It’s summer halftime, and the heat is on – both literally and figuratively. June came and went, the first half of July is near, and we are on point through the end of August.
How are our working parents doing at halftime? My current status:
Because traffic is lighter in the summer (fewer cars & less business), it’s the perfect time for travel, lazy days and sunshine. Spend extra time with family and friends, but don’t take your eye off the remainder of the year.
Soon enough the temperatures will cool down (we hope), but with the arrival of fall, business will heat up. The halftime of summer also marks the halftime of 2019. Time is going by fast, isn’t it?
Here’s your two-minute warning
If you already have your second half marketing plan set, congratulations! We hope you rock it! If not, now is the time to start researching, planning, and executing.
When life and business get busy, a plan serves as a tool to keep you on course.
As you know, you simply can’t hope people will find you or do business with you. Being a successful business owner means constantly marketing and promoting your business.
We huddle at halftime
Here on the Porch, after we travel, relax by a body of water and spend a little extra time with our people, one of our favorite summertime activities is writing and facilitating marketing plans. So if you aren’t quite ready to score in the second half of 2019, give us a shout.
GivingTuesday is December 3 and North Texas Giving Day is just around the corner – September 19. Is your organization ready for this nonprofit marketing challenge?
Giving Days are a celebration of philanthropy. GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that kicks off the charitable season, when many nonprofits focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day is an annual giving event that empowers everyone to give back to their community by supporting local nonprofits and causes they care about in an easy-to-use platform.
Criticism of Giving Days
There has been criticism of Giving Days like GivingTuesday. One, GivingTuesday is in December, usually the best fundraising month for most nonprofits. Two, many nonprofits use GivingTuesday as an excuse to get spam-ey:
“And what is in these #GivingTuesday appeals and communications? A great new story? A special giving opportunity that I can be a part of to do something powerful, unique or impactful? Again, generally speaking, no. They are cash grab emails. Give today. Donate now. Make your donation. Why you might ask? Well… uh… because it’s #GivingTuesday seems to be the response.”
Giving Days are not a giving bonanza. That’s a lot of pressure to put on one day. But, they are a great way to raise funds and introduce yourself to new donors. And, local Giving Days are often during the more fundraising fallow parts of the year, so as not to take away from end-of-year giving.
Plus, local Giving Days are often organized by foundations or organizations that have resources and tools to promote philanthropy in ways that small nonprofits often do not have the funds and manpower to do. These larger organizations reach out to media, offer marketing tools, and some, like Communities Foundation of Texas, give out bonus funds to organizations who accomplish certain goals during North Texas Giving Day.
I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but in light of some sobering statistics on U.S. giving, it is important to take advantage of Giving Days in a strategic and focused way. The Fundraising Effectiveness Project found that while overall giving went up slightly (1.6%) in 2018, this was largely driven by major gifts (donations of $1,000 or more).
Revenue from smaller gifts decreased. Donations of $250-$999 dropped by 4%. Gifts under $250 fell by 4.4%. And, perhaps most serious of all, the overall number of donors fell (by 4.5%) as did retention rates (a 2% drop) and the number of new donors to an organization (a 7.3% drop). This means that:
“Giving is increasing because of larger gifts from richer donors. Smaller and mid-level donors are slowly but surely disappearing – across the board, among all organizations. Philanthropy should not and cannot be just the domain of the wealthy, and the entire sector needs to look at how we reach out to and engage these donors.”
So, now that we’ve got the bad news out of the way, lets get to planning. Because as my mom says, people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.
First Things First – Focus
A winning Giving Day strategy has a focus. Organizations who focus their Giving Day goal on one program or initative – say, a new Maker Space for a library or a fund that supports afterschool programming for underserved kids – tend to do better than those who do not target donor giving.
Increasingly, donors want to know where their funds are going and its much easier for people to wrap their mind around one thing – a program or a new piece of equipment – than the dreaded “General Operating Costs.”
Light a Match
I had a boss once who said that having a donor match was like throwing a match on gasoline – it really lights a fire for giving. People love a deal and donor matches make it feel like they are doubling their money. Find a local company who is willing to sponsor a match – you can even offer marketing incentives like putting their name and logo on your Giving Day emails, social media, and website.
Marathon, Not a Sprint
Make a plan for the months and weeks leading up to your Giving Day. Luckily, both Giving Tuesday and Communities Foundation of Texas provide great campaign timeline tools to help you get started.
Also think about:
Get some “ringers”: Assign advocates for your organization who can promote your nonprofit on social media and can make a donation in the early hours of your campaign. People like to join a bandwagon that has some momentum behind it.
Be specific: Paint a picture with your gift amounts. For example a library can say a $50 donation buys 10 new books or $100 donation supports 3 hours of afterschool tutoring.
Make it easy: Look at your donor giving page. Is it easy to use or is it cluttered and clunky? Clean it up before the big day. Giving Days are digital by nature and people are most likely to give online. If it takes a long time to make a donation or the process is confusing, your donor will “abandon cart.”
But the Day Itself is a Sprint
Giving Days are very social by nature – social media that is. Acknowledge your donors on the day of (with their permission of course.) Push out social posts promoting the focus of your fundraising for the day. Interact with your ringers. Let people know how far along your are to your goal and how much match money is left. Talking about how much match money is left creates a sense urgency. And, of course, celebrate and thank your donors.
Giving Days are a great way to acquire new donors, engage with current donors, and of course, raise money for your cause. But you have to have a plan. Giving Day campaigns are a marathon (except on the day of, when its a sprint). Are you geared up? If not, we can help.
Nonprofits work hard for little money and recognition. With few resources, you’re doing the best you can. But don’t think for a second that just because your organization is a nonprofit that you can’t have great marketing.
Remember, nonprofit is a tax status, not a case for support. Being a nonprofit alone is not a reason for anyone to give. Nonprofits must tell the public about the good they are doing and how people can help.
Here are 5 common nonprofit marketing mistakes and how to fix them:
Mistake #1: Not Participating in Social Media
The point of social media is to be social. Too many nonprofits post only about themselves, follow only a few accounts, do not respond to comments, and ask without giving in return.
This is the equivalent of meeting someone at a party who only talks about themselves, talks your ear off for 20 minutes, and then asks for $50.
Don’t be that guy.
Here is a good rule of thumb to remember when it comes to social content:
A third of your social content should promote your organization, converts readers and generates donations.
Devote a third of your social content to sharing ideas and stories from thought leaders in your industry or like-minded organizations.
A third of your social content should be fun stuff to show that there are human beings behind your social media handles.
Mistake #2: Forgetting Who Your Audience Is
Too often, organizations market to themselves. They only consider what appeals to them and not their supporters. Step outside of your perspective and think long and hard about your audience.
Are your supporters older, younger, parents, young professionals? Are they more likely to respond to digital appeals or direct mail? What do they care about the most – saving time, professional development, kids, the environment, education, social issues? Put yourself in your supporters’ shoes.
Stretched logos, incorrect brand colors, spelling errors, pixelated photos – if they happen once or twice, it’s a simple mistake. If they happen all the time, it makes your organization look homespun at best, or unprofessional worst. And that can erode trust.
Mistake #4: Too Much Text
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. And a thousand words alone is, well, not something anyone wants to read.
Your supporters lead busy lives. Take a closer look at your content and figure out where you can tighten your copy.
Mistake #5: Boring Photography
Scott Kirkwood, former editor-in-chief at the National Parks Conservation Association magazine, put it best in a HOW Magazine article:
“…if you helped the nearest national park receive money for a new building, don’t show a photo of that building – it’s a building. Think about how that building will change the life of a visitor. Will the park be able to offer more bird-watching programs as a result? Great. Show a photo of a bird.”
Don’t think that just because your organization is a nonprofit that you can’t afford great photography. The latest smart phones can take great pictures and with a few tutorials, you could be well on your way to taking great photos.
Show photos of the people, animals, environments, etc. helped by your programs.
Show, don’t tell.
You’re trying to do good on a shoestring budget and a skeleton staff. We get it. Its understandable if this seems overwhelming. Great marketing is a constantly moving target that poses a challenge for many organizations.
If you want to talk about your organization’s marketing challenges, give us a call.
Blogs. Social media. Video. White papers. Infographics. All these things, and more, are content and can be used in content marketing. But what is the point of generating all this content?
The point is this: in an increasingly fractured media landscape, building an audience and a community around your company is one of the few ways to directly reach consumers. By giving them something of value, they will give you some of their attention.
Content marketing is about building trust. If consumers trust your company, they will be more likely to buy from your company.
Today’s consumer is used to doing their own research before they buy. According to a 2016 Demand Gen Report, 47% of buyers view 3-5 pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep. Wouldn’t you rather have one of those pieces of content be from you?
The Marketing Funnel is Changing Shape
The marketing funnel isn’t so much a funnel anymore as a flywheel. This Forbes article excerpt explains it best:
A change in mindset and a library of high-quality content will replace this traditional funnel with something more sustainable (and effective). The funnel is becoming more of an ongoing cycle that prioritizes continuous engagement over transactional relationships. This increased focus on nurturing, especially post-sale, makes customers more likely to stay with you or buy again — and more likely to give recommendations to friends and colleagues.
With content, you can transition your brand from vendor to partner. To be honest, someone else in your space can almost always come in and undercut you on price. But when you continuously engage your clients, build lasting trust, and form genuine partnerships, you’ll have much greater staying power.
The Oldest Content Marketer on the Block
Content marketing has been around for as long as there has been, well, content. One of the earliest, and in my opinion, one of the best content marketing examples is The Furrow magazine produced by John Deere.
What started out as an advertorial-driven publication turned into a beloved resource for generations of farmers. Today, The Furrow is a story-telling vehicle, with great photography and advice on how farmers can run their businesses.
And, there’s not much actual mention of John Deere. The Furrow is happy to be a trusted source for farmers, and in exchange, farmers let John Deere into their homes.
Fun With Fireworks
You don’t have to be the flashiest company on the block to use content marketing. Case-in-point, high-end cooler company Yeti. From the beginning, Yeti forged their own marketing path.
In addition to targeting “prosumers” with sponsored programming on hunting and fishing television stations, Yeti created a series of short video clips that put their product to the test. They pitted their coolers against a professional wrestler, a slingshot, and even fireworks.
Content marketing is usually educational. But it can be fun, too.
Canva is another great example of content marketing that takes care of the customer rather than pushing them through a funnel. Canva is a graphic design app that also publishes helpful content through their Design School blog and social media. They are a resource for their customers and earn their trust.
I used Canva when I was working in a job where I did not have access to Adobe products (the industry standard when it comes to graphic design.) I also tried out different software alternatives. Truthfully, if the Canva software didn’t work as well as it does, I might have gone with one of their competitors. But, Canva works well and it’s a great resource. So, I went with them.
Yes, eventually I moved on to Adobe products. But it certainly wasn’t because of price (graphic designers often call it the “Adobe Tax”). For a long time, I relied on Canva for graphic design basics and how-to information. And now, I tell anyone and everyone who needs graphic design software cheaply to try out Canva. I am no longer their customer, but I am an advocate for them.
Content marketing is a slow roll. It’s like leaving a bread crumb trail for consumers to follow. Spread those bread crumbs around, make them irresistible. Everyone wants to be remembered, so tell your story.
To go along with our 8th Anniversary, which we are celebrating this month, here are eight marketing trends that are fast-becoming marketing must-haves. Are you taking every opportunity to build your audience?
Are you building your audience?
1. Personalization
Personalization can take on many flavors. It can be as simple as including your customer’s first name in the salutation of an email. Or, a company can be very intentional about their website and lay out an easy-to-follow trail of digital breadcrumbs.
You don’t need to turn your supply chain inside out but do think about how you reach your customer at every touch point and ask, is this made for them?
2. AI
Speaking of personalization, Artificial Intelligence is going to make even more personalization options available. In fact, it already is – Amazon is a perfect example. When a customer logs into their Amazon account, the landing page is customized for them based on their past purchases and viewing history.
Build your audience in real-time.
3. Live Streaming
Even in our hyper-connected world, people still long for connection. I think this partly explains the popularity of live streaming (also called live video). Conducting live streams with comments enabled can go a long way in building a relationship with your audience.
4. Visual Search
Human beings are visual by nature. So, it makes sense for people to want to search visually as well as with words. And the technology to do so is getting better and better.
Pinterest is a powerful example of this trend. For an interesting account of their pursuit of visual search technology (it all starts with an avocado, because of course it does), click here.
Hello … is it me you’re looking for?
5. Voice Search
As we have talked about on this blog before, voice search is fast becoming a part of consumers’ everyday lives. Forty-one percent of adults use a voice- activated personal assistant at least once a day. Optimizing your website for voice search will become increasingly important.
6. Purpose & Emotion
The adage “people buy with their emotions and assign reasons to their actions later” is true. Nike, Tesla, Facebook. For better or worse, these companies have showed their purpose through their actions over the years. And customers have reacted.
What emotions do your customers associate with your company? What is your company’s purpose?
Retail is dead. Long live retail.
7. Experiential Commerce
Much has been made of the retail apocalypse. But, as TechCrunch argues, retail might not be experiencing The End so much as an inflection point.
Many wildly successful e-commerce businesses have opened physical stores in recent years – Amazon, Warby Parker, Casper, Glossier. It’s all about creating a seamless experience where a business can court a customer little by little. Retail stores are showrooms and experiences unto themselves, where customers can try before they buy.
Content marketing isn’t going anywhere. The media market is fragmented, everyone is their own publisher. Now is the time for companies to build their own audience.
Pardon our mess … we’re building an audience.
2019 will be all about a better customer experience with personalization, automation and AI-powered technology, so you need to be sure you are producing custom content to engage your targeted audience. Whether you’re considering incorporating these trends or you’ve already implemented and are evolving your use of them, we are here to help you incorporate them into your marketing plan.
As the leader of your brand, it is up to you to determine the vision for your business, you are also the business leader. You are mission-control to successfully making that vision materialize. Be responsible for recognizing – and deciding how best to overcome – the barriers to your brand’s success.
One of the most powerful (and responsible) things you can do as a business leader is to get out of your own way.
The business leader and/or business owner holds a tremendous amount of power. You can be your brand’s greatest asset and its biggest backer. Critical to your mission, however, is not to become a barrier yourself.
During a conversation with a business owner and CEO of a $50M+ company, the CEO relayed that his largest client could not implement the programs offered to them because the necessary departments were not communicating with each other.
To overcome this hurdle, the CEO stepped in to facilitate meetings and interactions between his client’s departments. However, he was not getting paid for that time and taking on that role took him away from his own responsibilities.
When asked to provide my advice to this dilemma, my answer was simple: Don’t attend the meetings. If he did not attend the meetings, others would be forced to take on rightful ownership of their responsibilities, freeing the CEO to focus on his own responsibilities.
Here are four things to consider as a business leader in order to get (or stay!) out of your own way:
Build boundaries and bridges. Don’t put yourself in situations to be the point person when it is not your role. If you consistently play a role not meant for you lines become blurry and you increase your risk of burnout. You also risk not having the time and/or resources you need to be successful. Build a good team – in-house and/or through outsourcing. Then take a step back and let them fulfill their own roles.
Do it, delegate it or delete it. Does your to-do list continue to have the same thing on it week after week? Yes? Figure out why. If it is something that requires YOUR attention, do it. If it needs to get done but someone can or should complete it, delegate it. Maybe circumstances make completing a task unrealistic, undesirable or unnecessary – then, delete it. Procrastination is a barrier to productivity and to creativity.
Find your joy. Focus on the good contributions. Perhaps you work with a client who is abrasive. Understanding that he or she has a difficult job can help you avoid taking things personally. Look at the good things you are doing in your own role and the positive things the company is doing. If you focus only on the negative or get upset over the same things on a weekly basis, you prevent yourself from seeing the positives of your own – and others’ – contributions.
Celebrate success and forget failure. Failure is a necessary part of the process. Expect it. Embrace it. Learn from it. As a leader, failure should be empowering. Don’t let it get you down. Stop and acknowledge when you overcome it.
If you can get out of your own way, you may be your brand’s greatest asset. We have built a strong team and could be a powerful ally. Give us a call.
This month, we celebrate – ourselves! We are turning 8 this year, and to celebrate, we thought it would be fitting to look back at 8 important marketing moments from the past 8 years.
2011: Kick Start Something Great
Kickstarter came into its own in 2011. It took 16 months to attract 200,000 backers. In 2011, it took 3 months to attract the same number of backers. Unencumbered by “death by committee,” fledgling entrepreneurs were able to create a proof of concept via the magic of crowd funding. Video turned out to be a big key any successful Kickstarter project, foreshadowing the importance of video marketing to come.
2012: NSFW: Dollar Shave Club
Speaking of video, a humble contender in a commodified market dominated by a handful of legacy companies, Dollar Shave Club marketed themselves with a tongue-in-cheek video that spread like wildfire on social media.
The results speak for themselves: in its first three years, the company took a 1% market share and by summer 2016, Dollar Shave Club cornered 5% of the market. At the same time, Gillette’s market share dropped from 71% to 59%.
2013: Dunk in the Dark
Oreo stole the show during Super Bowl XLVII. When the lights went out during game, Oreo tweeted:
Their tweet was retweeted more than 16,000 times. Highlighting the importance of nimbleness and consistency, Oreo’s response shows that legacy brands can master social media too.
2014: Ice Bucket Challenge
Capitalizing on user-generated content is difficult, but when done right, it can be an influential marketing tactic. Case-in-point: The Ice Bucket Challenge. A powerful combination of social media, a good cause, ice water, and friend shaming, the Ice Bucket Challenge proved that yes, you can raise money through social media.
2015 – Move Over Millennials
Generation Z, people born in 1995 or after, were starting to enter the workforce and marketers took notice. This generation is the first generation to be considered true digital natives, having not known a world without the internet. They also make no distinction between digital and IRL.
Proving once again, that great marketing isn’t always about the latest, greatest tech, street wear brand Supreme teamed up with the New York Post. The New York Post printed its entire newstand run in a full wraparound cover with the Supreme logo. By 10:30 that morning, copies were selling on eBay for $12 and on the resale fashion site Grailed for $10.
We don’t know what tomorrow may hold, but we are excited for what the future may bring. Here’s to 8 more rockin’ years.
Sometimes I think we get so caught up in the latest, biggest, tech-iest thing – augmented reality!Slack! artificial intelligence! – that we forget to look at tested tactics that may not be as shiny and new, but they are effective. Ladies and gentlemen, I am talking about email marketing.
I can feel the collective “ugh” in the room.
Email is spammy. I get too many emails every day. Email is so… 1995.
Well, the ‘90s are back. And email marketing is still here – for good reason.
Email is still here – for good reason.
Email is a Huge Part of Our Day
According to an Adobe survey, consumers overall are checking their personal email an average of 2.5 hours per day and they are checking their work email an average of 3.1 hours per day. Half of all respondents said that when it comes to receiving offers from marketers, they prefer being contacted via email.
Even respondents born in the ‘90s spent a staggering amount of time in their inboxes – 18-24-year-olds spent 5.8 hours of their day checking their email.
Why do we use email so much? Adobe had a few ideas: “Why is email so ingrained in our lives? One reason may be that it’s so manageable—we can sort, file, filter, and generally get things done. It’s also a known, safe quantity. We’re familiar with how to make email work for us, and we feel confident about the privacy of our data.”
Email is Owned Land
A strong mix of marketing channels is important to any marketing plan – social media, paid media, direct mail, etc. – but email is one of the few channels that can be considered “owned land.”
FaceBook could fall of the face of the earth tomorrow, but you still have your email list.
Emails are Customizable
Email segmentation gives businesses the opportunity to tailor their message to their customer – whether that’s segmenting by demographics or by a trigger, such as recent website activity or a recent purchase.
Segmented emails perform much better than non-segmented emails. When compared to their non-segmented counterparts, segmented emails have a higher open rate (14.31%) and unique open rate (10.64%). They also have a lower bounce rate (4.65%) and unsubscribe rate (9.37%).
Emails are…. Intelligent?
Remember when I mentioned AI earlier in this post? In the future, artificial intelligence could help make your email marketing be even more effective. Machine learning could take a lot of the guesswork and time out of A/B testing, personalizing content, timing emails, and finding new audience segments.
It’s safe to say, email is here to stay. Which is a great thing – emails are customizable, they are data a company owns, and are a big part of consumers’ everyday lives.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go check my email.
How effective was your last email campaign? Did you segment your email list? If so, how?
Digital marketing continues to win this marketing season as digital marketing spending continues to rise. This is not new. In 2016, eMarketer.com projected digital spend would exceed television by as much as 36% by 2020.
According to WebStrategies, the following are earning their spots on marketing budget rosters:
Email marketing – Email marketing continues to be the best player to generate ROI.
Social media marketing – A solid first-round pick. In that category, Facebook continues to hold the top spot and Instagram comes in 2nd.
Search and display marketing – Search and display marketing still earns the largest share of digital marketing budgets. In 2018, 78% of those surveyed indicated a plan to increase their Google Ads budget. Online display (banner ads, online video, etc.) takes the second share.
Live events – This is another competitor making a comeback. Two thirds of marketers plan to increase spending on live events in 2019. This is not a surprise as the digital world faces fierce competition and privacy challenges.
Video Marketing – The MVP for growth in digital marketing budgets goes to online video. Investment in this category is expected to more than double 2016 numbers by 2021.
With the rise of Facebook Live, live events and video are teaming up (think megachurches with pastors appearing on screens, political candidates announcing intentions via live video and the use of video as part of the in-home sales trend in the beauty and cosmetic categories).
Regardless of your industry, here are 4 tips for video marketing:
Don’t complain just for the sake of complaining. You can sell your brand without negativity.
Keep it short and simple. The clock starts running as soon as your audience clicks on your link. Don’t fumble around. Have a solid plan and stick to it.
Be clear in your play-calling. You are the quarterback for your brand. Run or pass, assist your audience by clearly telling them what you want them to do and how they can do it.
To score with any marketing campaign begin with the end in mind to increase your opportunity for success. There are still significant advantages to veteran players such as traditional media (now referred to as “offline”) in terms of building awareness, extending reach and driving your brand message.
It is important to find the right balance between online vs. offline spending. That ratio will vary from brand to brand. Let us be your marketing coach and manager. We can help you find that balance and manage that content.
In 2019, social media marketing is an essential tool for developing a connection with your audience. In some ways, social media marketing is similar to online dating. You are courting your audience with social media, and a connection won’t develop by being overly promotional with your posts.
Successful social media marketing requires an investment of significant time (and resources). Your investment can pay dividends, but it requires planning. Developing strategies with clearly-identified goals and target audiences is key. But avoiding common faux pas is equally as important.
Seven of the (many!) dos and don’ts for social media marketing
Be social. You have to put yourself out there, so don’t be nonexistent on social media. You can’t influence anyone if you have no profile.
Be interesting. Know Your Audience. You want to pique and maintain viewers’ interest, so post varied content they will find interesting and valuable. Don’t make it all about you by only posting promotional content.
Be genuine. If your brand is all about fun, your audience expects a certain playfulness to your social media. Don’t send mixed messages by being inconsistent in your marketing.
Be available. Social media marketing is a 24/7 customer service opportunity, so engage often and consistently. Don’t ignore posted questions or concerns.
Be a good listener. Always pay attention -and respond gratefully- to consumer feedback. Don’t ignore the negative feedback, because you can’t develop relationships by ignoring (or deleting) criticisms.
Be Aware. Use hashtags and handles to attract interest, but don’t appear desperate by using too many. Keep it effective and efficient.
Be smart. Check your content for spelling, grammar and phrasing, and correct mistakes as soon as they’re caught. Don’t be insensitive in your phrasing or messaging.
We cannot say it enough – strategy is critical.
Content is key. Consistency is key.
Social media management is customer service and poor customer service will hurt your brand’s reputation.
Unlike in dating, it is a good idea to outsource social media duties. Those of us with the experience and knowledge can create and implement social media marketing strategies that follow all the rules.
Give us a call to help influence your audience to swipe right on your brand’s social media marketing!
