Blog Archives - Page 2 of 13 - Stevens & Tate Marketing

How Your Web Page Speed Effects Your SEO and Google Ads Performance

June 7, 2024/in Articles, Blog, Brand Development, Directors, Marketing Strategy, SEO /by Nicole Wagner

For companies that already advertise to prospective customers on mobile devices, or who have organic search presence, there are numerous elements of their online presence that need to be checked, tested, and, where appropriate, changed. Implementing a robust SEO strategy is crucial to ensure visibility and competitiveness in the digital landscape. Knowing how to optimize your mobile site for speed will make all the difference to your search engine rankings.

The Importance of Testing Site Speed

The changes are going to make knowing the speed of a mobile site essential. Many tools permit site owners to determine their page speed to see whether enhancements are needed. Most of the tools that are available to test speeds are free and do not require administrator access to the website in question. That means that companies can check their competitors’ sites as well as their own.

Adjusting Mobile SEO Strategy for Google’s Speed Update

One such change that companies should consider is switching to Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). An AMP works by altering the source code of the website, thus directing the standard HTML page to a minimalist version of itself, the hosted AMP page. As AMPs are still so rare, they load exceptionally quickly. In initial Google testing, AMPs reduced load time up to 85%.
Local search should not be ignored, either. A Google Mobile Moments Study revealed that 40% of mobile searches have local intent. Companies also need to be aware that mobile search engine users enter queries differently than desktop search engine users; mobile queries tend to be much shorter.

Leveraging Search Console is a fantastic way to check in on a site’s usability. Using the following options under “Crawl Errors” can make a significant difference to usability:

Smartphone tab – It allows users to recognize any crawl errors that might be burdening their mobile pages
Fetch on Google – It allows users to to see how crawlers view the site and adjust accordingly for better indexing and ranking in search results.
Mobile Usability report – It precisely informs users about pages with mobile usability issues, along with detailing the nature of these issues.

How Will Google’s Speed Update Impact Your Google Ads Account?

The Quality Score algorithm, the algorithm that determines how much users pay per click to serve an ad on the Search Network, is heavily influenced by landing page experience. If a company’s site does not load quickly and does not convey beneficial information, the company will either end up paying a premium or realize that they are unable to serve an ad at all.

The Google Ads documentation recommends five ways to affect positive change regarding a site’s landing page experience:

Include relevant, compelling content
Be recognized as trustworthy
Make navigation simple and effective
Reduce load time
Make the website faster

In Conclusion

Google Ad users need to ensure they optimize for load time and landing page speed, and not just in terms of relevance. Companies should also contemplate making a move to AMP, ensure that their intent is on point, and make the most of the power of Search Console and page speed insights.

How to Have a Successful Blog (Expert Tips)

May 16, 2024/in Articles, Blog, Directors, Inbound Marketing /by Nicole Wagner

Blogging has become a great way for companies to write about content that relates to what they do. This can include tips and advice on anything the company is an authority on. Topics for blogging can range from “What a Good Landing Page Looks Like” to “How to Start Your Own Business in 10 Easy Steps.” Blogs can also strengthen online marketing efforts.

You might be wondering, how can my company have a successful blog? Here are 7 expert tips to help you out.

Tips for creating a successful blog

1. Choose a Topic People Care About

The first step to having a successful blog is to write about a topic that people want to read about. Make the topic interesting, and something worth reading. Once you choose a topic, research it to make sure you are providing reliable information to your readers. Then you can begin writing your blog.

2. Make the Formatting Easy To Read

When formatting your blog, it is better to have many short paragraphs rather than a few long paragraphs. A blog is something that people want to be able to read easily. Short paragraphs are more easily digestible than long paragraphs. An additional benefit of shorter paragraphs is a visually appealing layout. Long blocks of text may scare readers off, but shorter paragraphs break it up, making your blog look more approachable.

3. Have an Attention Grabbing Title

As you are reviewing your blog, go back to the title. The title is important and needs to be clear and specific. It has to tell readers the topic of your blog article. Most importantly, the title needs to be attention grabbing. Titles should be between 50 and 60 characters. If it goes over 60, the end of the title will be cut off in the search engine results. Speaking of search engines, remember to enhance the potential for search engine optimization by using keywords that are relevant to your blog’s topic.

4. Pictures Are Fun to Look At

A blog without pictures can be boring. Add a picture or two to your blog to make it more visually appealing. Adding pictures to your blog will also break up the text, which makes the content easier to read. These pictures can be relevant to your topic, and they can also just be a part of your blog as long as they fit. For example, if your blog is directed towards an audience of readers who are business people, you could include a picture of someone wearing a suit. Adding pictures to your blog is a great way to make it more visually appealing and break up text, therefore enhancing readability. Do not forget to cite the pictures you use if they are not yours.

5. Links and CTA’s

There are many reasons a successful blog includes links to other relevant articles. One of these reasons is that it boosts search engine optimization. Successful blogs also include a CTA (call-to-action). Your CTA tells readers what action to take. This can be downloading a resource like an ebook, checklist, or template. Whatever it is, your CTA should be related to the topic of your blog post.

Also Read: 50 Most Powerful Call-to-Action Phrases

Once you have written your blog, you must ensure that it reaches a wide audience. Effectively sharing your blog is crucial to maximizing its visibility. You can share your blog through social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook. You can also send out emails to showcase blog articles.

7. Be Consistent and Frequent

The most important things to remember are consistency and frequency. Consistency establishes reliability and trust with your audience. It also shows your audience that they can expect regular blog updates, making them more likely to return and engage with your blog content. Frequent blog posting ensures that your blog stays relevant, and increases the chances of your blog being found by new readers. Remember, blogging is more than one post. Instead, it is multiple consistent posts over time. When you are in charge of blogging for your company, it is best to post a minimum of two blogs a week.

Blogging can be fun. Follow the 7 tips listed above to create a successful blog for your company.

Digital Communication Tools to Help Build a Human Brand

April 18, 2024/in Blog, Brand Development, Digital, Directors, Marketing Strategy /by Mark Beebe

The success of your brand depends on much more than just convincing a potential customer to try your product. In the past, the customer experience has been based solely around the product being offered. These days, you need to look at the big picture. It’s not just about the customer experience in regards to your product. Instead, it’s about the emotional connection that customers are able to form with your brand.

Customers don’t just want a product, they want a relationship with the brand that is selling them that product. You need to focus on fostering an emotional connection with them instead of just trying to build awareness for a certain product. Fortunately, building an emotional connection with your audience is easier than ever before with the number of digital communication tools that are at your disposal.

The Importance Of An Emotional Connection

Customers are more than just transactions or data points. They are human beings with hopes, dreams, and feelings. In a world where their product choices are practically limitless, they will want much more out of a brand. They do not want to engage with a corporation. Customers want to engage with a brand that relates to them on a personal level. Their desire to have a connection with a brand in a world with product options that are virtually limitless is not surprising. A brand that is able to touch their customers emotionally is going to make their customers more engaged.

There are many ways that you can achieve this, like reinforcing the beliefs or perspective of your audience, supporting the goals or perspective of your audience, or challenging your audience to do greater things.

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How Digital Communication Tools Can Help Foster An Emotional Connection

Engaging on an emotional level with your audience is easier than it’s ever been, as long as you make the effort to do so. The following are just a few ways that digital communication tools can help you to connect with your audience emotionally and to build meaningful relationships with them:

Video content

When it comes to content, few other forms are able to engage audiences on an emotional level like video content. There are numerous reasons for this. Firstly, people consume visual content much more easily than written content. They also consume visual content much more quickly than written content. Secondly, you can use actors or even real figures that audiences can relate to on a personal level. This will create a sense of empathy and connection. Thirdly, you can emphasize certain emotions much more effectively through video. The color grading, visual style, and cinematography of the video all help set the emotional tone. The sound effects and music used in the video further enhance its emotional impact. They can also be used to create atmospheres that evoke certain feelings. YouTube is the most popular platform for sharing video content.
Segmentation

Segmenting your leads and customers based on the data you’ve collected (via opt-in forms, surveys, and more) will provide you with valuable insight into who your audience is. This will tell you how you can connect with them. Once you have segmented your leads, you can create content that speaks to each group’s needs and interests. Effectively personalizing your content will allow you to catch your audience’s attention. It will also make it easier to drive engagement.
Social interaction

The use of social channels makes it easy to engage with your audience in a personal and direct manner. You can promptly answer their questions, respond to their comments, and address their concerns. Customers appreciate brands that listen and respond to their needs. You’ll have a bigger emotional impact on those who witness the interactions on social media as well. Remember, personal and direct interactions make it easier to build meaningful relationships with your audience.

Building a human brand will help you build long-term relationships with your audience based on real emotional connections. Use digital communication tools available to you, like video content, segmentation, and social interaction, to emphasize emotion in your marketing efforts. Doing so will help your audience relate to you on a more personal level, thereby driving engagement with your brand.

The Importance of Package Design – How it Affects Your Brand Story

February 13, 2024/in Articles, Blog, Brand Story Telling, Directors, Storybranding /by Mark Beebe

Creating a strong brand identity requires good storytelling in order to establish your brand as unique and relevant as well as to make it more engaging for your target audience. We’ve gone over the ins and outs of brand storytelling before, but what we haven’t touched on yet is how your package design affects your brand story and the role it plays in telling that story.

Why packaging design is important?

The Importance of Packaging Design to Your Brand

When it comes to the visual identity of your brand, consistency matters, from your website design and your social media pages to your storefront sign and your business cards. Consistency is what helps to strengthen your brand identity. As such, it’s important that consumers can recognize your brand from the packaging of your products. If the packaging is consistent with your brand, people who are already familiar with your brand will identify it right away. This makes it easier to stand out from the crowd.

Keep in mind that it works the other way as well – those who purchase your product will become familiar with your brand as a result and be able to identify your brand when they see it elsewhere — as long as there is consistency with your branding efforts.

7 Package Design Tips for Creating a Strong Brand

Brand Storytelling Using Your Package Design

Using visual elements of your brand in your package design is important, but there’s more to it than just that. What your product’s packaging ends up looking like on the shelf can tell consumers a lot about your product. For example:

Targeting your audience

When designing the visual elements of brand packaging design, you should take into consideration your target audience. For example, packaging for kid products often uses large, bold typography and a colorful style, while products targeting career-oriented adults may use more elegant typography in a more minimal design.

Conveying an experience

The package design should reflect the experience of your product. For example, an eco-friendly product should probably be packaged using sustainable materials to help build trust in your product. If you’re selling a luxury product, then you should use high-end materials and not cheap packaging. If one of the benefits of your product is convenience, then the package should be easy to use.

Creating an aesthetically pleasing design

Consumers tend to judge books by their covers. When they see that a brand has put effort into creating a visually pleasing package, they will assume that this is reflective of the brand’s effort to create a high-quality product. The real challenge is not only creating a visually pleasing design but one that is unique amongst competing products as well.

Brand packaging design has a huge impact on your brand identity and vice versa. It should help spread awareness of your brand and promise to deliver on your unique value proposition. It should also target your audience and it should speak to the personality of your brand. Your package design shouldn’t just leave a good first impression, it should leave a lasting impression.

Email Opening Lines That Actually Work

January 19, 2024/in Articles, Attraction Marketing, Blog, Direct Marketing, Directors, Marketing Strategy /by Nicole Wagner

In the digital age, emails have become a primary mode of communication, especially in professional settings. The opening line for email is crucial; it’s the first thing the recipient reads and sets the tone for the rest of your message. A well-crafted opening line can make the difference between your email being read or ignored.

In this blog, we will explore the best opening lines for an email suitable for different contexts, including formal, polite, professional, business, and friendly scenarios.

Formal Email Opening Lines

Formal emails are often used in professional settings where a respectful and serious tone is required. They are ideal when communicating with someone you don’t know well or in situations demanding a high level of professionalism.

Formal Opening Line for Email Examples:

“Dear [Recipient’s Name], I am writing to you regarding…”
“To Whom It May Concern, I wish to express my interest in…”
“Dear [Recipient’s Title and Name], I write to seek your guidance on…”
“Esteemed [Recipient’s Title], I am contacting you in relation to…”
“Respected [Recipient’s Name], I am reaching out regarding our upcoming collaboration…”
“Dear Sir/Madam, I am formally requesting assistance with…”
“To the [Department/Team Name], I wish to submit my proposal for…”

These lines establish a formal tone, showing respect and professionalism, which is crucial in official matters.

Polite Email Opening Lines

Politeness is important in any form of communication, especially in emails. Having polite opening lines help in fostering a positive relationship with the recipient.

Polite Opening Line for Email Examples:

“I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to…”
“Thank you for your attention. I would appreciate your input on…”
“Good day, I hope this email finds you in good health. I wanted to discuss…”
“Hello, I trust you are doing well. May I inquire about…”
“Greetings, I hope you’re having a productive week. I’m writing to ask about…”
“Hi there, I hope you had a great weekend. I’m reaching out because…”
“Dear [Recipient’s Name], I hope this message finds you well. I am eager to hear your thoughts on…”

These lines demonstrate courtesy, enhancing the recipient’s receptiveness to your message.

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Professional Email Openings

Professionalism in emails is about being concise and to the point while maintaining a respectful tone. These openings are perfect for day-to-day business communications.

Professional Opening Line for Email Examples:

“Greetings, I would like to discuss…”
“Hello, thank you for your email regarding…”
“Greetings [Recipient’s Name], I am writing to follow up on our last conversation regarding…”
“Hello [Recipient’s Name], I wanted to touch base about quickly…”
“Hi [Recipient’s Name], I’m reaching out to provide an update on…”
“Dear [Recipient’s Name], I have some news regarding our ongoing project…”
“Good morning/afternoon, I want to clarify a few points about our recent meeting…”

These lines are straightforward yet courteous, suitable for regular business interactions.

Opening Sentences for Business Emails

Business emails demand clarity and a direct approach. The opening sentence should immediately convey the email’s purpose.

Opening Sentence Business Email Examples:

“Regarding our upcoming project, I wish to update you on…”
“Following our recent conversation, here is the information you requested…”
“As agreed in our previous discussion, I am sending over the details of…”
“Following up on our recent meeting, I have compiled the report on…”
“In response to your request, here are my recommendations for…”
“I would like to draw your attention to the recent developments in…”
“Pertaining to our last conversation, I have a few updates regarding…”

These lines are clear and direct, indicating the email’s purpose right from the start, which is appreciated in business communications.

Friendly Email Opening Lines

When writing to someone you have a good rapport with, a friendly opening can be engaging—these lines are ideal for less formal, more personal communications.

Friendly Opening Line for Email Examples:

“Hi [Name], I was just thinking about our last meeting and wanted to ask…”
“Hey [Name], hope you’re doing well. I have some ideas to share regarding…”
“Hey [Name], just a quick check-in. How’s everything going with…”
“Hi [Name], I was just reminiscing about our last meeting and thought to follow up on…”
“Hello [Name], I came across something that reminded me of our project. Have you got a minute to discuss?”
“Hi there [Name], hope you’re doing well. Just wanted to share a quick update on…”
“Hey [Name], I was thinking about what you said last time and wanted to explore the idea of…”

Crafting Opening Lines for Different Scenarios

It’s essential to tailor your opening line to the context of your email. The tone and formality should match the purpose of your email and the relationship you have with the recipient.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Email Opening Lines

Avoid overly casual or overly formal language in inappropriate contexts.
Starting an email with an apology can also weaken your position unless it’s necessary.

The Impact of a Well-Chosen Opening Line

The opening line of your email holds significant importance in determining its efficacy. A well-thought-out introduction sets the tone for your message, captures the recipient’s attention, and improves the likelihood of a positive response. The first line is an opportunity to establish a connection with the reader, convey the purpose of your email, and create a favorable impression. Hence, it is crucial to invest time and effort in crafting an opening line that is engaging, relevant, and tailored to your audience. By doing so, you can increase the chances of your email being read and responded to positively.

6 Reasons Why You Should Attend a Conference

December 11, 2023/in Articles, Blog, Brand Development, Public Relations /by Mark Beebe

There are hundreds of manufacturing conferences that are held every year around the country. As the owner of a manufacturing business, it would do you a lot of good to attend just one of these conferences. Unfortunately, many business owners don’t take the time to attend any of them. There’s a chance that you may not have gone because you simply weren’t aware that these conferences were being held. It’s more likely that you’re afraid that they won’t be worth your time. As a business owner, time is precious. You don’t want to waste what time you have traveling to and from a conference that may have nothing new to offer. If this is your line of thinking, then you should strongly reconsider. The following are six significant reasons why you should attend a conference:

6 Reasons To Attend a Conference

1. Find New Prospects

Building relationships with existing clients shouldn’t be your only goal. You’ll find that conferences are attended by many prospects as well. They may be looking to educate themselves about the industry before they even choose a manufacturer to work with. This allows them to make a more informed decision. As such, these conferences are a great opportunity to introduce yourself to potential prospects, thereby giving you a better chance at closing new customers.

2. Build Relationships With Existing Clients

There’s a very good chance that you’ll run into existing clients at one of these conferences. Clients often attend a conference in order to better educate themselves about the industry. Doing so gives them the confidence that they’re investing their money responsibly. They also use these conferences as a way to network. By showing up as well, you’ll be able to interact with existing clients and to build your relationships with them. Not only is it a great opportunity to re-engage, but they’ll also see that you’re making the effort to improve your business. This, in turn, helps to build trust in your brand, which will improve your chances of turning them into brand evangelists.

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3. Meet Experts And Influencers

Networking with clients and potential clients is important, but those aren’t the only people worth meeting at these manufacturing conferences. You will also listen to and meet numerous experts and influencers within your field. Building relationships with these people can be incredibly beneficial as well. For example, experts can provide you with advice that can help you solve issues that your company is currently having. Influencers can be key in helping you find new customers or discovering new markets that your company could enter.

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4. Learn New Approaches And Ideas

Attending conferences isn’t just about networking (although it’s an excellent opportunity to do so), it’s also about learning. Most conferences will schedule a list of speakers from throughout the industry. They will also hold numerous workshops that you can participate in. It’s a great way to better educate yourself about your industry and to learn about new approaches and ideas about the manufacturing process, your business strategy, or your marketing strategy, to name a few potential subjects. As a business owner, you should always be looking for ways that you can improve your company. Knowledge is power when it comes to not just surviving in the industry, but succeeding in it.

5. Stay Updated On New Trends

Staying up to date on all the latest trends within the manufacturing industry can be a real challenge in itself. Not only do you need to keep up to date with the latest technologies, tools, and strategies, but you need to figure out which are worth implementing. Conferences are a great way to learn about the latest trends. For example, new manufacturing technology may be presented at the conference you can learn about. Additionally, going to a conference is a good way to learn about the trends that are actually worth following, thereby giving you a better idea as to whether they will benefit your company.

6. Speak About Your Own Business

Conferences give you the chance to speak publicly about your business. This can help to generate interest in what you’re doing, thereby building your brand name and reputation. However, it also provides you with practice pitching your company and its services. Refining this skill will come in handy whenever you’re speaking with prospects in the future.

These are six reasons why you should attend a conference. Attending a manufacturing conference can not only help to educate you about different aspects of the industry, but it can also help you stay up to date on the latest trends as well as to network with hundreds — if not thousands — of people within your industry that are worth knowing.

Beyond Pixels: Unconventional Non-Digital Marketing Ideas to Elevate Your Brand

December 4, 2023/in Advertising Agency, Articles, Behavioral Marketing, Blog, Brand Development /by Terry Becker

In a world dominated by digital marketing, it’s easy to overlook non-digital strategies. While online platforms offer incredible reach and targeting options, there’s something uniquely effective about tangible, real-world interactions. In this article, we’ll explore some unconventional non-digital marketing ideas to boost your brand without relying on screens and algorithms.

Non-Digital Marketing That Creates Direct Interaction:

Handwritten Thank You Notes:
These days most communication is digital, receiving a handwritten note can be a delightful surprise. Send personalized thank you notes to customers, partners, or supporters to show genuine appreciation.

Host Workshops or Classes:
Share your expertise by hosting workshops, classes, or seminars related to your industry. This positions your brand as an authority and creates opportunities for in-person connections with potential customers. Home Depot does a great job at this by hosting free workshops that educate and bring visitors out to their stores.

Pop-Up Shops or Experiences:
Set up temporary retail spaces or experiential installations in high-traffic areas. This allows you to directly engage with potential customers and create a memorable brand experience. IKEA did this by creating fun pop-up stores. Even if your brand isn’t retail, consider creating a simple pop-up tent experience. It’s a good way to bring an experience closer to potential customers.

Vehicle Branding:
Turn your company vehicles into moving billboards by incorporating your brand’s logo, colors, and messaging. This not only advertises your brand, but also adds a professional touch to your business operations. If you don’t have the budget for a full vehicle wrap, displaying your brands website url or a QR code in the window is a good way to bring awareness to your brand.

Non-Digital Marketing That Increase Brand Visibility

Branded Merchandise:
Create custom-branded merchandise like apparel, mugs, or tote bags that people can use in their everyday lives. This not only provides value to your audience, but also turns them into walking advertisements for your brand. A word of caution: It’s easy to want to order all the same things other companies do, like can koozies, pens, etc. Really think about what branded items will really parallel your brand. Also, cheap is not the best approach as well. Getting one premium item vs many less expensive items can make a big impression.

Read more about branding: The Power of Story Branding

Unique Packaging and Presentation:
Your product’s packaging is an often overlooked marketing opportunity. Consider creating distinctive, eye-catching packaging that sets your brand apart on the shelves and leaves a lasting impression. This past Halloween consumers were bombard with custom packages and flavors, all appealing to the emotion that coincides with the holiday.

Sponsorship and Partnerships:
Forge strategic partnerships with other businesses or events that align with your brand values. This could involve sponsoring local sports teams, community events, or collaborating with influencers in your industry. Additionally, more brands are embracing the use of influencers because they already have an audience and they create the content using your brand.

Unconventional Non-digital ideas

Guerilla Marketing:
Guerrilla marketing involves unconventional and often surprise tactics to grab the attention of potential customers. This could include things like flash mobs, street art, or unexpected pop-up events. It’s a bold way to create memorable brand experiences.

Street Art and Murals:
Commissioning local artists to create street art or murals that incorporate your brand can be a visually striking way to engage with the community and generate buzz around your products or services.

While digital marketing remains a powerful tool, there’s a world of untapped potential in non-digital strategies. Implementing these creative ideas can help your brand break through the noise and establish a meaningful connection with your audience in a tangible, memorable way. By thinking outside of digital, you’ll not only differentiate your brand but also create experiences that resonate with your customers on a deeper level.

The Power of Social Media Influencers: Why it works

November 29, 2023/in Articles, Blog, Social Media /by Nicole Wagner

At this point in time, most businesses are well aware of the power of social media. According to Statista, roughly 79 percent of the American population has a social media profile, which accounts for almost 247 million people. However, simply having a social media presence isn’t enough. If you really want to take advantage of all that social media has to offer, you have to take advantage of the power of social media influencers. The use of social media influencers can help boost your brand’s reputation while also exposing your brand to an even bigger audience.

Social media influencers are people on social media who can be considered “personalities” and who have massive amounts of followers who hang on to their every post. Many social influencers have such significant sway over their audience that they become mini-celebrities in a way. In fact, many celebrities are considered influencers because of their huge social media followings. Businesses are beginning to form relationships with these influencers as a way to gain access to these massive audiences. For example, when an Instagram model tags a designer brand in a picture of them wearing their clothing, the brand receives a huge boost in brand awareness amongst that influencer’s base.

The following are some of the reasons why you should participate in social influencer marketing:

Improve brand awareness

The moment an influencer mentions your brand or showcases one of your products, you’ll immediately have the eyes of their followers on you. As a result, you’ll increase your brand awareness significantly based on the influencers you’re working with.

Also Read: Your Brand Reputation and Public Relations

Reach a relevant audience

If your influencer is relevant to your industry, then working with them will provide you with access to a relevant audience. For example, a business that sells dog food could gain more exposure to a larger audience by teaming up with an influencer whose Instagram account focuses on the daily adventures of their pet dog. It’s likely that this influencer’s audience is the type of audience the dog food brand is targeting.

A different way to promote products

There’s a fine line when it comes to advertising products and services to your audience. People often feel annoyed when they’re trying to read through a blog or email and all they find are advertisements. However, when an influencer promotes a product, most users don’t view it as a corporate advertisement despite the fact influencers are required to be transparent about the relationships that they have with brands when promoting a product. They see it more as an endorsement of a product from someone that they trust.

Influencers contribute to your content marketing

Influencers are natural content creators. It’s why they have such large followings, to begin with — they are capable of creating engaging content on a daily basis. They can not only create content promoting your brand but also generate content that a significant number of people are likely to share, like, and comment on. Essentially, influencer marketing benefits your content marketing efforts.

Also Read: How to Leverage Influencer Marketing for Your Brand’s Success

Improve your SEO

Influencers can significantly boost your SEO efforts. When mentioning your brand on social media, they often link back to the relevant page or use your company hashtag. This can improve your SEO because Google factors in backlinks from authoritative sources when ranking pages. Additionally, the web traffic that a backlink from a social influencer brings to your site can boost your page rankings.

Still not sure whether putting the effort into identifying influencers is worth the time and money? Consider the following social media influencer marketing stats that showcase just how powerful an influencer can be:

Around 49 percent of consumers make their purchasing decisions based on recommendations made by influencers that they follow.
About 40 percent of all Twitter users (and there are over 126 million of them) have made a purchasing decision as a result of a tweet.
Approximately 74 percent of consumers use social networks to help guide their purchasing decisions.
Around 40 percent of all consumers online use ad-blocking apps, making it challenging to reach them through paid advertising.

As you can see, influencer marketing is incredibly powerful — and it will only continue growing. Take advantage of the power of social media influencers by identifying the influencers that fit your brand. Reach out to them and begin to build a relationship that benefits you both.

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Introducing the 4C Marketing Model and why you should follow it

November 24, 2023/in Articles, Blog, Directors, Marketing Strategy /by Mark Beebe

When it comes to marketing models, the 4P marketing model is the most traditional, business-oriented one — and the one you’re most likely familiar with. The 4Ps represent product, price, promotion, and place. For a more customer-oriented model, you may want to follow the 4C marketing model. The 4C marketing model was first proposed by Bob Lauterborn in an article published in Advertising Age in 1990. He saw it as a possible effective alternative. The following is a brief breakdown of the 4C marketing model, which consists of consumer, cost, convenience, and communication.

4Cs of Marketing

Consumer

First, you have to know who your target customers are and what their needs and wants are. The consumer should drive all of your marketing efforts from here on out. Having knowledge about your target audience makes it easier to create a product that fulfills a need in the market. This is where your buyer personas come in. Buyer personas represent your ideal customer and once you understand them, you better understand your target audience. This leads to improved communication with your consumers and gives them the sense that you understand them as well, leading to improved sales. Of course, the product is an important focus in any marketing model, but always remember the value of the consumer.

Cost

In the 4C marketing model, the cost evaluates the cost considerations from the buyer’s perspective. Determining the cost involves performing detailed research into what customers are able and willing to pay. Additionally, do research into the cost of competing products. The research will aid you in figuring out whether selling your product at a cost that customers are willing to pay will be profitable or not. You will also need to take into account the added costs of purchasing your product outside its sticker price. For example, how much customers will need to pay in taxes, shipping costs or transportation costs.

One thing that’s important to keep in mind is that the price point of your product isn’t what necessarily convinces consumers to purchase your product. A low price point won’t always drive sales, after all. In the end, it’s the benefit of your product that will help support its costs.

Communication

Communication refers to how you will engage with your customers. You will want to find ways to engage with your target customers to build confidence in your brand and your product. Customers want to know how buying your product will benefit them and that’s what you need to focus on communicating. You should focus on providing relevant information to customers in order to help them figure out what their problems, needs, or challenges are. This will then allow you to position your product as a potential solution. This requires that you ask your customers questions and listen to what they have to say. Communication is a two-way street after all.

Promoting products is all about saying what you have to say and hoping the customer buys it. Communication is about strengthening your understanding of your customers and building trust in your brand. One of the best ways to do this is through social media.

Convenience

Convenience focuses on how easy it is for customers to purchase your product. You’ll want to identify potential barriers and figure out ways to remove those barriers in order to improve customer convenience. For example, maybe a poor user interface is preventing potential customers from using your e-commerce site. Providing quality customer support to help make the purchasing process easier is also an important facet of improving convenience.

In today’s world, the consumer has more power than ever. As such, your marketing efforts will be more successful if you take a more customer-oriented approach. By understanding the importance and using the 4C marketing model, you’ll have more success targeting customers who are actually interested in what you have to offer. Not to mention that such an approach will help you build long-lasting relationships with your customers.

5 Ways To Improve Your Relationship Marketing Strategy

November 15, 2023/in Articles, Blog, Directors, Marketing Strategy /by Dan Gartlan

It may seem obvious, but building a business is a long-term effort. As such, it requires a long-term strategy. You can’t succeed by only making quick sales. You need to build a customer base — it’s the only way to not only grow, but to survive. Unfortunately, a lot of businesses assume that once someone has made a purchase, that customer is part of their “customer base.” This is not how it works — they usually do not become loyal to your brand after one purchase. You need to nurture them past the point of the sale, which is why you need to implement a strong relationship marketing strategy.

What is Relationship Marketing?

What is Relationship Marketing? Relationship marketing is a marketing strategy that focuses on building long-term relationships with customers, rather than simply making individual sales.

The Importance of Customer Retention

Keeping your existing customers is essential to your company’s success. As such, it’s important that you continue to build the customer relationships that you’ve established. If you don’t, they’re less likely to feel a sense of loyalty to your brand and will be more likely to jump to a competitor. If that’s not enough of a reason to put some effort into keeping existing customers, consider the following:

Repeat customers spend an average of 67 percent more per purchase than first-time customers.
It can cost up to 25 times as much to close a new customer than to keep an existing customer.
Increasing your customer retention by as little as 5 percent can boost your revenue by as much as 25 to 95 percent.
Existing customers will refer other leads to your business.

As you can see, customer retention is important. The best way to increase customer retention is by implementing an effective relationship marketing strategy.

Similar Article: Improve Your Marketing Strategy By Asking These 4 Questions

How To Improve Your Customer Relationship Marketing Strategy?

The following are a few tips to help you strengthen your relationship marketing strategy for increased customer retention.

1. Improve Your Customer Service

Poor customer service is going to result in a poor customer experience, making customer retention more challenging. Providing good customer service should be the foundation for any relationship marketing strategy. If your customers have questions, concerns, or even complaints, your customer service should be able to engage with them immediately to provide a solution or to provide helpful advice.

Besides making sure your customer service reps are friendly, respectful, and know how to handle every kind of situation, they also need to be easy to reach. There’s nothing more frustrating for a customer than being unable to reach customer service. Make it easy for customers to reach out through multiple channels, including phone, email, text, social media, and a live chat feature on your website. You want to be able to help your customers no matter where they are.

2. Listen To Feedback

Listening to feedback from existing customers can help you improve the customer experience. Doing so will help improve your ability to nurture customer relationships in the future. Not to mention that by showing existing customers that you care about what they think and actually do something with the feedback you collect, you help build trust in your brand. Don’t just listen to complaints when customers have them either — go out of your way to ask for feedback. You can do this by asking for specific feedback on social media or by emailing surveys to customers after they’ve made a purchase.

3. Create Content Targeting Existing Customers

As far as content marketing strategies go, a lot of companies focus solely on attracting and nurturing new leads. Don’t forget about your existing customers! The content you create can still be useful to them if you actually target them. Create content that better informs them about the problems you know they have. Use it to educate them about their purchases so that they can get the most out of them.

How To Develop Content To Build Customer Loyalty

4. Embrace Email Marketing

You should have information about existing customers that you can use to improve how you segment your email lists. This should allow you to email existing customers content that is more relevant to them and to potentially identify relevant cross-selling or up-selling opportunities that you can email to them. Email is a great way to nurture your customers and to keep your brand at the top of their minds.

5. Implement A Loyalty Program

A loyalty program rewards repeat customers. This provides them with an incentive to continue doing business with your company. With a loyalty program, customers are more likely to make additional purchases and are less likely to jump ship to a competitor.

A good relationship marketing strategy is vital when it comes to customer retention. Use these tips to strengthen your relationship marketing strategy so that you can nurture existing customers, increase brand loyalty, and generate more sales as a result.