For most business owners, the holidays are not only a time for celebration; they are also a time when capturing the attention of customers is more important than ever. For some industries, the holidays make up about 25 percent of their annual sales! For shoppers, this means over $1,000 spent on everything from holiday gifts and goodies to travel and decorations. If you want your business to claim a piece of the holiday pie this year, you’ll need a holiday marketing strategy that works.

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In our last blog, we talked about the process people go through as they become aware of a problem that needs a solution, research options, and make a purchase decision. Marketers need to meet people where they are on this journey to match the right content with their needs. This guide will go into more detail for putting this marketing strategy to work, including which types of content will be the most effective for the various stages of the buyer’s journey.

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Before someone can become a customer, there is a process of becoming aware that there’s a problem that needs to be solved, research done to find a solution, and then a purchase decision is made. No potential customers want to be pestered by a salesperson while they’re making their journey, but most would benefit from a bit of nurturing along the way. ToFu, MoFu, and BoFu are how we meet prospects where they are.

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It can be tempting for any business to hype themselves up, especially when creating marketing materials and digital assets like websites. The problem is that kind words for your company are not always trustworthy coming from you because you may be a bit biased. So, how can you communicate these ideas to your customers in a non-biased way? With testimonials. If you want to learn more about using customer testimonials to generate leads and boost your persuasive copy, you’re in the right place. 

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Most marketing content is meant to be informative, helpful, and work to build trust with an audience while also familiarizing them with your specialties. There are plenty of cautionary tales warning marketers against going too hard for the sale, but in some cases, that’s precisely what you need to do. Because persuasive writing strategies for sales copy are a bit different from those for other marketing copy types, there are a few copywriting techniques to keep in mind to help you get the job done.

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Content marketing has one goal: converting visitors into leads and leads into buyers. Whenever there is a measurable goal to achieve, the path to success isn’t always easy, but it can be made clearer by monitoring the results of your efforts, making small changes, and seeing how effective those changes were. Of course, it can help to start on the right foot, so here are some creative copywriting techniques that will help you get better results from your marketing efforts.

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Acquiring a new customer can cost you at least five times as much as the efforts to retain an existing customer. On the other hand, casting a wide net to appeal to a broad audience of potential customers can seem simpler than the steps needed to keep your current buyers happy. But, is it really simpler to go through that effort just for a one-time visit? Let’s take a look at the need for customer loyalty for the long-term success of your business. 

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Google’s local search algorithm has been steadily improving over the last few years to help searchers connect with businesses that are not only a good fit for what they are looking for, but also nearby. Much of the work that Google has invested in their local search algorithm had to do with proximity, or where the searcher is physically located in the moment of the search in relation to the location of the business. Still, there are two more important factors to consider when working to improve your results from Google’s local search.

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Whether you’re updating a few details such as your hours of operation or preparing to roll out a complete redesign of your website, making changes to a live site can seem daunting. From considering how much downtime is acceptable to handling things that go wrong, website maintenance is an activity that requires a plan. Here’s what you need to know about making changes to a live website.

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Today’s diners have a wide variety of tastes. Some like adventurous eating, others prefer comfortable favorites. Some like it spicy; others enjoy mellow. Boisterous atmospheres, elegant hush, and kid-friendly are all things people are looking for. Luckily for all of us, there’s plenty of entrepreneurs willing to provide just about any dining experience and cuisine that people of every stripe long for. Among all this variety, there is one thing that virtually all restaurant patrons have in common: visiting a restaurant’s website before visiting. As you consider your restaurant marketing plan, make sure your website is doing the heavy lifting.

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Many businesses were caught by surprise when the pandemic started making its way through the United States earlier this year. As shutdown orders were issued, schools closed, and office staff sent to work from home, business owners were scrambling to notify customers and figure out how to make ends meet. For many of us, this was not only a difficult time, but also a wakeup call as we thought about the variety of crises and emergencies that could arise in the future. From local weather events to national emergencies, it’s time to have crisis management steps in place so we’re ready; use this framework to build your communication plan.

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Back in 2015, we did a review of the state of email marketing and talked about some of the ways this strategy has changed over the years. Just five years ago, responsive design was considered a good idea and an easy way to accommodate a variety of devices. Today, responsive design is a baseline starting point and a must-have for virtually everything on the web! Five years is a long time when it comes to technology, so we think it’s time for an update on email marketing strategies for businesses.

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Connecting with an audience using email can be one of the most effective ways to deliver targeted, customized content to a specific group of people. With so much data to measure—who is opening what, which links are clicked, who seems to be ignoring everything—email is a highly optimizable tactic. In some cases, an email marketing strategy can stand alone. However, we think email is the most effective when it’s used to complement your broader marketing strategies.

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We’re all probably aware of how ubiquitous our mobile devices have become in our daily lives. They’re the first thing we check in the morning, where we turn when we have a few minutes to spare, and often the last thing we put away at the end of the day. It’s easy to see why SMS marketing has been generating positive returns for marketers—at least the ones who are doing it right.

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“Cut through the noise” might be the next phrase ready to be entered into the jargon playbook considering how often it appears in marketing blogs and materials. However, the need to reach your target audience when dozens—or even hundreds—of brands are fighting for the same few seconds of attention is real. SMS marketing provides a unique opportunity to be heard, as long as it’s done right.

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Using text messaging as a marketing delivery channel is slowly but steadily becoming a popular way for brands to communicate with their customers. In fact, these messages have a 98 percent open rate—90 percent of those within the first three minutes—and 75 percent of all consumers welcome messages from brands, provided they’ve opted-in to receive them. There’s a lot of potential in marketing directly to your customers’ smartphones, but there are a few details to keep in mind before jumping in.

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Industrial companies are finding success using content marketing to educate, inform, and even entertain their audiences of current and prospective customers. One key element—video marketing—often gets left on the table in favor of written content like blogs or visual content such as charts, diagrams, and graphics. On the other hand, video marketing has been bringing great results for manufacturing companies so it’s time to give it another look.

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Social media marketing strategies often include at least a few paid posts. Advertising on sites like Facebook and Twitter is inexpensive when compared to other channels, especially when considering how vast a social media audience can potentially be. On the other hand, some marketers are having trouble getting those ads and boosted posts viewed. This post will cover some common errors that lead to low impressions so you can get better results from your social media marketing strategy.

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Do-it-yourself website builders seem like the perfect solution for business owners who are looking for a quick and inexpensive website. On the other hand, when you think of the work that your website needs to do, including drawing traffic and encouraging visitors to sign up and become leads, quick and cheap might not be the best solution.

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