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Cool Ideas for Holiday Gift Bundles

November 4, 2017 /

by Gail Oliver, Online Marketing Consultant

Every Christmas you will see more and more searches for gift sets, gift bundles, gift packs, etc. So I thought I would show you some innovative ideas that will allow you to sell more products at one time and take advantage of these types of searches. Plus, these products are always ideal for getting into holiday editorial.

Christmas Eve Box Set

This is a really creative idea from Mudpie that makes a wonderful gift idea for any young child. Their Christmas Eve Box Set consists of a half pint glass milk bottle with red/white striped straw, “Dear Santa” scroll Christmas list and wooden “Santa STOP HERE!” door hanger. Selling 3 products together always says “value” to a customer.

Ciate Mini Mani Advent Calendar

Again, why sell just one nail polish when you can sell 24, as Ciate is doing with this advent calendar. Advent calendars are popular for all age groups and all types of products, and there is still time to get one together. The peak search time for Advent calendars is November 28th.

Holiday Earring Pack

I was happy to see that one of my clients was jumping on the Christmas gift bundle band wagon with this set of 3 druzy stud earrings in the colors of the season, from Wrenn Jewelry.

So think of Christmas gift bundles in terms of appealing to a specific customer, to a theme, to a color combination and then move them up to your featured products so they are front and center in your shop. Remember, if you sell on Etsy all of the items in your gift bundles must be your own original items. Read the guidelines here.

© 2017 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.

 

 

Creative Restaurant Marketing Ideas

October 24, 2017 /

Restaurant Marketing Ideas for 2024

creative restaurant marketing ideas

Download for just $2.99 for over 300 tactics!

In need of some creative restaurant marketing ideas?

See for yourself below, with my tactics for January, and then download all 12 months!

Restaurant Publicity Ideas for January
  • Email a story pitch to Eater to be included in their cities features, such as“Popular Eateries to Check out in {Your City}
  • Check and submit daily to HARO (Help a Reporter) requests that apply (sign up for these PR requests for free).
Restaurant Advertising Ideas for January
  • Leave a flyer of your menu on car windshields in any parking lots near your restaurant.
  • Add your restaurant to LocalEats.
  • Add your restaurant to ChowNow.
  • Add your restaurant to TripAdvisor.
  • Check into sponsorship opportunities with any local winter festivals.

    marketing plan for restaurants ideas strategy

    Click to download at my Shopify store

Restaurant Social Media Marketing Ideas for January
  • Post a photo of a busy night at the restaurant (or kitchen) for #ManicMonday.
  • Post a photo of a beautiful winter #sunset or #sunrise with your restaurant clearly seen in the foreground.
  • Post a favorite local blog every Sunday for #SundayBlogshare (tag the blog so they repost).
  • Post a photo of an Irish coffee to announce that your restaurant will be offering them for half price today in honor of #NationalIrishCoffeeDay on January 25th.
  • Post a creative photo or special offer for any of the other National Days that apply to your restaurant: January 1: Bloody Mary Day, January 4: Spaghetti Day, January 13: Gluten Free Day, January 15: Bagel Day, January 20: Cheese Lover’s Day.
  • Post a #quote every Friday that has to do with food or eating for #FridayFeeling #FoodieFriday #FridayNight.
  • Have your chef set up a YouTube or Tiktok cooking channel and post a video of them making one of this week’s specials.
  • Comment daily on the Instagram and Facebook posts of local media, local sports teams & popular local businesses to get your restaurant name seen by local customers. 
Restaurant Email Marketing Ideas for January
  • Create a free email signature (use WiseStamp) and include a linkable banner to your restaurant’s website, links to your social media sites and your latest blog post.
  • Email your customers your winter theme menu as well as any early bird Valentine’s day offers or Superbowl party specials.
  • Change up your email opt-in incentive on your website to include a free one-page printable calendar for the new year, clearly labeled with your restaurant’s name and url, as a frequent reminder, and even include a recipe from your chef.
Restaurant Content Marketing Ideas for January
  • Write a short article on “The Best Places to Visit When in {Your City}” and include your restaurant and submit it to Buzzfeed.
  • If you haven’t already, create a blog to drive traffic to your shop. You can then circulate your blog posts on social media as well as on blog sharing sites like BLOGLOVIN’ and Medium even if your posts are something as simple as mentioning events going on in your city each weekend, such as “What to Do in {Your City} This Weekend“. It also gives you a reason to email your customers weekly.
Restaurant Promotional Marketing Ideas for January
  • Comment daily on the latest blog posts of popular local news media and magazines to get your restaurant name seen by your local market.
  • Ask local hotels if you can leave a copy of your menu in their suites.

    restaurant marketing plan

    Download for just $2.99 for over 300 tactics!

Get over 300 tactics and marketing ideas for the entire year in my 12-Month Restaurant Marketing Plan PDF making it super easy to market and promote your restaurant.

Download today!

Some Reviews:

restaurant 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!

Be Sure to Also Check Out
Want More Restaurant Marketing Ideas?

Download my easy to follow, 12-Month Restaurant Marketing Plan.

© 2023 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Creative Restaurant Marketing Ideas

Coffee Shop Marketing Strategy Plan

July 12, 2017 /

Do you own a coffee shop and are wondering how to drive more traffic to it? I have just the solution? My 12-Month Coffee Shop Marketing Strategy Plan gives you easy tactics to follow for each month of the year. Below I cover January so you can see what it is all about.

January Coffee Shop Marketing Plan

COFFEE SHOP PUBLICITY TACTICS
  • Email a story pitch to Eater to be included in their cities feature, “Essential Coffee Shops in {Your City}”
  • Check and submit daily to HARO (Help a Reporter Out) requests. 
COFFEE SHOP ADVERTISING TACTICS
  • Add your coffee shop to LocalEats.com
  • Add your coffee shop to Zomato.com
COFFEE SHOP SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING TACTICS
  • Post a photo of a busy morning at your coffee shop for #manicmonday.
  • Post a photo of a #sunrise with your coffee shop in foreground.
  • Post a favorite local blog every Sunday for #sundayblogshare (tag the blog so they repost). 
  • Post a This or That type post i.e. Dark Roast or Light Roast? #thisorthat #coffeeaddict.
  • Post a carousel of your favorite coffee mugs and give a #shoutout to the stores. 
  • Post a #freecoffee offer for your gourmet blend for #nationalgourmetcoffeeday on January 18th.
  • Post a #quote every Friday that has to do with coffee for #fridayfeeling #goodmorning #coffeetime #coffeebreak.
  • Set up a YouTube channel or TikTok and post a video/reel of your #barista making one of this week’s specials. 
  • Comment daily on the Instagram and Facebook posts of local media, local sports teams & popular local businesses to get seen by your local audience.
COFFEE SHOP EMAIL MARKETING TACTICS
  • Create a free email signature (use WiseStamp.com) and include a linkable banner to your coffee shop’s website, links to your social media sites and your latest blog post. 
  • Email your customers your winter theme menu as well as any early bird Valentine’s day offers and any upcoming events in the shop. 
  • Change up your email opt-in incentive to include a free one-page printable calendar for the new year clearly labeled with your coffee shop’s name and url, as a frequent reminder. 
COFFEE SHOP CONTENT MARKETING TACTICS
  • If you haven’t already, create a blog to drive traffic to your shop. You can then circulate your blog posts on social media as well as on blog sharing sites like BLOGLOVIN’ and BLOGARAMA even if your posts are something as simple as mentioning events going on in your city each weekend, such as “What to Do in {Your City} This Weekend”. It also gives you a reason to email your customers weekly. 
COFFEE SHOP SALES & PROMOTIONS TACTICSCoffee Shop Marketing Strategy Plan
  • Comment daily on the latest blog posts of popular local news media and magazines.
  • Create a rewards card by linking the points accumulation to various things i.e. 20 points for buying a coffee, 20 points for downloading your app, 5 points for leaving a review, 15 points for signing up for your email, 10 points for posting a photo of your coffee shop (with shoutout) to Instagram, etc. 
  • Offer a travel mug that has your coffee shop logo and address as part of your rewards program to garner free advertising.

Isn’t my coffee shop marketing plan awesome? And this is just for January. Get the entire 12 months by downloading my 12-Month Coffee Shop Marketing Plan today!

Also Read: Fun and Easy Local Marketing Idea

© 2023 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Coffee Shop Marketing Strategy Plan.

Not Making Sales? Time for a Marketing Checkup

June 27, 2017 /

time for a marketing checkupHave sales at your business stalled? Then maybe it’s time for a marketing checkup.

SEO

When was the last time you updated your keywords and search phrases? The way people search is always changing, particularly since a lot of people are now speaking their searches into their phones as opposed to typing them. So try typing your main product word, i.e. “dog collars” into the search boxes of Google, Amazon, Etsy, even Pinterest and see what types of searches fill down, and then update your keywords accordingly.

Advertising

You have to advertise your business as it is still the number one way to drive traffic that actually converts into a sale. The money you invest you will make back and then some, so don’t fear it. A good rule is to make sure that advertising costs are no more than 25% of the revenue the ad generates. You have a variety of options Google ads to social media ads to online or print ads. If sales have stalled it is time to try at least one and measure the results.

Publicity

If you are not sending out at least one publicity pitch a week, you are missing out on free traffic. Make a list of all of the blogs that your target market reads and pitch the blogger a story idea that would include your product. Start with the smaller blogs as they are more receptive to submissions. Need a refresher? Read my blog post, “How to Pitch Your Products to Editors“.

Email Marketing

What about all those people who have previously purchased from you? Maybe it’s time to get in touch with a special offer (buy one, get one half off), seasonal sale, a giveaway or just to show new product releases.

Social Media

Which social media site brings you the most traffic? Then double your “posting” and “following” efforts on this site and you will likely double your traffic. Maybe there is a social media site you haven’t tried yet, like Instagram. Now is the time to see what traffic it can drive. If you can’t come up with interesting content ideas try my 365 Social Media Ideas Calendar, which gives you creative content ideas for every day of the year.

 

© 2017 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Time for a Marketing Checkup

6 Killer Marketing Ideas for Your Lularoe Business

June 6, 2017 /

by Gail Oliver, Online Marketing Consultant

Lularoe is a direct sales clothing brand that has become a billion dollar business in just 5 years, selling their vibrant fashions through home based consultants. Direct sales businesses can be lucrative, but it can take time. So here are 6 killer marketing ideas for your Lularoe business, from my new ebook, Direct Sales Marketing Ideas. 

6 Killer Marketing Ideas Lularoe Business

  1. Since one of Lularoe’s most popular products is their leggings, attend free yoga classes in the park (or other free exercise classes in your town) wearing a pair of Lularoe leggings, along with a gym bag full of the leggings for on-the-spot sales.
  2. Have your yoga mat printed with, “Like My Leggings? They’re Lularoe”. Any print shop can do this for you onto a plain yoga mat. Free advertising!
  3. Repackage older items, out of season items or stock that didn’t sell into value bundles for sale or “grab bags”.
  4. Post a countdown graphic daily on your social media sites, leading up to your next Lularoe Facebook Pop-up Store to create momentum.
  5. Suggest to your Lularoe consultants that they hold a home party to coincide with a TV show viewing party, like the finale of the Bachelor or during the half time at a Super Bowl party.
  6. Create paper door hangers to hang on neighbour’s doors (or hit up an apartment building) inviting people to your next Lularoe Facebook pop up shop. There are many Etsy shops that can create custom door hangers inexpensively for you.

Get hundreds of more awesome ideas in my ebook, Direct Sales Marketing Ideas from my Selz store. Watch your sales skyrocket!

© 2018 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.

Marketing Ideas Lularoe Business

How to Create Products Editors Love

May 30, 2017 /

 

 

I have always recommended to my clients to come up with at least one product that is trendy, unconventional or whimsical in nature because these are the types of products that blog and magazine editors love. This product acts like a lure for your shop because it gets the media attention that brings the traffic to your shop to see what else you sell.

Here are some products (courtesy of Anthropologie) that editors would love and why:

Make It Useful and Pretty

Tassels on purses or backpacks are cute accessories, but why not give them a dual purpose and add a USB cable for charging on the go. If you make them out of leather or suede, then they are a little more luxurious as well.

Products Editors Love
Put a New Twist on Seasonal Items

These sandals are interesting simply because they don’t match, have lots of bling and are right on theme for any summer editorial. They would also be great for wedding editorial for stories on beach weddings.

Products Editors Love

Design It Intelligently

Why would editors like this pencil case? Because it doubles as a pencil holder simply by standing it on its side. This is truly clever design because it makes the pouch stand out from other pouches because it has a multi purpose design.

Give It a Fun Name

Funny product names are always editorial worthy, like this facial mask that will get rid of under eye bags called, “Lost Baggage”, a curse of the weary traveler.

Find a New Use for a Popular Idea

If you sell on Etsy, you know the demand for monogrammed products. Well doesn’t it just make sense that the best way to get members of the family to hang up their stuff is to give them their own monogrammed hook?!

Make It Clever

What can I say; this “Love U Berry Much” bracelet is silly but clever and editors love clever products.

© 2017 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.

How to Maximize Sales for Every Gift Buying Occasion

May 3, 2017 /

by Gail Oliver, Ecommerce Marketing Consultant

If you want your online shop to succeed, you have to advertise. There is no way around it. Your competitors are advertising, so you need to as well. I am not sure why so many shops fight it when it is one of the most effective and proven ways to drive traffic and sales.

Now, I also believe in spending your ad dollars wisely, especially if they are limited. Therefore, if your shop does the best during the high gift buying times of the year, such as Valentines Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas and so forth, then save your advertising dollars for these occasions to get the most bang for your marketing budget.

The key is to look at when people start searching and when those searches peak. Below are my recommendations for when you should run ads to maximize your sales opportunities as well as cash in on those early shoppers. Be sure to bookmark this page for reference.

Teachers Gifts                       

Searches start in November and reach their peak in December. They start again in early May and peak in late May, with some searches still in June, but searches are highest in December overall, so we can assume that Christmas gifts for teachers are more popular than end of year gifts.

RUN YOUR ADS: mid November to mid December; all of May.

Valentines Gifts                       

Searches start in late December right after Christmas and reach their peak the first week of February.

RUN YOUR ADS: late December to February 9th. 

Mother’s Day Gifts

Searches start around Valentines Day and then hit their first peak mid March, likely for the UK Mother’s Day. Searches start up again mid April and peak the first week of May.

RUN YOUR ADS: mid February to mid March; mid April to the first week of May.

Graduation Gifts                       

Searches start in early April, peak in mid May, with still some searches in June.

RUN YOUR ADS: early April to first week of June.

Father’s Day Gifts

Searches actually start in April as the second wave of people who are searching for a Mother’s Day gift likely decide to look for a Father’s Day gift at the same time. Searches peak by mid June.

RUN YOUR ADS: mid April to first week of June.

Christmas Gifts

Searches start in October, grow through November, but forget about what you heard about Black Friday. December is still when searches for Christmas gifts is the highest (those last minute shoppers).

RUN YOUR ADS: mid October to December 20th. 

Wedding Gifts

Searches for wedding gifts are popular all year long but particularly strong in December, November and May (in that order).

RUN YOUR ADS: early November to last week of December; all of May.

LATEST CUSTOMER REVIEW

“Some wonderful ideas to put in place and I know that in time, Gail’s advice will pay off in spades. Many thanks!”. Jill, FantailsandFeet on Etsy.

© 2017 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.

My Latest Product SEO Tips

April 12, 2017 /

product SEO TipsHere are some of my latest product SEO tips.

When was the last time you researched how people are searching for your products? People are actually getting very specific about how they search, no longer just entering two or three keyword phrases but sometimes 5 to 10 keyword searches, possibly because they can enter the search phrase via an audio command as opposed to having to type it in.

A great way to find out how people might be currently looking for your types of products is to go to the most popular marketplace, Amazon, and use their auto-complete feature to see the searches that fill down.

Long Tail Product Search Phrases

For example, look at these popular very long-tail searches I found on Amazon:

  • Dog toys for aggressive chewers
  • Cute desk accessories for women gold
  • Galaxy s7 edge case with screen protector
  • Best hair growth products for women that actually work
  • Leggings for women with designs
  • Nose ring studs l shaped gold
  • One piece swimsuit with words for women
  • Elephant shower curtain black and white
  • Baby girl clothes 3-6 months summer dress
  • Tapestry wall hanging black and white tree

As you can see from the searches above people are getting very specific, likely because they don’t have a lot of time to look through search results. They know what they are looking for and they want to find it quickly.product seo tips

You can use these long tail search phrases to your advantage as they are so specific offering less competition and a more likely buyer. It can also help you to see the type of features customers are looking for, in case you don’t offer these in your current product offerings. It may also help you to position your products differently, based on consumer needs.

Etsy SEO Tutorial

If you need help mastering Etsy SEO, check out my best selling Etsy SEO Guide.

About Me

Do you need your Brand Story written or an SEO-Optimized Blog Post or a Personalized Business Consultation? As a 20+ year marketing professional and small business consultant, all of my services are super affordable.online marketing consultant

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012, and my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, Yahoo Business, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

My Publicity Pitch service has also gotten my clients 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.

I also have a wide variety of business & marketing downloads you can check out at my Shopify store.

More SEO Posts

 

 

 

 

© 2017 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Product SEO Tips

Easy Ways to Expand Your Product Line

April 4, 2017 /

by Gail Oliver, Online Marketing Consultant

Are you feeling stagnant and wondering how you can take your current design talents and use them for other products? You would surprised at how you could easily venture into other, potentially more lucrative markets.

For example, let’s say you’re a jewelry designer. Take a look at this $1,200 beaded chandelier below, and see how your talents would lend nicely to a product of this nature.

Are you a wood worker? I bet you never thought you could find success in the popular market for nursery night lights, but it is actually quite simple if you simply adhere your wooden design to the night-light base. The ones below sell for $32 each.

Are you a painter but canvas, paper and walls are getting a little boring for you? How about trying the trendy water bottle market, like this $38 art water bottle below?

Maybe you work with marble and you’re getting a little tired of just making cutting boards. Then how about a sleek and classic $98 marble shelf?

Do you knit or crochet and want to avoid the season lull once sweater season is over? Two great ways to use your skills are a $285 hammock or a $210 dream catcher.

So, I hope these ideas have inspired you, if you are finding that you are just not making it in your current market. Another thing that might help you is my Product Consultation, where I inspire you with fresh ideas based on market demand, current trends and unique offerings that will set your business apart.

© 2017 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.

7 Reasons People Aren’t Buying Your Products

February 22, 2017 /

I have often talked about how, on average, at least 1% of traffic should convert into a sale. It’s not a hard and fast rule because there are many factors that come into play, but, typically if 100 people view a product listing of yours, you should get at least 1 sale.

If this is not happening, you have a problem.

While 1% is average, a very good conversion rate is 2 to 5%, but again, for this to happen you have to make sure you have done the following:

Do You Match Your Competition Feature for Feature?

Maybe someone sees a necklace you are selling, for example, and likes it, but they want it in gold not silver, can you honor their request? Otherwise, they will keep looking.

Have You Left Out Vital Information?

Have you mentioned all the particulars such as colors, sizes, weight, materials, etc.? Don’t make the customer search for the information or feel they have to ask; they won’t.

Are You Priced Comparable to Your Direct Competition?

If you are too priced high the buyer will keep shopping around. If you are priced too low, the buyer worries about the quality.

Are Your Shipping Charges Crazy High?

This is a deal breaker for many as shipping is seen as throw away money to a customer. Shipping should never be more than 20% of the price. If you can’t do that, work some of the shipping back into the price.

Have You Created a Sense of Trust with the Buyer?

Things such as good reviews, publicity in mainstream media, business awards, easy return policy, all help to ease the buying decision. There are many customers who will not buy from a seller with no return policy, it is too risky.

Is Your Product Photography Top Quality?

Do your photos help to show the size and scale (how many times have you read reviews where people say the product was much smaller than they thought)? Do you have photos that zoom in on the details? Remember, they are buying it without seeing it or touching it, or you have to provide that same experience.

Maybe It’s One Little Thing

Sometimes there are just little things that are turning off buyers, but you are just too close to your business to be objective. This is where I can help with my very affordable Phone Consultations. I have an average conversion rate of 11%, so I will tell you exactly why people aren’t buying and what you need to change.

© 2017 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.

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