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7 Keys to Unlocking Email Marketing Visibility & Conversions

7 Keys to Unlocking Email Marketing Visibility & Conversions

Email marketing is not just about sending messages; it's decoding the language of engagement. In every open, click, or unsubscribe, there's a narrative—unlocking it is the key to transforming your inbox into a strategic powerhouse.

Posted January 26th, 2024 by Jessica Granish

Do your email marketing messages vanish into the void, devoured by the black hole of unread inboxes? Is your email marketing lacking the essentials it needs to succeed? According to McKinsey, a staggering 70% of emails sent by B2B businesses never even get opened. 😱 It's enough to make you want to rip your hair out. But what if your inbox isn't a curse, but a treasure trove waiting to be unlocked? 📧✨

The truth is, within every inbox lies a buried map to explosive growth. Every unsubscribe, every open, every click whispers a story about your audience, a hidden pathway to skyrocketing ROI. But it's locked away, guarded by robotic blasts and generic, one-size-fits-all campaigns.

 
Forget the doldrums of uninspired spam. Today's email marketing thrives on strategic agility and personalized experiences. It's about cracking the code of your audience, building meaningful relationships, and transforming your inbox into a launchpad for success.

Lets decode the these
7 crucial keys:

1. Foundation in Analytics and Monitoring:

Drowning in data? You're not alone. 59% of marketers struggle to navigate the inbox analytics flood. Ditch the guesswork! Continuously monitor three key metrics:

Authentication records: Are your emails reaching inboxes or languishing in spam folders? Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to ensure your emails come from a trusted source.
Engagement metrics: Opens, clicks, and unsubscribes tell a story. Monitor these insights to understand what resonates with your audience and what falls flat. Use A/B testing to identify winning content and subject lines.
Deliverability performance: Are your emails bouncing back or hitting inboxes? Track bounce rates and delivery rates to assess your sender reputation and identify technical issues.

Actionable Steps:

Set up automated dashboards to track key metrics in real-time.
Invest in analytics tools that go beyond basic open rates and delve deeper into audience behavior.
Schedule regular reviews of your analytics data to identify areas for improvement.

2. Feedback Loops: Your Real-Time Radar:

Don't get lost in the inbox wilderness! Email service providers offer feedback loops, your real-time radar for spotting disengaged audiences and avoiding spam storms. These insights let you:

Tweak content: Ditch duds, amplify hits, and keep audiences hooked. Analyze unsubscribe reasons and negative feedback to identify content that turns people off. Refine your messaging and tailor it to different segments.
Dodge spam flags: Stay squeaky clean and land in coveted inboxes. Monitor spam complaint rates and implement best practices for email authentication and list hygiene.
Build sender cred: Deliver like a pro and watch your reputation soar. Respond promptly to unsubscribe requests and maintain a high engagement rate to improve your sender score.

Actionable Steps:

Enable feedback loops in your email service provider and review them regularly.
Create targeted segments based on feedback data to deliver more relevant content.
Implement double opt-in for email signups to ensure a clean and engaged list.

3. Adjusting the Sails: Metrics for Course Correction:

Like a ship adjusting its sails to navigate changing winds, your email strategy requires periodic adjustments. Analyzing key metrics such as bounce rates, open rates, and click-through rates guides your course correction. It ensures your emails not only reach the intended destination but also resonate with your audience.

 
Remember: Subject lines can make or break (64% open based solely on headline!). A/B test different subject lines and formats to find what grabs attention.

Actionable Steps:

Set benchmarks for your key metrics and track progress over time.
Identify areas where your performance is lagging and experiment with different strategies to improve.
Use heatmaps, and click tracking tools to, like Hotjar understand how recipients interact with your emails.

Hotjar is a freemium tool that is a web analytics and feedback tool that helps website owners understand user behavior through features like heatmaps, session recordings, surveys, and feedback forms. It provides valuable insights to optimize the user experience and improve website performance.

4. Adaptation in a Dynamic Landscape:

Email marketing is a living voyage, not a static map. Regularly rechart your course – authentication protocols, content formats, and engagement strategies – to navigate evolving currents. Embrace new technologies and adapt to changing audience preferences.

 
Remember: Security matters (85% of B2B buyers prioritize it!). Stay updated on the latest authentication protocols like DMARC and implement best practices for data security to build trust with your audience.

Actionable Steps:

Stay informed about emerging trends and technologies in email marketing.
Conduct competitor analysis to see what others are doing and identify opportunities for differentiation.
Regularly review your email strategy and adjust your approach based on new data and insights.

5. Looking Back to Move Forward: The Value of Hindsight:

Past campaigns hold buried treasure! Analyze them to identify winning strategies and avoid hidden reefs. This retrospective view steers your future emails towards profitable shores.

 
Remember: Personalized emails bring 6x the rewards! Analyze past campaigns to identify segments that responded well to personalization and replicate those successes in future campaigns.

Actionable Steps:

Conduct post-campaign reports to analyze performance and identify areas for improvement.
Look for patterns and correlations between specific content elements and engagement metrics.
Segment your audience based on past engagement data and tailor your messaging accordingly.

6. Beyond the Digital Sea: Tangible Impact Ahoy!

Robust email management extends beyond the digital realm; it has a tangible impact on your brand reputation, customer engagement, and regulatory compliance. Navigating the complexities of email regulations, ensuring data security, and maximizing deliverability fortify your business against potential pitfalls.

 
Remember: Customer churn costs! The average cost of losing a customer is 5 times the cost of acquiring a new one. Building strong customer relationships through effective email management reduces churn and boosts customer lifetime value.

Actionable Steps:

Align your email strategy with your overall brand story and voice to create a consistent experience across all channels. This fosters trust and brand recognition, leading to increased customer loyalty.
Nurture leads and customers through well-designed email sequences that educate, engage, and convert. Use automated workflows to trigger personalized emails based on specific actions or milestones, keeping your audience engaged and moving towards your desired outcomes.
Implement customer segmentation and personalization to deliver relevant content that resonates with individual preferences and needs. This can include welcome series, abandoned cart reminders, targeted product recommendations, and birthday greetings. Personalization not only increases engagement but also drives higher conversion rates and revenue.

7. Embracing a Holistic Approach:

In essence, email management is not merely a series of technical tasks; it's a holistic approach to fostering growth, building meaningful customer relationships, and ensuring a positive impact on your bottom line.

 
Remember: Omnichannel integration unlocks success! 72% of marketers report that integrating email with other marketing channels improves campaign performance. Aligning your email strategy with your overall marketing approach optimizes your reach and impact.

Actionable Steps:

Develop a unified marketing strategy that combines email with other channels like social media, content marketing, and paid advertising. Create consistent messaging and user experiences to maximize awareness and engagement.
Track and analyze the performance of your campaigns to identify areas for improvement and optimize your overall marketing strategy. By understanding how different channels work together, you can make data-driven decisions to increase ROI and achieve your marketing goals.
Invest in marketing automation tools that streamline your email marketing efforts and integrate with other channels.

In Conclusion

By embracing a holistic approach to email management and integrating it with your overall marketing strategy, you can unlock its true potential as a powerful tool for driving growth, building loyalty, and achieving lasting success.

As you navigate the evolving landscape of business communication, a strategic focus on effective email management stands as a key driver for your continued success. Embrace the future of your email marketing success by taking proactive steps today. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting, I'm committed to assisting you in seamlessly adapting to the evolving landscape of email standards.

Don't wait for email purgatory to strike! Take control of your deliverability TODAY with a FREE 20-minute no-strings consultation and email audit!

In just 20 minutes, you'll get:

Personalized feedback on your current email practices.
Expert insights to boost engagement and results.
Some actionable steps you can leave the call with to optimize and maximize your deliverability.

Book a Call Now and let us work with you towards a more robust and effective email marketing future.

Book a Call Now
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Jessica Granish

The Wizard Behind The Curtain, Tech And Marketing Integrator

Meet Jessica Granish, a heart-centered trailblazer in the dynamic intersection of tech, marketing, and systems integration.

Read more...

Free Tech and Marketing Audit Session

How to Maximize Your Online Visibility with our Tech and Marketing 20 Min Rapid Audit.

book Now...

Free Tech and Marketing Audit Session

How to Maximize Your Online Visibility with our Tech and Marketing 20 Min Rapid Audit. 

After our Tech and Marketing 20-Min Rapid Audit, you'll walk away with immediate insights and actionable recommendations tailored to enhance your online visibility. Discover quick wins and unlock the potential for rapid growth in just a brief session!

Learn more

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© Copyright Alpine Small Business Solutions, LLC.  All Rights Reserved

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10 Steps to Align with Google and Yahoo’s Email Requirements

While the new email requirements primarily target large bulk senders, it's essential for all email senders to take note. What applies to high-volume senders today may become a requirement for all in the future.

Posted January 12th, 2024 by Jessica Granish

In the ever-evolving realm of email marketing, 2024 promises to be a pivotal year as Google and Yahoo roll out mandatory email requirements that could impact the delivery of your emails. In this blog post, we'll explore why these changes are happening, why they matter to every email sender, and provide a comprehensive checklist of five crucial steps to ensure compliance.

Why Google and Yahoo are Changing the Rules for Bulk Email Senders

Authentication has always been a best practice in email marketing, but not all senders have embraced the necessary tools to safeguard their emails. Failure to authenticate emails leaves room for bad actors to impersonate domains and engage in phishing, which can significantly harm a sender's reputation.

Google and Yahoo are taking a proactive stance to protect their users from spam and unwanted emails. Recognizing the critical role of proper email authentication, they have elevated it from a best practice to a non-negotiable requirement. To ensure your emails continue reaching the inbox, compliance with key authentication and spam prevention practices is paramount.

This includes:

Authenticating emails using DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.
Providing a one-click unsubscribe option and honoring unsubscribes within two days.
Reducing spam and maintaining a spam complaint rate under 0.3%

Why These Changes Matter for Every Email Sender

While the new requirements primarily target large bulk senders, it's essential for all email senders to take note. What applies to high-volume senders today may become a requirement for all in the future. Operating in the "barely compliant" zone is not a thoughtful or growth oriented strategy, even for smaller senders or those dealing primarily with transactional emails.

Whether you send a handful or millions of emails, prioritizing domain protection, spam prevention, and adherence to deliverability best practices is crucial for maintaining a healthy email program and keeping subscribers safe.

Avoiding the Spam Folder:
The infamous spam folder, a virtual purgatory for emails deemed unworthy by filters. Landing in this digital abyss means your message might never see the light of a recipient's inbox. It's the nemesis of email marketers, a place where even well-intentioned emails can find themselves, lost and unseen.

Navigating spam filters is crucial for ensuring your messages reach their destination. Understanding the factors of the dreaded spam folder is the first step in the battle for inbox visibility.

Checklist: 10 Steps to Ensure Compliance

Step 1: Understand Your Sending Domains

Before sending emails through Postmark, ensure your domains are authenticated. Validate individual email addresses or authenticate entire domains by making necessary DNS tweaks. Head to the Sender Signatures tab to review the status of each domain.

Step 2: Authenticate with Custom DKIM

Implement custom DKIM signatures to confirm your legitimacy as a sender and verify message integrity. Add a TXT record to your domain's DNS following Postmark's guidance.

Step 3: Authenticate with Custom SPF

Replace Postmark's default Return-Path domain with your own to enhance SPF authentication. Set up a custom Return-Path by adding a CNAME record to your DNS.

Step 4: Set Up DMARC

Implement DMARC to monitor email senders using your domain and instruct receivers on handling unauthenticated emails. Even if you're not a high-volume sender, setting up DMARC is recommended.

Step 5: Register with Google Postmaster Tools

Register your domain with Google Postmaster Tools to monitor spam complaint rates. Keep your spam complaint rate below 0.3% to maintain a positive sender reputation.

Step 6: Segment Your Email List Strategically

Divide your email list based on user demographics, preferences, and behavior. Implementing targeted segmentation allows for personalized content delivery, increasing the relevance and impact of your messages.

Step 7: Implement List Hygiene Practices

Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive or disengaged subscribers. A clean and focused list improves deliverability and reduces the risk of spam complaints.

Step 8: Monitor Email Deliverability Metrics

Regularly track key deliverability metrics, such as bounce rates, open rates, and click-through rates. Analyzing these metrics provides insights into the performance of your email campaigns and helps identify areas for improvement.

Step 9: Conduct A/B Testing

Implement A/B testing for different elements of your emails, such as subject lines, content, and call-to-action buttons. Analyzing the results allows you to refine your email strategy for improved engagement and effectiveness.

Step 9: Conduct A/B Testing

Review and optimize your unsubscribe process to make it as straightforward as possible for users. This not only ensures compliance with regulations but also contributes to a positive user experience.

Understanding DKIM, SPF, and DMARC

Email authentication methods—DKIM, SPF, and DMARC—are the foundation of securing your email communications.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This cryptographic authentication method adds a digital signature to your emails, verifying that they come from a legitimate source and have not been tampered with during transit.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF specifies which servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. It helps prevent spammers from forging your domain in the "From" address of their messages.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): DMARC builds upon DKIM and SPF by providing a policy framework for email authentication. It allows domain owners to specify how their emails should be handled if they fail authentication checks and provides reporting on these actions.

Impact on Email Deliverability and Engagement

Adhering to these email authentication standards directly impacts your email deliverability and engagement metrics.

Deliverability: Proper authentication signals to email service providers that your emails are legitimate, reducing the likelihood of your messages being marked as spam or ending up in recipients' junk folders.
Engagement: By following best practices, you enhance the overall user experience. Subscribers are more likely to engage positively with authenticated emails, leading to improved open rates and click-through rates.

In short, email authentication is not just about compliance; it's a fundamental strategy for ensuring your emails are delivered and well-received.

Email Marketing Software Compatibility

Ensure your email marketing software supports and facilitates the implementation of DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.

User-Friendly Interfaces: Look for platforms with user-friendly interfaces that simplify the process of setting up and managing authentication protocols.
Automated Configuration: Some platforms offer automated configuration options, streamlining the setup of DKIM and SPF records in your DNS.

Understanding how your chosen email marketing software integrates with these authentication methods can save time and make the implementation process smoother.

Continuous Monitoring and Adjustments

Implementing email authentication is not a one-time task; it requires continuous monitoring and adjustments.

Regular Audits: Periodically audit your authentication records and configurations to ensure they remain up-to-date and aligned with best practices.
Feedback Loops: Leverage feedback loops provided by email service providers to monitor recipient feedback, especially regarding spam complaints. Use this data to refine your email practices.

Regularly revisiting and adjusting your approach to email authentication ensures ongoing compliance and optimal performance.

Tips for Maintaining a Low Spam Complaint Rate

Maintaining a low spam complaint rate is crucial for sustaining a positive sender reputation.

Engaging Content: Craft engaging and relevant content to reduce the likelihood of recipients marking your emails as spam.
Segmentation: Segment your email list based on user preferences and behavior to send more targeted and personalized content.
List Cleaning: Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive or disengaged subscribers to minimize the risk of spam complaints.

By implementing these tips, you not only improve your spam complaint rate but also foster a healthier relationship with your subscribers.

Upcoming Industry Trends and Predictions

Looking ahead to the future of email marketing, several trends and predictions are on the horizon:

Enhanced Personalization: Expect a continued emphasis on personalized and targeted email content to meet evolving customer expectations.
AI and Automation Integration: The integration of artificial intelligence and automation tools will become more prevalent, allowing for smarter and more efficient email campaigns.
Stricter Security Measures: Anticipate additional security measures and standards being introduced to combat evolving threats and protect user data.
Interactive Email Experiences: Email content will become more interactive, with the integration of quizzes, polls, and other engaging elements to enhance user interactivity.

Keeping an eye on these trends allows you to stay ahead of the curve, ensuring your email marketing strategies remain effective and innovative in the ever-changing digital landscape.

In Conclusion

Adapting to these changes is not just a necessity for compliance but a strategic move to safeguard your sender reputation and ensure the continued success of your email campaigns in 2024 and beyond.

In the dynamic landscape of email marketing, adapting to industry changes is not just a necessity but a strategic move to safeguard your sender reputation and ensure the continued success of your campaigns. As you embark on the journey to meet Google and Yahoo's new requirements, remember that the process of upgrading your email authentication practices can be complex, but you don't have to navigate it alone.

I'm here to help you seamlessly transition to the enhanced standards set by Gmail and Yahoo. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting, making these upgrades is a proactive step towards safeguarding your email program's health and ensuring your messages reach the right audience.

Don't wait until issues arise; take charge of your email deliverability now. If you have questions, need assistance, or want to ensure your email marketing practices are in top shape, I invite you to book a call with me. Let's collaborate to elevate your email marketing strategy and propel your business forward. Your success is just a call away.

Book a Call Now and let us work with you towards a more robust and effective email marketing future.

Book a Call Now
only a few spots left

Comments

Jessica Granish

The Wizard Behind The Curtain, Tech And Marketing Integrator

Meet Jessica Granish, a heart-centered trailblazer in the dynamic intersection of tech, marketing, and systems integration.

Read more...

Free Tech and Marketing Audit Session

How to Maximize Your Online Visibility with our Tech and Marketing 20 Min Rapid Audit.

book Now...

Free Tech and Marketing Audit Session

How to Maximize Your Online Visibility with our Tech and Marketing 20 Min Rapid Audit. 

After our Tech and Marketing 20-Min Rapid Audit, you'll walk away with immediate insights and actionable recommendations tailored to enhance your online visibility. Discover quick wins and unlock the potential for rapid growth in just a brief session!

Learn more

Keep Reading...

7 Keys to Unlocking Email Marketing Visibility & Conversions

7 Keys to Unlocking Email Marketing Visibility & Conversions

Your Word, Your Mantra: 4 Steps to Choosing Your Word for the New Year

Your Word, Your Mantra: 4 Steps to Choosing Your Word for the New Year

Defeating Self-Doubt: Your Simple Guide to Imposter Syndrome

Defeating Self-Doubt: Your Simple Guide to Imposter Syndrome

The 'C' Code: Decoding the 10 Fundamental Pillars of Successful Relationships in Business and Beyond

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Solstice Wisdom: 7 Strategies to Leverage the Solstice Metaphor for Business Growth

Solstice Wisdom: 7 Strategies to Leverage the Solstice Metaphor for Business Growth

10 Strategies for Thriving as a Business Owner Despite Silent Health Challenges

10 Strategies for Thriving as a Business Owner Despite Silent Health Challenges

© Copyright Alpine Small Business Solutions, LLC.  All Rights Reserved

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Complete The Form Below to get started...

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14 Opportunities and Ideas to Help Add Additional Income During the Pandemic

Hello loves!  I wanted to share some information that may be helpful for those that recently were laid off and/or you are looking to supplement your income during and beyond the Convid-19 Pandemic. Like many online business owners,  I have a unique birdseye view because of the work that I do and the business I run. None of it is a secret or a ninja trick, and much of it you already have likely heard about, so most of it is just a re-iteration.  

I have compiled a list of 14 opportunities and ideas to help add additional income during the pandemic for yourself and your family in these times of uncertainty.  

As we start to do more and more delivery and curbside shopping, eating and etc… we will see that we simply do not have the force to support it.  Here are places that you can look into if you are looking for work.

1) Grocery stores are hiring and their services are in high demand.  Check into Clicklist and Instacart shoppers particularly

2) Doordash and Uber Eat Drivers – Even Pizza Delivery as well

3) Talk to your local marijuana dispensers and liquor stores – See about helping them with their curbside services…and in some cases delivery options

4) Amazon warehouses are hiring as well as drivers and customer service agents.  Amazon alone is providing over 100k jobs

5) Become a secret shopper.  I know that times are different right now, but there are many online secret shopping opportunities, for instance, customer service secret shopping with Expedia.  The restaurant and retail store options won’t be available (unless they pivot) is my guess, but there are other opportunities. Let me preface that this is NOT a huge moneymaker, but it is great for supplemental income. https://www.bestmark.com/  I always had fun with secret shopping and I think you could too.

If you are looking at making some extra money in the online sphere here are some pretty great options. 

6) For online work look into https://jobs.sykes.com/ , these are customer service jobs that you can do from home.  You must have a dedicated phone line (not a cell phone) and highspeed internet. 

7) Working Solutions is another home-based customer service opportunity as well – www.workingsolutions.com/

8) United Health Care for those that work in more of a medical field, they are hiring to help with the influx of calls that are coming in.  

9) If you have a special craft, like content writing, graphic design, etc… you can look into www.upwork.com  or www.guru.com and if you make and sell your own goods, look at facebook market place, www.etsy.com and www.ebay.com.   

10) I realize that the stock market is a pretty scary place right now, but it also offers a lot of opportunities.  Stocks are at a record low right now. The market will not be this unstable forever and it is guaranteed that there will be a boom (just don’t know when).  The beauty of that is if you can get in at a cheap buy-in, like now, it could provide a huge return in 6-months. Only look into this if you feel empowered to do so.  You can start up through Robinhood, which is a free platform for buying and selling stocks in the stock market. It is pretty intuitive and if you use this link you can earn free stock to start your journey with. Truly investing in stock (if you have the means) now might set you up for life. It could be like buying Amazon in 1997 if you get my drift!  For Robinhood, though, it doesn’t require any investment right now, just sign up, get your free stock and start dabbling. Use this link to get your free stock >>> https://bit.ly/freerobinhoodstock-jg 

11) For those that are toying with taking their business or ideas to Facebook, I have a free mini-training “8 Ways to Revive your Facebook Business Page Organic Reach” that you can take. It is a tiny bit outdated, but the content is still very relevant. www.va.alpinesbsolutions.com  

12) If you are looking to take your vision into an online setting and getting serious about taking this time to pivot instead of panic, I would like to offer up some of my time to help you brainstorm. While I do have limited time,  I still would like to offer up my own time as a resource. I am offering free 30 minute consults for a limited amount of folks (no strings attached, just value, value, value) the rest of the month. Private message me if you are interested.  

13) I am also working on some additional free training and webinars to help people with making supplemental income online or to finally start your own online business journey.  If you have a topic you would like me to touch on or have someone in the community talk about, please private message me or put your request below.

14) Lastly (for now), I would love to create a container for those interested to network together and join in on the opportunity to join think tanks, masterminds, engagement circles, and other self-promotion threads so we can all build each other up, stay connected, and love one another.

Do you have things to share or add to my list, please do? The more the merrier. The more information we can put out there the better.  I will continue to harvest more ideas around this as the days and weeks unfold.  

For those that are in a position to help, please help people, offer your time and what resources you can. This is a time to band together, practice impeccable hygiene, be compassionate and remember we are all in this together.  Do not lead in fear…keep being amazing and I am rooting for those that are having a hard time. Please share with someone that you think might benefit from this information as well. I love you!

Mindset Impacts Everything

Mindset impacts everything. Our thoughts, energy and most of all, the actions we take.

More than 30 years ago, Carol Dweck and her colleagues became interested in people’s attitudes about failure. After studying the behavior of thousands of students, Dr. Dweck coined the terms “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset” to describe the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence. What is a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset? Glad you asked!

  • Growth Mindset: Intelligence can be developed
  • Fixed Mindset: Intelligence is static; “fixed trait.”

 

Growth Mindset

  1. Embrace challenges
  2. Persist in the face of setbacks
  3. See effort as the path to mastery
  4. Learn from criticism
  5. Find lessons and inspiration in the success of others

Individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others.) As a result, they achieve more success because they worry less about looking smart and they put more energy into learning.

Fixed Mindset

  1. Avoid challenges
  2. Give up easily
  3. See effort as fruitless
  4. Ignore useful negative feedback
  5. Feel threatened by the success of others

Those with a fixed mindset spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. Excessive concern with looking smart keeps you from making bold, visionary moves. If you’re afraid of making mistakes, you’ll never learn on the job and your whole approach becomes defensive.

-H3-

Whether you’re aware of it or not, you keep a running account of what’s happening, what it means, and what you should so. Our minds are constantly monitoring and interpreting. That’s just how we stay on track. Mindset frames the running account of what is taking place. It guides the whole interpretation process.

The fixed mindset creates an internal dialogue that is focused on judging. And people react with feelings of anxiety, depression, or anger. Or superiority. “This means I’m a loser.” “This means I’m a better person than they are.” “This means I’m a bad wife.” “This means my partner is selfish.”

An internal monologue of a growth mindset person is not about judging themselves or others. They listen for learning and constructive action: “What can I learn from this?” “How can I improve?” “How can I help my partner do this better?”

Change Your Mindset

Changing from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset is not like surgery; you can’t remove a fixed mindset and replace it with a growth mindset. You must work on nurturing a positive, growth mindset. These are tips from Dr. Dweck, herself:

  1. Learn to hear your fixed mindset, “voice.”

As you face criticism, you might feel yourself getting angry at the person giving you feedback. The other person might be giving constructive feedback, but you hear “I’m really disappointed in you. I thought you were capable but now I see you’re not.”

  1. Recognize that you have a choice.

How you interpret challenges, setbacks, and criticism is your choice. You can choose to interpret them as signs to ramp up your strategies, stretch yourself and expand your abilities.

  1. Take the growth mindset action.

As you approach a challenge, choose to say: “I think I can learn to with time and effort.” “If I don’t try, I automatically fail.” “If I don’t take responsibility, I can’t fix it. Let me listen and learn what I can.”

Practice hearing both voices, and practice acting on a growth mindset. Nurturing a positive, growth mindset creates profound changes in your personal life and determines your ceiling of success. Your Mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.

Need help nurturing that mindset contact me today!

What is Facebook Live? 6 Tips on How to Use It

While Facebook Live has been available for a while for elite users, the tool finally made its way to the average user. Facebook is beginning to push for users to take advantage of this great tool, even altering the Facebook News Feed algorithm so Live Videos rank higher. As a result, the tool is growing in popularity in the marketing world and is becoming a new resources social media marketers need to take advantage of. Using Facebook Live is relatively simple, but there are a few tricks of the trade to ensure the live videos meet a marketer’s goals.

What is Facebook Live?

Facebook Live allows users to share live video from their mobile devices. The option is included in the iOS app so there’s nothing you need to download. Individuals create a Facebook Live video from their personal account, and marketers can create this video and then share it to their organization’s page.

Mark Zuckerburg’s goal for Facebook Live is for the tool to offer “a way for people to have a more authentic and intimate experience sharing about their lives.”

This goal, of course, fits right into a marketer’s efforts to humanize their organization and foster relationships with their audience. Marketers can use Facebook Live in a variety of ways: sharing a daily/weekly message, hosting a question and answer session with someone, sharing breaking industry or company news, sharing industry secrets, walking audiences through the steps of a how-to, product or service demo, providing a behind the scenes glimpse, the list goes on and on!

fblivestream7 Tips on How to Use Facebook Live

Part of the beauty of Facebook Live is the opportunity for spontaneity by organizations-but that doesn’t mean marketers should abandon any planning or strategy! Marketers can be intentional about how they create videos to ensure they gain the most marketing bang for the buck when they create scripted or spontaneous videos. The tips below will help you be as effective as possible when creating Facebook Live videos, and follow the timeline of before the live video, during the live video, and after the live video.

  1. Identify the focus and purpose of the video. You don’t need to write a script word for word, but as with any social media marketing effort you do need a clear understanding of why you are doing it. Ensuring your video has a clear and concise focus prevents it from becoming a convoluted rambling video that will bore audiences. Articulating the purpose of the video helps shape the direction of the video, and provides a foundation for measuring whether the goal of the video was met.
  2. Inform followers of an upcoming live video. Make sure your followers know you are planning on streaming and what time they can expect the video with a simple post (“live streaming our fundraising event in an hour”). To kill two birds with one stone, you can later tweak that informative post to make it the description of the video when you create it. You can even have views subscribe to know when you are going live.
  3. Pursue variety in the video itself and among the videos you create. In each video, vary your voice and use front and back cameras to change up the scenery to keep your audiences engaged. Utilize a variety of topics and structures when you create videos. Just like you wouldn’t follow the same Facebook post structure each day, don’t fall into a predictable video pattern either.
  4. Interact with followers. During the live streaming, viewers can send in comments. When relevant, acknowledge individual users and answer their questions or respond to their comments. Give them a personal shout out! This is a great, simple way to really strengthen that relationship and show your organization’s devotion to its consumers.
  5. Include a call to action. Always. Always. Always. In your marketing you want your customer to DO something. Give them a task. Give them somewhere to go. Every social media effort needs a call to action, and live videos are no different. A call to action can be as simple as encouraging people to visit a website, sign up for your newsletter, or send them to your lead page. But use a call to action to keep the relationship going.
  6. Edit the video. After the video is published, go back and make sure the thumbnail, category, and call to action clearly represent the video’s focus. Always be thinking of your brand. Does this video match what you want to represent?
  7. Play around with various broadcast lengths and times. Just as you should be with post creation, vary up the length of video and the time you stream to see when your audience is most responsive.

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Make sure you go Live often and be creative. Have fun with it and enjoy getting to know your fans!

Facebook Live offers many different uses for marketers to reach their audience in an engaging and personable way. If you know you want to take advantage of this great tool, but aren’t sure how to get started or want guidance, Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you! We’d love to help guide you through Facebook Live video (or any other aspect of business building). Just shoot us an email or call us on up!

5 Ways to Make Money While You Sleep… Yes, You Can!!

Most things that sound too good to be true are, but this one is not! Actually, I am going to give you more than one idea! You really can make money while you sleep to help supplement your main source of income. All it takes is a bit of foundational work and the knowledge of what resources you should be taking advantage of (of course I am going tell you those as well).

Affiliate Marketing

familyAffiliate marketing happens when your marketing efforts bring another organization visitors and/or customers. In return, the other organization provides you with monetary compensation for each visitor/customer. Affiliate marketing can involve providing links on your website to products from other organizations or including ads for other organizations on your website. If your link provides the organization with a sale (someone purchases a product after clicking on your product link), you receive monetary compensation. A great place to start with affiliate marketing is with Amazon Associates. They offer a simply set up (or get your VA to help you set it up) and Amazon has a huge product selection, so you can always find something to tell your viewer they should use.

Creating a Service

dollarHere you want to brainstorm ways to convert your expertise into a practical service to meet your customers’ needs. For example, a travel blogger could offer a trip planning service leveraging his/her knowledge on the industry to save clients money. While it takes foundational work to create the service, once it’s made you can benefit from selling the service over and over again to new customers. Since the service is supposed to supplement your main income, it does not need to be highly involved or extensive. A healthy food blogger, for example, could offer a one or two hour sit down with a family to help teach them healthy meal planning and shopping. An hour or two could be all it takes to provide your audience with an effective service, and you with a new source of income.

Creating a Product

Smart-Idea-150x150Here the idea is to brainstorm ways to convert your expertise into a tangible product to meet your customers’ needs. You will want to build something that once it is created, it is ready to go and doesn’t take any effort on your part. For example, if you’re a photographer, sell photos through stock photography. If you’re a food blogger, sell e-books that are collections of recipes. Most of the work is with creating the product. Once that’s completed, you’ll just need minimal advertising efforts. You can even just link to the product on your website, and make the occasional promotional social media post, and call it good.

You can bundles some of your best work together that would help others as well. Think of it as a forms packet or templates that will save people time. If you have an awesome tool that you use for your own business it might also be helpful to others. Start selling your tips and tricks!

Creating Evergreen Online Webinars

Responsive-Design2Take all that industry expertise and knowledge you’ve got, and monetize it! Ask yourself, “What does an individual need to know to become an expert on given topic, tool, etc?” Answer that question with your knowledge in the form of an online training session or webinar. When you first start out, focus on creating “evergreen” content (information people can use over and over at any time). Something that you don’t have to do live or be there for. For example, “How to advertise your organization on Facebook” as opposed to “How to advertise your organization on Facebook during Halloween.” The more “evergreen” the topic, the larger your potential audience becomes and the more you can potentially make from the service. Then once you have a good following, you can get more specific.

Create a Seminar or Class

Team11For some topics, presenting the ideas in person makes more sense than presenting them online. That’s where the idea of a seminar or class comes in. Take the knowledge you’ve got and present it to a live audience. While it does take work to prepare the presentation, coordinate a venue, and advertise the event, you can charge a lot more for an in-person event than an online webinar. Plus, an in-person event provides the opportunity for you to mention at the end your other products, services, or online training!

While unfortunately you will never be able to make your entire income in your sleep, you can definitely make enough to merit the foundational work passive income requires.

These are little bonuses to make sure you are supplementing your everyday income. Each strategy makes sense for different organizations and industries, so take time to think about which option (or options) make the most sense for you and your audience before you try them. Passive income options do take time before you start to see returns on your investment, so be patient. But know that they are a successful way to make money, so also be excited about the new income opportunities!

If you’d like to take advantage of one (or many) of these passive income strategies, but don’t want to go through the work of navigating the different options or completing the foundational work, Alpine Small Business Solutions if here for you! We can handle passive income strategies, or any aspect of business building, you would like help with. Simply shoot us an email or call us up.

6 Dos and Don’ts of Facebook Boosted Posts

Boosting Facebook posts can be an effective social media marketing strategy. Without knowledge on how it works or the benefits it offers, however, marketers may be unnecessarily wary of taking advantage of the great tool. Boosting posts is not a tactic to be used all the time, but is one that should be used intentionally to support your organization’s social media marketing efforts.

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What are boosted posts?

When marketers create a Facebook post, it enters the views news feeds and is seen by a fraction of the audience. This number varies based on a number of factors decided by the Facebook algorithm that attempts to measure the relevance of posts to audiences to avoid flooding their feeds with poorly written posts or ones that aren’t relevant to the viewers. Boosting a post ensures the post is found more frequently in the News Feed, which means more people will see your post (and hopefully in return your organization will receive more social media marketing benefits from the post). Below are some simple dos and don’ts of Facebook posting.

boosted3The Dos

  1. DO boost posts that help your audience. The point of boosting posts is to get more eyes on your post. Getting more people to see how your organization provides value for them is a great way to gain new customers or reinforce the relationship with existing ones. Besides, viewers can tell pretty quickly a promotional post advertising a product or service from one that’s helpful content for them. Why pay money for an advertisement-type post that viewers are just going to glance over and ignore?
  2. DO boost posts that offer a call to action. Posts that encourage visitors to check out your website, join an email list, download a free ebook, etc. (while still offering valuable content to the audience of course) are great ones to promote. Ideally, a boosted post will not only get more individuals seeing the value you offer them, but will direct them to an action that builds your business.
  3. DO know exactly what you want to gain from the boosted post. Strategy is key to social media marketing, and it’s no different with boosted posts. If you do not know what you are trying to achieve, you will not be able to measure whether it was successful and it will be more difficult to pin point what made it perform well or poorly. Clearly articulate what you hope to get out of the boosted post (x number of people read about our new website launch, reach new audience members with our content post, etc.) before you boost it.


The Don’ts

  1. DON’T be overly hesitant to spend money. It can be hard to press that button to spend money on a post. Besides, if you did your job right and created a great post it should perform as effectively right? Wrong! The Facebook algorithm results in organic reach having unpredictable and less effective reach. It’s part of Facebook’s business plan to gain money from marketers. Unfortunately, spending money to boost important posts is just part of the game. You don’t have to play the game with every post, but you should when it is relevant.
  2. DON’T boost the post and never look at it. After you boost a post, make sure you monitor its success to gauge whether the return on investment was worth it. If it was, figure out what made the post so successful. If it wasn’t, figure out how to avoid that mistake for the future. Analytics are a big part of being successful at digital marketing. You have to adjust your plan when it isn’t working, and you have to know what worked. Make sure you are watching.
  3. DON’T slide into a boosting rut. It’s important to always be tweaking social media efforts to figure out the most effective tactics and get the highest return on investment. If you boost an evergreen post that performs well, fantastic! But don’t hesitate to boost a timely post, a video post, and the like. Know that it’s important to test out different types of posts. Some might not work well for your organization or audience, and that’s okay. Trial and error is a key part of social media success.

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If you’re convinced you want to take advantage of the benefits of boosting Facebook posts, but are still hesitant on the best way to do so, do not fear. Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you! We understand the ins and outs of boosting Facebook posts to meet businesses needs and would love to help you use this tool to help your organization. Simply email us or give us a ring for help on this, or any aspect of business building.

7 Benefits of LinkedIn Blog Publishing & Why Every Online Business Owner Should be Using it

Sure, you understand the importance of content marketing to build your business, but if you’re not publishing on LinkedIn you’re missing out on major benefits. It’s not just another content publishing tool. It’s one of the best content publishing tools, offering many rich rewards to marketers who are smart enough to take advantage of it. Here are several reasons you need to begin publishing on LinkedIn today:

  1. Easy to reach a tailored audience. Everyone on LinkedIn is either a current professional or aspiring professional seeking out career and industry related content. What other content publishing site offers that degree of audience specialization? You’ll be able to publish content to an audience ready to consume it, giving you a high ROI for the time spent crafting LinkedIn posts.
  2. Reap content marketing rewards of a business blog in a fraction of the time linkedin eventcommitment. While it’s usually recommended businesses maintain a blog, it’s not always feasible for every company. In those situations, publishing to LinkedIn is a great alternative. Employees can publish from their LinkedIn pages and then share to the company page to gain benefits of content marketing with less of a time commitment than maintaining a company blog.
  3. Establish your influence in your industry. Consistently publishing quality posts will showcase your knowledge in your industry. Posts will link back to your profile and recent posts will be shown on your profile, which will help connect your professional insights to your LinkedIn profile. It’s a simple way to show, not tell, your expertise.
  4. Humanize your company. Recruit various employees, from the company CEO to entry level staff, to craft blog posts to then share from your company’s page. The different writing styles will not only provide variety, but the different voices will humanize your organization and cause the posts to look less self-serving.
  5. Access to a litmus test for your company blog. Granted, your LinkedIn audience is likely different than your company blog audience. But if a post really resonates with LinkedIn followers, it’s a good indicator the information and/or topic will resonate with followers of your company’s blog.
  6. Gives you something to offer in LinkedIn Groups. Members of LinkedIn Groups are expected to provide value to the group, which can be achieved through offering quality LinkedIn posts. Sharing of great content is an effective way to strengthen your connection with group members.
  7. Move potential audiences to view posts. Some consumers of content hesitate to LinkedInview a blog post given the high volume of spam posts and not secure websites on the Internet. Posts published on LinkedIn are published on LinkedIn-meaning there is no risk for readers they will end up on a spam site or gain a virus from an insecure website. And since everything people publish is linked back to their account, there’s a lower amount of poor quality work. Consumers can be more likely to view a post on LinkedIn given the spam-free and higher quality nature of its posts.

Okay, so now you’re ready to take advantage of LinkedIn blog publishing. But how do you generate ideas? Try one of these strategies:

  1. Read posts from top influencers in your industry. As you read articles, ask questions such as, “What important pieces of information did they leave out?” or “What’s a unique perspective I can take on the same topic?” Translate the answers into posts of your own.
  2. Analyze your post metrics to see what topics most resonate with audience. Generate more posts on those topics. People love stats. Use this to your advantage.
  3. Do an old fashioned brainstorm. Start with a broad topic (such as social media) and spend five to ten minutes writing anything that comes to mind. Set the paper aside and look at it again later with fresh eyes. Pick the best ideas and turn them into posts.
  4. Repurpose old company content. Use what you’ve already created, such as website blog posts or newsletters, and tailor it to LinkedIn blog publishing.

Ready to take advantage of LinkedIn Blog Publishing, but don’t have the time or knowledge necessary to write posts consistently? Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you! We’d love to help you with this, or any aspect of small business building. Just give us a call or shoot us an email today.

How to Delete Facebook Apps

Today’s tutorial request comes in from Daniel.  Daniel was curious how to remove apps from his Facebook settings. He was worried that they were obtaining too much personal information.

 

10 Hidden Gems in Facebook Personal Pages

Facebook is a fantastic invention-you already love it, but there’s a lot hidden beneath the surface. We’ve dug deep into Facebook to find the top 10 hidden secrets.

  1. Message Requests

Not every message that’s sent to you on Facebook shows up in your inbox. Messages sent by someone you are not friends with on Facebook go into a “message request” section.

To access these, click the chatat the top right of your screen. Then click “message requests” (to the right of “recent”).

  1. Save Button for Posts

Sometimes we find great content on Facebook . . . right when we have the least amount of time to actually read it. Never fear-the save button is here! The save button allows you to privately save links to read later.

If the post you want to save popped up on your news feed, simply click the to the right of the post and click “save”.

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If you’re viewing the post from a page, click … and click “save.”

To view your saved posts, go to the left menu and click “saved” (or you can go to Facebook.com/saved).

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When you want to delete a post, go to the “saved” posts section. Click “archive” at the top and click next to the post you want to remove, then click “delete.”

  1. Download Copy of FB Data

It’s no surprise that Facebook stores a lot of data on its consumers—A LOT. While you can’t stop Facebook from storing this data, you can access it (or at least some of it). Facebook allows users to download their information, which includes information you can see by using your account (such as posts you share and your activity log) and information you cannot see from your account (such as ads you’ve clicked on and IP addresses that are logged when you use Facebook).

Facebook provides a long list of what types of data is available in the downloaded information (which you can access here: https://www.facebook.com/help/405183566203254) but there are a few key subjects that may be of the most interest to people: searches you’ve made on Facebook, removed friends, pending friend requests, any friends apps or pages you’ve hidden from your news feed, list of people who follow you, and a list of topics that you may be targeted against based on your status likes interests and other timeline data.

To download the information, go into your settings section. Click “download a copy of your Facebook data” below your general account settings. Click “start my archive.” Depending on how long you have been on Facebook and how much you post, it may take a while, but they will email you when it is ready for you to view.

  1. Adding a Legacy Contact

While it’s uncomfortable to think about, it’s important to decide what you want to happen to your Facebook account when you pass away. Facebook provides two options: delete your account permanently or leave up the account and allow loved ones to share memories on it. For the later, you’ll need to designate a legacy contact. They’ll be able to write a pinned post (which can be used to provide memorial service information or share a message on your behalf), accept new friend requests from loved ones, and update the profile picture and cover photo. They will not be able to remove any friends, read your messages, change or remove past posts, or actually log into your account.

To add a legacy contact, log into your settings and click “security” and then “legacy contact.” Type in your designated contact’s name and click “add.” If you later decide you want to change the contact, you’ll be able to click on the contact and click “remove.” Then you can add your new legacy contact.

It’s difficult, but important, to think about what will happen when you pass on. If you run a business, be sure to check out our post on how to prepare your business for an unexpected life crisis: link to post here.

  1. Edit Ad Preferences

Ads can be annoying. Ads that relate absolutely nothing to your life or preferences are even more annoying. Fortunately, Facebook allows you to edit your ad preferences. Simply click (www.facebook.com/ads/preferences/edit/). The link will bring you to a page listing topics and sub-topics that Facebook picked based on your activities on and off Facebook. You’ll be able to delete irrelevant preferences, as well as add preferences from a set list of topics.

  1. Send and Receive Money Through Facebook

Yes, you read that right. You can now send money to people through Facebook Messenger without a charge! First, you need to add a debit card. Click “settings,” then click “payments,” then click “add new debit card.” Currently, the only way to pay through Messenger is debit. You can also add a PIN if you wish for an extra security measure (click “settings” then click “payments” then click “PIN”).

Once your debit account is activated in Messenger, you’re ready to send money. Create a message and click the $ icon and enter the payment amount. Click “pay” in the top right to send it.

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To receive money for the first time, open the conversation and click “add card” in the message to add your debit card.

Just like with other transfers, it may take up to three business days for the banks to make the funds available.

  1. Embedding Posts

Did you know you can embed public Facebook posts onto your website? It’s simple and a great way to add visual content to your site. First, navigate to the post and click “embed post” from the drop down menu.

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A box will pop up with a code, which you will need to copy and paste into your website.

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Embedded posts are a great way to post testimonials, include examples, quote sources, show off your best content, and more!

  1. Friendship Pages

This feature was developed during a Facebook Hackathon. It is basically a timeline, but for a relationship instead of one person. It gathers all the communication (posts, replies, tagged photos, etc.) that involve you and a friend you choose, and places it all in the Friendship Page. You can view these posts, and even personalize the cover photo and profile picture.

To access the page, go to your friend’s profile and click and select “see friendship” from the dropdown.

  1. Play Chess With a Friend Through Messenger

Who doesn’t love a competition of intelligence and strategy between friends? Simply type “@fbchess play” into a conversation with a friend and Messenger will bring up a game of chess. To move type in the phrase “@fbchess” followed by the letter of the piece (K for king, Q for queen, B for bishop, N for knight, R for rook, and P for Pawn) and the letter and number of the location‑For example, “@fbchessPe4” would move a pawn to square E4. If you get confused, type in “@fbchess help.” If you wish to end a match, type in “@fbchess resign.” To pick which color to start with, type “@fbchess play white” or “@fbchess play black” (white goes first).

  1. Play Basketball With a Friend Through Messenger

Maybe chess isn’t your thing. How about a friendly basketball competition? Simply send a friend a basketball emoji and then click on the sent image to begin the game. The scores will be logged in the message feed so you can brag (or listen to bragging) easily.

To play the game, flick up on your phone to launch the ball into the hoop and try to get as many in as possible.

Facebook for personal use offers hours of endless entertainment, from dominating at a basketball game to reminiscing over old memories when viewing the Friendship Page. Facebook is a great tool for businesses as well. If you’d like help utilizing the benefits of Facebook for your business, simply call us or email us today! We are here to help with any aspect of business building, including social media marketing through Facebook.