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Beef Up Your Web Presence with Email Marketing

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You have your website up and running, now learn how to create more traffic and business with e-mail marketing. Not sure where to start? Use our quick-start guide to help you to generate more clicks and more interest for your product or service.

 

E-mail marketing is an essential tool for promoting your business. Right up there with an effective social media campaign and user-friendly website, e-mail marketing goes hand in hand to create a presence that will engage your target audience. If that sounds great, but you don’t have a tech-savvy gene in your body, don’t give up yet. It is possible to create an e-mail campaign, regardless of your coding skills (or lack thereof) by following a few simple steps to get you started in the right direction.

 

Set up your distribution list. You want your mailing list to be a targeted group of people that have an interest in your company or your product. Start by gathering your e-mail contacts and current client list. From there, you can get creative to gather more e-mails for your distribution. Set up a sign-up form on your website, start a social media contest or go the old fashioned route and have a sign-up sheet with pen and paper at your brick and mortar location. Whatever path you choose, you need to make sure the e-mail addresses you gather are fully aware and willing to receive your e-mails.

 

Make it interesting. The average office worker receives approximately 121 e-mails per day. When you are putting together your content for your e-mail, you need to stand out with an attention-grabbing subject line. A subject line of ‘This Week’s Sales’ doesn’t leave much to the imagination but something along the lines of ‘ Hurry In to Save Big – Up to 50% Off!’ gives the reader a sense of urgency. Once you get the reader on the hook, make them bite with short, concise information. After all, they have 120 other some e-mails to get through after yours! Focus on making your content encourage traffic to your website. For instance, if you are having a big sale, show the retail price in the e-mail and have the reader click a link to the product page on your website to reveal the sale price.

 

Make it attractive. Chances are, you are not a web designer with the skills to put together a clean design with formatting that will look the same in every inbox. That is when tools like Constant Contact and MailChimp come into play. These websites have several customizable, pre-designed templates that you can populate with your pictures and information. Templates are designed with different industries in mind so that you can create something tailored for your target market. There is a fee to use these sites, and you will need to determine what features would be most advantageous for your campaign and your budget. Both sites make it relatively easy to integrate your social media platforms as well.

 

Track your results. Using these platforms will also provide you with valuable information about your audience. You will be able to see how many people opened your e-mail, what links they clicked on and what, if any, users unsubscribed from your campaign. Play around with subject lines and information to see what works and what doesn’t from week to week. Another factor to consider is the best time and day to send your emails out. Typically, work days are more favorable, at five to ten minutes before or after the hour. This window of time is when people are between meetings and most likely scrolling through their inbox. For a more in-depth look at peak sending times, check out this article from MailChimp’s blog.

 

Small businesses may not have the big budgets to create elaborate campaigns, but with this guide, you can keep up with the big dogs of your industry. As with all of your marketing, keep your logo, color scheme, and theme consistent with your website and social media pages. If creating your e-mail marketing campaign is a little too intimidating or time-consuming, contact us at GasStoveCreative to help you out.

 

Website Design-2015

Does Your Website Need a Little TLC?

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If you are meeting with a potential client, you wouldn’t roll out of bed and walk out the door. You would make sure you are showered, put together and dressed professionally to make a good first impression. While your physical appearance is important, these days, your first impression with your customer is online. Does your website make that first impression you want your customers to see or is it more in the category of ‘just rolled out of bed’ look? Great websites always have a few key elements in common – check out our list and see how your website compares. 

  • They Are Built For Conversion

Websites aren’t just your online storefront anymore.  Now, they can actually help you with sales.  You need a website that will help convert your visitors into qualified sales leads.  Website conversion uses a broad range of tactics, all of which are designed to encourage website visitors to convert or take action. You want to make sure that whatever action they take, it moves them further down the sales funnel.

  • They Have A Clear, Concise Message.

If your visitor doesn’t know how you can solve a pain they’re having in 5 seconds or less, they are on to the next site.  Clear concise keyword-rich content is the key to a user-friendly site.  You need to state what pain your prospective client has, how you can solve that pain and the benefits they get from choosing you.  Despite your desire to be creative, the best websites are those that are simple, easy to navigate, and easy to read. With great websites, less is more. Less time scanning through content for information lessens the chance that your potential customer will give up and move on to the next site. 

  • They are consistent.  

It may go without saying, but your brand should stay consistent throughout your online presence. If your website is created with a separate entity that doesn’t bother to get to know your brand, you can say goodbye to your fan recognition. Social media pages, your website, and print advertising should all have the same color scheme, look, feel, and logo.

  • They stand out.

Sure, you can hop on a free site and create your website using a standard template. This may save some money up front, but that ‘wow’ factor is out the window. Your website is your chance to show how your product or service outshines the rest of the competition. If you have the same cookie-cutter website as other sites, what message does that send?

  • They are relevant

Another item that may go without saying, but all great websites are kept up-to-date with relevant information. Keeping your website up with your most current sales and products may not seem like a priority while trying to keep the day-to-day operations of your business going. When this task continues to slip to the bottom of the list, your customers are misled. Your competition has everything neatly laid out on their site and your potential sale has moved on from your product.

  • They measure results.

The best way to continuously improve upon your product is to evaluate the weak spots and work from there. Google Analytics allows you to do just that. Using this tool, you can see how many visitors your site has, what links they click on and where your visitors are located. Once you have this information, you can tweak your site so that it retains and attracts more visitors.

So, you’re thinking that your website could use a little TLC, that’s where GasStove Creative comes in. When you work with us, we get to know your brand, your service, and your values. Our content writing and website designs relay your work ethic, charm, and company culture into your site. Get the most out of your website and contact us today.

amazon page

Are you a Prime Business?

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Small businesses are making a splash with Amazon’s Prime Day – should your small business sell on the popular website? 

As Amazon’s third anniversary of its popular ‘Prime Day’ comes to a close, it made us think – can a small business join in on the success of the self-declared holiday? Amazon has more than 54 million Prime subscribers – not to mention those customers who do not pay a membership fee. It seems simple enough for any ‘ma and pa shop’ to start selling on the popular website. Even on the best of days, a brick and mortar location couldn’t bring in that kind of traffic. Do the pros outweigh the cons of joining Amazon as a seller?

The Pros

Smaller companies have been growing in popularity on Amazon, especially on Prime Day. According to CNBC.com, one small business saw a 1,371% increase in sales. ‘Simply Gum’ is a natural chewing gum company based in New York City. While the company promoted their ‘lightning deal’ on their Instagram account prior to the big day, the founder credits Amazon for increase their brand awareness and exposure – not to mention those big time sales. The number of items from entrepreneurs and small businesses has continued to grow since Prime Day began three years ago. In 2016, customers purchased over 20 million items from small businesses’ lightning deals.

The Cons

The growing presence of small business on Amazon sounds enticing. This is a great opportunity to expand your brand, but it needs to be worth your while. To sell on Amazon, the most lucrative option for businesses is to have a business account – which costs $39.99 per month. Then, to participate in Prime Day, retailers need to discount their items by at least 20 percent and use Amazon fulfillment to ship orders. Additionally, they will be charged a sales fee that is on average 15 percent. 

If you can’t quite make a profit with the seller fees, perhaps next year you can jump on the big box retailers bandwagon and offer specials during Prime Day week. Amazon has made more in sales on Prime Day than the best ‘Black Friday’ in recent years. This has caused a chain reaction as other big time retailers across the board attempt compete with the website’s low prices. Stores like Macy’s, Target, Toys RUS and Best Buy all have doorbuster type promotions going on this week to take advantage of the extra web traffic. Consider doing your own Prime Day promotions with free shipping or 20-30% off your popular items. Looking for more ideas or to expand to Amazon? Contact us at GS Creative – we specialize in creating unique marketing solutions for your small business.

 

New Year, Same You…New Marketing Plan?

Now that we’re a couple of weeks into the new year, you’ve either taken one of two paths. You stayed true to your goals and are making good progress. The weekend hit, you forgot one day and now you’re hoping 2022 will be your year. As we roll into the new year there seems to be all this pressure and anxiety around new year resolutions. Will I be able to lose the weight? Will I be able to achieve happiness? Will I save the money I need to? Do I have the discipline to keep up with my goals every single day this year? The answer is simple and the answer is no. Most of us will be unable to complete our goals every single day. But that’s okay. Take the weight off of your shoulders and tell yourself it’s okay to not be perfect every day. A bad day doesn’t make a bad year. I recently saw a post that said, “if you miss a day, don’t give up, start again next Monday.” While I liked this mindset, I prefer something a little different. Why wait until next week to start again? Why not start again tomorrow? Maybe even today or the very next time you can make a better decision. There’s no need to wait for tomorrow, or wait for next week, or wait for next year. If you do that you’ll spend your entire life waiting to make the changes in your life you so desperately desire. The New Year doesn’t have to mean a New You. You’re the same person in 2019 that you were in 2018. The only difference is mindset. There is something beautiful about beginnings and the possibility of change. Keep that mindset every time you wake up and you’ll never have to wait for the ball to drop to make a change again. That being said, let’s talk about whether or not you need a face lift…Well not you, your marketing. If one of your goals this year was about getting more business, your solution may be your marketing plan. The first step in making a change is recognizing the need for one. With your marketing plan, that may be difficult to diagnose yourself. You may be thinking to yourself “I mean it works sometimes…” Or maybe you’re wondering if a new marketing plan “is really worth it?” Well I can’t pretend to know your situation through a computer screen but what I can say is that, it is worth finding out. GS Creative offers free consultations so you can have these discussions with a trained marketing professional. You can ask your questions out loud and have them answered honestly. The truth is, we won’t take on a project if we know we won’t get results. If your marketing plan is working, we’ll tell you. And if it’s time for a face lift…we know exactly what to do. Happy New Year everyone! Remember to be you this year and to set those unrealistic goals aside. Wake up every morning with a “clean slate” attitude and attack the day. And if your goals include gaining business, and you have even one doubt in your mind that it might be your marketing plan holding you back, give us a call! Be safe and be kind, GS Creative
Depositphotos_48466109_xl 2015

A Lot of Thanks and a Lot of Cheese Ball

Well folks, it’s that time of year again…

Time for some of my favorite things: turkey, family, and cheese ball (in that order).

Time to pile in the car for a drive that lasts too long and a visit that never lasts long enough. Time to fight over politics and who’s cheating in the card game, just to bond over pie.

Time to be grateful.

As a marketing company, we love it when you’re on your phone. We love it when you’re on social media, and we love to see you on our websites.

As a local company who strives to connect with out clients and be a positive impact in our community, what we want most is for you to…

(dramatic pause)

…unplug.

*Gasp*

Life is too short to spend your time with loved ones behind a screen. Don’t miss out on the card game because you’re too busy checking your email. Don’t miss out on whatever argument is happening (you know there will be one) because you’re too consumed with Facebook. Don’t miss out on the pie because you’re too busy taking pictures of it.

Sometimes we are too focused on capturing the moment that we forget to live it.

Don’t forget to live in the moment this holiday season. Stay off of your phone, steer clear of the screen, and don’t even think about black friday until the dishes are done and the little kids are grumpy because it’s past their bedtime.

Ask Jenny about her freshman year of college. Ask Alan how opening weekend went. Ask Grandma Jane how to make her famous corn casserole (even though she’s told you a thousand times already!). Listen hard and listen not too fast because life is too short and family is too valuable to not give it your full attention.

Moral of the story: unplug, and unwind. The GS Creative family hopes you have a wonderful holiday.  

P.S. Don’t forget the cheese ball!

Be safe and be kind. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

-GS Creative

Helping Hurricane Victims from Home

Helping Hurricane Victims from Home

 

Americans are known for their uncanny ability to come together in the face of disaster and destruction. The hurricanes Harvey and Irma that just ripped through the southern part of the country are a perfect example of this. Organizations large and small have come together to help aid in the relief process. Companies across the country like Verizon, Kroger, Bank of America, Caterpillar and several more have made generous monetary and supply donations to help aid in relief efforts. Looking to help and make an impact locally while incurring positive PR for your business? Check out our ideas to help aid the hurricane victims.

    1. Set up an office/employee volunteer day. Check with your local Salvation Army or American Red Cross to inquire about opportunities to volunteer close to home. Not only will your contributions help the cause, but working together outside of the office will help boost your team’s morale.
    2. Share your profit. You may not be able to donate millions like the bigger companies, but you can still make a difference with the help of your customers. Set up a promotion on certain items or dedicate a day to donate a portion of the profits to your relief group of choice. Bonus points for getting a press release out for the event to gain some news coverage.
    3. Create a challenge. Spark a little friendly competition throughout the workplace with a donation contest among your employees. Work with your local American Red Cross to set up a time to donate blood – and award those who donate with points or some other incentive. Team up with another local business and challenge them to a contest as well.
    4. Set up a donation drive. Find a list of needed items and offer your customers a coupon or a percentage off their purchase for donated items. This is a great way to encourage traffic to your store or website while giving people a location to drop off items. 
    5. Establish an employee matching gift program. If your company is able to, incorporate a matching gift program where the company will match any donation made by its employees.

This hurricane season has already been absolutely devastating, but you can help inspire your local community come together to help those in need during these difficult times. For more information for you can do in your community, visit United Way’s website or this helpful article featured on USA Today. Below is a list of non-profit organizations to consider gifting donations:

Happy Holiday Break Celebrate Party Enjoyment Concept

Is Your Business Ready for the 2017 Holiday Season?

Yes, we know it’s not even Halloween but right now is the perfect time to start thinking of your plan for the holiday season to maximize your sales during the infamous shopping season.

The kids are back in school and the weather is starting to cool off. Soon, the marketing world will explode with pumpkin-flavored-everything and the end of the year still seems so far away. But in reality, the holiday season will be here before you know it. Do you know how you plan to capitalize on holiday traffic? Are you prepared? If not, don’t worry – that’s why we’re here! Here are a few things to get you started:

Consistency is key

Great branding has one major component – consistency. All professional marketers know to keep your brand consistent across the board of your printed and online materials but it is also important to apply this principle to your sales and promotions throughout the holiday season. Your consumers may be flooded with emails, commercials and all other kinds of advertising at this time of year. To stand out, plan out what your look and feel will be like for the holiday season. Keep your promotions consistent across all your platforms social, print, the web with the same fonts, colors and feel to everything.

Use those holiday feels to your advantage

People feel all kinds of emotions around the holidays and your marketing campaign can benefit from it. Marketers can leverage these feelings too deeply engage with their customers on an emotional level and build trust and credibility. Plan out your holiday-specific ideas around the thoughts like ‘home for the holidays’ and ‘pay it forward’. Some ideas – create a gift giving guides, friends, and family discount sales and special shipping discounts to those ‘far away loved ones’. Get creative based on your target audience and think outside of the box with sales and specials based on more than Black Friday and Christmas and include Hanukkah and Kwanzaa campaigns as well.

Prepare for online shoppers  

Once your look and promotions are in check, the next step is to make sure you are ready to handle the extra holiday traffic online. Black Friday, traditionally where consumers race from brick and mortar stores to get the best deal may not seem like something you need to prepare your website for but think again – In 2014, $1.5 billion was spent online on Black Friday alone.

If you are an online retailer, prepare by ensuring your website is in tip-top shape to get ready for an influx of sales. Check your website for user friendliness, speed and up-to-date material with your current branding. From there, you can incorporate your holiday look into your website or create a new page dedicated to your specials.  Another tip to keep you ahead of your competition – set up abandoned cart automated e-mails to recover those indecisive buyers.  According to Baymard Institute, more than 68% of shopping carts are abandoned but most are recoverable.

If you aren’t already using a marketing agency to handle your web and print marketing, odds are you haven’t started your holiday marketing plan.  Don’t wait and let your holiday marketing end up like your Christmas shopping that’s done at the very last minute – contact GS Creative to jump start your campaign and cater your holiday marketing plan specific to your product and target audience.

jonathan-min

Best Stereo Headphones

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jonathan-min

Android Entertainment App

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