It's that time of year again. When the days get shorter, the air gets crisper, and we all find ourselves around a campfire (old school or digital) weaving scary tales that send shivers up our spines. Tales like this one:
Once upon a time in the eerie town of Salesburg, there stood a FREAKY good business known as "Bored to Death." They crafted the most terrifyingly exquisite, one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted, and environmentally friendly coffins and urns. Customers were often brought to tears by their work proclaiming the world needed more of Bored to Death.
But...they never didn't believe in marketing. *GASP* They ignored the advice to make a website. They scoffed when their happy clients asked where they could leave them a positive review. They never opened a social media account anywhere!
They were old-fashioned and they weren't trying to go viral. They just wanted to deliver quality goods.
The problem was that over time all their potential clients either utilized their services (once) and/or didn't (once). Their dreams weren't enough to pay their overhead. A beige big-box funeral home bought their business and now all that is left of their beautiful business are ghostly endorsements.
As scary as that sounds....
I am well aware that the alternative is often just as scary. Paying a month's rent to a marketing agency for "percentages of ad spends" and an underwhelming online presence. Sometimes going it alone can seem like the better option.
As a marketer who can DO BETTER, I want to tell you that we're not all like that. But as a small-business owner with 6-figure sales still handling a decent amount of marketing not only in-house but personally I want to share my best tips.
Today my small business owner is bigger than my marketer so I'm sharing my top 5 best scary good shortcuts!
Marketing Shortcut #1: Automated Email Campaigns: Ghosting Your Way to Conversions
Ever wondered how to bring back those visitors who abandoned their shopping carts? Enter automated emails!
These eerie messages are sent to your potential customers who've left items in their carts, reminding them of what they've left behind. They're also perfect for reaching out to site visitors who didn't quite make it to the checkout.
These automated touchpoints can dramatically increase your conversion rates without requiring much effort from you. And they aren't just handy for commerce brands, they can be useful useful for all businesses trying to stay top-of-mind with clients, past clients and/or potential clients.
Marketing Shortcut #2: Unleash the Automation Monster with Zapier
Forget spending hours on tedious manual tasks. Zapier, the marketing automation extraordinaire, can streamline your workflows like nothing else. It connects your favorite apps and automates those repetitive tasks that haunt your daily routine.
From lead generation to social media posting, Zapier can do it all, allowing you to focus on the creative and strategic aspects of your marketing.
PS it seems intimidating at first but there are thousands of tutorials on Youtube and the platform is very user friendly. Don't be afraid to play around with the free account, you'd be amazed how many things you can automate.
Marketing Shortcut #3: Resurrecting Old Content with Chat GPT
Don't let your old blog posts gather digital cobwebs. Use Chat GPT to breathe new life into them! This AI-powered tool can help you rework and repurpose old content into fresh, engaging pieces for different platforms.
It's like resurrecting a classic horror movie with a modern twist, but actually good! I'm looking at you Scream franchise!
Marketing Shortcut #4: The Bewitching Email Signature Spell
Your email signature is more than just a sign-off; it's prime real estate for marketing yourself and your brand. Include links to your social media profiles, a professional headshot, and even a link to your calendar for easy bookings.
This subtle touch can leave a lasting impression on your recipients, making it easier for them to engage with you and your brand.
Marketing Shortcut #5: An Editorial Calendar That'll Give You Goosebumps
One of the scariest things for marketers is not knowing what to focus on next. An editorial calendar is your trusty ghost-hunting map for the entire year. Channel your inner R.L. Stein and plan your content, campaigns, and social media posts in advance, aligning them with holidays, events, and your overall marketing strategy.
This simple tool will keep you organized and ensure that you're always one step ahead, and the best part is a focused hour or two of planning can be used to save you time and keep you on point for an ENTIRE YEAR!
Pro tip: Start macro and zoom in as you go. It is much easier to block out the month/quarter/seasonal focuses first and then zoom in and think of what blog title or campaign might work within it.
Confession: Sometimes when the end of the year gets crazy busy I won't even finish the entire calendar. I will macro the whole year and zoom in and deep plan the first few months or quarters before I lose steam and then put a pin it for later.
This is still a huge help because when I do have time to pick it back up again I'm not starting from scratch, I've already big-picture planned the year I just need to get into the nitty-gritty.
Scary enough for you?
In the spooky realm of marketing, where businesses either flourish or fade into the digital abyss, it's crucial to have the right tricks up your sleeve. So remember that in this digital age, success is often a blend of tradition and innovation.
Don't let your business become a ghostly relic; instead, embrace these scary-good marketing tactics to leave a lasting impression that will haunt your competitors' dreams. Happy marketing, and may your strategies be as chillingly effective as the stories around the campfire on a crisp autumn night!