Small Biz Success Tips – Since 2012

Category: Marketing I Love (Page 1 of 2)

Try This Super Smart Promotional Idea for Your Small Biz

I was waiting in line at the drive-thru for a coffee outlet called Tim Horton’s when I saw they were offering this mug that says, “Sorry for what I said before I had my Tim’s”.

 

I thought it was a brilliant way to promote their business. Instead of just putting their name on the cup, they actually made it more clever and interesting, and tied it back to the brand.

For example, let’s say you have a fashion brand. Why not print a t-shirt that says, “Sorry, this is all I have to wear until I go shopping at XYZ” as opposed to just putting your brand name on the shirt.

The point is, you can simply put your business name on a promo item – like pens, mugs, shirts, tote bags, etc. – or you can add something funny or clever that actually speaks to your brand and really get attention.

Another cool promo idea Tim’s had was this glow-in-the-dark Halloween bucket, for kids to take out trick or treating all while advertising their brand at the same time. Any promotional item that is holiday-inspired is always a good idea, and this will get used year after year.

 

If you need more creative marketing ideas, be sure to check out my 12-Month Marketing Plans, or ask me to create a custom marketing plan just for your business. Email me at attentiongetting@gmail.com for details.

©2023 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.

A Fun Way To Attract Attention To Your Business

A town called Minocqua in Wisconsin has an annual tradition of creating a 30-foot tall snowman to attract the attention of passer-bys to their visitor’s bureau.

It is a brilliant marketing idea on many levels:

  • It attracts attention.
  • It gets community involvement as volunteers construct the snowman.
  • It gets annual free local publicity, that also turns into national publicity.
  • People pose with the snowman and post to social media.

I remember doing a marketing plan for an outdoor garden center and they wanted an idea that would get people to visit at the start of the season. I suggested that they create a giant bunny topiary that kids (and adults) could pose with for Easter.

It’s the same sort of idea. It gets the business noticed; it draws people to the business; it gets the business shared on social media; and it’s quirky enough that it will likely get some free publicity (if the bunny is large enough).

So whether you drape the side of your building with a giant flag for the Fourth of July or light it up with the colors of the teams playing in the Superbowl or position a giant heart frame out the front for couples to take their photo for Valentine’s Day, try to think of something seasonal, holiday-themed or even weather-related to create attention.

You might also want to read, 101 Super Creative Promotional Ideas for Your Small Business.

Need creative ideas just for your business? Be sure to check out my Marketing Services.

©2023 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. A Fun Way To Attract Attention To Your Business.

Today’s Marketing Idea I Love

marketing ideas I loveHappy new year everyone!

So here is today’s marketing idea that I really love, and that I thought you might want to try with your own business.

I was on the website of the furniture retailer, West Elm, and I really liked how they include this “Why West Elm?” graphic at the end of every listing description.

It focuses on five key elements of their value proposition, with short-to-the-point text and easy to understand graphics. 

The goal is to reinforce to first-time customers your business’ values and credibility, to create trust in buying from you.

If you need help writing your website copy, About page, Brand Story, blog posts, press releases, listing descriptions, and so forth, I offer a variety of affordable marketing writing services that create engagement and are optimized for SEO. Just email me at attentiongetting@gmail.com to discuss or head over to my Services page at my Shopify store or on Etsy.

I know you’re busy, so here are more of my 30-Second Reads.

©2023 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Today’s Marketing Idea I Love 

My Favorite Marketing Ideas of the Month

Favorite Marketing Ideas

I love writing about my favorite marketing ideas.

So, I’m always on the lookout for effective marketing tactics that online stores are trying on their websites to make more sales.

Here are three good marketing ideas I found this week that you might want to try with your online store.

Favorite Marketing Idea #1: An Effective Rewards Program

Rewards programs are a great way to maintain customer loyalty, but they can also get your customers to do your marketing for you. Look at the effective way that Urban Outfitters uses their rewards program below, with points for everything from downloading the app to writing a review. I would also add points for sharing purchases on social media and referring to friends. 

favorite marketing ideas

Favorite Marketing Idea #2: New Location for Email Opt-In

Are you finding that people are just not signing up for your email list? Then put the email opt-in right in with your product photos, the way Society6 does below.

favorite marketing ideas

Favorite Marketing Idea #3: Use the Sidebar on Your Blog

If you have a blog as part of your ecommerce site, you should be using your sidebar to direct customers back to the shop, the way the blog Food52 does below, especially if you focus the ad graphic on one product category and add a “SHOP NOW” button.

favorite marketing ideas

About Me

A 20+ year marketing professional, small business consultant, ebook author & blogger, my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012. It really does help to talk to someone who is objective to get a new, but professional, perspective. I have also written publicity pitches for clients that resulted in them being featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few. Learn more about my services here

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© 2021 Gail Oliver. All right reserved. Favorite Marketing Ideas.

How to Screenshot on Mac

how to screenshot on Mac

How to Screenshot on Mac

Need to know how to screenshot on Mac? It is important if you see an image online and you want to use it in a blog post or just to refer to later on. I collect lots of screenshots whenever I see something I like online, mainly as inspiration for social media posts, etc.

Taking a Screenshot on Mac

The easiest way to take a screenshot on the Mac is as follows:

  • Hit “Shift +  Command + 4”, then you can let go and a cross hairs will appear on screen.
  • Position the cross hairs where you want it, and then holding down your mouse drag the cross hair to section off an area.
  • When you are done let go and you should hear a click sound, like a photo being taken.

The image will now be saved to your hard drive as a “screenshot” along with the date and time. You can go into your File Manager, click on the file name to something else, which is probably a good idea in order to tell them all apart.

How to Insert the Screenshot

Now, if you want to bring the screenshot into Mac Word, you just treat it like any other “picture” and select “Insert picture” from the dry down menu. Then make sure you “wrap” the image so you can move it around the page.

If you want to bring the screenshot into Mac InDesign, you have to “place” it, just like any other image.

If you want to bring the screenshot into your email, you simply “attach” or “insert” the screenshot, again, just like any other image.

How to Crop the Screenshot

You can crop or resize the screenshot the same way as other images, by selecting a corner of the image and dragging in or out, or using the drop down menu in the program that allows you to scale the image.

Be sure to visit my Etsy shop for marketing and business downloads.

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© 2021-2022 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. How to Screenshot on Mac

3 Awesome Marketing Ideas to Add to Your Website

marketing ideas for your websiteI am always searching for new ways to improve ecommerce, and I found three awesome marketing ideas to add to your website.

These ideas work no matter what type of business you have, not just ecommerce, but also real estate, beauty salons, restaurants and so forth.

A Really Effective Email Opt-In

I love what the Woven Nook has done here with their email opt-in. First of all, you have to give an incentive like a percentage off, or depending on your business, it could also be a free download. Otherwise, people will not sign up.

Then, I like that they are also asking for your phone number for text alerts, and your birthday for special offers. Plus, I love the photo with the visual identity of what they sell and their branding.

Awesome Marketing Ideas Website

A Promotional Graphic in with Product Photos

I love how Bauble Bar put this colorful sales graphic right in with their regular product listing photos. Again, you can do this no matter what type of business. For a realtor, put a graphic for a personalized service in between house listings. For a restaurant, use a graphic in between menu options to indicate when you will be open again for in-door dining. For a beauty salon, include a graphic customers can click to send a beauty service gift to a friend. Just think of it as an ad. Get creative!

A Stylish Look Book

The store Viet Trang Handicraft has a very simple but stylish look book, which is actually just a slide show that can be easily added to any site. But it does help to quickly see the range of products they offer and how they work together to upset more items, with a call to action at the end. Plus, you can upload this to your social media sites as well.

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© 2021 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Awesome Marketing Ideas Website

3 Awesome E-commerce Tips of the Week

By Gail Oliver, Online Marketing Consultant

I found some really effective tactics being used at some online shops that I thought I would share, that may add value to your e-commerce site.

Make Your Email Sign Up More Attention Getting

The Palm Tree Boutique did something smart. When I land on a home page of an online shop, I typically get an annoying box asking me to sign up for their newsletter that I almost immediately click shut. But Palm Tree did something different and put up a very large photo image instead, plus offering 20%, which is quite generous. It was much more effective.

effective marketing

Let Customers Make Their Own Product Bundles

I love this idea by the makeup company, Benefit, of allowing customers to create their own bundle of products. The price is set at $79, but customers get to choose three products from three different options, plus they also receive free gifts. Great way to up-sell more products.

ecommerce tips

 Give Previews of Your Social Media & Incentives to Follow

I have long recommended to clients to instead of just say, “follow us on social media” to give an incentive to do so, as well as a preview of what you post. The online store Furbish Studios does a nice job of both. letting people know that if they follow on Instagram they will get exclusive discounts, Furbish favorites and design inspiration.

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May Marketing Calendar

Online Shops May Calendar CoverThe May version of my very popular Marketing Calendar for Online Shops is available now. I also have a version for Etsy shops available here.

© 2015 GAIL OLIVER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Marketing I Love: 2 Favs of the Week

by Gail Oliver, Online Marketing Consultant

I am always on the lookout for great marketing, so here are a couple of tactics I noticed this week that I hope will inspire your business.

Fav Instagram Account of the Week: Play-doh

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I love what Play-doh is doing on Instagram. A lot of shops who use my monthly Marketing Calendar or have read my Ebooks, know that one of the keys to success on social media is taking advantage of what is trending. Play-doh is using its product, but in a playful way, to capitalize on key pop culture events. Look closely and you will see a white dog in honor of the premiere of Games of Thrones that night or an image for the first day of major league baseball or an image to announce the start of April. They find a clever way to capitalize on these trending hash tags.

Fav Promo of the Week: Lands End

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Lands End is taking advantage of Mother’s Day by asking its Instagram followers to tell them who in their life is an all around amazing woman, include the hashtag #sheis, and they have a chance to win a gift tote plus their picture could be part of their Mother’s Day page. This is a good way to spark a discussion on social media, get your own hash tag trending and get more comments on your Instagram page.

My New Ebooks are Here!

booksI am very proud of my new ebooks as I have packed them with my very best advice, tactics, tips and secrets for publicity, social media, promotions and more. You will not be disappointed! Available at my Selz Ebook Shop.

Marketing I Love: 3 Favs of the Week

by Gail Oliver, Online Marketing Consultant

Time for another roundup of my favorites, this week a colorful Instagram account, a stylish online shop and a chic product packaging design. 

My Fav Instagram Account of the Week

I absolutely love the Instagram profile from Rachel Mae Smith of the blog, The Crafted Life. On her account she features a lot of bright and colorful photographs (her own) as well as simple but stylized images that relate back to her DIY and crafting blog. If you need a little color in your life, be sure to follow Rachel on Instagram at https://instagram.com/thecraftedlife/.

Favorite Instagram accounts

My Fav Online Shop of the Week

Koromiko is a true artisan online marketplace. Featuring a variety of designers in the home goods space (some jewelry), the online shop features a clean, simplistic design. I love how the opening slide show features a variety of different products working together, which is so important when you want to up-sell more items in your shop. Don’t you just want to buy everything shown below because it all works so beautifully together? I also love that Koromiko profiles the artisans right on the home page, as well as in the section entitled, “Maker Spaces” for a glimpse inside the artists’ workshops. Keeps you on the site longer.

favorite ecommerce sites

 My Fav Product Packaging Design of the Week

I have always said, packaging does not have to be complicated to be effective. I love the packaging design of I Am Fragrance. Each bottle details a characteristic of what the perfume represents. The word “perfume” is not even on the front of the label. Just a basic typeface and each fragrance distinguished by the color of the label and matching ribbon makes for an eye-catching design.

great packaging design

Check back tomorrow for my advice on clever ways to get in front of your target market … Gail 

arrowNeed help marketing your small business? Get my personalized Marketing Action Plan for your business and immediately see a difference in traffic and sales!

© 2012-2015 GAIL OLIVER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

5 Bright Marketing Ideas This Week

by Gail Oliver, Marketing Consultant

There were lots of great marketing and promotional ideas this week that got my attention. Hopefully some of these ideas will inspire your business.

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This Week’s Bright Marketing Ideas

  • Vienna coffee company Julius Meinl allowed customers at any of their locations to pay for their coffee simply by leaving an original poem, all in celebration of World Poetry Day on March 21 (#PayWithaPoem).
  • Starbucks is celebrating their 20th anniversary by selling a birthday cake flavored frappuccino.
  • Target is looking to add some more indie chic to their home decor offerings by now including products from artisan marketplace, Of a Kind.
  • Music festival fashion continues to be a hot commodity with major retailers such as Free People, Asos, TopShop, ModCloth and Roxy giving it a separate category in their online shops. H&M has even released a Coachella collection.
  • Yoga wear designer Lululemon has addressed a problem many men have and, as such, their ABC men’s pants are flying off the shelves. What does the “ABC” stand for? Anti-ball crushing.

 

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