Category Archives: marketing strategy

In a world of crowded inboxes and constant notifications, effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in the form of email and text messaging isn’t about sending more, it’s about sending smarter. Whether you’re communicating through email or text (SMS), the goal is the same: deliver the right message, to the right person, at the right time.

CRM channels like email and text are powerful because they’re personal. These messages land directly in someone’s inbox or phone, making relevance, timing and clarity absolutely critical. Start with some best practices to help your email and text campaigns connect, engage and convert.

Start With Segmentation For Stronger Email and Text Messaging

Before you write a single word, define who your message is for in each particular instance. Generic messaging leads to generic results. But specific messaging for a specific set of people generates tailored results that the receiver will find to be helpful and motivating. Segmentation can be based on:

  • Past purchases or behaviors
  • Engagement history
  • Location or timing
  • Lifecycle stage (new lead, active customer, lapsed customer)

Write Like a Human in Email and Text Messaging

People don’t want to read corporate language in their inbox or texts. CRM messages should sound conversational, clear, and approachable. Even in B2B environments, friendly and direct almost always outperforms formal and vague. For both email and text messaging try to:

  • Use short sentences and simple words
  • Avoid jargon and buzzwords that you might use in your marketing department
  • Write how your brand would actually speak to a person, as if they were a person

Make the Value Clear and Get to the Point Fast

You only have a few seconds to earn attention, especially on mobile. Always ask yourself: What’s in it for the reader and make sure they can tell immediately.

For Email Messaging:

  • Subject lines should quickly communicate benefit or relevance (remember your character count here is 60, including spaces)
  • The first sentence should reinforce why this matters to the reader

For Text Messaging:

  • Lead with the purpose of the message
  • Avoid burying the point under greetings or filler
  • Remember you have a maximum of 160 characters, including a link and the best practices phrase “Text STOP to end” at the end of the SMS

Keep Calls to Action (CTAs) in Email and Text Messaging Simple and Specific

Every CRM message should guide the reader toward one clear next step. Avoid stacking multiple asks or multiple CTAs into a single message. Focus in your messaging increases a reader’s follow-through.

Best practices for strong CTAs:

  • Are action-oriented (“Book your spot,” “Download the guide,” “View your offer”)
  • Match the intent of the message
  • Feel easy to complete

Optimize for Mobile (Because That’s Where It’s Read)

Most CRM messages are read on phones, even emails are mobile first these days. If it’s not easy to read on a small screen, it’s unlikely to be read at all.

Best practices:

  • Use short paragraphs and plenty of white space
  • Avoid long blocks of text
  • Make buttons large and easy to tap
  • Keep SMS messages concise and skimmable

Test, Learn and Refine Your CRM Messaging

The most effective CRM programs evolve over time. Even small improvements in open rates or click-through rates can lead to significant gains. Consider regularly testing:

  • Subject lines
  • Send times
  • Message length
  • CTA wording
  • Personalization

When it Comes to Email and Text Messaging, Be Helpful First, Promotional Second

At its best, CRM messaging feels like good service to loyal customers, not advertising. When emails and texts deliver value, solve problems or save time, they build trust that lasts beyond a single click. Strong email and text messaging isn’t about filling calendars or hitting send quotas. It’s about building relationships one relevant, well-timed, precisely-crafted message at a time.


What are the marketing trends to look for in 2026? Every new year brings fresh predictions, buzzwords, and strategies that can make marketing feel overwhelming. As algorithms continue to change, often we shift and adjust (or panic about Google’s new rule). However, the reality is that the strongest marketing trends are not about chasing what is new. Instead, trends focus on adapting what already works in smarter and more intentional ways. 

As we move into 2026, we see marketing becoming more human, more strategic, and more focused on genuine connections. Here are the key marketing trends to watch and lean into this year (if you are curious about 2025 trends, we wrote about those too). 

Authentic Content Over Perfection 

Overly polished visuals are losing their edge. Today’s audiences and clients want authentic content, not sales-driven or staged. In fact, authenticity isn’t just preferred; it is expected. 

This can look like:  

  • Behind-the-scenes moments 
  • Content that prioritizes connection over aesthetics 
  • Casual, conversational captions 

People are more likely to engage with content that feels genuine and relatable rather than overly produced.

Short-Form Video Will Remain a Marketing Trend in 2026 

Short-form videos aren’t going anywhere. That said the marketing trends to watch in 2026 depend less on what you post and more on why and where you’re posting it. 

Specifically, high-performing video content focuses on: 

  • Education, storytelling or quick insights 
  • Consistency rather than going viral 
  • Repurposing content across platforms 
  • Reaching audience where they already spend time 

Brands need to prioritize intentional video content that aligns with their values and speaks directly to their audience. directly to their audience. 

Personalized Marketing Over Generic Marketing

Generic messaging has become easier than ever to scroll past. In the marketing trend for 2026, clients expect content that feels tailored to their needs and interests. 

We create these opportunities by: 

  • Listening to our clients 
  • Creating marketing plans  
  • Prioritize personalization over generic marketing strategy  

When audiences feel seen and understood, trust naturally follows. Personalization not only builds stronger relationships but also drives stronger results. ships but also drives stronger results. e long run. Personalization not only builds stronger relationships but also drives stronger results. 

Overall, marketing trends in 2026 are less about doing more but about doing things better. Authenticity, personalization, strategy, and consistency are shaping how brands and clients connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. 

Although trends will continue to evolve, the foundation remains the same — we continue to focus on understanding our audience, providing value and showing up with purpose. When marketing is rooted in connection rather than pressure to chase what’s new and shiny, it becomes not only more meaningful but also far more successful. 


It’s the last post of the year, y’all, time for a round-up of the best marketing tips from our blog. It’s about to be 2026 in a few days, and we’ve accomplished a lot! To move forward to the future of your marketing success, we thought it would be helpful to go back and share some knowledge from the past. Hopefully, this will help you start thinking about what you want your business to be in 2026.

Start the Year With a Marketing Plan

First of all, you don’t know where to start planning for the year ahead? Start with an official marketing plan. Put a document like this together to help guide you through the year. Here are some marketing tip posts:

Pro Marketing Tip: Strong Branding

Next, does your branding stand for the company the way you want it to? Can you strengthen your brand? Will 2026 be the year for a re-branding to more align your business goals? Here are some branding posts to help you evaluate your situation.

Your Brand’s Voice Has Power — Channel It!

To continue this thought, part of your brand is your voice. The words you use, the story you tell. Are you maximizing that voice in every point of contact? Here are some marketing tips on topics to think about when you are evaluating your content:

Tame the Tactics: From Email to Social Media

Finally, need marketing tips on how to do email or newsletter marketing? Social media posting? We’ve got you covered. Get started by checking out these post for information, or advancing your digital marketing prowess this year:

For More Helpful Marketing Tips, Check Our Blog

Overall, we might have covered just about every every marketing topic that a small business could use to grow their brand. Because, we’ve been creating content on our blog for over a decade! Find a nugget or two in there to help you get started. If you want to subscribe to the blog and get a tip post every week next year, just subscribe here. If you have questions, be sure to holler.


2025 was a crazy year, to say the least, and the most popular marketing trends of 2025 made that even more clear. With tons of new technological advancements and the fastest-paced media we’ve seen to date, trends came and went like rapid fire. Brands have had to work harder than ever to stay up to date and keep their audience’s attention. Here are just a few ways we saw this play out throughout the year.

Targeting Younger Audiences

The first trending tactic we’ve noticed being used heavily is targeting younger generations. Brands are shifting from the Boomer/Gen X demographic to Millennials and Gen Z, and with that shift brings lots of changes. Gen Z is extremely different from past generations when it comes to purchasing decisions. Prioritization of authenticity, mission driven messaging, and inclusivity is crucial in order to appeal to these younger audiences. Companies have been accomplishing this by creating campaigns that stand out among competitors, using humor to connect, and partnering trusted creators to convey their messaging effectively.

With platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, where short-form video content dominates, brands quickly jumped on the opportunity. These video ads can be easily integrated among the endless entertainment content that consumers spend hours watching every single day. Paid promotion through short-form videos and influencers have taken the world by storm, bringing companies huge amounts of success. Leveraging niche audiences through micro-influencers was especially popular in 2025, and we expect to see this trend continue for years to come.

Utilizing user data

Data-driven marketing is one of the most powerful tools a brand can use. Personalization is expected in today’s market, and every year we see it becoming even more individualized. In 2025, consumers were more willing to share their data with brands they trusted, especially when they could clearly see the benefits in doing so. This data helped brands to tailor content and campaigns to the most relevant users. Investing in this strategy was a major trend leading to higher engagement, increased conversion rates, and stronger customer loyalty.


Influencer marketing is peaking in the current era of social media rage that we live in. Brands that want to stay relevant and effectively reach their target audience should take full advantage of it. Three key reasons to use influencers are their ability to improve trust, adaptability, and high reach at a low cost.

Improved Trust With Influencer Marketing

One of the most valuable aspects of influencer marketing is its ability to strengthen followers’ trust in a brand. Consumers are far more likely to purchase a product after seeing a genuine review from someone they already follow than from a traditional advertisement. Today’s audiences crave authenticity, and influencer marketing delivers just that. Micro-influencers, in particular, have strong relationships with their followers and hold significant influence when recommending products or services.

Adaptability and Tailored Experiences

Influencer marketing is also highly adaptable and allows brands to create tailored experiences for specific target audiences. With so many social media platforms and content formats available, brands can adjust their strategies to fit current trends and niche communities. This flexibility helps maintain audience interest while ensuring that content feels fresh, relevant, and aligned with the brand’s message.

Use Influencer Marketing for High Reach at a Low Cost

Finally, influencer marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach large audiences. Partnering with micro-influencers or even celebrity influencers can be a more affordable and efficient alternative to traditional advertising. Unlike many physical or digital ads that disappear quickly, influencer posts often remain online indefinitely, continuing to generate engagement over time. These posts also have the potential to go viral, reaching far more people than expected. Even smaller influencers tend to have higher engagement rates than many paid ads; proving that influencer marketing can deliver impressive reach and return on investment.

Brands Tool to Stay Relevant

In an age where social media shapes the way consumers connect with brands, influencer marketing stands out as one of the most powerful tools available. It not only builds trust between brands and audiences but also allows for endless adaptability across platforms, trends, and target markets. Plus, with its impressive reach at a low cost, influencer marketing provides an efficient and resourceful way to grow brand awareness and drive results. By using influencers who align with their values and audiences, brands can stay relevant, credible, and competitive in today’s fast-pace digital space.


Looking back at Q3, we feel very fortunate to have talked to more small to midsize businesses and nonprofits than in Q1 and Q2 combined — there have been a lot of marketing questions asked. However, some of it isn’t good news for them.

Some prospects are seeing a decline in revenue vs the first part of the year. Others are not seeing the return on their digital ad spend they saw in the first part of the year.

And, then there are some of our favorite conversations. We love meeting new entrepreneurs ready to rock their next business venture. This audience has a different set of questions.

For those that fall into the categories above, here are some insights of our conversations, that might help you, if you are experiencing similar opportunities. Even for those business owners and leaders who aren’t in the middle of one of these scenarios, there may be a nugget to learn or ponder here.

Marketing Questions for 2025

Why are my Google fill in the blank ads not performing?

Overwhelmingly, prospective clients are coming to us because of this and asking relevant marketing questions. Note to all: Business leaders and consumers alike are now starting their searches with AI platforms like ChatGPT. Generative AI is taking over the discovery phase.

Whereas consumers used to start with a keyword search on Google, 68% of shoppers across the world have used AI tools like ChatGPT to shop, according to a report published by creative agency VML. So, now the lines are blurred between search as a brand marketing function and a performance marketing one.

Also, if your Google Local Service Ads (LSA) are not working, why did you notice this and not your current agency? There are a myriad of reasons why they are not performing. And your agency should fix this problem. Not you. Ask them this marketing question.

Are your clients seeing a decline in revenue this year vs. last year?

This marketing questions is an important one. This is where you get the open, direct conversations that happen on the Front Porch. The U.S. economy has been in the s*&^ for quite a bit. Longer than most will admit. (Time to take off those orange-colored, not rose-colored glasses, which is a tip of the hat to Taylor and the release of The Life of a Showgirl.)

About a third of our clients have seen a decline. Of that third, the decline has been less than others in their industry. Why? Our clients market onward. These business owners and leaders haven’t cut the marketing budgets. And it’s showing!

Reality check, people. The spending on all the things: consumer goods, professional services, hospitality, travel, etc., after the pandemic was fabulous. But, as hopefully most of you have realized, it is time we normalize. And now, driven by macroeconomic uncertainty, tariffs and other factors, businesses and consumers are holding on to their cash.

How do I distinguish my business in an oversaturated category?

Recently, a prospect launching a business consultancy emailed this marketing question to us — after our initial meeting and several discovery calls.

My response, thank you for asking, was this: We take you through a branding process to ensure that your brand is both differentiating and emotionally relevant to your best target customer or client in this case.

As a famous person recently said, “I’m in the business of human emotion.”

All of us as business owners, leaders and champions of our brands are in the business of human emotion. Human connection, along with clarity and conviction of your brand will make you rise above. Even in an oversaturated category.

At the end of the day, automation and AI are happening whether you want them to or not. However, if your brand isn’t defined, your business is way behind the curve. And if it is and you are not delivering on it at every touchpoint, we can help you get there.

Want Your Own Answers to These Three Marketing Questions?

Whether your marketing questions are about ads, revenue or branding, or something else entirely, you deserve to have someone help you find the answers. Knowing is the first step down a new, more successful journey on your company’s marketing path.


Over the past decade, sustainability has become a key factor in purchase decisions for many consumers. Growing environmental concern has raised a challenge for marketers to adapt to the rising conscious consumer movement. When brands market sustainability it not only contributes to the larger mission of protecting our planet but also builds customer loyalty and trust.

The Rising Environmental Concern

Today, more than ever before, climate change and resource shortages are becoming increasingly apparent concerns. People are trying to find ways to combat these issues in their everyday lives. According to Oxford Languages, the definition of sustainability is “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”.

Social media and television are highlighting activism and encouraging consumers to be more sustainable in their actions and purchases. Living more sustainably consists of reducing our energy consumption, using reusable products and overall trying to use less of earth’s natural resources.

Why It Matters in Marketing

The rise in concern for sustainability has opened up a new opportunity to attract customers and align with their values. Brands can use sustainability as a marketing strategy in order to target conscious consumers, customers who want to shop ethically and feel empowered by making smart shopping choices.

Many consumers also associate sustainability with high-quality and ethically made products. Younger generations are beginning to prioritize eco-conscious purchase decisions, and brands should consider this in order to cater to their needs and build trust.

Examples of Brands That Are Doing This

Many brands are already doing this and experiencing great success because of it. Some prime examples include Patagonia, Tesla and Levi’s.

  • Patagonia has always been known for supporting activism and ethically made sustainable products. Their brand is strongly associated with the outdoors and the environment. Their ads often challenge consumerism while also marketing their products as sustainable through the use of recycled materials. They promote informed shopping, which improves their authenticity and creates a more loyal, trusting customer base.
  • Tesla is well known for their high-tech, luxury electric vehicles. One way they influence customers is by marketing the cars to be eco-friendly. This allows them to appeal not only to those customers looking for luxury but also to those concerned with their own ecological footprint and contribution to the environment. They highlight energy efficiency by using sustainable energy to power the vehicles and reducing the use of earth’s natural resources. With this, Tesla’s mission has become so much more than selling luxury cars, it gives value-driven customers a real reason to purchase their products.
  • Levi’s markets their products as being long-lasting and encourages the reducing waste. They launched a line that uses significantly less water and is based entirely on sustainability. Levi’s has used these campaigns to stay relevant in the industry and connect with customers who want to avoid purchasing fast fashion. Sustainable marketing has allowed them to revitalize their brand with younger generations, strengthening their reputation of quality and long longevity.

Benefits of Marketing Sustainability

There are many benefits of branding your company as sustainable. It attracts the younger generation who are eco-conscious and make everyday purchases with this in mind. It also leads consumers to perceive your brand as high quality due to the associations between sustainability and ethically made goods. Additionally, this marketing opportunity aligns companies with customers who are value-driven, and purchase from brands who’s mission is something bigger than just selling their products.

Sustainability marketing also helps create more loyal customers by enhancing trust and authenticity. Overall, there are real benefits for both companies and consumers when a brand encourages sustainability. It is a future-forward way to market products while contributing to a much larger mission than sales.


I’m a list maker – you name it, I likely have a list. A daily to-do list, a Christmas shopping list, a grocery list, a list of my kids’ school start and end times, even a home improvement project list… you get the idea.

In marketing, we make lists too—just with fancier names, more research, more strategy and more words: a Marketing Roadmap, a Messaging Map, Marketing Tactics, or a Content Calendar. Perhaps on your list of marketing tactics is blogging. So, you build a blog, create a content calendar and post a few articles… now what?

Unfortunately, as with many aspects of business, the old adage “if you build it, they will come” does not apply. Driving traffic to your company blog takes work, time and consistency. Time for another list – here are several ways to increase traffic to your blog.

5 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Company Blog

1. Keyword Research & SEO

Use keyword tools to identify the words and phrases your audience is searching for and weave them into your posts to help increase blog traffic. SEO helps your blog show up in search results and attract the right readers.

2. Promote on Social Media

Share your posts across social media platforms that make sense for your business – LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X, and use engaging captioning and visuals to draw readers in.

For example, I recently shared a Front Porch blog post on my LinkedIn profile about our summer interns. My former high school reshared it on their LinkedIn page because the interns were from that school, which gave the post a whole new audience. That single blog post “grew arms and legs,” increasing traffic to my LinkedIn profile, Front Porch’s LinkedIn profile, and ultimately the Front Porch website.

Keep users reading on your company’s site by connecting content together. Readers can move from one piece of content to another through links. This also improves SEO demonstrating that your content is connected and relevant.

Encourage other reputable sites to link to your content through guest posts, partnerships, or by creating high-value content worth sharing. Backlinks increase both traffic to your blog and establish credibility. 

By the way, the Front Porch blog post I mentioned earlier that was shared on social media – now has backlinks to the Front Porch website from different profiles on LinkedIn. See how it works?!!

5. Email Marketing

Send your blogs directly to your subscribers’ inboxes with a short teaser and link back to your site. Email remains one of the most effective ways to drive consistent traffic to your company blog. 

In conclusion, there are plenty more ways to grow your blog, but these 5 are a strong starting point. If you’re looking for other ideas to increase traffic to your blog, contact Front Porch Marketing—ask for Nancy, and I’ll make a list just for you! Best of all, Front Porch can execute that list too, saving you time and resources while you keep running your business.


Social media, in terms of business marketing, has completely skyrocketed in the past 25 years. Starting as a place to connect with friends, social media has now become a primary tool for over 96% of all businesses to promote their brands, share expertise, build trust and personality, and establish themselves as a reliable source that directly engages with their audience. With so many different platforms, which is best for your business?

Your answer can depend on many things. What is your approach or goals as a business? Who is your audience? What is the type of content you’re willing or able to create? All these components matter to create the best possible version of your company with a transformed marketing strategy. So, which are worth considering?

Platform #1: LinkedIn

With more than 67 million companies and over 1 billion members, LinkedIn is the largest professional networking platform. LinkedIn is known for business connections, professional brand building, enterprise growth, and more. This platform works great for B2B companies specifically, meaning it is great for sales pitches, strong for sharing blog posts, and allows space for many articles and paid ads that target based on your industry and profession.

LinkedIn is more than just sales pitches; it creates a space for sharing helpful tips and humane marketing strategies through those blogs and articles, which helps build trust and credibility for users.

Your company’s first post matters. Encourage all members of your team to contribute to the company by using their personal profiles as well, building even more trust. Commenting on others’ posts makes your company more visible and builds relationships with other companies, so stay on the grid.

Although LinkedIn provides a stable platform for networking, like any other social media platform, companies need to consistently post to stay noticed. Therefore, it is not ideal for casual brands, and engagement may be slower. Post to stay popular!

Platform #2: Instagram

If your company’s specialty is brand aesthetic and building culture, and you’re strong in visual appeal, Instagram is the way to go. This site allows users to experience a brand’s personality and culture, not just its products. Instagram lets followers ask, Do I like what I see? Knowing this, creating a solid brand presence is key. Your feed should reflect your brand; it will be the first thing someone sees, a first impression of your company. Making your feed reflect your brand’s aesthetic and values makes a visual appeal to your products like no other, shaping perspective! Instagram provides opportunities for reels, stories, collabs, and brand-building, which can highlight your company to connect emotionally with customers.

This platform is a go-to for all company sizes! Don’t be afraid to share behind-the-scenes, transformations, tips, and tap into trends. Instagram lets you make time-sensitive stories and promos as well, which makes people feel more inclined to interact when given limited time.

Each post must be eye-catching, which requires constant posting and creates competitiveness, so stay on top of it.

Platform #3: TikTok

TikTok is the most rapidly expanding social media platform today, gaining 1.5 billion monthly users who are generally a younger audience. This platform is best for digital marketing, being known for its short video clips, which keep the attention of viewers, making it extremely engaging. People rely on TikTok for entertainment, discovering products, and watching new creators, so don’t make your post boring. Interesting intros and visual hooks are ideal for a viral post.

TikTok gives brands high potential to introduce their products to a new audience, and with short videos, companies seem less professional and form a relatability that’s unique to other sites. TikTok lets you socialize and comment on others’ posts, and as a brand, it makes you more visible.

Don’t be afraid to participate in popular trends! That is what keeps your business well known, but make sure it fits what your brand wants to sell. Share tutorials, fun facts, transformations, influencer reviews, and more to make sure you’re sharing the back side of your company as well.

A last tip: make use of TikTok Shop. Creators can promote their products and provide direct links for users to buy efficiently and affordably, boosting sales.

Trends are not permanent. Small videos can keep users’ attention, but it is easy to scroll past, so make sure your company stands out and stays relevant.

Find The Perfect Match

Choosing the right platform comes down to knowing your audience, your brand’s strengths, and your content capabilities. Determining between a professional, visual, or trendy look, each social media platform provides a unique approach to connect, so know your business.


As a marketer, I cannot remember the last time we blogged about ourselves. That is not the purpose of this communication or our usual MO all the way around. But this topic should be shared for learning, as well as I could really use some feedback from this trusted community on being a marketer.

Networking as a Marketer

I joined a new networking group in October of last year. One of our amazing partners who jumps in on graphic and website designs had been gently nudging me to just go to a lunch to learn more. When learning this group meets weekly, a two-hour commitment, I was unsure. How could this fit into all the current professional and personal things on my weekly to-do list?

And I finally attended a meeting. I loved the energy and people in the room. The structure of the meeting was impressive. I was all in after auditing one or two more meetings. Being focused on paying it forward and referring business leaders and owners to like-minded business leaders and owners has always been inherently at my core. And come to find out, this is what this group was all about. What?!?!

Focusing on Relationships as a Marketer

This new networking group of mine is laser-focused on relationships. Plus, there is an abundance of accountability. And accountability is a great thing as well. Home service providers, commercial and residential realtors and mortgage professionals and marketing folks who provide singular services like graphic design, promotional materials and video production have found this group to be of great benefit.

So again, I find myself in a group that I love. I have provided many referrals. And a few folks have provided referrals to me, but I have heard time and time again, “I am not sure what Front Porch Marketing does.”

I had the opportunity to present to this group last week. My team was amazing and created an information sheetwhich you can download here — for me to pass out at the presentation. We also produced note pads as swag, as well as cookies. Food is one of my love languages, as you may know.

Continuous Improvement as a Marketer

During the meeting, I was at home and at ease presenting. Talking about my family, and how previous work experience led me to start Front Porch Marketing. I spent time discussing what makes us different, our services and shared two client examples. The majority of the audience was engaged. However, two or three business owners were frowning and bored. I did something wrong. I didn’t practice what I preach.

At Front Porch Marketing, we partner with business leaders and owners who want to build strong brands. They recognize a full-service branding and marketing partner provides them value and focus to working on their business instead of in their business. But these leaders know marketing isn’t a one-size-fits-all. And all marketers are not the same.

This leads me to how you can help. Please comment on this blog post, or email or text me and let me know what makes Front Porch Marketing rock for you. Let me know how I can communicate our value proposition in a more meaningful way. Thanks in advance, y’all!