Insider Tips, Proven Techniques, and Hidden Gems for Small Businesses Using Canva Pro

In the world of social media marketing, visual content reigns supreme. For small business owners, creating eye-catching graphics is essential to stand out from the competition. Canva Pro is a powerful tool that can simplify this process, offering a suite of features designed to enhance your design capabilities. Here, we explore insider tips, proven techniques, and hidden gems within Canva Pro that can help small business owners create stunning social media content effortlessly.

Insider Tips for Maximizing Canva Pro

1. Utilize the Brand Kit
   One of the standout features of Canva Pro is the Brand Kit. This tool allows you to upload your brand's logos, set color palettes, and choose fonts that reflect your business's identity. By doing this, you can ensure consistency across all your social media posts, which is vital for brand recognition. When you create a new design, simply apply your brand elements with one click, saving you time and maintaining your brand’s cohesive look.

2. Take Advantage of Magic Resize
   In today's digital landscape, your content needs to fit various social media platforms perfectly. The Magic Resize tool in Canva Pro allows you to create one design and automatically resize it for different platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This feature not only saves time but also ensures that your visuals are optimized for each platform’s specifications, improving your chances of engagement.

3. Explore Templates for Social Media
   Canva Pro provides an extensive library of professionally designed templates tailored for social media. These templates cover a wide range of industries and purposes, from promotional posts to quotes and stories. Instead of starting from scratch, browse through these templates to find inspiration or a base that you can customize. This will help you create visually appealing posts quickly and efficiently.

Proven Techniques for Effective Social Media Design

1. Incorporate Eye-Catching Visuals
   Use high-quality images and graphics to capture attention. Canva Pro offers access to a vast library of stock photos, illustrations, and icons. When selecting images, choose ones that resonate with your audience and complement your message. Additionally, use Canva’s editing tools to enhance these visuals—adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation to make them pop.

2. Maintain Consistent Branding
   Consistency is key in social media branding. Use similar colors, fonts, and styles across all your designs. This not only reinforces your brand identity but also creates a recognizable aesthetic that followers will associate with your business. Canva Pro's Brand Kit helps streamline this process, ensuring you never stray too far from your established look.

3. Leverage Animations and Videos
   Adding animations and video content to your posts can significantly increase engagement. Canva Pro allows you to animate text and elements within your designs or create video posts directly in the platform. Use animations sparingly to highlight key information or to create dynamic content that stands out in crowded social feeds.

Hidden Gems in Canva Pro

1. Content Planner for Scheduling Posts
   One of the most valuable yet often overlooked features in Canva Pro is the Content Planner. This tool enables you to plan, create, and schedule your social media posts all in one place. By visually organizing your content calendar, you can ensure that you’re consistently posting and can align your posts with upcoming events or promotions. This feature helps you maintain a steady flow of content, keeping your audience engaged.

2. Customizable QR Codes
   QR codes are making a comeback, and Canva Pro lets you generate them easily. You can create QR codes that link to your website, a specific landing page, or even a promotional video. This can be particularly useful for print materials, helping to bridge the gap between offline and online marketing efforts. Customize the color and design of your QR code to match your branding, making it visually appealing while still functional.

3. Collaboration Features
   For small business owners working with a team, Canva Pro’s collaboration features are a game-changer. You can invite team members to edit designs, leave comments, and share feedback in real time. This streamlines the design process and ensures that everyone is on the same page. Whether you’re working on social media graphics, marketing materials, or presentations, collaboration in Canva Pro can lead to more polished and professional results.

Final Thoughts

Canva Pro is an invaluable resource for small business owners looking to enhance their social media presence. By utilizing insider tips, proven techniques, and hidden gems within the platform, you can create stunning visuals that capture your audience’s attention and promote your brand effectively. From maintaining a consistent brand identity to leveraging advanced features like the Content Planner and animations, Canva Pro equips you with the tools necessary for social media success. Embrace these tips and techniques, and watch your social media engagement soar!

More than 306 billion emails are sent and received each day. And companies have reported that they make $36 for every U.S. dollar they spent on email marketing. However, this success would not be possible if marketers applied a one-size-fits all model to their marketing communications. The most effective strategies for email marketing campaigns apply customer segmentation, personalized messaging, and triggered automation sends. The goal of email marketing is to reach the right customer with the right message at the right time.

We’ve gathered 12 must-have campaigns for your existing customer base to grow revenue, loyalty, and retention.

Onboarding

1. Welcome Emails: Crafting First Impressions

As soon as you have converted your prospect into a customer, it is time for you to ensure they don’t experience buyer’s remorse. This first automated message welcomes them to your brand and reinforces the value of their purchase decision. Use this communication to explain important next steps, the value of your product or service, and what they can expect from your future marketing communications.

Consider including information about any warranties or guarantees that come with their purchase, as well as any additional resources or support that may be available to them. This will help to build trust and instill confidence in your brand.

2. Customer Onboarding Series

For more complex products, consider a series of onboarding emails to ensure users are getting the most out of their purchase.

Determine the most important steps of the lifecycle journey where a customer will achieve the most value from your service or where they are most likely to run into obstacles. By doing so, you can increase customer engagement and retention, and reduce churn rates. These campaigns should be personalized based on demographic factors, customer behavior and tier level of their purchase. Prioritize the features they need to activate, and send reminders, educational videos, downloadable resources, and infographics.

3.Social Proof Emails: Building Trust

Social proof is a powerful tool that can help you establish credibility and trust with your new customers. By showcasing positive testimonials, reviews, case studies, or usergenerated content, you can show your new customers that they are in good hands and that others have had a positive experience with your product or service. This can help to alleviate any doubts or concerns they may have and make them more likely to make a purchase or work with you in the future. When creating social proof emails, it's important to keep in mind the tone and messaging of your brand. You want to showcase your customer's positive experiences without coming across as a sales message.

4. Feedback Surveys: Enhancing the Experience

Early in the lifecycle is a key moment to get a pulse for how things are going. Collecting customer feedback is vital for improving your products and services. Create targeted feedback surveys to understand your audience's preferences and pain points. Use this information to refine your offerings and demonstrate that you value customer opinions. And for negative feedback, be sure your customer success team reaches out to solve the problem. Consider implementing a customer feedback program that rewards customers for sharing their thoughts and ideas. By prioritizing customer feedback, you can build a loyal customer base and continuously improve your business.

Engagement

5. Newsletter Campaigns: Engaging Content for Subscribers

Keeping your audience informed and engaged is the primary goal of newsletter campaigns. Newsletters provide an excellent platform to share valuable content, industry updates, special events, and exclusive offers. Ensure a consistent schedule and relevant content to maintain subscriber interest. Your newsletter content should aim to be informative, creative and engaging. Consider including articles, infographics, videos, or podcasts that your users will find valuable. You should also consider including interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, or surveys. This will provide valuable insights into your subscribers' preferences and help you tailor your content to their needs.

6. Product Announcements:  Presenting New Features

Showcase your latest upgrades through targeted product announcement emails. However, not every update warrants an announcement to avoid annoying users. For instance, smaller bug fixes can be silently updated without an email, while significant changes like product redesigns or feature additions require a communication. Announcing product updates can help boost user engagement, drive feature discovery and adoption, and enhance customer loyalty.

7. Event Invitations: Driving Attendance

Whether it's a webinar, product launch, or in-person event, use compelling emails to drive attendance. Consider offering early access, VIP seating, or special perks to those who RSVP early.

8.Holiday Promotions: Capitalizing on Festive Seasons

Leverage the holiday spirit to boost sales and engagement. Plan and execute holiday-themed email campaigns that align with your brand. This approach allows you to connect with your audience during peak shopping seasons. To make the most out of holiday promotions, it's important to start planning early and create a cohesive strategy that aligns with your brand's values and messaging. Additionally, make sure to incorporate festive visuals and messaging in your email campaigns and social media posts to create a sense of excitement and urgency.

Cross-Sell and Upgrade

9. Limited-Time Offers: Creating Scarcity

Implementing limited-time offers can be a powerful tool in your email campaigns. Leverage the psychological power of scarcity by crafting compelling messages that emphasize the exclusivity and time-sensitive nature of the promotion. By doing so, you can create a sense of urgency and drive conversions.

10. Complementary Products: Maximizing Revenue

Encourage additional purchases by implementing cross-sell and upsell campaigns. Recommend complementary products or upgrades based on customers' previous purchases. Use look-a-like data from other customers to determine the likelihood of a similar upgrade.

11. Abandoned Cart: Recover Sidetracked Customers

Cart abandonment is a common issue, with various reasons for why consumers may leave your site without completing their purchase. It could be due to competition from other vendors, wanting to wait for a sale or coupon code, shipping preferences or perhaps they were simply sidetracked. Combat this by implementing effective abandoned cart emails. Start by sending a sequence of emails, with the initial message not offering a discount. Then, follow up with attractive incentives in subsequent emails to re-engage the customer and encourage them to complete their purchase.

12. Birthday or Anniversary Emails: Build Customer Loyalty

Sending a birthday or anniversary email to your customers is a simple yet effective way to show them that you value their business. By personalizing the message and offering a special discount or exclusive perk, you not only make them feel appreciated, but you also increase the chances of them returning to make a purchase. You can also use birthday rewards to test different offers such as 20% off vs $10 off or free shipping.

In Conclusion

Integrating these diverse email marketing campaigns into your strategy can enhance customer engagement, drive sales, and build lasting relationships. Tailor your approach based on your brand, industry, and the preferences of your audience to maximize the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts.

At Fayre Marketing, we partner with businesses to drive revenue, customer retention, and loyalty through email marketing. Grow your email list and boost engagement with an award-winning email marketing consultant. We start by analyzing the needs of your customers to build a personalized email communications strategy to onboard, engage, retain, and grow your customer base.

Let's chat about customer-centric marketing, a game-changer that puts your customers at the heart of all your marketing moves. We're diving into the nitty-gritty in this ultimate guide – from understanding the foundations to practical tips for weaving it into your company's DNA. Let's dive into the world of customer-centric marketing.

Step 1: Walk a Mile in Your Customer's Shoes

One of the first steps in infusing customer-centricity into your company is to adopt a mindset that places the customer front and center. This involves putting yourself in your customer's shoes and viewing your business from their perspective. By doing so, you can gain valuable insights into their needs, pain points, and expectations, which will allow you to tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.

For example, if you run an e-commerce store, consider the entire customer journey, from browsing products to making a purchase and receiving support. Are there any bottlenecks or pain points along the way? By addressing these issues, you can create a seamless and enjoyable experience for your customers.

Step 2: Building Solid Customer Relationships

Listening is the secret sauce. Actively ask for feedback through surveys, social media, or direct chats. By listening and responding to their concerns, you can build trust and show that their opinions matter. Transparency is another vital aspect of building strong customer relationships. Be open and honest about your business practices, pricing, and policies. This transparency builds trust and fosters long-term loyalty.

And here's the kicker: personalization. Customize communications based on customer preferences, past behavior, location, demographics, and more. Show your clients they're not just a number, but unique individuals.

Step 3: Long-Term Metrics for Customer Marketing Impact

Sure, short-term metrics matter, but let's talk long-term. Customer lifetime value (CLV) measures the total revenue a customer generates throughout their relationship with your business. By analyzing CLV, you can identify your most valuable customers and allocate resources accordingly. This metric also helps you understand the return on investment for acquiring and retaining customers. NPS measures customer loyalty and satisfaction by asking customers how likely they are to recommend your business to others. 

Step 4: Creating Unforgettable Experiences

Personalized interactions are a powerful way to create memorable experiences. Take the time to understand your customers' preferences and tailor your interactions accordingly. Use their names, remember their previous interactions, and offer personalized recommendations. These small gestures make customers feel valued and appreciated.

Surprise rewards and incentives can also make a lasting impression. Consider implementing a loyalty program that rewards customers for their continued support. Surprise them with exclusive offers, discounts, or personalized gifts. These unexpected rewards create a sense of delight and strengthen the bond between your brand and your customers.

Step 5: Optimize Your Website for a Smooth Ride

In the customer-centric world, your website is the tour guide. Make it user-friendly, intuitive, and mobile-responsive. Smooth navigation equals happy customers, leading to higher engagement and conversions. Regularly test offers, landing pages, calls to action, and button color to determine what format is best for performance.  Use urgency, such as limited-time offers, to drive sales. In addition, make sure you provide information that may stall a purchase decision, such as return policies, shipping methods, and money-back guarantees.

Step 6: The Content Marketing Power Play

Content is the MVP. Whether it's blogs, videos, or social media magic, create content that speaks to your customers' needs and interests. Be the trusted resource they turn to. This approach establishes expertise, promotes brand awareness, and keeps your company top of mind when it's time to make a purchase. Brand storytelling is a great way to connect with your audience. A brand story is a summary of your company’s history, mission, and core values, with a descriptive narrative that brings it to life.

Step 7: Elevate Your Customer Support Game

Customer support is your ace. Resolve issues pronto, show commitment to satisfaction through live chat, phone support, or self-service options. Invest in a rock-solid support system and watch customer loyalty soar. Marketing should be glued to the hip with customer support specialists so that they have a pulse on what customers are experience - both positive and negative. Those positive interactions can become case studies, testimonials, and customer advocates. Negative experiences offer an opportunity for marketing to improve communications, education, offers, and more.

Mastering the Art of Customer-Centric Marketing

To master this art, understand your customers inside out. Infuse customer-centric culture in every corner of your company, measure long-term metrics, and sprinkle in memorable experiences. It's the winning formula in today's competitive arena.

And hey, if you need a hand boosting customers and ROI, give Fayre Marketing a shout. We've got your back! 🚀

BriefingWire.com 4/3/23 (Houston, Texas) - According to the Small Business Administration (2021) there are 32.5 million small businesses doing under $1M in revenue with less than 5% doing $1M or more, or 1.6 million who are doing well. The American Veteran is highly trained to become successful in their unique mission and aligned to be a cohesive global fighting force; however, there is no clear guide to designing or mapping out a future life in the civilian sector. 

“My long-time friend Kathy Bowersox, Business Coach and franchise owner of Network In Action (NIA) Business Force approached me a few years ago to talk about helping veterans to grow their businesses, including mine,” says Marine Veteran Andy Valadez and Marketing Strategist of Marketing Dynamics based in Houston, “I had been doing a lot of volunteer work with the American Legion, the Marine Corps League and other veterans service organizations, all geared to helping vets from all eras.”

Kathy and Andy began working with NIA Veterans Business Force (VBF) with a small cadre of prior service leaders of all branches and then they and their members inspired and were part of the launch of the Houston Veterans Chamber of Commerce, which has garnered the attention of the city, corporations, individuals, and other support organizations. Then A Million Veteran Millionaires (MVM) was born to expand the message and reach nationally.

Promotional Video: https://youtu.be/spvmVoT9N9M (1:05 min.)

“I was thrilled to see the development of the A Million Veteran Millionaires program from VBF founding member, Andy Valadez.  He and the MVM program exemplify the spirit of NIA, that of helping fellow business owners grow their businesses together.  Through both the MVM program and NIA Business Force we are helping veteran and other business owners scale their businesses,” said Bowersox.

Kathy was featured in February to talk about her extensive work helping businesses to succeed and her strong interest in helping veterans.

Kathy’s interview on MVM: https://youtu.be/GbqAZtvgwKc (57:53 min.)

Past Guests:  Author/Speaker and Marine Veteran Akshay Nanavati, Author/Speaker/Real Estate Artist Frank McKinney (whose dad was a Vietnam Army veteran), Pastor Sam Childers aka Machine Gun Preacher (whose dad was a Vietnam era Marine), and 4-time Olympian/Author/Speaker Ruben Gonzalez.

A Million Veteran Millionaires is currently a free zoom call platform (limited to 100 for the live calls scheduled the 4^th Tuesday of the month at 4pm CST). The Zoom features hosts Andy and Kathy, archived videos and audios of past guests, a recommended book list, access to Million Dollar Business University provided by NIA, a blog, branded merchandise, Marketing AI tools, Side Hustle info, and veterans business listing.

To learn more about A Million Veteran Millionaires, please visit:  www.aMillionVeteranMillionaires.com

###

For media inquiries, please contact:

Andy Valadez
Marketing Strategist
Marketing Dynamics
Direct: 713.560.3348
E-mail:  Andy@AndyValadez.com

Marketing a business is one of the most crucial elements of building a successful company. It’s essential to reach out to potential customers, create brand awareness, and ultimately, drive sales. However, before embarking on any marketing efforts, it’s important to do your due diligence and conduct market research. In this blog post, we’ll explore why market research is so critical before marketing your business.

Identify your target audience:

Market research helps you to identify who your target audience is, their needs, and their preferences. This information helps you tailor your marketing efforts to reach the right people, with the right message, at the right time. For instance, if you are a company that sells high-end fashion, your target audience will be different from a company that sells affordable children’s clothing. Identifying your target audience helps you avoid the costly mistake of targeting the wrong audience, leading to ineffective marketing.

Know your competition:

Market research helps you to analyze your competition and learn from their successes and failures. You can find out what they are doing right, what they are not doing, and how you can differentiate yourself from them. For instance, if you are starting a new restaurant, market research can help you identify the other restaurants in the area, the type of cuisine they serve, their pricing strategy, and other valuable information.

Determine your marketing budget:

Marketing can be expensive, and it’s essential to determine how much you can afford to spend before starting any marketing campaign. Market research helps you to identify the most effective marketing channels for your business and the costs associated with each. For instance, social media advertising may be more effective for your business than traditional advertising methods, such as TV or print media. You can then allocate your marketing budget to the channels that are most effective for your business.

Test your marketing message:

Market research helps you to test your marketing message to see how it resonates with your target audience. You can conduct surveys, focus groups, or other research methods to get feedback on your message. This feedback can help you refine your message and make it more effective. For instance, if you are a company that sells organic food, you can test different messages such as “healthy eating” versus “sustainable farming” to see which one resonates better with your target audience.

Avoid costly mistakes:

Market research helps you avoid costly mistakes such as launching a product that no one wants or targeting the wrong audience. By conducting thorough market research, you can minimize the risk of failure and make informed decisions that will benefit your business in the long run.

In conclusion, market research is crucial before marketing your business. It helps you identify your target audience, understand your competition, determine your marketing budget, test your marketing message, and avoid costly mistakes. By taking the time to conduct market research, you can make informed decisions that will lead to the success of your business.

About the Author 

Direct: 713.560.3348 or text
E-mail: Andy@AndyValadez.com

Sign-up to hear from Andy Directly: http://eepurl.com/gvQxnP (click to subscribe).

FREE Introductory Zoom Call ($500 Value, book now): https://calendly.com/marketing-dynamics

Strategic Marketer, Technologist, Media Personality, Columnist/Blogger, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Video Producer (motion picture, documentary and web), and Shofar Blower. Strategy first, tactics second.

Marketing Dynamics is a true strategic marketing company with a focus on entrepreneurship with interests in entertainment, technology, broadcast, publishing, politics, non-profits, and start-ups. We are building strong alliances in each one of these sectors and growing opportunities to benefit our clients, business partners, and friends.

Marketing Dynamics is a catalyst company that implements its strategies and tactics for effective outcomes with tangible and intangible results.

Marketing, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. We see opportunity through the power of Marketing.

Andy is a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran (Desert Storm/Shield) and Graduate from Texas A&M University with a degree in Marketing and Tulane University in Applied Business. Accelerate your business with us, because the market never stays the same.

Former founding Marketing Director Board Member of the American Veterans Museum being planned in Houston.

Andy served as the Public Relations Officer for the 22nd District Department of Texas American Legion (over 12 posts in Houston) and American Legion Post 164 PR Officer in Katy, Texas and currently serves as the PR Officer for the Marine Corps League McLemore Detachment 324 (one of the oldest detachments in the USA). Member of The Military Order of the Devil Dogs (Fun and Honor Society).

Founding member of Veterans Business Force a division of Network In Action based in Houston, Texas.

Member and advisor to President and Founder of the Veterans Chamber of Commerce in Houston, Texas.

Creator of A Million Veteran Millionaires (www.aMillionVeteranMillionaires.com).

Member of Katy Area Chamber of Commerce and the Katy Christian Chamber.

Don’t do it. You don’t need clichés, especially in advertising copy. They are lazy. “For all your toe shoe needs,” “sale ends soon,” “the tent is up, the prices are down.” Ick. We don’t need a study to know audiences mentally tune out at these trite idiocies, we tune out ourselves. Where’s the inspiration? Where’s the motivation? Why are we wasting resources creating this waste of time?

The intent of this post was to provide a list of some clichés and provide alternatives. But in assembling this article we learned that the vast majority of cliché’s used in commercials come because the copywriter is ‘telling’ the audience, instead of ‘showing’ them something.

Here’s an example: instead of telling the listener that the advertiser is “the home of fun for the whole family,” give them the sounds, the images, the lingual inspiration that brings them into the ad, participating as part of the ad where they can see themselves and their family having fun. This is best done in audio, where the listener can picture themselves and their family having that fun, instead of in supplied visuals like TV and online. The only goal: show, don’t tell.

Show, don’t Tell

Instead of telling the listener the advertiser has “savings throughout the store,” use the visual abilities of audio, your blog, your landing page to show savings throughout the store. Instead of telling the listener to “hurry on in before we run out,” show the shortage, the demand, maybe even the disappointment of someone who missed out (though make sure the prospect doesn’t think they are too late).

Of course I know the time constraints on copywriters, too – so here’s a (by no means complete) list of cliché’s that you may be asked to include, what listeners/readers think you mean, and maybe an alternative or two to make the copy better.

“It’s customer appreciation time.” Listener’s reaction: “What? You didn’t appreciate me all the other times I shopped your store?” How about: Thanks to your loyalty, we can save you another 15 percent through Tuesday.”

“It’s savings time.” Oh, so you’ve been overcharging me for years. (This reminds me of the big mall anchor stores like Sears, Kohls, and JC Penney. They advertise big Saturday sales, and in effect are telling their customers to wait until Saturday to shop, otherwise, you’re being over-charged.)

“Located at” Just drop this. 9.9 times out of 10 it is just excess verbiage.

“Going on now.” Of course it's going on now or you wouldn’t be advertising it, or you’d provide a specific date. And make sure when a sale or special is to be over the copy lets listeners know exactly when it will be over. Sale ends January 5th, never “sale ends soon”.

“Sale ends soon.” This has zero motivation to move people to action. This is an attempted plea for immediacy, yet fails to provide any. Without a firm deadline readers and listeners will think they have time to shop until they stop seeing and hearing the ad. But the advertiser stops the spot when the sale is over. So the listener forgets there was a sale they were interested in because they thought they had time because the “sale ends soon”. Always use a firm date.

“They won’t last long.” The listener thinks: you either didn’t order enough, or the product has been discontinued. Thanks, but I’ll wait for the upgraded version. Maybe: “These are the last of version 2.9, and they are priced to save you money.”

“We service what we sell.” You had better. If this needs mentioning, the client has other significant perception problems that need to be addressed with the advertising. Alternative: “Should you have a problem, bring it back, we’ll make it right.”

“Service second to none.” What are they are trying to say? Maybe they are the best at what they do? Show it. Use testimonials with real people, not actors or “air personalities”.

“Its inventory/St. Patrick’s Day/holiday/clearance/bargain/sale/whatever time…” Can you say “ad coming, let my mind wander”? Remember when local car dealers got the bright idea to mumble the disclaimer at the front of a radio spot? Listeners soon realized a high-pressure yelling car spot was coming and changed the station. If you don't remember that, its 'cause of the same reason. It didn't work.

“Our people make the difference” or “friendly, knowledgeable staff.” Instead show the friendly, knowledgeable staff. Show the listener how your people make the difference.

Reap the profits when you avoid the clichés and needless words.

Define “Convenient”

Have we included clichés in copy from time to time? Only on client demand. One demanded “conveniently located” in his commercial for farm tractors. Never mind that the reason he was on our station was so his spot would be heard for dozens of miles, and at night for hundreds of rural miles; and his business was not “conveniently located” for everyone. Yet he insisted because he was “Just 6 miles off the Interstate at exit 2B.” How is that convenient to rural farmer farmers across 120 miles of signal coverage? Those few seconds could have been better-used showing.

Ad pros can only protest so much before the lure of the dollar sign pushes management to approve the ad. I expect you know what that’s like.

Conclusion

But there are alternatives, and the key is education. Teach the advertiser the value of each second of air-time, of the reader’s time, and show them how the power of words makes his product relatable, desirable, and necessary. Ads are more powerful when they skip the cliché.

A list of commercial clichés/babble to avoid: https://voicecreative.com/cliches/

Networking is the daily currency of an entrepreneur. For some of us networking is fun, but for others it’s a struggle. And I get it, the whole introvert/extrovert thing. But let’s face it, without networking it’s hard to find a consistency of clients.

I’m an introvert myself, but I was able to overcome my anti-socialness (if that’s even a word), and it made all the difference in helping me to grow my clientele within my business. There are several “dos and don’ts” when networking, but today we’ll focus on 5 tips for conversion networking.

1. Listen First

People love to talk about themselves, so let them talk. Starting a conversation with intentions of being a great listener, allows you to make better connections with others. You’re able to get a better understanding of who they are and what their business is about. It also allows you to direct the conversation and easily find common interests with one another.

2. Provide Value

Give before you ask. Being a great resource for others, makes you a valuable person. You should always share your purpose, rather than your passions when networking. Purpose is a more wholesome topic, it describes your service to humanity and your reason for existence. It’s a powerful way to make genuine connections with others because you’re sharing something so personal, yet inspiring and intriguing. It creates admiration of your character over your accomplishments. Remember, your passion is for you, your purpose is for others.

3. Follow Up

Once the networking event is over, the social setting is gone, and the high emotions has wore off, people forget to reconnect with the people they’ve met. This is a BIG mistake that most people make. Always take the initiative to reach out via email, phone, or social media to reconnect. This is KEY in converting networking into a relationship.

4. Create Trust

It takes time to gain someone’s trust, but a second to destroy it. Good character and authenticity, amongst other characteristics creates trust. When discussing your capabilities, clientele, and accomplishments be honest and transparent. We all have long-term goals for our businesses to be super successful, and if you’re not at that point yet, it’s okay. Demonstrate respect, show loyalty, clarify any expectations, practice accountability and keep your commitments. Staying consistent with these attributes and your network will likely entrust you for your services.

5. Build Relationships

The saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and neither are relationships. Stay in touch with the people you’ve networked with, weeks and months after you’ve connected with them. Ask them how’s business and how their day is going. Schedule a meet-up date with them for coffee, lunch, or even dinner. If you happen to follow them on social media, like/comment on their posts and celebrate their successes. Show that you actually care and make friends.

Whether networking virtually and/or in-person is up to you, just make sure you’re out there connecting with others. And remember, people work with who they know, like and trust. 

As always, “Stay Intuitive!”

It’s no secret that your small business marketing strategy is what makes or breaks your brand.

With over 80% of customers admitting that they do online research before making a purchase, it’s crucial to get your business’s info out there. But in today’s crowded marketplace, how do you find the strategies that actually work?

Though there are countless marketing fads that come and go, we’ve put together a list of tried-and-tested strategies that can help your brand stand out. Read on to learn more.

1. Hone Your Target Audience

It’s always important to know who you’re talking to, but honing your target audience is even more crucial for small businesses than for larger brands. Figuring out who you should focus your limited time and resources attracting can ensure you’re getting leads you can actually convert.

If you haven’t already done so, take the time to figure out who you’re targeting. Consider your niche, get your hands on demographic data, and work on creating buyer personas that help you understand who to attract.

2. Craft Compelling Content

In a digital landscape that’s awash in brands like yours, the best way to cut through the noise is to create compelling content. In fact, it’s easy to argue that failing to follow this step might sabotage all of your other efforts!

Relevant, helpful, high-quality content is attention-grabbing, which is exactly what you need. Whether you’re drafting thoughtful opinion pieces on your blog, creating helpful infographic tutorials, or launching fun but relevant videos on TikTok, make sure you’re showcasing what your brand offers.

This is where the step above comes in: knowing who you’re talking to makes it easier to create content they’ll love and want to share. For small Houston businesses, don’t forget that creating a local content strategy that positions your brand as a leader within the area is a great way to stand out.

3. Optimize Your Google Business Profile (GBP)

You’d be shocked at how many small businesses fail to take advantage of Google.

Instead of leaving Google to guess what your brand has to offer—even if it would be an educated guess, given Google’s ability to pull info from other networks and directories—why not tell it yourself?

Optimizing your GBP profile allows you to share info about your brand with local searchers using Google. It even makes it more likely that your company info will appear at the top of a local search! You can also use your GBP to showcase photos, events, discounts, and more.

4. Stand Out With SEO

If you’re trying to ramp up your Houston marketing efforts without this step, you may as well not even bother! SEO is what helps small businesses get found online, and though it can be tricky to compete with larger, established brands, there are plenty of strategies that can give you an edge.

When paired with content marketing, SEO is one of the most cost-effective ways to get more site visitors and leads, especially with the explosion of mobile search in recent years. Even better, Google wants to provide relevant and helpful results, so its algorithm often favors local brands.

5. Advertise Online

While this strategy will cost more upfront than long-term SEO tactics, the immediate results make it well worth your time.

There’s a caveat here, as you might expect: if you’re hoping to beat the local competition and raise your ROI, it’s crucial to know your audience. Creating tailored ads that appear on the platforms where your audience spends its time is key. The most popular online ad tools include Google Ads and Facebook Ads, both of which allow you to target specific niches.

6. Start an Email Campaign

Sure, the humble email has been around for decades now. But did you know it’s still offering one of the highest ROIs of all types of marketing for small businesses, hovering at around $36 for every $1 spent?

Better still, especially for busy entrepreneurs, is the fact that email campaigns are easy to automate. Though you’ll have to invest time and money up front in creating valuable content, today’s online tools make it easy to send future emails to leads and customers at the perfect time.

7. Network With Local Brands

This is a tried-and-tested marketing strategy for good reason: it really works! Connecting with other Houston businesses is a great opportunity to share tips and insights, collaborate, and promote each other’s goods and services.

There are countless small business expos in Houston throughout the year, as well as regular events via sites like Meetup. However, don’t hesitate to reach out to other brands directly or to connect with them online!

8. Partner With an Influencer

We’re not necessarily talking about influencers with followers in the hundreds of millions. When it comes to small brands, finding micro-influencers within your specific niche can be a great way to promote yourself in a way that feels organic to their followers.

This partnership may involve reaching out to an influencer marketing agency, or you might find it easier to reach out to an influencer directly. Even a single promotional post can offer a massive increase in visibility and sales, as long as the influencer’s followers include your target audience.

9. Offer Freebies and Discounts

Everyone loves getting something for free—even if it means leaving you with their contact details.

Freebies and discounts can be a great way to build up your list of email subscribers and leads, and you can do it right from your website.

Note, of course, that you’ll have to offer up something valuable in return, which is where that “compelling content” often comes in. No matter your brand, there are plenty of great lead magnet marketing strategies for small businesses to try. E-books, guides, PDF templates, quizzes, demos, webinars, and even special discounts can be powerful ways to attract your audience.

Let Us Boost Your Small Business Marketing Efforts

Growing your digital presence can feel like an uphill battle—but it doesn’t have to be that way. When you don’t have time to research and implement the key solutions above, our team is here to help!

We’ve helped multiple brands boost their online presence fast, and we’re happy to discuss what we can do for you. Get in touch with us to learn more.

An SEO strategy can improve your online presence and traffic for a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. But unfortunately, 70% of small businesses don’t have an SEO content marketing strategy.

There are several content marketing SEO strategies small companies should employ. Some examples are keyword targeting, link building, and content creation. However, it can be several months before any results are seen.

If you are scratching your head asking, “SEO content, what now?” then keep reading. We will explain how SEO content marketing can improve your online status and how your business can benefit.

What Is SEO Content Marketing?

To answer this, we have to split the question into “SEO” and “content marketing.” So let’s address SEO first.

The technical term for SEO is “Search Engine Optimization,” which is an effort to increase the quality of traffic to your website. That means getting as many visitors to your site as possible.

SEO and content marketing go hand in hand as a way to connect to your readers. This is accomplished by creating meaningful content that is insightful and educational so your reader knows why they should take action.

Your content is generated based on keywords gathered at the beginning of your SEO strategy. Typically, this will be industry-specific. This encourages customers to engage with links and call-to-actions, keeping them interested in your site longer.

What Are The Benefits?

There are multiple benefits to having a solid content marketing plan in place. First, by offering customers what they are looking for while they are searching for it, content marketing drives sales.

It Allows You to Direct the Conversation

One thing that online shopping lacks is the ability to talk to your customers and help them choose your product. If you tailor your online content around educating your would-be customers, this assists them with making purchasing decisions that benefit your company and not the competitors.

It Increases Your Social Media Following

If someone finds content on your website interesting or helpful, they’re more likely to share it and follow you on other platforms like Facebook or Instagram. If you keep delivering quality, informative content, you’ll gain more loyal followers.

It Improves Your Online Visibility

When your content focuses on your product or service, the people reading your article will likely visit those pages to see your offering. Additionally, conveniently linking to your products increases the likelihood of this happening.

It Improves Your Site’s “Street Cred”

Writing helpful content is not only for the customers’ benefit. For example, if you write good-quality blog content, other websites will hyperlink to your content. And the more you’re credited by backlinks; the more Google is interested in offering you as a first-page result.

Your Audience Will Visit Longer

When you have excellent content that readers find helpful, the chances are high that they will click around your site to see what other information you have. Pairing this up with targeted ads sprinkled around your website can also encourage readers to make a purchase while they’re on your site browsing.

It Builds Trust

Customers who have found your website informative are more likely to trust your brand. It is easier for your audience to trust you as a source of advice and recommendations if you create value for them without expecting anything in return. This also builds customer loyalty.

Trust Our SEO Content Marketing Experts

When you have a good SEO content strategy, it will provide your business with great content that is, above all, helpful to customers. This same content will gain your customers’ trust and loyalty and, in turn, more followers.

The good news is that to benefit from SEO content marketing; you don’t have to learn all this yourself. Instead, reach out to us for more information on our services, such as SEO management, organic SEO services, local search and social media advertising, and custom web design.

Yes! Blogging is absolutely still relevant in 2022. In fact, roughly 450 million internet users read about 22 billion blog pages monthly. This is why 55% of marketers prioritize blogging as their primary content marketing strategy

Here are some crucial tips for your Blogging

1. Identify Your Content Target
Before starting your blog , determine what subject matter your audience would find imporant, relevant and interesting.  Before you begin, don't forget these 3 questions. Make certain you answer “sure” to all 3:

• Will my blog content benefit my target audience? (Your article needs to have a good takeaways for the reader.)
• Do I have some thing new or intersting to share on this topic? (“new” can be your very own experience. Tell a story about your experince or how you helped someone to provide them a better experience. 
• Do I have a clear understanding of who my audience is? (Keep the profile of your target market in mind. Write as if you were talking to a member of your target audience one on one and in person.)

2. Write a Capivating Headline
How do you get people to begin reading your article?  Pull them into your article with an effective headline.
The headline is where the journey begins. Your intention is to get the reader to travel down your article to the closing statement and Call to Action.  Remember that your  published blog headline is the primary hook people will see and make a decesion to read further.  It will be the breadcrumb that will be seen in:

• Your website blog archives
• Social media
• Search Engine Results
• Emails sent out to promote the blog.

A capivating headline works in any channel in which on your potential targeted readers discover them. There are a few specific techniques to help craft the best headline. You won`t need to use all of those with each headline. 

Here are some successful headline writing strategies:

Benefits Focused headline - When a person discovers your headline via a website browser search or social media share.  If they see that the information can provide them some benfit or advantage, there`s a very good chance they will click on in your hyperlink to discover ans read your blog.
Dog lovers are going to click on headlines like “Airline Travel Tips for Traveling with Your Dog” Another headline used in popular bolgs about dogs may be "People Foods That are Healthy Choices to Supplement Your Dog's Diet"

Question Focused headline -
Using a question like “What Should You Do if Your Dog Has Eaten Chocolate?" sparks interest and curiosity. Questions are even more powerful when they are written as if talking to one individual. I’m a big proponent of using the word “you” in blog copy. 

Choose Power Words -
There are certain  words which have been used to capture people`s interest for many years.  Free remains a powerful word in a headline, due to the fact getting some thing for nothing creates an automated reaction in many humans.

Here are some more Power Words to make your headlines more capivating:

• Secrets –always alluring to people. We want to know what others don’t know.
• Easy – people are obviously attracted to the path of least resistance. “3 Easy Steps” attracts readers` in. 
• Discover – Who doesn`t like to “discover” things? Whether it`s a buried treasure or a brand new life hack you didn`t know that will  make your life easier, this phrase works.

These Power Words can be used to create a a detailed phrase of controversy or debate. In reality a controversy  can pull in readers. You might not consider this at first, however bloggers that try and please every body  get less readers. Many successful bloggers will take a controversial stance on a subject but making sure to back-up their position with good examples and facts.

3. Creating the Opener
Your headline has captured your target audience and they are beginning to read your blog. There are strategies you can use to insure they read the entire article. 

One is to again write a compelling question….same approach as using a question in your headline. Just don’t use this one if you already have a question in the headline. That feels redundant.

Sales professionals, both in-person reps and copywriters, use a method recognized as “Getting your prospect to YES ”.  What I mean by a YES question is asking the reader something that pretty much guarantees the reader will say yes—“Do you want to make more money next month?” or “Are you ready to find the success you deserve?” These are two examples.
Yes questions grow enagemnt of the reader to the contnet of your article, encouraging readers to continue.If you plant numerous YES questions via your copy, the reader may be a great deal greater receptive on your CTA.

Another approach to kicking off your article is by springing a surprise on them—say something unusual or share a story about a topic you don’t discuss much—“We found the greatest dod when we heard our neighbor's dog had puppies" grabs the reader with a personal story. As long as your opener relates to the topic of the article, your reader will read on.

You could also start with a benefit that your reader will want to know. Finding the right benefit requires an understanding of your blog audience. The more you research your target audience, the quicker you will know their needs.

At some point you will want to test opening your article with a statistic or two. If I started out a blog post with “3 out of 4 Bloggers Succeed Using this Little Known Tool,” you would likely want to read more.

Of course, there’s a reason why most blogs include a eye-catching image at the beginning…photos and illustrations grab attention. If you find a photo that compliment the topic and is interesting your article will be a winner.

4. The Close: Finish Strong

Getting your article off to a great start is important….and so is how you finish.  Hooking your reader into a post and then losing them half way hurts the success of the blog. 

Know Your Article's Goals - Do you know what you want to achieve before you start writing? This really helps your writing process if you begin with the end in mind. 

Ask yourself these questions to help pinpoint the goal of the article:

• What’s the main point to communicate?
• What do you want the reader to do after they finish reading?
• What emotions do you want the reader to feel?
• What’s the take away your reader gains from this post?

Close with a Call to Action - CTA

Thing of CTAs as  friendly reminders and helpful encouragements. Some  bloggers don’t understand how a call to action works and how to put them into their blog article. When the blogger learns  the skill of treating readers with respect and friendliness, they discover many of their readers are happy to respond to their requests…

• More comments on your blog post? Ask readers to comment.
• Taking an informal survey about something blog related? Ask readers to participate in the survey.
• More email subscribers? Encourage readers to opt-in.
• Have something to sell? Share with them the benefit to buying now. Include a deadline to create urgency or make a special offer of some kind to get more interest.

Your call-to-action should has these traits:

• Stays on target with your blog post goals
• One or maybe two calls to action.  Don't use more then two!
• Keep the CTA simple. A complicated call to action gets few results.
• Make your CTA have impact. Use a larger font. Even bold it.  Treat it like a subhead of headline.
• Try different locations in your artile for your CTA.  Many times the call to action works well at the end. But occasionally place it in the middle or even up front so it doesn’t become predictable and easily ignored.

Once your CTA is finished and then you have edited and proofed your article to satisfaction… Publish it. Share it every where you have potential readers, colleagues and influencers who may share it with their networks.  Then get planning on your next blog.