A badge and lanyard reading Trade Show for attendees to wear as a pass to get into a conference, convention or other large event

Tips For Preparing For Your Fall Trade Show

by BlogEdmiston Group
A badge and lanyard reading Trade Show for attendees to wear as a pass to get into a conference, convention or other large event

Summer is just about to begin and there is no better time than now to start preparing for a fall trade show. These events provide an opportunity to share your products or services with other vendors and build connections with potential customers. Trade shows require significant planning and preparation to ensure that the event runs smoothly. If you haven’t started planning for a fall trade show, now is the time. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Determine your goals.

What results do you want to achieve for your business by participating in the tradeshow? Establishing goals early in your trade show preparation process can help you and your team take a more focused approach. These goals should be specific and measurable objectives for your team to achieve and be based on factors such as lead generation, brand awareness, or sales.

2. Develop a budget.

There are many factors to consider when creating a budget for a tradeshow. These costs help control your expenses to meet your goals and objectives. After establishing your goals, it’s time to break down the costs associated with reaching them. Some of the expenses are comprised of the following items:

  • Booth Space and Location.
  • Exhibition stand design: building and transportation costs.
  • Logistics: shipping of marketing materials and products. 
  • Marketing: creation of advertisements, brochures, and gifts.
  • Staff: wages, training, attire, and accommodations.
  • Show Services: utilities, carpet rentals, WiFi, etc.

If you are unable to determine your costs at certain events, you can always search for an online trade show calculator to help you estimate the costs. 

3. Design your booth and presentation.

Location, location, location. Setting up a booth in the right location is key. If possible, consider choosing a location close to the entrance of the trade show, around the food area and bathrooms or close to major attractions or show sponsors to take advantage of high-traffic areas. The more foot traffic around you, the more visibility your booth will have. The more visibility you have, the greater the potential for sales.

When designing your booth, blend in visual brand elements, such as colors or logos, to increase awareness and recognition. You also want to ensure that your booth or display communicates clearly what your product or service offerings are to the attendees. Clear messaging helps people understand your business immediately and invites them to stop and talk to you. 

Pro Tip: Include a presentation to promote your brand that represents the value you can provide and how you differ from competitors. It can vary widely in length, content and style, but generally run 3-5 minutes. If you are not comfortable personally doing the presentation, try using presentation software such as PowerPoint, Prezi, or Google Slides. You have a captive audience at a tradeshow with only a short amount of time to impress them. So, be clear, concise and to the point. Make sure they walk away knowing what your products or services are and how those can be of benefit to them.

If designed properly, a well-designed booth and well-executed presentation will attract, engage, and inform your target audience. By adding interactive content, it can help increase your leads, add to your brand message, and jumpstart your sales. 

4. Explore the opportunity to present at a breakout session.

If you’re comfortable in presenting programming on a given topic explore the opportunity to present information at a breakout session or participate in a panel discussion. By identifying the conference theme and reaching out to the trade show organizers, you can pitch a breakout session to fit the conference theme for their consideration. This should be done early in the planning stage in order for your breakout to be considered for the available program slots. Being a presenter can lead to additional exposure for you and your business as your program and business name will be highlighted in marketing of the trade show.

5. Utilize social media.

With so many consumers relying on social media in their lives, social media is a cost-effective way to promote your presence and brand at a trade show. How? By posting content relevant to the tradeshow and your organization using the tradeshow hashtag and handle. You can also extend invitations to connect by reaching out to existing clients and potential clients with personalized invitations. Lastly, try live-tweeting throughout the event, or publishing videos on Facebook or Instagram from the tradeshow. Identify the hashtags used for the tradeshow and use them in your posts.  This will inform clients on what the trade show is about and peak their interest to attend. 

If you don’t know where to begin or have run into challenges planning for your next trade show, let’s connect. Give the Edmiston Group a call at (724)612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Opened suitcase with clothes and different accessories for travelling on light wooden floor

3 Reasons Why Every Business Owner Needs A Vacation

by BlogEdmiston Group
Opened suitcase with clothes and different accessories for travelling on light wooden floor

It’s the start of summertime –  most people start thinking about taking a vacation and spending quality time with their families. Yet, small business owners often feel like they cannot take a vacation. Why? They think they are too busy or that their business will fall apart in their absence. However, It’s important to recognize the benefits of taking a vacation.

Here are 3 reasons why every business owner needs to take a vacation:

1. You need it. 

If you are a  small business owner, you are likely overworked. Being overworked can cause irritability, resentment, burnout and magnify mistakes on the job. The reason? It goes back to the importance of rest. Our minds and bodies need rest. We need a break from the stress of running a business. When our bodies and minds are rested, we are more refreshed. By stepping away from our work and resetting the body and mind, it allows us to perform at our highest potential. When we perform at our highest potential, we often feel more motivated and energized when returning back to the office. Taking a vacation is good for you!

2. Your business needs it.

If you want to continue to grow your business, then you need to take the time to take a vacation. Taking a vacation might seem counterproductive when you’re trying to run a successful business, but it might be exactly what your business needs. 

By being away from the business, you can refocus. Without the day-to-day pressures of the office, you can use the time and surroundings of a calming and relaxing environment to see problems more clearly and from a fresh perspective. This fresh perspective brings new ideas for things “to do” for your business as well as things “not to do”. Think of your vacation as a compass that can point you in the right direction, and right you if you are heading in the wrong direction. 

Vacations can also help uncover issues with employees or outdated business practices while you are away. The time away will allow you to fix these issues if you didn’t know existed, ultimately, making your business more enjoyable to work at, more valuable and more efficient. Taking a vacation is good for your business!

3. Your Family Needs it.

As a business owner, you are not the only one feeling the repercussions of stress. Your family has their own stress too. Taking a vacation allows you and your family to leave behind the stress of their normal routines and allows you to connect and bond with them in a less stressful environment. Vacations will give everybody the opportunity to relax and enjoy themselves. This will help create stronger connections, create lasting memories, and foster stronger relationships.

Vacations help keep life in perspective. Your business is likely one of the most important aspects of your life. But, it’s important to remember that it is just a business. It shouldn’t be the only thing that defines you. Your family, friends and incorporating a work-life balance will help both you and your business to be more productive.

So if you’re tempted to say that you just don’t have time to go on vacation right now, keep in mind that not taking a vacation could be a huge disservice to yourself, your business, and your relationships. 

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Email Tips Online Postal Solution 3d Rendering Shows Suggestions And Tricks For Marketing Using Electronic Mail

3 Actionable Email Marketing Tips To Boost Open Rates

by BlogEdmiston Group
Email Tips Online Postal Solution 3d Rendering Shows Suggestions And Tricks For Marketing Using Electronic Mail

Email marketing campaigns are only effective if they are being opened by your audience. Remember, email marketing is not a game of chance. You need to put specific strategies in place in order to see a good ROI. In this blog, we share 3 tips to help you stay current with email marketing best practices and increase your open rates.

1. Get Personal 

Personalizing email campaigns is often misinterpreted as only addressing a subscriber by name. Although this is an important step, personalizing email campaigns also include information and offers that are relevant, timely and anticipating your subscribers’ needs. 

According to this Oberlo article 10 Email Marketing Statistics, “emails with personalized subject lines generate 50% higher open rates.” Personalization helps guide your customer’s journey by addressing their pain points, building trust, and delivering excellent customer service.

2. Promotions aren’t everything.

While the ultimate goal of email marketing is to grow your business, it’s important to realize that promotions are not the core of email marketing. The main purpose of email marketing is to establish and nurture healthy relationships with your customers and potential customers. 

Email marketing can be used as a vehicle to keep your readers informed about new products or services. It can also be used to turn potential customers into loyal customers by keeping your business top-of-mind. Lastly, email marketing can be used to guide and channel visitors to your website. 

3. Segment for the best results.

Segmentation is the process of grouping together customers who have certain attributes in common. The more relevant your email communication, the more likely your audience will continue to engage with it. This allows you to design customer journeys that are unique to each group and therefore increasing the efficiency of your email marketing strategy. It also creates more personalized content to influence your customers into taking decisive action.

Email segmentation improves engagement rates, increases open and click-through rates and helps reduce bounce rates. One of the goals of your email program is to drive revenue. By implementing email list segmentation, you progress your audience down the sales funnel.

By incorporating these tips, you are well on your way to building healthy relationships that will provide your customers and future customers with a lifetime of value and act as the driving force for your business growth. 

If you would like to discuss “fresh ideas for growing your business” or want to start incorporating email marketing into your business strategy, give me a call at (724)612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Hand writing sign Newsletter Marketing, Conceptual photo act of sending a commercial messages to customer

What Email Newsletter Style is Best for You?

by BlogEdmiston Group
Hand writing sign Newsletter Marketing, Conceptual photo act of sending a commercial messages to customer

One of the primary benefits of an email newsletter is connecting with prospective and previous buyers. Just as you have a certain style for your brand, the type of newsletter you share should match your brand style. Your email newsletter should complement other communications from your organization, including your logo, your brand colors and the design of your website. The voice used in your newsletter also needs to share your company’s brand tone as well. 

Here are 3 Types of Email Marketing Styles you can use for your newsletter to reflect your brand and serve your audience:

1. Informational/Educational

Create an informational or educational newsletter by sharing useful information with your readers about your products or services as well as giving behind-the-scenes details about your business. You can also provide educational content to subscribers by providing innovative ways they can use your products through tutorials, videos or a series of images. You can also share industry-specific information that will help your audience stay informed and/or take action around a specific issue.

For Example: If you are a specialty mattress manufacturer, you can share specifications on your mattress options such as available sizes and models. You can also include a video detailing the workmanship and the use of quality materials during the manufacturing process. If you provide tech support services to small businesses, you can share information on the latest security concerns around cloud backup systems.

2. Sales

Using your email marketing newsletter to directly sell your products and services is another style you can use. You can feature new products or best-selling items, along with customer testimonials. Or you can provide subscriber-only limited-time discounts, coupons or promotional pricing. You can also drive your readers directly to your website to increase sales.

3. Inspirational

Knowing your subscribers and what motivates them is very important. Using examples or stories of inspiration can trigger readers to do something about their life or the problems they have at hand using the solutions you provide. Your newsletter content should cultivate empathy, deliver the struggle positively and deliver a message of hope. It should be used to motivate and assist your readers in helping themselves in reaching their goals, be happy, be successful, and most importantly, feel good about themselves.

Choosing the right style of email and content for your audience will help keep your readers looking forward to your next newsletter.

Tip: The goal is not to incorporate all your topics of content at once. Spread it out. Sometimes less is more. It’s helpful to develop an email content calendar where you plan out your content in advance to help keep your readers looking forward to your next newsletter. If you need assistance in planning your content calendar, email me at [email protected]. The Edmiston Group would love to help!

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

A partially opened grey toolbox with variety of different items in it

What’s In Your Marketing Toolbox?

by BlogCommunicationsEdmiston Group
A partially opened grey toolbox with variety of different items in it

A great marketing toolbox can make your business stand out from the competition! The key is using tools and materials that uniquely identify both your company’s brand, product or service and differentiates you from every other business providing the same or similar product or service as you do. 

But where do you start? The first step is to conduct a thorough inventory of what’s in your current marketing toolbox to see if all the tools you have in place are working efficiently and resonating with your target audience. If you do not have a marketing toolbox, here are a few tools to help you get started:

Branding

Branding usually consists of logos, letterhead, signage and promo materials. These marketing materials need to be accessible both online and in print and connect with your audience. It is important to consistently brand your marketing materials to show the public, clients and even employees a level of stability and a standardization in your company’s representation. The more times people see your brand on promo materials, the more likely they will remember your company … and when it’s time to buy, then your business will be top of mind.

Website Maintenance/Appeal

Website maintenance requires that you keep your website up-to-date, running smoothly and performing optimally. Your website needs to offer prospects the easiest way of learning about your company and your offerings. Routinely check your website for speed, broken links, domain and hosting certificates, as well as your SSL certificate. 

You may be asking yourself how? One way is to incorporate an Analytics and performance tool such as Semrush. This tool allows you to identify errors, warnings, and issues with your website, and then provides recommendations to fix them promptly, thereby improving your website’s overall SEO health.

Another valuable tool to add to your marketing toolbox is a metric monitoring tool. This type of tool lets you see where you’re getting traffic on your website, where you’re missing opportunities, and where you can focus your marketing spending to see the biggest ROI.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of optimizing websites so that they rank well on search engines through organic (non-paid) searches. This is one of the most crucial marketing strategies for any business and it entails many pieces, such as:

  1. Keyword research: The process of finding the most relevant words to use on your web pages. Keyword research helps you understand the phrases that are most searched for and relevant to your business. This in turn, helps you create pages that can be optimized for those particular searches.
  2. Metadata: Metadata is the information that you provide to describe what your webpage contains. Metadata gives you control over the text that searchers see when they first encounter your website or a webpage. By making text that clearly answers the searcher’s query, it may lead to more clicks to your website. 
  3. Alt text: Alt text, or alternative text, is the small description that you give to the images on your site. It is also important to include alt text so that people who cannot see the images will be able to understand what the images contain.
  4. Links: Including links is an important factor for SEO. When one page links to another it helps Google navigate your site and build a network of connections between pages and their content. This can be either internal or external links. 

Including the above four aspects into your SEO activities will help ensure your site is optimized for web searches. 

Data Management: 

Data Management tools help organize, process, and analyze an organization’s data. These tools are designed to arrange data, and should provide a high degree of efficiency and effectiveness. Data management tools may include online payment portals, auto-schedulers or calendars. They may also include tools that support privacy, security, and the elimination of data redundancy such as a Contact Relationship Management (CRM) System. CRM software can provide several benefits to any business, from organizing contacts to automating key tasks. It can also be a centralized hub that enables consistent communication between you and the customer or within the organization. This is especially important as more organizations shift to remote work. 

Email Marketing 

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective forms of digital marketing today. For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average return of $40.  Email marketing allows you to develop relations with current customers, reach out to potential customers through digital channels, and build relationships. You can control the customer’s experience without having to worry about competing messages disrupting the email space like Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. Email marketing allows you to keep your customers informed, and to customize your marketing messages accordingly.

Social Media

One of the best reasons for your small business to be marketing on social media is that your customers are spending time on social media channels. By being active and establishing a presence on social media, consumers may be more receptive to your brand. This allows your company to be more conversational and show a different side of your brand and allows you to make authentic connections rather than just delivering direct marketing messages. Consumers are generally more responsive to social media and this can increase traffic to your website, leading to more sales.

In summary, by taking inventory of what’s in your marketing toolbox, you are well on your way to building a successful foundation for marketing efficiency. When built right, all your marketing tools work together, strengthening your company’s reputation as a leader and reinforcing the brand recognition of your products and services. If you need help building your marketing toolbox, I would love to help. You can call me at (724) 612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Wheelchair Disabled Person Symbol Disability Laptop Computer Software 3d Illustration

The Value of ADA-Compliant Websites

by BlogEdmiston Group
Wheelchair Disabled Person Symbol Disability Laptop Computer Software 3d Illustration

Websites have become an essential component of our daily lives in the digital age. Almost everything is now available with just a click of a mouse, from placing an online grocery purchase to scheduling an appointment with a doctor. However, many websites disregard the significance of handicap accessibility. For those with disabilities who depend on the internet to get crucial information or finish everyday duties might have repercussions.

There are moral and ethical justifications, as well as legal responsibilities, for ensuring accessibility for the disabled. Websites must be accessible to people with impairments in the United States under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By failing to adhere to these regulations your business may be subject to legal action, fines, and reputational harm.

Mitigate the risk of legal action. Not only is accessibility good for business, but since the recent DOJ affirmation, websites are considered places of public accommodations and must be accessible for people with disabilities. Request a website audit today.

Your business may suffer if your website is inaccessible to people with disabilities. People with disabilities may look for alternative businesses that provide comparable goods or services if they find your website challenging to use or navigate. This may lead to decreased sales and revenue as well as harm to the reputation of your business.

Website accessibility for people with disabilities can apply to people who are blind or visually handicapped, hard of hearing or deaf, or who have mobility issues. Giving people with disabilities access to your website can make it simpler for them to use it and engage with it, giving them an equal chance to access your content and services.

The promotion of inclusivity is among the most fundamental reasons why disabled accessibility is essential.

You may show that your business values every person, regardless of their ability, by making your website accessible to all users. Additionally, this may aid in growing your clientele and enhancing your company’s standing as a socially responsible one.

There are various actions you can take to make sure your website is handicap accessible. These include making sure your site is accessible with screen readers and other assistive devices, including closed captioning for audio and video material, utilizing descriptive headings and links, and adding alt tags to photos and videos. Regular accessibility audits should be conducted to find any problems and implement any necessary modifications.

In conclusion, any modern website must include handicapped accessibility. It encourages diversity, complies with regulatory obligations, and aids in preserving the reputation and financial health of your business. You can demonstrate that your business appreciates diversity and is committed to granting everyone access by taking the necessary steps to make sure that your website is handicapped accessible. For questions regarding this feature email me or learn more about the ADA compliance accessible software – AccessiBe.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Spring Cleaning - Businesswoman hand pressing button on touch screen interface. Business, technology, internet concept.

3 Areas to Refresh Your Business This Spring for Greater Productivity

by BlogEdmiston Group
Spring Cleaning - Businesswoman hand pressing button on touch screen interface. Business, technology, internet concept.

The first quarter is just about over and Spring is quickly approaching! Establishing an effective spring cleaning tradition just doesn’t mean tidying up the office. For a business, spring cleaning goes a lot deeper than that. By refreshing your business, it is a time to clean house, get rid of the clutter, and make room for new opportunities. Spring cleaning your business can show you what processes need improvement, help you streamline everyday operations, and give your company a renewed outlook, which is like a breath of fresh air.

Are you ready to spring clean your small business? Here are three areas where you can freshen things up at your company.

Update Your Website & Conduct a Digital Audit

Your website needs to be a reliable source of information about your business, so make sure it’s up-to-date. Are all of your links working properly? If not, it can send people to page-not-found messages or 404 errors. Spring is a good time to fix all the little details that can make a big impact. You want to find these errors before your customer does. You want your target audience to stay engaged on your website and reinforce your company’s reputation as the go-to source for information.  Bonus Website Exercise: Custom brand your 404 error page so that if a reader is sent there, you can share a message you can be proud of. View sample custom 404 pages.

If you’re like most business owners, the content on your hard drive and other storage locations can get away from you! Here are five ways you can free up space on your computer’s hard drive and help your business run more efficiently:

  • Delete unnecessary files or documents “downloads” folder. Oftentimes we download files but never go back and delete them once they are used. If you do need to save a file or document in your download folder, save them to folders that are specifically assigned to them.
  • Purge your email inbox and folders of messages you’ve already responded to or that are no longer relevant. And don’t forget to empty your trash folder!
  • Consider backing up all of your files with an automated cloud-based file storage solution. When you store your files in the cloud, you can access and update files from anywhere on any device and this also frees up more storage on your computer’s hard drive.
  • Clear your browsing data, and cache and even review your bookmarks. Remember, simpler is better!
  • After validating that files are not needed, delete accumulated files from your recycle bin.

Eliminate Unnecessary Business Expenses

The main objective of any business is to earn a profit. Often, we focus only on the earning side of the equation. But that is not the full picture. In order to increase profit, you can generate more income, but you can also cut down on unnecessary expenses. Springtime is the perfect time to review your expenses. For example, are there training, internet or other monthly subscriptions you no longer need? If you are not actively using them, why pay for something you do not use? This money could be used in other areas which could help you generate more profit.  

Another simple way to eliminate waste is to go paperless. Technology now offers cheaper and better alternatives to using paper. Besides reducing waste and helping the environment, going paperless can make your business more efficient. There will be less paperwork to push, documents to physically store, and important records that could get lost. Look through your vendor list to identify any bills you can switch to paperless.

Clean, Organize and Personalize Your Workspace

Productivity is the heart and soul of a business. Cleaning or organizing your workspace can help you be more successful in achieving goals. Think how nice it is to walk into your workspace when it’s fresh and clean versus covered in chaos! You’re likely much more productive. 

You can also personalize your space with colors, plants and other personal touches and encourage your employees to do the same. This personalization supports individual creativity and expression, which in turn supports productivity. And that impacts your bottom line!

Another place you can refresh is around your old paper files. Most of us unnecessarily hold on to old files longer than needed. It is a good practice to set a time limit for how long to hold these files (unless it is paperwork that is required to be held due to regulatory, tax, or government requirements). At a certain point after a project’s completion, dispose of any files related to that project. If you absolutely need them, see if you can store old files in the cloud or in an off-site location. This is a good business practice, and it helps free up room for new accounts and projects.

Incorporating the above tips will help you spring-clean your small business and head into summer feeling more refreshed and organized. Your workplace will look better, and you will maintain focus on managing your business more effectively throughout the year.

So, how are you going to refresh your business this spring?

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Finger touching tablet with charts and BUSINESS GROWTH inscription, business concept

4 Tactics For Business Growth

by BlogEdmiston Group
Finger touching tablet with charts and BUSINESS GROWTH inscription, business concept

Running a small business is not easy! As a business owner, you are responsible for many things, including payroll, accounting, sales, customer servicing, and marketing, not to mention your actual work. It can be a bit overwhelming especially when things aren’t going according to your business and marketing plan. You want to achieve more business growth, yet you just can’t seem to make it happen. What do you do?

This is a time to review and strategize around business growth tactics that many companies have used time and time again.

Know Your Audience

Defining your target audience will go a long way to help you better understand your clients and help you position your products or services accordingly. Let’s face it, it is impossible to reach and appeal to all consumers at once. By identifying your target audience, it allows your business to focus its marketing efforts and dollars on the groups that are most likely to buy from you while doing it in an efficient and affordable manner. If it’s been a while since you’ve reviewed your description of your target audience, this is a perfect time to consider changes within your company and within the business landscape and refresh your customer avatar(s) accordingly.

Practice Proactive Marketing

What is proactive marketing? First, let’s talk about what it is not. Does your business implement marketing campaigns through the same channels and then analyze the data and metrics to see if the campaign was a success or failure? If so, this is referred to as reactive marketing. In other words, you are reacting to your customers’ feedback to determine if there is a demand for your new product or service. Instead, you may want to consider implementing the proactive marketing approach. The proactive marketing approach involves anticipating customer needs and taking steps to meet their needs before they arise. It involves marketing your products or services through new channels of distribution where people are not already looking for your products or services. By taking a proactive approach, you might be able to create customer demand, opening the door for your business to grow.

Know What Your Competitors Are Doing

To stay relevant in the marketplace, keeping track of your competition is essential. You can do this by creating a competitive analysis. Competitive analysis helps you to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors in relation to your own products and services. This analysis can help you develop and implement stronger business strategies, uncover market trends, as well as help you capture more market share. It will also support designing a proactive marketing strategy as defined above.

Offer Referral Programs

A referral program is a great way to grow your business. A referral program is a strategy used to encourage customers to promote your products or services. Simply put, a referral program lets your customers share their experience and satisfaction with your products or services with partners, colleagues, and friends at little or no cost to you. You may have heard the old adage, the best form of advertising is through word-of-mouth. According to Semrush, Word-of-mouth marketing is even more effective than paid ads, resulting in five times more sales.

Growth is the key to a successful business! What tactics are you using to help grow your business this year? If you need fresh ideas for growing your business, give me a call at (724)612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Overworked word on sticky notes with projects, jobs, to-dos, tasks and errands to illustrate being stressed from working too hard

Plan Ahead: 4 Ways to Reduce Overwhelm

by BlogEdmiston Group
Overworked word on sticky notes with projects, jobs, to-dos, tasks and errands to illustrate being stressed from working too hard

Starting a new business or managing an existing business can be very rewarding. However, with the ever-changing landscape of business and the challenges of keeping up with new ideas, it can also create a lot of stress. Having too many things to do in too short of time often forces many small business owners into working extremely long hours and fostering feelings of being out of control… leading to a sense of overwhelm. 

If this is your case, know that you are not alone. According to Small Business Administration, there are 33.2 million small businesses in the U.S. Small businesses are defined here as firms with fewer than 500 employees. So you’re in good company! Although you cannot add more hours to your day, here are some tips to help you stop feeling so overwhelmed.

Plan Ahead Around Social Media

Blog writing and social media have changed the way we share information and how to stay in touch with one another. With so many apps and so many platforms, it is easy to be overwhelmed. The more platforms you have, the more work you need to do to create each post specifically for that platform. Here’s a tip: Try writing and sharing posts around your next blog across all platforms at the same time, while it is fresh in your mind. Or better yet, schedule your posts well in advance using your favorite scheduling tool. Extra pro tip: Customize each post for each platform. A Tweet is very different than a post on LinkedIn.

Segment Your Time

Your time is valuable. When sitting down at your computer to work on a task, you might get sidetracked and then realize that you’ve spent a lot of time accomplishing very little. Try segmenting your time by setting aside specific amounts of time, or even times of day, to focus on particular tasks. For example, set 1-hour blocks of time for such things as checking and resolving email. Once your segment of time is up, move on to the next segment and continue until you complete all of the segments for that day. Make it fun! For each segment, stretch, grab a coffee, dance for a minute, or grab your favorite snack. This is a great way to help make the time more enjoyable and also help you stay focused on the task. 

Use Scheduling Tools

For any small business to be competitive and flourish, you need to take advantage of the power of technology. Scheduling tools allow you to eliminate antiquated methods and help you run your business much more effectively. Whether your need is for scheduling appointments, scheduling social media posts, or keeping projects on track, there is an app for you.   I personally have worked with all three of these apps based on the client I’m working with.

Asana is an example of a scheduling tool app that helps you manage projects. Let’s face it, between meetings, phone calls, and answering emails, a lot of your time at work isn’t focused on the actual work at hand. With Asana, you can assign project tasks with deadlines, which provides accountability for each assigned task. The communication is focused and actionable and you’ll always know the status of the work happening across your team.

Monday is a tool much like Asana and allows teams both internally or externally to collaborate, set due dates, and manage projects.

Teamwork is another project management software platform that is used to manage projects and communicate amongst team members.

Outsource

According to the Women’s Business Enterprise Council, “When your business begins to grow, it can be difficult juggling everything in-house. Outsourcing allows you the time and resources necessary for focusing on other aspects of the company, while still providing customers with high-quality service they expect from their favorite brands“.

By outsourcing tasks to other individuals or small businesses that perform various tasks better and more efficiently than you can (no, you can’t do it all!), your business will likely experience faster turnaround times for launching new products, be more competitive within your industry, and help you cut overall operational expenses.

By planning ahead and implementing the above tips, you can create the space to focus on more important activities, thereby reducing your stress and your feelings of overwhelm.

If you need help with your marketing activities, send me an email so we can plan your next steps.


About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Wide angle view of business people talking and getting to know each other while having a lunch break from the conference.

The Benefits of Participating in Professional Business Events

by BlogEdmiston Group
Wide angle view of business people talking and getting to know each other while having a lunch break from the conference.

The success of your business depends on many factors. Your business skills, knowledge in your area of expertise, your ability to connect with others, and your network. And this is where professional business events come into play.

Events in your local area provide a wonderful backdrop upon which to build these skills and connect with other entrepreneurs in your area. As many of us have learned, whether you love or hate networking over Zoom, it’s hard to beat the connection that can happen in real-life, face-to-face events. If it’s been a while since you’ve attended a professional business event, here are 5 tips to help you feel and show up confident.

Three Benefits of Participating In Professional Business Events

Building Relationships: Networking at events is a very valuable way for attendees to share experiences, exchange ideas, discuss successes and failures, and exchange information. When you’re inspired and motivated through these conversations, it naturally draws others to want to meet with you. 

Learning New Skills: Besides learning about the topic of the event itself, you’ll also have the opportunity to learn through interacting with other business owners. Attending professional business events is a great way to practice communicating more efficiently and to stay in touch with current trends.

New Opportunities: Connecting with others, and allowing your knowledge to be seen, may open the door for potential speaking engagements, leading workshops, or even sponsoring a booth at the next professional business event. Attend with an open mind and see what opportunities present themselves.

“Networking is an investment in your business. It takes time and when done correctly can yield great results for years to come” – Diane Helbig

In the Pittsburgh area, there are many great organizations to help you with your business as well as offering business events you can attend.

Here are a few organizations that can help you expand your personal and business growth:

Pittsburgh Technology Council: Pittsburgh Technology Council (PTC) offers a busy calendar of events, including Networking events, Women’s Focused events, Huntington Bank CEO Series, and various Member events.

Their main focuses for their members are visibility, talent, business development, and public policy for companies in or supporting technology businesses.

Chatham University Center For Women’s Entrepreneurship: CWE offers everything from content-specific training series for different areas of your business to various workshops and seminars. Their events offer a wonderful way to meet and connect with other women entrepreneurs in the Pittsburgh area. 

Duquesne University Small Business Development Center (SBDC): In addition to offering no-cost, confidential consulting services, The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers a variety of events and training workshops that will help you to launch, grow, or exit your small business. 

The Digital Foundry in New Kensington in partnership with manufacturers, educators and the workforce. Their mission is to accelerate economic growth and competitiveness using digital technologies and data-driven decision-making.

Training classes Levels 1-3 take someone who seeks upskilling or reskilling to work in the manufacturing sector through level 3 programs that are for technical managers and engineers who are responsible for advancing product and service development.  Coming Spring 2023 is a NEW Industrial Robotics & Automation Training with FANUC Certified Trainers. 

These are just four opportunities in the Pittsburgh area. No matter where you are on your path, attending professional business events and furthering your career skills will help you improve your communication skills and have a positive impact on your career.

If you need help with marketing materials for attending your next business event, Edmiston Group would love to help. Call us at (724)612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.