email-marketing

Should Email Marketing Be Part of My Marketing Strategy?

by BlogEdmiston Group
email-marketing

A strong marketing strategy helps you connect with prospective consumers and turn them into customers. Your messaging needs to be personalized and help increase sales. As a small business owner, getting the most value for your marketing efforts is crucial! Email marketing is one of the best ways to reach your audience in a cost-effective manner. 

So to answer the question: Should Email Marketing be an important part of my marketing strategy? The answer is YES!

Just as other media and social platforms have changed and made it easier and easier to reach and engage with your audience, so has email marketing. Emails have the ability to keep your customers informed about your product or services, drive people to your website, and invite them for a phone call, a zoom call, or any other call to action. In fact, 60 percent of consumers say they’ve made a purchase as the result of a marketing email they received.

Targeted Messaging: Email marketing allows you to send targeted messaging. Segmenting customers into appropriate email marketing lists helps businesses target various groups more effectively. 

Customers need information to move to the next stage in the buying cycle. Providing the right content at the right time can do just that. Other channels, such as social media, are also important tools for growing your business, but when it comes to increasing sales, email marketing is more time effective and results-oriented.

Here are 3 more reasons why email marketing is important:

The final takeaway: Email is a fast and effective way to reach your audience. With email marketing tools, you can track delivery rates, bounce rates, unsubscribe rates, click-through rates, and open rates after you send out your email campaign, so you can quickly measure the effectiveness and success of your campaign.

If you want to incorporate 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.

tools-to-repurpose-your-blog-content

3 Types of Tools to Repurpose Your Blog Content

by BlogEdmiston Group

Now that you have written your blog, you might want some help in repurposing your content. Sometimes, thinking of repurposing your content for distribution can feel a little overwhelming. So where do you start? Have you considered using automation tools? These tools can help you speed up your distribution of content by removing steps in your content marketing process.

Automation tools can also save you time and money by allowing you and members of your team to spend their time concentrating on more important tasks. In turn, your team will be improving their efficiency, increasing revenue for the business while reducing their workload. The more an automation tool can do, the quicker you can promote your blog content. It may sound scary, but it doesn’t have to be that way if you are curious and have the right tools.

There are various types of tools available for repurposing your content into a new format. Here are 4 of them to help:

Images/Graphic/Pictures: There are a variety of simple tools for helping you transform your content into something new and unique. You can repurpose your blogs into images, branded infographics, or a series of images to tell a story. With interactive tools and templates, you can create a template for your specific need. You don’t have to have an art degree for this. Have fun! These tools are designed for anyone to use. Each tool is different but they do deliver similar results. Canva and Adobe Express are two applications that you may want to research further. Canva is a little easier to use if you have never worked with graphics before. Both offer paid and free versions based on your needs and how much flexibility you desire.

Videos: You didn’t think you could be a video producer, did you? Why not transform your blog posts into videos with A.I. According to an article by Chatterblast, did you know that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in a text? Lumen5 which is a video creation software platform can help you get the job done. By deconstructing your blog onto specific statements or topic points, Lumen5 will use A.I. to create a short video. With the drop and drag feature, the Lumen5 media library gives you easy access to millions of photos, video clips, and audio files, so you can change change images and create the perfect video. Creating videos couldn’t be any easier. Lumen5 offers both paid and free versions to accommodate your budget.

Scheduling Tools: Your time is important! How easy would it be to take a blog and through A.I., have all your social media posts created and posted? Sounds too good to be true! Well, it isn’t.  Instead of spending your time creating and scheduling posts, all you need to do is let Lately do the work for you and you can spend your time interacting  with your audience. Lately uses AI to create your social media content and allows you to schedule all your social media posts at the same time. Lately starts at $39/month and offers a 7 day free trial at this time. Why not try it, save time and utilize the advantages of A.I.?

Repurposing your blog content doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, it can become quite easy by using the right tools.

If you’re not sure which automation tool is right for you and your business, let’s talk. You can email me at [email protected].


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.

repurposing-your-blog-content

Repurposing Your Blog Content For Greater Impact

by BlogEdmiston Group

In last month’s newsletter, I wrote about “The Value of Blogging for Your Small Business.” In that blog, I showcased 3 ways blogging can add value to your business. Let’s face it, by publishing more content, you can increase your brand awareness and also your SEO results. This month I would like to take the next step in the blog writing process and explain how to repurpose your blog content.

What Does it Mean to Repurpose a Blog?

Repurposing a blog when you take the content you have assembled into the blog and disassembling it into smaller parts. In this manner, you’re able to elaborate and expand on or to redistribute the content through different social channels.

Why is Repurposing a Blog Important?

Repurposing a blog can help you be more efficient, spend less time and money. It also increases the effectiveness of your content strategy. 

Have you ever sat down to write a blog and experienced writer’s block? Instead of spending time coming up with a new content idea each time you write, you can save the time by focusing on the content you already have. Content repurposing lets you freshen up your blogs and present it to your customers in a new way. It is also a way to reinforce your brand and make you stand out as an industry expert.

Three Ways to Repurpose a Blog.

There are many different ways to repurpose a blog. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Deconstruct your blog. Take individual points from your existing blog and expand those points to create a brand new blog for each one. Once you start writing, you will be amazed at how deep you can expand each point.
  • Update your blog with new information. Your audience and market is constantly changing. Why not reflect those changes in an updated blog, adingd any new content that is still relative to the piece, and present it in a new format? 
  • Take pieces of your blog and post them on your social channels. If you are using Facebook or LinkedIn, think about using other social media channels like LinkedIn or Twitter. This will help you attract different audiences in different market segments and help promote your brand awareness.

You have worked hard to create your content to reflect the personality of your brand, establish yourself as an industry leader, and create a loyal audience. Why not use this existing content to your advantage by repurposing it, so you obtain the most value from it?

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.

marketing campaign.jpg resized

3 Ways to Boost Your Next Marketing Campaign

by BlogEdmiston Group

Marketing is one of the most important things for the growth of any business. It helps to build brand awareness, increase sales, and engage current and potential customers. Underneath the umbrella of marketing, you have Marketing Campaigns. Marketing campaigns center around a certain new idea or product you are promoting with a new message that you have not yet shared with your audience. 

In order to give your business the best chance of success and to distinguish itself amongst your competitors, you will want to put together a marketing campaign that effectively communicates all the necessary information. With the right planning and concept, you can create a campaign that will stay with your target audience for years to come. A marketing campaign takes some work, but can pay off in increased brand awareness and revenue.

Are you ready for the 3 key points to keep in mind when launching your next marketing campaign?

1. Keep The Message Simple

The most successful marketing campaigns are often the simplest. Your marketing campaign will benefit greatly from being as focused as possible, otherwise consumers can’t easily identify who you are and what you do. Let’s take Nike for example. If you look at Nike’s marketing campaigns, many of their campaigns are vague but create curiosity and interest with consumers. It is the simplicity of their messaging that attracts their audience. As the largest seller of athletic apparel and footwear, most businesses do not have the brand recognition that Nike has, so it is important to keep the campaign message for your product or service as simple and direct as possible. The audience will only be exposed to your marketing materials for a short amount of time and in turn, they need to be able to process information and your messaging as quickly as possible. Ideally, you want your audience to resonate with your message and react with an “aha” moment.

2. Know Your Audience

Ask yourself, “Who are my customers?” What are their personality traits, their interests, and values? When creating a marketing campaign, keep these 3 traits in mind. A major marketing mistake is thinking that everyone is a potential customer. Don’t waste time trying to convert people who you think may be interested in your product/service.

Instead, focus your efforts on the people you know for a fact are already interested in your product or service and who fit your audience criteria. You have to speak the language of your audience. Here’s an obvious example to demonstrate the point. If you created a marketing campaign around a portable music playing device (some of you are old enough to remember “The Walkman”… and yes I am showing my age!) to the Generation Z crowd, you may not be very successful. “The Walkman” was long ago replaced by digital MP3 Players, IPods and now, today’s mobile phones. If you relate to your audience and speak their language, you would have known not to market your current product. They would not be interested. By listening to your customer wants and needs, your products will be much better received and your campaign can be a success!

3. Give Your Campaign a Call to Action

Marketing campaigns are about getting people to buy your product or service or to take some other action. Your Call to Action needs to be clear and concise. By using emotionally charged or enthusiastic words in your Call to Action, you will initiate the same response from your audience. Fear of missing out, otherwise known as FOMO, is an extremely effective motivator. When people think they might lose out on an opportunity that might not come around again, they’ll be quicker to purchase your product or services.  

Creating a successful marketing campaign is vital for the success of any business. By using these 3 tips, you are well on your way to boosting your next Marketing Campaign!

If you are interested in discussing a strategy for your next marketing campaign, send me an email to discuss 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.

march-madness

March Madness: Your Business is Your Game!

by BlogEdmiston Group
march-madness

There is a buzz in the air, and it’s called March Madness. For many people, March Madness is defined as the NCAA College Basketball Tournament. Each team participating in this tournament has built strategies that they hope will help them succeed… and give them an opportunity to win. So, what can we learn from watching these teams in this tournament to help us with our business?

What makes a winning team? The winning team needs to have the right strategies. Strategies that are aligned with the team’s goals, skills and team members. The winning team also needs to be flexible. They need to be able to pivot and adapt to the changing game.

Think of your business as a game. How can you adapt your strategies and bring flexibility to your business game for long-term success and impact?

Changing Your Marketing and Business Strategies

Not all marketing and business strategies will achieve the outcome you desire. Therefore, it is important to reevaluate and change them as the business environment changes, your customer expectations change, and the economy shifts. It’s okay to shake things up. Just like in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, making adjustments is the key to winning. What adjustments can you make to your business to increase your success?

Start by evaluating these key areas to ensure your marketing efforts stay aligned with your business strategy.

  • Research marketing trends. Has it been a while since you’ve taken a look at trends in your industry and what’s working best for marketing? If you want to stay relevant, it’s important to stay up to date in what’s happening in the current environment.
  • Invest in social media. A strong social presence is essential for most all businesses. Has your target audience shifted where they spend their time? If so, it’s time for you to pivot and shift where you invest in your presence.
  • Refresh your website. It’s more important than ever to have a crisp website that is very mobile friendly. Just like March Madness, customers expect a fast game. If your site is slow or outdated, you’re missing out on business.

Bring Flexibility and Adaptability to Your Business Game

In the tournament, each team is pivoting and adapting to the specific moment during the game. The business plan you are implementing is the foundation of your business. It too, will need to be flexible to react to the changes and developments in the ever-changing environment and landscape surrounding your business. It is necessary to adapt to this changing landscape including changes in your client’s needs, expectations, and/or market conditions.

Consider these three areas to bring flexibility to your business.

  • Create new products and services. Would your business benefit from adding a new product or service? If so, what do your customers need right now?
  • Make improvements to existing products and services. Maybe you have a great product or service, but the maturity and/or expectations of your customers has shifted. How can you take an existing product and make it more desirable to your audience?
  • Market Segment: Would your business benefit from expanding into a new market segment? You could be missing key opportunities by not shifting your business to meet changing needs.

We can learn so much from March Madness. By running your business as a game, executing your business strategies, and pivoting when need be, you can achieve much success.

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.

set-marketing-goals-for-2022

Tips to Set Marketing Goals for 2022

by BlogEdmiston Group

In this first month of the year, it is important to set business goals for 2022. Reflect on what worked for you in 2021, and what you may need to alter this year to increase your success. Think about how our business landscape has changed as a result of COVID and what you may need to do to adjust to those changes.  

set-marketing-goals-for-2022

The Importance of Planning

As you consider the different marketing strategies available to you, they must align with your growth plan.  For instance, if you’re shifting from an in-store experience to an online order and delivery, do you have the personnel in place to support that goal? If you’re a B-to-B business and you have a new support service, are you advertising in the right business publications, utilizing drip campaigns and direct message strategies on LinkedIn? Doing your research and considering your business from various consumer perspectives is a must for success. 

One strategy for planning is creating goals that are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. By ensuring that your marketing goals for the year each fit these five attributes, you increase your chance of success. But, you should also remember that these goals need to fit in with your specific business needs, audience, and brand.

Think About Your Audience

In thinking about what kind of marketing you want to pursue for 2022, you also must consider your audience. Think about both your existing audience and those new audiences you may want to reach this year. Will previous methods of marketing work for fresh audiences you want to engage with that you haven’t before?

In our increasingly digital and global society, there are a number of audience types and many marketing strategies to reach them all. Social media is one way to reach a huge audience easily but do you have a strategy for your post creation? Are you taking into account national holidays, the human element of connection, what’s happening in trends? You can do this through more personal services, like Facebook and TikTok, or professional targeting of direct messaging such as LinkedIn. Knowing your audiences and their needs can allow you to craft a truly effective marketing approach.

What Works for Your Brand?

As you consider how to market your business in 2022, it is also important to examine your current branding. Using a new marketing approach that conflicts with your existing brand will confuse new audiences rather than increase your clientele. What kind of approach would best fit your unique business?

Different forms of marketing will work better for different brands. This can mean being more or less digital, getting involved in your community to engage more directly with your audiences, and tapping into trends. Remember that with any marketing, you’re creating a story. Defining your brand and determining your company’s story to include a human element can allow you to have real marketing success. Remember… people want to do business with those they like and trust.

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.

LinkedIn Live

by BlogEdmiston Group

In our increasingly digital world, online networking and tools have become more important than ever. One such resource, LinkedIn, also offers LinkedIn Live, a service which can allow you to “build deeper connections and drive more engagement with the world’s largest professional community.” The platform allows users to stream live video content to professional audiences.

Based on your experience with streaming, you will choose a third-party streaming tool or be offered LinkedIn’s custom stream tool. After connecting the streaming tool with your LinkedIn page, you can begin planning and considering the best practices for your live video’s ultimate success!

LinkedIn offers 5 key strategies for using this tool:

  1. Be prepared
  2. Be authentic
  3. Be consistent
  4. Be flexible
  5. Be engaged

You can also benefit from LinkedIn Live’s built-in metrics, which will allow you to easily measure engagement, awareness, and audience firm demographics. By expanding your reach and knowing your numbers you can better target your message to decision makers within company.

How to Leverage This for Your Business

By streaming on LinkedIn Live, you can reap the benefits of gathering as a community in real time. LinkedIn Live can be used to offer viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the people behind your brand, to help you launch new products or services, demonstrate your expertise, attract employees, and more!

While recent struggles and guidelines have made live gatherings difficult, to the detriment of many businesses, one of the most valuable features of this service is that you can make it interactive! On average, these live videos get 7x more reactions and 24x more comments than “native video produced by the same broadcasters.” This tool can serve you and your business well into the future by allowing you to engage with a much larger potential audience in new and exciting ways!

LinkedIn also offers several helpful links and guides to assist you on your journey to becoming a LinkedIn Live expert and growing your business! To start utilizing this awesome tool, fill out LinkedIn’s application now!

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.

Add Some Fun to Your Marketing Efforts

by BlogEdmiston Group

It’s safe to say that during the course of 2020, businesses had to adapt and learn how to do things differently. While some were able to step outside the box and pivot, other businesses closed their doors. One thing that was consistent across the board is the fact that business as usual took on a whole new meaning.

Through my relationship with Bridgeway Capital, I work with several new business owners who are reaching for the stars in their quest for business ownership. One of the lessons learned is that growing your business requires PATIENCE!

Building your tribe can be done through a variety of methods. Social media is a great way to develop a following and share news, events and sales, but it requires consistency and planning. One of the keys to success is to find out where your customers hang out and become active in that space. Written content, videos, podcasting, print ads, google ads, billboards and more leaves one to wonder where to spend their advertising dollars.

When business owners take the time to identify holidays, sale timeframes, class offerings and customer appreciation events and open houses, to develop a marketing plan for the year, it helps guide not only the messaging, but also ad focuses. For example, many publications are running back to school focuses for August. If your business sells to that market, you will already be planning your ads and social media content. September is Healthy Aging month targeting seniors and by the first of August you will be planning out that strategy.

Some ideas for inspiration for B2C businesses.

  • Host a grand opening party or a customer appreciation event.
  • Become part of a community scavenger hunt.
  • Create a customer loyalty program.
  • Offer a Back-to-School sale.
  • Partner with a nonprofit organization to support a cause.

Although these types of activities require planning, by partnering with others you can share in advertising costs and increase exposure through cross promotion of each other’s customer lists.

For B-to-B businesses, hosting educational events, networking and partnering with complimenting businesses to expand your brand and create awareness are good marketing strategies. People want to do business with those they know, like and trust. For some of the clients we work with sharing “get to know our staff posts” have resulted in high social media engagement.

If you haven’t already done so, I challenge you to list the remaining months of 2021 on paper and identify each month your marketing focus, activities and outreach that you will execute to grow your business.

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.

positive-social-media-messaging

The Value of Positive Social Media Messaging

by BlogEdmiston Group

positive-social-media-messagingDoes your social media reflect positive and uplifting messaging? How many times do you get on social media and see positive messaging? Social media has become such an integral part of people’s daily lives. The effects of the pandemic have driven people to social media channels to search of news, see that their friends are up to, and connect with others. The platforms have provided a vehicle for people to say what they want without repercussions and we’ve seen backlash from that as well.

How are you positioning your company’s message? Are you trying to sell something with every post or are you incorporating the 80/20 rule? By engaging, entertaining, or presenting thought provoking messages, it helps to establish you as a credible business.

According to Oberlo, an increasing number of consumers view authenticity as an important factor in determining which brands they like and support. Statistics show that 90 percent of consumers today prioritize authenticity in brands, up from 86 percent in 2017 (Stackla, 2019).

However, there appears to be a gap between the type of content consumers enjoy and what brands publish. Though more than 90 percent of marketers believe that they are creating authentic content that consumers can relate to, 51 percent of all consumers think that fewer than half of all brands are creating truly authentic content.

We recently began working with Swift Audiology. Since I am a customer and wear hearing aids myself, I speak from personal experience. As part of our social media marketing strategy, we are positioning the practice around positivity in the use of hearing aids or hearing protection products.

By incorporating what is gained by using a hearing aid product vs the stigma of wearing a hearing aid – we can show how customers can benefit and experience things that over time they don’t know they’ve been missing. Too many people, including myself, have to reach a tipping point to take the step toward a better quality of life. For me, it was my niece speaking to me from behind and I didn’t answer her because I didn’t hear her. She asked her mom if I was mad at her that I didn’t respond.

So often we drive family away because we don’t want to take steps to hear. Once you experience the ability to improve your hearing, to me, it’s just like putting on a pair of glasses you need to drive your car. The independence and improved quality of life leads to better family interaction and connection.

Here are two examples of positive messaging on their social media page:

HEARING PROTECTION

The Pens are heading to the playoffs and it’s going to be a full house with lots of noise! Michelle is taking glitz and glamor to a new level while protecting her hearing! Did you know that Swift Audiology can provide custom earplugs? Let’s bring home a WIN! Go Pittsburgh Penguins and Swift Audiology! #swiftaudiology #hearingprotection

HEARING DEVICES

There is nothing like mornings on the river! The water is moving, birds are chirping, and wind chimes are playing. This Swift Audiology patient is HEARING it all with the Medical Class Hearing Devices he received at Swift Audiology. Don’t miss out on some of the best things in life! #swiftaudiology #hearingaidsinpittsburgh #HearingAwareness #hearingloss

Positive customer reviews validate third-party validation. How often do you see, “Do you know a good…”? It’s important to thank people for their reviews and address concerns. Remember the better the customer service experience, the more likely people may sing praises.

How is your social media strategy shaping up? Let’s chat… email or call 724-612-0755 to learn more.

 

 

Website-Development-Strategy-for-small-business

Website Development Strategy for Small Business

by BlogEdmiston Group

Website-Development-Strategy-for-small-businessStrategy is a key component in the development of a new website. Often business owners will determine they need an updated site or don’t have a website at all. Perhaps new products or product lines have been developed and without the marketing strategy, the website lacks the ability to demonstrate your message and have an effective call to action.

When the Edmiston Group works with a client on a new website, we first determine what the GOAL of the website will be. We ask questions such as “What are your product lines or service offerings? Will you bundle services for a higher price point? How will you utilize social media and third-party testimonials? Why do you do what you do? How does that solve a problem for YOUR customers? Answers to these and many other questions during our initial strategy session will help us design and develop the sitemap and framework for the new website. We ask thought provoking questions that help a business owner determine their unique selling proposition.

Our team recently worked with ATK Design Studios to help them create a new look and tell their story utilizing video and other forms of imagery. Small unique ATK branded design elements were incorporated into the various photos and images and the imagery was locked to help in the prevention of others from copying their photos.

We reviewed website content and assisted in wordsmithing their messaging to provide a better client experience. Linking to their social media sites, particularly YouTube which is owned by Google will also help in their search results.

TESTIMONIAL

“We place emphasis on designing each commercial kitchen with its’ own unique identity. The Edmiston Group grasped that immediately. They saw our passion for communicating each project’s story. We wanted something distinct that reflected our brand. Edmiston Group did a fantastic job of bringing our vision to life. Sincerely a great team to work with.” Terri Kidwell, President – ATK Design Studios.

If your website is in need of a makeover or perhaps you’ve recently changed your product offerings and the website doesn’t reflect the new services, email us or call 724-612-0755 to learn more.