wind” to build consumer trust.

3. “Breakaway.” Transform garage band marketing to unique, memorable content.

Having a website is great, but customers believe “What You Get Is What You See.” Are you getting the veto vote because your marketing is lacking? How do you look when going up against competition? Are potential clients trying unsuccessfully to validate you?

Bands wanting to become famous must promote themselves to make the right connections to boost their profile. Likewise, your marketing must make meaningful connections to your brand. You can bang those drums “All Night Long” but that alone won’t help you advance. You must have someone in your corner to successfully influence the interest of others.

4. “Shake It Off.” Say Goodbye to Gmail.

Excellent email communication is now a required piece of good customer service. Here are 3 reasons you should say goodbye to Gmail:

• Your email address and content represent ‘how you look’ in the online world. Having a business email address with your company’s domain name is judged as professional. Business emails sent through Gmail raise doubts about your credibility.
• An email account contains confidential business information. Using Gmail does not afford you the luxury of controlling whether employees utilize that information appropriately.
• Gmail does not allow you to integrate your brand’s logo and colors to your email messages to make them more consistent and memorable. This renders it ineffective as a marketing tool.

You are “The Leader of the Band.” No one knows your brand better than you. It is ultimately up to you to determine your vision and whether your current track is helping that vision materialize. We are here to help you rock!

Frequently, we ask a potential client what their marketing budget is in an effort to better understand what resources we will use to meet branding and marketing goals.

And regularly, we hear, “What should our marketing budget be?”

We are already two weeks into Q1, so let’s talk about your marketing budget. Total marketing budgets are on the rise (yay!) and are at 7 – 12% of total gross revenue. If one of your resolutions this year is to grow your small to mid-size business, let’s rock.

Here are four things to remember when formulating your marketing budget:

1. Small businesses should budget 7 – 8% of gross revenues for marketing in order to compete against larger companies.

2. Track your marketing budget and results monthly – at a minimum. If you consistently track your results you will be better able to adjust your marketing spending over time to spend smarter, not harder.

3. Increase the budget for new product launches. Keep track of what you make on the product and tweak as needed to cover the marketing costs and increase profit from sales.

4. One size does not fit all. While the latest Forrester Research report projects that digital marketing spending will make up 44% of all ad spend, this number can vary depending on a variety of factors including industry, growth plans and local market.

As you create your marketing budget this year, don’t start with the tactics. Develop a defined marketing budget to support a marketing plan with measurable goals and a sound strategy.

As planning for 2019 kicks into high gear, now is a good time to take a look at what’s “en vogue” in the marketing world. Is your marketing plan ready to strike a pose?

Some things are classics, and your go-to, wear everyday piece is CONTENT. Quality, engaging content is the cornerstone of any successful marketing plan. Beyond that, the following trends are simply accessories to be mixed in when they fit a brand’s individual style. Much like the latest  fashion fads, not every trend is the right stylistic fit for every brand.

With that caveat out of the way, here are five things walking the marketing runway:

Marketing Automation

ROI has been realized in 75% of companies in just one year of marketing automation use. Companies using marketing automation have reported a substantial 34% increase to their sales revenue, regardless of company size or industry.  In addition, 91% of users say it is “very important” to their overall marketing success. It’s all the rage – which puts marketing automation at the very top of the 2019 trendsetters’ list.

Chatbots

Chatbots can quickly recognize and respond to data … in real time. This gives both consumers and brands a virtual assistant to do anything handling customer queries to ordering a pizza! This saves time, money and human effort. We need look no further than the hugely popular Alexa to understand why the use of chatbots is taking over automated web communications.

Video Marketing

The growth of video will continue. Facebook Live was rolled out in April 2016, and in just two years, the average number of broadcasts doubled, earning more than 150 billion reactions. Video ads are still going strong as well. In August 2018, 65% of ad impressions on Instagram were the result of video content. If those stats aren’t enough to convince you that the video marketing craze will continue, consider this: When customers watch a video on a website, Google pushes that site up in its search results … ideal for any brand.

Native Advertising

Native advertising is on the rise over the use of banner ads, because it doesn’t disrupt the user experience. This increases consumers’ willingness to share it, which generates more sales leads.

Inbound Marketing

Because it’s simple, versatile and 61% cheaper than traditional marketing, inbound marketing remains a cost-effective method of connecting with your audience. Keeping inbound marketing hip is:

• Blogging. Statistically, blogging is three times more effective than traditional marketing in its ability to generate sales leads. It also allows you to include a variety of content that isn’t strictly direct product advertisement.
• Social Media. While AI and Chatbots create a life-like assistant, a strong social media presence creates an opportunity for consumers to engage with real people – making your brand appear more relatable. It also makes it quick and easy to provide exclusive offers or coupon codes to generate customers. To allow for a more seamless experience for consumers, you can also expect to see the continued integration of services into third-party apps by social media companies.
• Email-marketing. Companies that choose e-mail marketing can double their number of generated leads over those that do not. Adding automation can then double that amount. With numbers like those, e-mail marketing continues to be the top model of effective inbound marketing.

Here on the Porch we would love to design a marketing plan for you to premiere in 2019 (perfectly coordinated to your brand’s individual style, of course).

When marketing, sales and ops work together, whether in fundraising or in the corporate world, usually there is a tale of witches, goblins, vampires and more. This year’s HOCO Mums sales at one local high school were a ghost of a different color. When marketing, sales and ops worked together, it became a success worthy of a marketing case study.

Homecoming Mums are a long-standing Texas tradition. If you are not familiar, read more here on the fall tradition and why Texans do it.

Recently one mom said that at her high school this year, mum sales were down. Not the case at this local high school. Insert the mummy marketing case study.

Historically mum sales were flat, and in fact, declined in 2016. In 2017, the Chair of the Homecoming Mum initiative was determined to buck the trend. She instituted digital operational systems for tracking inventory and orders that had never been done before. In addition, her incoming Chair, one that has a working role two years before the Chair-ship, developed a project and communications timeline. Sales that year increased by 15%.

The 2018 Mum sales are tracking at an increase of 14% over previous year and still growing.

What happened differently to make this a marketing case history?

Mummy Marketing Case Study

The implemented plan integrated a sales plan, an operational plan and marketing plan.

The operations developed over the previous year were enhanced even further. There was now at least one year’s history in which to reference. Inventory could be managed tighter which lowered cost and waste.

A sales strategy developed the previous year due to unforeseen circumstances was replicated. We could tell you what it was, but then we would have to send the headless horseman after you.

The marketing strategy, plan and execution was further enhance and defined and included:

• Signage – At the front of carpool every morning for three mornings before the sales deadline was highly visible at the school.
• Social media – A targeted campaign was executed with professionally designed messages and graphics. Content was posted on a consistent basis with relevant messaging.
• School communication – Blurbs in the weekly parent email communication vehicle were increased.

We are proud of this marketing case study that resulted in more dollars raised for the school’s athletic program. Want to learn more? We would love to help your non-profit organization. We are passionate about increasing fundraising efforts. Call us.

You are a small business owner or a business leader who knows their business inside and out – no one will know your business like you do. And in terms of marketing to your ideal customer, that is the problem.

When you are trying to sell to your target customer, it’s tempting to imagine their wants and needs. But, there are limits to what you can imagine your customer wants, and what their lived experience is. Remember: you are not your customer.

Unless you are …

A middle-aged dad with two volleyball playing daughters and a penchant for craft beer … you are not Greg.

An entrepreneur with a Division 6A football playing son and a daughter who is ready to take over the world at the age of five … you are not me.

A thirty-something woman with a deep and unabiding love for bulldogs who has never lived in one place for more than four years … you are not Maria.

What does any of this have to do with marketing to your target customer? I have no idea, but unless you take a hard look at customer research and insights, you might miss something important that has a bearing on whether your customer chooses you over a competitor.

Marketing is not one size fits all

Each customer is unique and has different needs.

Does your customer value convenience over cost or vice versa? Do they care about how their product is made and its impact on local communities? Are they early adopters of new technology? Do they want a Swiss Army knife or one product that does a few things well? Do they like to try new things spontaneously or are their purchasing decisions based on thorough research? How do they find out about new products and services – social media, word-of-mouth, content creators and influencers? All these factors affect how you market to your customer.

Let’s look at a product that many of us on the Porch are about to take on soon – college. It’s easy to think that with this digital generation, all that matters are engaging with them on an online, social media level. But you would be wrong. Students have a ton of options – what makes one school stand out over another? If you look at the experience of our summer interns, their answers might surprise you. Go here and here to find out.

Reaching different customer audiences can seem overwhelming. The solution? Your friends from the Porch. We love a good marketing challenge and we want to help businesses reach their customers through the channels that make sense for that target market.

We are a company comprised of people with very different skillsets, backgrounds and experiences. We are moms, dads, fur parents, former corporate folks, nonprofit fans, football lovers and football nubes, big thinkers and specialized experts.

We are different. Just like your customer.

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Everything is bigger in Texas! This includes the opportunities for small business owners and entrepreneurs to network and learn from each other. One of these opportunities – the Governor’s Small Business Women’s Forum – was recently held locally in partnership with the National Association of Women Business Owners, Arlington Chamber of Commerce and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County.

There, as part of a digital marketing panel alongside other local business owners (including Kalyn Asher, president of our fabulous client Asher Media, Inc.), I had the honor of presenting tips from the Porch on integrating your digital marketing with your brand strategy. Now, I get to share them with you rockin’ readers, too!

Brand Identity

1. First, build a strong brand identity. The foundation of your brand strategy is your brand architecture.

Brand architecture is built on the following pillars:

• Vision – Determine who you are and who/what you aspire to be as a company.
• Personality – The human personality traits that describe how you want to be known.
• Positioning – The place your brand occupies in the mind of your target audience.
• Affiliation – What you want other people to think of and associate with your company.

Strong brands have three main attributes. We like to call them “The Three C’s”:

• Connection – Brands that cultivate loyalty connect with their target audiences. Consumers care about what your brand stands for.
• Conviction – Everyone in the company needs to believe that the brand is important.  They need to know that the company brand stands for a specific and important promise. Company leaders need to understand the brand, articulate it clearly and champion it internally.
• Consistency – Brand consistency equals earning consistency. Be consistent with your look and message. Deliver on your brand promise at every touch point.

Content is Key

2. Create quality, engaging digital content. The foundation of your digital marketing strategy is having content you can utilize consistently as part of your overall brand strategy.

Another key thing to remember are the three “C’s” of content. Your digital marketing content should be:

• Customized. According to The Content Council, 61% of consumers say they feel better about a company that delivers custom online content.  Also, they are more likely to buy from companies that deliver customized content. Nielsen’s 2018 Total Audience Report shows American adults spend nearly half of their day online looking at content. Most consumers liked custom content for brand engagement. Know your audience. Use the power of personalization to your advantage.
• Creative. Create customized content. Keep your content consistent in your brand guidelines but try to push the boundaries of your brand and voice.
• Cohesive. The customized content you create should be repurposed across platforms and networks.  But remember, repurposed does not mean identical.  Your content should not look the same or say the same thing across different channels.

Don’t Forget Email Marketing

3. Finally, do not underestimate the power of email marketing. It is cost-effective and allows you to easily create different journeys for different groups content-wise.

Customize your email content so that it is personal.  This goes beyond simply including users’ names.

Make your marketing emails skim-friendly. Emails should have a clear call to action and purpose. The less effort and time required for interaction, the better.

In conclusion, if you want to rock a bigger, better brand, start with a strong foundation. Integrate your customized, creative and cohesive digital marketing to connect with your audience.  Remember: Consistency is key.

Voice-search is increasingly becoming a way people find information online:

• Forty-one percent of adults use a voice- activated personal assistant at least once a day.
• Fifty percent of all searches will be voice searches by 2020.
• One-third of smartphone owners use their voice-activated personal assistants regularly.
• More than 35 million Americans use a smart speaker at least once a month.
• Moreover, the global market for smart speakers is expected to grow to $2 billion by 2020.

Voice-Search at Work

And before you assume that consumers do all of their voice search in private, consider that in a recent study, 50 percent of respondents said that they use voice search in the office. That must make for great cubicle relations.

Interestingly, voice searches indicate a greater intent to buy. This could be a good time to review the SEO strategies you have implemented on your website.

Be Natural & Direct

Here’s how you can optimize your web copy for voice-search:

• What problems does your company help consumers solve? Write content that answers these questions.
• Once you’ve figured out the best terms and questions, look these up in Google.
• Pay attention to the answers that Google spotlights in the answer box at the top of the page.
• Can you answer these questions in a more direct way? The answers that show up in the Google Answer Box are the answers that get read out loud, increasing your odds of customer action.
• Be Natural. When people use a virtual assistant to search for something, they’ll usually use words like “who,” “what,” “when,” “were” etc. Are you answering these questions on your website?  If not, you might need to take another look at your copy.

Throwing another search factor into the marketing mix can seem daunting. But, by taking some small steps, you can incorporate some thoughtful strategies and optimize your website for voice-search.