Category Archives: Digital Marketing

Are You Doing Webinars? You Should Be

Digital Marketing, Webinar

 

COVID-19 has opened our eyes to many ideas including the use of webinars. For business owners, the coronavirus has forced a new way of organizational thinking both internally and externally. Internally, employers must learn to communicate with employees remotely, making sure that workflow is kept stable and thriving. Externally, entrepreneurs must learn to communicate with customers and prospects effectively and regularly.

Small businesses, in particular, have been hit hard by the pandemic. They have been forced to find innovative ways to combat the massive changes that have come so unexpectedly. Those changes mean business owners must adopt new methods of conducting business, engaging clients, and generating leads. Naturally, the doors have opened for technologically to truly shine. Digital efforts have been relied upon heavily over the last several months.

So, what’s the best move for you and your business? How can you remain competitive and keep sales steady in a world where face-to-face contact rarely happens? The first step is to get really comfortable with webinars.

What is a webinar?

A webinar is a wonderful way to connect with clients and prospects. Either a live video or recorded video, a webinar allows for companies to educate viewers, promote their brand, and initiate a “soft sell” of their products and/or services. In addition, it is often an opportunity for a business owner to get in front of a ton of prospects, a rare opportunity in an in-person setting.

Now, it is important to keep in mind that simply recording a webinar is not enough. In order to produce a webinar that adds value to your company, you must properly promote it, collect data, and follow-up accordingly. Far too many companies launch a webinar and then cross their fingers that leads will appear. Like any marketing initiative, there are a number of critical steps to take to get it right.

Steps to Creating a Webinar

First and foremost, it is important to recognize that virtually every business across every industry can benefit from hosting a webinar. If you would like more eyeballs on your company’s brand, you want to sell a product/service, and you want to humanize your company in a time when human interaction is minimal, then a webinar is the right move for you.

The steps to creating a webinar are pretty simple:

  1. Choose a topic and emphasize the “why”. It’s not enough to simply educate an audience on your company’s value proposition, you need to give them a reason open their wallets. That means educating them on the industry, the product/service, the unique value of your particular brand, and point to a case study that showcases real results.
  2. Pick a platform. There are a ton of options when it comes to hosting a webinar. Once you plan out the details of what you would like to communicate, find a webinar platform that will meet your specific needs. Look for things like integration capabilities with your website and CRM program (customer relationship management), online and offline features, and any other relevant technical needs.
  3. Promote your webinar before This is a critical piece of the puzzle. Far too many people start promoting their webinar once it is already available. The key to creating a successful webinar lies in garnering buzz and excitement prior to launch.
  4. Collect customer/prospect data. Your webinar signup is one of the most crucial elements of the entire process. Make sure that you are collecting data that is important to your sales team.
  5. Follow-up. Once the webinar is over, it is vital to reach out to attendees to schedule meetings, sales pitches, and the like. The ability to now communicate with qualified leads is paramount to turning attendees into clients.
  6. Whether you host your webinar live or not is irrelevant, you must plan to reuse the content. You worked hard on creating an impressive presentation and the real value comes in promoting the webinar again and again via email marketing campaigns, social media ads, and beyond.

No matter what industry your business falls into, a webinar is a powerful untapped tool. People have grown more and more accustomed to consuming media digitally. The savviest entrepreneurs will take advantage of this new normal and launch a stellar webinar.

Are you looking to create a webinar that engages clients and attracts new leads? Don’t know where to start? We are here to help. Big Customer Network has mastered the art of digital communication. Contact us today to learn more.

Digital Marketing Strategies for Restaurants

Digital Marketing,

 

It’s no secret that the restaurant industry is a highly competitive, cutthroat market to be in. Knowing that 60 percent of restaurants fail within the first year and 80 percent fail within 5 years means that it takes a special type of person to be bold enough to enter the restaurant industry. That said, owning and running a successful restaurant is one of the most rewarding experiences for an entrepreneur.  Digital marketing can be the difference-maker in the restaurant industry

Restaurants are only as successful as their most recent customer and their most recent online review. While much of the restaurant industry has stayed the same over the years, one thing has indisputably changed and that is marketing. The ability to get customers through the door means promoting with meticulous strategy. Billboards and flyers just won’t cut it anymore. Restauranteurs who outlast their competition understand that digital marketing is the key to winning big in 2020 and beyond.

The COVID-19 pandemic has unearthed a number of changes in how people conduct business and how consumers react to societal changes. Those restaurants lucky enough to survive coronavirus will likely tell you that it had nothing to do with luck at all. That’s right, the savviest restaurant owners have mastered the art of digital marketing.

Let’s break down some of the specifics.

A Plate Best Served Online

Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that most people consult their smartphone before making a decision about…well, anything. With this knowledge, it seems logical for a restaurant to invest in digital marketing. If so many people are relying on the internet for decision-making, why is restaurant marketing still a tough sell?

The pushback can be attributed to a range of issues, but the main holdup seems to be a hesitation in abandoning marketing tactics that used to work. The key here is to recognize that old marketing methods simply don’t cut it anymore. To stay competitive, restaurants must rely on digital outlets to push their brands and promote their food. From social media marketing to website optimization, staying ahead (in pandemics and normal life), means setting aside budget to digital marketing.

The following are some of the most notable ways that restaurants are taking advantage of digital marketing today:

Make Your Website Beautiful, User-Friendly, and Optimized for Search

A website used to be no more than a brochure. Today, a website is a lead generation tool, a data capturing giant, and a connection to your customer base. To be successful, restaurants need a website that not only looks great and functions perfectly, but it needs to be optimized to appear in Google search results. Your menu should be easy to read, your photos should be optimized, and your social media links should be prominent.

Get Social

Running a restaurant promotion is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Doing so on social media means having the ability to target people based on location, interests, and user behavior. This means that you can talk to an audience who is ready to engage. Be sure to dedicate a lot of time and effort to crafting a social media marketing strategy that works for your location and target demographic.

Seek Out Influencers

Foodie bloggers are everywhere nowadays. With a quick search on Instagram you can instantly find out who loves food and who has a following of people who love food. Invite these people into your restaurant and pull out all of the stops. There is truly no better way to showcase your best dishes than with a nod of approval from someone who consumers already trust.

Don’t Neglect Email Marketing

Premiering a new dish? Running a special on an old favorite? Did you finally get new booths? These are notable announcements and they should be distributed in a well-designed email. Your customers want to hear from you. From a local pizza joint to a high-end steakhouse, hearing from a favorite restaurant is critical to remaining top-of-mind.

Restaurant Success Through Digital Marketing

There are so many ways to market a restaurant online that it can be overwhelming to weed through the good and bad methods. The truth is that most restaurant owners do not have the time to run digital marketing campaigns. As such, dedicating the budget for hiring a marketing company is critical. If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that staying top-of-mind to customers can make or break any company. Digital presence does just that.

Could your restaurant use a boost in foot traffic? Big Customer Network is here to help. Contact us today to learn more.

5 Savvy Ways to Combine Traditional and Digital Marketing

Content Marketing, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing,

Marketing, in any capacity, is an essential component of business success. Organizations of all kinds realize that promoting their value to a particular audience is paramount to generating leads and making money. This realization is nothing new. The Egyptians knew that they could use papyrus to craft sales messaging. Marketing is both an art and a science, making it one of the most complex and dynamic practices around.

Traditional marketing laid the foundation for digital marketing’s triumph. And today, many business owners have abandoned traditional methods of advertising. Some have shied away from billboards to give Google ads their attention, others have removed all magazine ads to run Facebook campaigns or even their television spots to establish and grow their YouTube presence.

As new and shiny technologies emerge, it can be very tempting to ditch all traditional ways of communicating with prospects. But is this the way to go? Has digital media overtaken traditional media in such a way that it makes sense to dedicate all dollars to the former?

While there is certainly much to be said about the power of digital marketing in 2020 and beyond, it is worth noting that traditional marketing tactics still have power too. What if combining the two strategically was the winning ticket?

Today, we explore some of the shrewdest ways to make digital and traditional to work together, creating the opportunity to cast a wider net of prospects.

Merging Traditional and Digital Marketing for Business Wins

Digital marketing can live in a lot of places – your phone, your inbox, the websites you frequent, and so on and so forth. And while our lives are overwhelming digital, there are still a number of places that website code and internet access cannot reach. Digital marketing cannot have a conversation with a prospect during a networking event, it cannot be sent to the front door of a home, and it cannot target hundreds of thousands of people driving along a highway.

So, how can you utilize both digital tactics and traditional methods to reach your target audience everywhere? Let’s dive in.

1.      Direct Mail and Email

The ability to reach people in their mailbox is still powerful. Sure, some will immediately throw away a flyer or a coupon book, but what if that flyer or coupon book came from the same company that sent an email earlier that day? Brand recognition goes a long way in generating leads and coordinating direct mail with email marketing campaigns can have a major influence on consumers.

2.      Billboards and Geotargeting

Location is huge in marketing, that’s why billboards still live on the sides of the road worldwide. Geotargeting is also hugely important for companies looking to corner a specific zip code or neighborhood. Combining these efforts can prove to be enormously successful, especially if data-collecting via geotargeting is then applied to the billboard location.

3.      Cold Calling and Prospect Data

Cold calling may seem like the most antiquated play in the book, but what if you were cold calling someone who took an action indicating they had an interest in your product/service? This is the power of combining cold calling and prospect data. Using data to identify intent, you can reach out to people who have expressed interest based on their online activity.

4.      Newspapers and Digital Ads

Newspapers have certainly taken a hit in recent years, but many people still like to start their day with a black and white paper. Running an ad in a newspaper and then following up with digital ads targeted by location can be a great way to hit people twice in one day. Plus, with readership dwindling the cost of newspaper ads has gotten a lot more competitive.

5.      Local Events and Social Media Marketing

Hosting a local event is a great way to engage current clients and attract new ones. Pairing this with a social media campaign can be very effective. This may mean giving a discount for social media check-ins or even featuring attendees on your social pages. Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign was a major success. Fans were encouraged to purchase a personalized bottle and this boosted online sales. Plus, countless people posted photos of their Cokes on social media, further promoting the campaign.

Lessons from Diversification in Marketing

Most marketers can attest to the fact that putting all of your eggs in one basket is a big mistake. Running only Google ads will inevitably leave out segments in your target market. Putting all of your money behind a billboard on a major highway will only work with supplemental digital activity. As we shift more and more digital as a society, it is tempting to forgo all traditional methods of marketing. However, those who can combine both digital and traditional marketing strategies will find themselves winning big with their audience.

Could your company benefit from the combination of both traditional and digital marketing? At Big Customer Network, we have mastered the art of finding the perfect combination for our clients. Call us today to learn more.

7 Best Practices for Hosting Successful Virtual Meetings

Digital Marketing,

Day-to-day business has been turned on its head over the last several months. While the pandemic has certainly upended many aspects of business, there are a number of redeeming elements linked to conducting business amidst a near nationwide quarantine. Companies of all sizes, in all industries, have surprised themselves in their ability to hold virtual meetings.

From internal meetings to client relations, relying on virtual tools has become commonplace for business operations. Those organizations that are able to lean on digital assets will position themselves to succeed not only during the COVID-19 era but far beyond. Hosting a virtual event requires three important elements:

  • Planning each aspect with strategy
  • Meticulous preparation and rehearsal
  • Ability to troubleshoot and roll with any hiccups

Presenting to a group of prospects on a virtual meeting means getting an opportunity to reach people in a specific setting. With this in mind, it is important to take advantage of the platform and the audience in the most strategic way possible. Companies who rely on in-person events have had to rethink how they will remain in business. In order to adapt to our current situation, virtual events have seen a rapid rise in popularity.

In some ways, replacing in-person meetings with virtual meetings have limited companies’ ability to reach their audience the right way. On the other hand, virtual events allow for a global reach that would be impossible for many in an in-person setting. As such, it is critical to host a virtual event the right way in order to retain current clients and seek new prospective clients.

The following are some of the most important tips for hosting a successful virtual event:

  1. Define your goals before planning any aspect of the virtual event, and keep these objectives in mind during each phase of planning and launching the event
  2. Conduct thorough research to determine the platform that you will use – this means focusing in on features, metrics, engagement tools, and other relevant aspects to your company
  3. Keep your brand in mind throughout each aspect – from landing pages to social posts and from virtual background to email automation, your brand should be accurately represented
  4. Create high-quality content that is beneficial to your audience – whether that means producing a new video or designing impressive documents to supplement your meeting, make it impressive
  5. Promote, promote, promote – in this era people are inundated with virtual meetings, so make sure your promotional materials are abundant and informative to ensure that you have a sizable audience
  6. Take advantage of registration information – make sure that when someone signs up for your virtual event that their contact information is captured and added to your CRM
  7. Follow-up – when your event is over, plan to offer supplemental materials as a way to follow-up and offer an added bonus for attending

Creating, planning, and executing a virtual event can be a daunting task, especially for organizations that typically rely on in-person engagement. While the thought of making something like this happen can be overwhelming, it is important to remember that riding this learning curve will set your organization up for success well beyond this pandemic.

Invest in the time, people, and tools that it takes to make your virtual event fantastic and you will benefit greatly from new clientele, a new skillset, and an offering that will be utilized today and tomorrow.

The Dos and Don’ts of Communication During COVID-19

Content Marketing, Digital Marketing

Effective Communication

Businesses both large and small are navigating uncharted territory right now when it comes to communicating with clients and marketing to prospects. Is it insensitive to be advertising for your company right now? Does promoting your brand during these times come off as exploiting a health crisis? COVID-19 has unearthed a number of important aspects of running and marketing a business that may have never been considered before. The reality is that companies must come up with a plan to keep business afloat and, like any good business plan, marketing is an essential component.

Your marketing strategy and communication does not have to shut down during this pandemic, but it does need to take into account our current situation. This is not a time to be tone-deaf because prospects and clients, even your most loyal clients, will take notice. With this in mind, it’s time to start considering how to best market your business without offending anyone. The answer? Provide value and, more importantly, be helpful.

COVID-19 Marketing Strategies for Timely Communication

Actively communicating with clients and prospects during the pandemic is absolutely acceptable. The manner in which you do so, however, is the potential cause for concern. This is where companies are either receiving major praise or taking major flak. For instance, sending a promotional email that fails to address the unusual circumstances we find ourselves in can rub people the wrong way. On the contrary, running that same promotion with a helpful tone that recognizes these crazy times can go a long way in keeping current clients and drawing in new ones.

Stay Relevant

DO: continue to communicate your brand’s value by offering promotions and other incentives that may help your target audience during these times.

DON’T: put your current marketing strategy on hold.

Strategically Promote Your Content

DO: take advantage of the uptick in people’s media consumption by promoting timely, useful content.

DON’T: post random content just to take advantage of a steady audience.

Providing Value

DO: take into account how the coronavirus is impacting your target audience and offer useful guidance as it relates to your brand.

DON’T: distribute content that serves no immediate value to your audience during these times.

Maintain an Online Presence

DO: make sure that your store hours and accessibility is readily available on your local listings. Be proactive in informing your audience about company status.

DON’T: assume your customers and prospects know how your brand is handling COVID-19.

Differentiating Your Brand

DO: get creative in how you sell your product and/or services right now. People are more engaged online than ever before and now is the time to separate yourself from the competition.

DON’T: get lost in the shuffle of similar brand messages that all of your competitors are pushing.

Riding the Wave of Uncertainty

The roadmap for the next few weeks and months is laced with ambiguity and giant question marks. It’s hard to navigate these uncharted territories without having a few missteps here and there. Nevertheless, the biggest mistake companies are making right now is not necessarily saying the wrong this, but not saying anything at all. Communication has never been more essential.

Simply put, your clients have no idea what is going on with your brand unless you tell them. Get your team together, brainstorm a sensible strategy, and take action. Together, think through the best way to communicate with your audience and be sure to avoid making costly mistakes. In the end, the brands who handle themselves with compassion and strategy will cross the pandemic finish line stronger than ever.

Are you looking for some guidance in communicating with your clients and prospects? At Big Customer Network, we specialize in communication and marketing with strategy. You can probably use our help now more than ever, so contact us today to learn more!

Digital Marketing During COVID-19 and Beyond

Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, SEO,

Online Marketing

 

COVID-19 has impacted nearly every aspect of the lives of individuals and businesses across the globe. From contract workers to small businesses to large corporations, a multitude of adjustments have been and will continue to be made. The reality that we now find ourselves is strange and new. Whether we like it or not, we need to rethink everything when it comes to the way in which we conduct business including digital marketing.

The changes have been drastic and far-reaching, but they all have a common thread: nearly everything must be digital. Conference rooms have been replaced with Zoom meetings, classrooms have moved online, groceries are being delivered via an app, and the list goes on and on. So, where does digital marketing come into play? How can companies adapt and stay afloat during these unprecedented times?

The answers aren’t always crystal clear and they seem to be evolving with each passing day. However, there are a few things that we know will be true today and tomorrow. Digital marketing was important yesterday and it’s even more important tomorrow. With this in mind, we are breaking down just how important it is to establish, maintain, and grow your online presence in the world of COVID-19 and beyond.

Let’s dive right in.

Start Internally

It would be unfair to jump right into digital marketing tactics without addressing the elephant in the room: a lot of businesses are suffering right now and are simply clueless when it comes to basic functions. Before we discuss how you are communicating with your customers, it’s important to figure out how you are communicating with your team. The best place to start is to establish protocols and best practices.

With everyone working remotely, it can be extremely hard to keep track of roles and responsibilities. Take advantage of platforms like Hatchbuck, Basecamp, or Zoom to begin to streamline your operations. Don’t be afraid to try a platform and then change your mind. Everyone is learning as they go and it is important to find a good fit for your particular industry and company.

Beyond nailing down a communication and workload strategy, it is important to find a way to keep employees motivated and engaged. Encourage workout breaks and happy hours, recognize great work and contributions and be as transparent as possible in conveying the status of your company’s overall health.

Take Advantage of Digital Marketing’s Power

Coronavirus may have shined a light on all things digital, but the truth is that digital marketing has enjoyed its time in the spotlight for many years. With mounting pressure to “flatten the curve”, people are stuck inside and forced to conduct their day-to-day routines inside. And that means relying on the internet for, well, everything.

There are a few critical digital marketing elements to focus your efforts on right now:

Email Marketing

Unless you are living under a rock, you have probably received countless emails informing you of how any company you have ever interacted with is handling COVID-19. In some cases, this was necessary and important. However, the real value in email marketing lies in the months ahead. First, focus on customers. Reward their loyalty with a great deal and remind them that you are open for business. Next, promote your best-selling product/service to your entire list. Highlight the selling points succinctly and send a follow-up to anyone who clicked on a link in the email.

Review and Optimize Your Website

Now is a great time to make sure that your website is up-to-date. Make sure your products/services pages are current and that all links are working correctly. Test contacts forms, add links to your social platforms, and regularly add blog/article content. Finally, put some real time into your search engine optimization (SEO). While there have been dips in sales and traffic across websites in every industry, these numbers are expected to rise and you want to be prepared.

Get Social

People have a lot more time on their hands these days, and that means that they are spending way more time on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Take advantage of this by posting relevant, valuable content and then engaging with prospects and customers. In addition, invest in ads. Facebook ads are currently seeing a very low cost-per-click (CPC), so build a well-thought target audience and launch some ads.

Go for the Google Ads

There has been a recent surge in cost per conversion across nearly every industry running Google ads. Organic traffic has been down, so now is the perfect time to capitalize on paid ads. It’s easy to view now as a time to curb ad spending, but it is just the opposite. With less competition, now is the perfect time to run a set of highly-targeted Google ads.

The Timelessness of Digital Marketing

COVID-19 has unearthed a new necessity when it comes to digital marketing, but its value is truly ageless. In fact, the coronavirus outbreak is likely to highlight the fact that people don’t really need to go into stores, whether we like it or not. Now is the time to dedicate your time and your budget to digital marketing.

Looking to stay afloat in this uncharted territory? Big Customer Network is here to help. Contact us today to learn more.

The Marathon of a Digital Marketing Strategy

Digital Marketing,

Surviving in today’s ultra-competitive market means targeting prospects and consumers strategically, no matter what industry your company may fall into. As a business owner, the pressure to perform is high. Employees, and you, are depending on the survival of your company. In 2020, that means focusing on digital marketing strategy. While there are a lot of pieces that lead to a thriving business, digital marketing has become a piece impossible to ignore.

With that in mind, companies today are no longer asking if they should implement a digital marketing strategy, but rather how best to do so. With so many options at your fingertips and the internet offering a sense of transparency to your competitors’ actions, it’s easy to want to do it all. Launch the Google ads, establish a content marketing plan, optimize everything for search, hire social media experts, redesign your website, start an email marketing campaign, and the list goes on and on. Sure, these are all important aspects to consider, but there is a critical thing to remember here: digital marketing is a marathon, not a sprint.

When inundated with information online, it is tempting to fall into the trap of “we have to be first”. It feels like the movers and shakers are the ones who got there before anyone else. The reality, however, is that those who got there with a plan typically outlast those who got there first. At its core, successful digital marketing is for those who play the “long game”. The businesses who not only understand that but act accordingly will win in the end.

Today, we spend some time taking a look at the ins and outs of the marathon that is digital marketing.

Digital Marketing That Works Long-Term

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a great place to start to fully understand digital marketing as a marathon. “SEO experts” who promise 1st-page rankings in a week are not getting you there in an above-board manner. Black hat methods refer to efforts like keyword stuffing and buying links. Sure, these efforts will boost your Google rankings temporarily, but then it will all come crashing down. Unethical marketing practices will not serve your business in the long-run and will likely lead to a penalty from Google.

Successful SEO is all about consistency and commitment. No one just wakes up and decides to run a marathon. You train steadily, commit to a plan, and eventually work your way up to 26.22 miles. Much like a runner, a digital marketing plan must lay the groundwork for success and then progressively grind towards the ultimate goal.

Now that we understand the “long game” of digital marketing strategy. It’s important to remember the following tips to avoid falling into the “do it all now” trap that inevitably leads to failure:

  • Be patient – most new digital marketing efforts take time to become successful. Stopping an initiative too early often means making a decision based on too little data.
  • Accuracy is more important than speed – take your time and do it right, it will pay dividends in the long-run.
  • Set long-term objectives 1-5 years out and then backtrack from there to smaller, more attainable goals.
  • Don’t be a copycat – just because something worked for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you. Digital trends come and go extremely fast, so don’t invest if it isn’t a great match for your industry and company.
  • Think about timeliness – the best digital campaigns are those relevant today and Try to avoid building a campaign around a super timely topic.
  • Don’t settle on past successes – it’s easy to declare yourself the master of digital marketing when a campaign goes right. But don’t fall into the trap of ceasing your efforts after a big win.

From paid ads to content creation and from social media to email campaigns, digital marketing can be overwhelming. If it seems like your competitors are running by, let them go. The real winners in the digital marketing race are those running the marathon, not the sprint.

Is your company looking to get ahead of your competition with digital marketing efforts? Big Customer Network is here to help. Our digital marketing experts are awaiting your call. Let’s make something happen today!

Growing Your Local Business With Digital Marketing

Blog, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing,

Grow-Your Business-With-Digital Marketing

 

Could a large global corporation’s marketing strategy work for a small local business? While some tactics may have to be adjusted, the answer is generally yes. Digital marketing efforts do not discriminate. This often surprises small business owners, as they view massive digital marketing campaigns as something unattainable and out of their league.

On the contrary, local businesses have a big opportunity to take advantage of digital marketing options that would promote and grow their organizations. Unfortunately, there are a few common roadblocks standing in the way:

  1. Budget Constraints
  2. Lack of Expertise

One of the biggest misconceptions about digital marketing in 2020 is that it is expensive and out of reach for a mom and pop shop. Business owners are used to the costs associated with traditional marketing tactics like television ads or print advertising. Digital marketing options, on the other hand, are much less expensive. As a result, local businesses are able to run campaigns that match their budgets and meet their targeting needs. More on this later.

In addition to cost, many local businesses lack the expertise necessary to run a successful digital campaign. With no budget to hire a full-time marketing person, they are left with questions and concerns about how they could possibly compete with their rivals.

These concerns are common and reasonable. However, digital marketing offers a solution to all of these worries. Today, we will break down just what it takes for a small local business to compete digitally and expand their reach.

Digital Marketing Tactics for Local Businesses

As a business owner, it’s easy to get intimidated by big chains and corporations in your industry. In the past, competing with organizations of that size would mean dishing out enormous budgets to get a 30-second local spot during a big game. Today, competing with them could be as simple as running a highly targeted Facebook ad or a strategic email marketing campaign. The point is that there is a wide range of options for small businesses to take advantage of in the marketing space.

Digital strides in marketing have made targeting specific customers easy, trackable, and successful. The heart of any winning marketing campaign lies in the ability to reach the right people, at the right time, and in the right location. The following are some of the most notable platforms to consider for local business digital marketing:

  • Facebook Pages and Ads
  • Instagram Pages and Ads
  • YouTube Commercials
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn Ads and Forums
  • Email Marketing
  • Local SEO
  • Website SEO
  • Search/Display Ads
  • Blogging
  • Lead Generation Efforts

From content and social media marketing to paid ads on Google and other social platforms, the opportunities to promote a local business digitally are vast. The struggle lies in determining where to spend the money and who to hire to run the campaigns. While something like running a Facebook page requires more time than money, the level of engagement with customers that it provides is invaluable.

In addition to being able to reach the exact type of customer that works best for your company, digital marketing also allows for in-depth tracking. Measuring results is critical to any successful campaign, large or small. So, it is imperative that local campaigns are tracked and then tweaked to account for the results of the analytics. Far too many local campaigns tank because of a failure to remain dynamic.

Leaning on digital marketing can transform a local business. The biggest challenge is getting started correctly. Whether that means hiring an in-house marketing expert or looking for an experienced consulting agency, local companies looking to succeed this year must expand their reach into the digital realm.

Do you have questions about taking your company digital? We are here to help! Contact Big Customer Network today to learn more about your options!

Are You Avoiding These Digital Marketing Mistakes?

Blog, Content Marketing, Digital Marketing, SEO, Social Media Marketing,

A quick Google search will reveal countless digital marketing tips, guidelines, and “must-have” insider information. The internet is flooded with marketing formulas that are guaranteed to transform your company’s online presence. But what about what doesn’t work? With so much information about what to do, who is focusing on what not to do? How can you take failed digital marketing experiments and turn them into valuable guidelines for the future?

Digital marketing and data go hand-in-hand. Today, we find ourselves in a data-driven world, dictating decisions in nearly every industry, and on a global scale. This means that there is an abundance of facts and figures to shape decisions and guide new initiatives. In marketing, data lays the foundation for action.

While all digital marketing mistakes are avoidable, some of the more commonly seen blunders are certainly preventable. Having a dynamic approach to every digital marketing initiative is crucial to online success.

Have you given any thought to the mistakes that your organization has made? If not, it’s time to start digging in.

Digital Marketing Mistakes To Dodge

The enormity of digital marketing options can be paralyzing. Some companies are so overwhelmed with where to begin, they fail to get started at all. The fear of making a mistake is certainly daunting, but the beauty lies in the lessons taken from those mistakes, all made possible by the nature of digital information.

Making changes to a marketing strategy is far more complex than it may appear. So to say that one can address digital marketing mistakes with “the click of a button” is an oversimplification. However, since proper research and due diligence can set up any organization to succeed digitally, starting by pinpointing preventable mistakes is key.

The following are some of the most frequently seen digital marketing mistakes:

  1. Refusing to be dynamic. Trends change faster today than ever before, and this means not only being on the cutting-edge of those changes but having the flexibility to act accordingly.
  2. Failing to clearing state and write down marketing objectives. This is one of the most commonly seen errors today. People are so eager to get started, they fail to take a step back and determine where they want to go.
  3. Missing the mark on targeting the right audience. Digital marketing options today mean that you can create campaigns to speak to a very specific set of individuals. Ignoring the power of reaching a targeted audience, with the right message, can be disastrous for any campaign.
  4. Approaching social media marketing with a “post and pray” attitude. It’s easy to feel like simply posting on social is enough to engage an audience and remain top-of-mind. But without a strategy, your posts will fall on deaf ears.
  5. Ignoring the opportunity to test. A/B testing is extremely powerful in gauging the right approach to the audience, the medium, and so on. It’s easy to jump to a conclusion about a campaign without properly assessing its performance, but no assessment is complete without some form of testing.
  6. Spending minimal time with analytics. Falling into the trap of sending a monthly report is all too common. Are you spending time with the numbers to truly understand what they mean? Analytics provide a goldmine for marketers looking to make the most out of their digital campaigns.

We could go on and on about the mistakes digital marketers make, but the above six mark the most impactful issues to date. You will inevitably make mistakes in your efforts to dominate your competition online, but approaching these mistakes as opportunities to learn and evolve will set you up to avoid failure in the future.

At Big Customer Network, we approach mistakes with open arms in our quest to perfect our clients’ digital marketing strategies. Are you ready to take your company to the next level? Contact us today to get started.

9 Email Marketing Strategies for Major Marketing Wins

Blog, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, ,

Smart business owners look at marketing as a necessity, not just a bonus if the budget allows. Even smarter business owners look at each individual marketing tactic separately to determine its return on investment (ROI). While measuring ROI on digital marketing initiatives may be tough, email marketing is indisputably one of the winners. Why? With low costs and high returns, email makes perfect sense for budget-conscious entrepreneurs looking to make a splash in 2020.

Social media is getting all of the recent hype surrounding digital marketing success stories. But the reality is that email marketing actually converts 40 times the number of customers. The ability to speak directly to a prospective customer puts email marketing in a league of its own. Sure, strategies involving Google ads and sponsored Facebook posts are important. However, the power of reaching someone exactly when you want to cannot be overstated.

Email marketing, when executed correctly, can truly transform an organization’s lead generation capacity. Today, we discuss 9 email marketing strategies that will make a big impact this year.

Taking Advantage of Email Marketing

Far too many marketers fall into the trap of assuming email marketing will work if they have a large list of subscribers and some content to share. In theory, that situation would facilitate some leads and general interest. In practice, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Who are your emails being sent to? Should all of those people be receiving the same content? What is your purpose behind sending the email? What action do you hope the recipient takes upon opening the email? The answers to these questions will lay the foundation for a successful strategy and create a new pathway for leads to travel.

No matter what your marketing objectives may be or how you decide to achieve them, email marketing should absolutely have a prominent place in your marketing mix. The following are some of the most impactful email marketing strategies to consider incorporating into a digital marketing plan:

  1. Focus on subject lines: while it can be tempting to stick with something catchy, the subject line must also facilitate conversions.
  2. Personalization: from personalized copy to action-based or location-based offers, customer retention is dependent upon a personal touch.
  3. Incorporate animation: things like GIFs are an easy and effective way to engage your audience.
  4. Keep it simple: take advantage of white space on your email design to focus your message and intention clearly.
  5. Content value: be sure to send emails filled with valuable content – whether that means an incredible offer or a background story about your company.
  6. Make it social: be sure to include icons of your social channels and encourage recipients to follow you there.
  7. Deploy A/B testing: running two campaigns simultaneously and comparing performance results is essential to effective email marketing.
  8. Time it right: time of day is crucial when it comes to email communications, we recommend sending an email between 10 and 11am.
  9. Track everything: customer insights and analytics are crucial to taking full advantage of the power in email marketing.

Using marketing automation, companies have seen massive improvements in the ability to communicate with their target audience and turn new leads into customers. At Big Customer Network, we are email and marketing automation experts. Using cutting-edge techniques, we have perfected the craft of generating leads for small to medium-sized businesses.

Are you ready to deploy a robust email marketing campaign? Contact us today to get started.