Page 5 of 49

A Fast Way to Discover Who Your Target Customer Is

December 16, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

a fast way to discover who your target customer is Need a fast way to discover your target customer? Well all you have to do is simply read your top competitors’ reviews.

Here you will see a name and sometimes a photo, and this will help you determine age and gender.

Then they will also typically have their country and maybe even their city. Again, these are all key demographics.

If you actually read the reviews, you will learn more as well. Maybe who they were buying the item for, or what they planned to use it for.

Then you can determine things like, maybe they have a lot of men buying this as a gift for their wife, or a lot of professionals are using the product as opposed to the end user.

You may even learn where the customer discovered the brand in the first place i.e. I saw this on Instagram and had to buy.

Visit my Etsy store.

An Easy Way to Measure Online Ad Success

December 7, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

Need an easy way to measure online ad success?

When you run online ads – whether it is on Google, a blog or social media – here is a quick way to see if your ads are working.

One key metric you will get is AD IMPRESSIONS / REACH. This is the number of times your ad appeared to potential customers. If your ad impressions (or reach) for your ad campaign is not at least 10,000, I’m not sure you are going to make any sales. Here is why:

If we take the benchmark 1% rule, this means that 1% of ad impressions should turn into clicks, and 1% of clicks should turn into sales.

Therefore, 1% of 10,000 ad impressions means you should get at very least 100 clicks. Of those 100 clicks, again, at very least 1% should turn into orders. 1% of 100 clicks is 1 order.

Therefore, at a bare minimum, 10,000 ad impressions will lead to 1 order. But this is just a benchmark and obviously will vary depending on the product, ad creative, etc.

If your ad creative is very effective, causing your click through rate to be more like 5% of ad impressions, then this means those 10,000 ad impressions will turn into 500 clicks. Then, maybe if your sales conversion rate is also very good at 5%, then this means those 500 clicks will turn into 25 orders.

So, if you only got the basic 1% conversion, and let’s say you were paying .20 cents a click, this means you spent $20 to get 1 order. If the order is for $200, that’s great, but not so great if it is only for $25.

However, if you had the 5% conversion rate, and paying .20 cents a click, this means you spent $100 to get 25 orders. Even if each order is only $15 ($375 total order), this is a fairly good return.

FINAL THOUGHT: If you are not getting at least 10,000 ad impressions, you either need to increase your ad budget and/or change your keywords. If your clickthrough rate on ad impressions is 1% or less, you have to change the ad creative and/or the demographics of who is seeing it.

Be sure to also read: My Simple Tip for More Cost-Effective Ads. If you need to understand and improve your ad strategy, be sure to set up a 1:1 Phone Consultation with me.

By the way, I was quoted in an article in US News & World Report last week, called Low Cost Home Based Business Ideas, if you wish to check it out.

Quick Thanksgiving Email Marketing Tip

November 23, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

Every Thanksgiving, “How to Cook a Turkey” is one of the top searches, as you can see below. So, email your customers a helpful email on how to do this (just attach a link to a popular food blogger). Be sure to make “How to Cook a Turkey” the email subject line, and at the end of the email, mention your Black Friday sale. I guarantee a high open rate!

Quick Thanksgiving Email Marketing Tip

Shop my Black Friday sale.

How Every Business Can Sell on Black Friday

November 18, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

how every business call sell on black friday Black Friday (the day after the US Thanksgiving) has been a tradition for decades. People running in droves to the mall to get awesome deals.

A reporter recently asked me if Black Friday was over, and I disagreed. I personally think Black Friday will be back big time this year, mostly because COVID made us miss our traditions.

I also think fear of a recession meant people are holding off a little longer before making their holiday purchases, so Black Friday seems like a good time with just a month until Christmas.

But retailers have to offer BIG deals as this is what people are expecting.

Two Quick Marketing Ideas Every Business Can Do On Black Friday

It doesn’t matter what you sell, products or services, you can use the lure of a big Black Friday sale:

I always give this idea in my 12-Month Marketing Plans and that is to take advantage of all of the cars parked at the malls and leave flyers or cards for your “offer” on windshields.
If your whole family is going to the mall, give them t-shirts to wear that have your business name and url on the front and back. They become walking billboards for your business!

Okay, One More Easy Marketing Idea

Still another easy marketing idea is to work with a non-competitive store in the mall (or the mall itself) on a co-offer. For example:

If you’re a travel agency, work with a luggage store in the mall to offer a dual promotion or enter a contest to win a trip.
If you’re a realtor, ask a home decor store in the mall if you could “sponsor” a holiday theme display in the store.
If you’re a beauty salon, ask mall management if you could hand out gift certificates to moms standing in line with the kids waiting to see Santa.

Don’t forget Small Business Saturday, Second Hand Sunday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday all have opportunities to promote your business as well!

If you need more creative ways to get attention for your business, set up a 1:1 Phone Consultation with me.

Also Read

All New Small Business Ideas for 2023

November 9, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

One of my most popular posts this year was 54 Creative Small Business Ideas for 2022.

Well I just updated it with some new small business ideas for 2023:

Home Grown Flowers – Did you know that flowers were impacted by the supply chain? So, buy yourself an affordable green house on Amazon and grow flowers for people to purchase for weddings, Mother’s Day, even poinsettias for Christmas. This makes a great seasonal side hustle; it does not have to be full-time.

Upsized House Plans (or Homes) for Boomers – Believe it or not, more baby boomers are upsizing their homes rather than downsizing. They want more space in their golden years to accommodate live-in elderly parents as well as out-of-town children and grandchildren who come to visit. As a result, the type of house has changed whereby they require two to three bedrooms with their own ensuite bath, wheel chair accessibility, and single level with a first floor owner’s suite.

Pop-up Store Liaison – A lot of commercial retail property is sitting empty after COVID, so it would help if there was someone who acted as a liaison between small businesses who wanted a short-term popup retail presence (just for a weekend, week or month) and the lessor, owner or realtor for the property. You make your money by getting a piece of the commission.

Spiritual Awakening Trip Planner – People are really investing in their mental health, so they like to seek guidance in far off exotic places that have a tradition of helping with spiritual healing, such as Varanasi, Machu Picchu, Kyoto, Bali, and Jerusalem. A great business idea is to be a travel planner specializing in these types of excursions, especially targeting single people travelling on their own.

Home Energy Expert – With energy costs at a record high, people want to find ways to save on their energy bills as much as possible. A service whereby you can come in and evaluate a home (or actually do the work) and provide ways for the home owner to better insulate and cut costs is invaluable, not to mention it can also qualify the home owner for various government rebates.

Wellness Coach – You’ve heard of a Life Coach, but a Wellness Coach focuses purely on your physical and mental health choices. People know they have to take better care of their health, but rarely make the time. A wellness coach gives you a plan and makes sure you stay on course.

Sleep Expert – It is believed that between 30% and 48% of older adults suffer from insomnia. It is becoming a serious health issue with many people seeking relief, so a sleep expert who could help solve their problem would be a service worth paying for.

Want to start your own business in 2023? Set up a phone consultation and I can advise on some ideas that would be right for you as well as how to get started. You can also download my Starting a New Business Planner.

Social Media Post Ideas for Business 2023

October 31, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

Need social media post ideas for your business for 2023?

I just updated my 365 Social Media Post Ideas Calendar for 2023. If you struggle with coming up with creative and engaging content to post, it can be a huge help.

The ideas are lifestyle-based as well as tailored to top searched content, but you can apply the ideas to almost any type of business, as I will show below.

This or That Posts

This and That posts are great for engagement. For example, in December my posting calendar will say “Post a holiday movie theme This or That, such as “Elf or Home Alone?” (where followers give their response in comments). Even though it’s fun and gets people to respond, I realize it might not suit your business or brand.

However, it can inspire you to come up with something relevant to your business. For example:

If you’re a real estate business, you could post a This or That such as Bungalow or Two-Story?
If you’re a Pizza restaurant, you could post Thin Crust or Thick Crust?
If you’re a hair salon, you could post Brides: Hair Up or Hair Down?

It’s a great way to do research also.

List Compilation Posts

Lists are always popular social media content. For example, towards the end of December, my posting calendar will say , “Post your 5 Favorite Books of the Past Year and ask followers theirs.” Again, you can tailor this to suit your business. For example:

If you’re a fashion brand, you could post your “5 Hated Fashion Trends of the Past Year” and ask followers theirs.
If you’re a life coach, you could post your “5 Favorite Self Help Books of the Past Year” and ask followers theirs.
If you’re a personal trainer, you could post “5 Favorite Wellness Products of the Past Year” and ask followers theirs.

Answering Top Searched Questions Posts

When something is trending or happening in pop culture, people turn to social media to get answers. For example, in February my posting calendar will say, Post answers to top searched questions about BHM this month: “What does Black History month mean?”, “When was Black History month first celebrated?”, etc. Again, you can tailor this to your business. For example:

If you’re a greeting card business, in May you could post answers to a top searched graduation question this time of year: “What to write in a graduation card?”.
If you’re a gift shop, in June you could post an answer to a top searched question this time of year: “How much to spend on a wedding gift”.

So if you struggle finding creative and interesting content to post to social media, find tons of inspiration in my download 365 Social Media Post Ideas with an idea for every day of the year!

No time to read? Try my 30-Second Posts

How Top News Stories Can Mean Free Publicity for Your Business

October 25, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

It really is not that difficult to get free publicity for your business. One tip I always give clients is to stay on top of current news stories, so you can find ways to add your business to the story.

SAMPLE PITCH #1

For example, if you sell online or retail, there is a lot in the news right now about inflation and people cutting back on holiday spending. So reach out to a business writer and ask if you can contribute your findings to any editorial they might be writing.

For example, “Jane Doe from XYZ Company, who sells their dog products online, has noticed that their holiday sales are on par with last year, but people are just buying earlier”.

sample pitch #2

You can do this with any type of business. If you’re selling real estate, you could ask to comment on a potential story idea such as:

“Mary Smith from MS Realty sees pent-up demand from the pandemic continuing to fuel sales despite higher interest rates and inflation on the rise.”

sample pitch #3

If you’re a travel agent, for example:

“Steve Johnson from AMC Travel offers these tips to cost-effectively avoid the Thanksgiving travel rush.”

Therefore, a take a look at today’s new headlines and see if there is any way to fit in the story.

For more inspiration, read my posts, Easy Way to Get Year End Publicity for Your Business and 9 Publicity Ideas for Your Small Biz.

my pr pitch service

If you need help coming up with a pitch for a relevant news story, my Publicity Pitch service has 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.

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.

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! Be sure to read an article on Yahoo I was recently quoted in: “4 Businesses to Start in the Fall”.

A Quick Tip to Get Your Business on TikTok

October 12, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

TikTok is becoming increasing popular with more than just the GenZ crowd. If you want to get your business noticed on TikTok, but you do not feel like doing a cutesy reel, an easy way it to use TikTok’s very popular #BookTok hashtag.

With over 80 billion views to-date, with the #BookTok hashtag you simply create a reel recommending a book and include the hashtag to get found in searches.

It doesn’t have to be a fictional book, it can be used to recommend a non-fiction book as well, so this makes it easier to find a book related to what you sell.

EXAMPLE #BOOKTOK TO TRY

For example, if you’re a realtor or sell home-type goods, you could do a #BookTok for a favorite decorating book. If you sell clothing, try a #BookTok for a book about the fashion industry. If you sell kids products, create a #BookTok on your favorite kids books for Halloween.

If you do not like being seen onscreen, simply show the book cover and flip through the pages. Add a voice over about why you like the book or set the reel to music.

Give it a try and see if you can get in on this popular TikTok trend!

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.

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.

What is Your Sales Channel Strategy?

October 4, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

sales channel sales Do you have a sales channel strategy for your business?

A sales channel is basically any place you sell your products and/or services. Not market, but physically sell.

It can be a store front or commercial space, an online marketplace, your website, your blog, your social media sites, through sales reps, in-person sales and so forth.

Why YOU NEED MORE THAN ONE CHANNEL

You do not want to put all of your eggs in one basket when it comes to your business. For example, for several years I was selling on a site called Selz.com. It wasn’t my only sales channel, but I did well on it. About a year and half ago, they were purchased by Amazon, who then decided a year later to just fold the company. So I was given two months notice that I was going to unexpectedly lose a sales channel.

If I had only been selling on Selz.com, I would have been in trouble.

It’s sort of the same philosophy as having more than one job or owning more than one company. Multiple revenue streams are important because if one gets shut down, for any reason, your business does not go down with it.

Not All Sales Channels Are Equal

In addition to having multiple sales channels, it is also important to evaluate them from time to time to see which ones are effective, which ones are not doing well and need improvement, and which ones may just be costing you too much money in terms of fees and other issues.

This is why I came up with a Sales Channel Audit and Strategy Plan. You can get so busy, that you don’t stop to take the time to see where your money is going, and it might be going out the window on high fees. So, it is important to look at your sales performance on every channel, and what you are actually profiting.

I am not saying to dump channels with high fees, but you may want to redirect the traffic you are sending to the most profitable ones. Traffic from your publicity, social media, ads and so forth, should go to the sites that are giving you the most bang for your buck.

Do you know all of the places you can sell online? In case you don’t, I have a post called, 90+ Online Selling Sites and Marketplaces that you might want to read.

Click to download

So, take a few hours and make sure your sales channel strategy is making you the most money possible, with my Sales Channel Audit.

About Me

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.

Attention Getting Marketing

Page 5 of 49

A Fast Way to Discover Who Your Target Customer Is

Like this:

An Easy Way to Measure Online Ad Success

Quick Thanksgiving Email Marketing Tip

How Every Business Can Sell on Black Friday

Two Quick Marketing Ideas Every Business Can Do On Black Friday

Okay, One More Easy Marketing Idea

Also Read

All New Small Business Ideas for 2023

How Top News Stories Can Mean Free Publicity for Your Business

SAMPLE PITCH #1

sample pitch #2

sample pitch #3

my pr pitch service

About Me

What is Your Sales Channel Strategy?

Why YOU NEED MORE THAN ONE CHANNEL

Not All Sales Channels Are Equal

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About Me

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Two Quick Marketing Ideas Every Business Can Do On Black Friday

Okay, One More Easy Marketing Idea

Also Read

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This or That Posts

List Compilation Posts

Answering Top Searched Questions Posts

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SAMPLE PITCH #1

sample pitch #2

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my pr pitch service

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EXAMPLE #BOOKTOK TO TRY

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Why YOU NEED MORE THAN ONE CHANNEL

Not All Sales Channels Are Equal

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