Happiness, Health & Creativity: A Conversation with Ashley Hay

Designing a life filled with happiness, health and creativity is no easy task, but that is exactly what Ashley Hay, a healthcare content writer and consultant, found when starting her own business. I asked Ashley to answer some tough questions about her journey, and share what others can learn from her experience of running a business while surviving some difficult health scares. Here’s her story.

Tell us a little about your business and where the inspiration came from to start it?

After twelve years as a bedside oncology nurse, I wanted to explore career options away from the hospital setting. I have some chronic health issues that progressed, which made it difficult to maintain my career path and endure long, physically demanding hours on my feet. I'm so much happier, healthier, and creative in my line of work now. I'm still very much a nurse, I just educate patients and peers a bit differently now.

Choosing to dive into entrepreneurship takes a lot of courage. What parts have been easy and what parts have been more difficult?

I was surprised to learn that I had a mind for business. As a nurse, this was something I never considered and seemed very outside of my comfort zone. I really enjoy owning my own business; many anticipated difficulties actually turned out to be easier than I imagined. Overcoming impostor syndrome took quite a while. Once I fully dealt with the root of that, everything seemed to come a bit easier. I fully acknowledged my worth and the high quality of content I produce.

What impact do you hope to make with your business?

One of my favorite bedside nursing tasks was teaching my patients and peers. I hope to make an impact by educating patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers through the delivery of clear and accurate medical content, tailored for all levels of understanding.

What obstacles are you coming up against at the moment?

Restructuring my client list for 2020 has been a challenge. Having more experience, I'm able to select desirable clients that are offering work I'll enjoy doing. However, waiting for the right client(s) can prove difficult. It's a great lesson in both patience and decisiveness, I've had success in sticking to my intended business plan.

Where do you hope to see your company in 5 years?

This is really hard to say. I find that with every new connection I make or client I obtain, another opportunity is not far behind. I'm open to new experiences. Ideally, I would like to see my focus shift more toward authoring textbooks and novels.

A business tool you can’t live without:

A pencil. I'm a big note-taker and list-maker. I frequently jot down creative writing ideas anywhere and any time the moment strikes me. I sometimes will find multiple pencils in my hair or behind my ear at the end of a long day. They are easily in every single room of my house at this point...everywhere!

If you could choose one person to mentor you and your business, who would it be?

Meg, these questions are tough! Hmm. Right now I'd go with Brené Brown as an ideal mentor for this stage of my career. She's got an infectiously positive attitude and interesting perspectives on a wide variety of topics. Brown is a bestselling author and has a few advanced degrees, so I'd have a lot to learn from her. She speaks publicly for a living, despite being an introvert, which means that she's probably a great listener in her off-stage time.

What is the most fulfilling part of running your business?

The freedom it has provided me. I'm able to care for myself and my family way more than I ever could previously, due to the demanding schedule and emotional capacity required in a bedside nursing role.

How can our community support you?

After some serious health setbacks this year, I had to put my work on hold. Luckily, after hospitalizations, surgery and a lengthy recovery…I’m happy to say I’m back at it. Starting to ramp my client list back up slowly, working as a clinical consultant and medical journalist. Looking forward to the remaining quarters of 2021.

Where can people go if they want to connect with you?

Instagram | Linked In | AHay Nursing, P.C.

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If you are an impact-driven leader with a positive message who deserves the spotlight, fill out the form below, we’d love to interview you or someone else you want to acknowledge for an inspirational journey worth sharing.

7 Mistakes to Steer Clear of With Your Small Business Website

Having a quality website is critical for your small business. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run — there’s no way to get around it. While there’s a lot that goes into creating a top-notch website that serves you and your customers well, the good news is web design firms like MWE Creative can work with your vision and needs and do the heavy lifting. If you’re not sure where to begin in figuring out what makes a great business website, keep in mind these seven common mistakes that can harm your business:

1. Neglecting to Have a Website

Surprisingly, about half of small businesses in the US don’t have a website. Considering that your site is where many customers and potential customers will learn about your business, not to mention buy products, this is astounding. Your website is a virtual storefront, and if done correctly, most of your content marketing will lead consumers to your site. If you’re still on the fence about whether having a website is worth the investment, it’s time to take the plunge. Plus, when you work with the right web designer, the trust they will build with you and the excitement you’ll feel for seeing the final product will quickly replace the fears and doubts currently weighing you down.

2. Poor Design 

Having a poorly-designed website is almost as bad as not having one at all. Take time to do your own homework on basic design principles if you want to create the website yourself. Or ensure that the developer you work with is well versed in design best practices. Make it a conversation, review their portfolio or even request a mockup with their proposal. Overall, your site should be clean and attractive and utilize tasteful colors and fonts. It should be easy to navigate and it should provide descriptive content and images.

3. Lack of Security

All it takes is one bad cyberattack to soil your reputation or wipe out your business. Your website must be secure so that all sensitive information is protected from cybercriminals. Some of this will be built in to the platform you choose (e.g. Wordpress, Wix, or Squarespace) but some of it also falls on you to make sure you have strong passwords that you periodically change. Remember, when providing log in credentials to your website designer, you can provide it over the phone, request they destroy any confidential info, or use secure messaging platforms like One Time Secret

4. Not Staying Up to Date 

Just as creating a quality website is essential, so is maintaining the quality. Remember that your site will be the first impression that many people get of your company so they won’t want to see old product promotions for Christmas in the middle of July, or event details for 2020 when it’s 2021. Keep your site updated on a regular basis, most developers provide affordable monthly retainers, and consider a full redesign every 1-2 years.

5. Missing A Call-to-Action

Every business website should encourage visitors to take a next step after arriving on the homepage. It’s not being pushy or sales-y. Visitors expect to be greeted and provided with an indication of how to find the info they’re searching for. They don’t want to spend precious extra seconds figuring out how to navigate your site, so make it easy on them with a call to action or CTA. Whether you want the audience to read a blog, add an item to the cart, or sign up for a newsletter, make sure there is a clearly-written, concise CTA on every web page. 

6. Lack of Brand Messaging

Good website content requires more than well-executed grammar or high-resolution videos. The content you provide on your website must speak to your target audience, the problems that keep them up at night, and the solution you provide (and why it’s the best there is). Nowadays, it’s not enough to simply sell a product or service, you have to tell a story and build a unique brand voice. It may not sound fun or easy, but it’s essential if you want to stand out from competition and build trust with consumers.

7. Poor Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO refers to best practices that help your website rank higher on search engine pages. This is a huge and constantly changing area in marketing so it’s important to work with a web designer who knows their stuff. A few examples of SEO projects your designer should discuss with you, include regularly posting quality content, promoting it on social media, performing competitor research and keyword analysis and using proper header tags and metadata throughout the website. You can always hire an SEO expert in tandem with a web developer, or choose an expert digital marketer for a full service experience.

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Looking for top-notch web design and/or digital strategy services?

Schedule YOUR CUSTOM 30-minute consultation

Few things are more important for your business than creating and maintaining a top-notch website. Web design is complex, and you probably have plenty of other things to do as you run your business. That’s why hiring a professional can be so beneficial. Consider the common mistakes listed here, and meet with a professional web designer to start developing the website your company needs to flourish. Chances are you’ll see it pay off in no time.

Client Spotlight: Robin Dishon, Sr Copywriter and Award-Winning Journalist

Project Scope

• Desktop and Mobile-Optimized Website built on Wix.com

• 5 Day Turnaround

• Up to 5 pages included, unlimited portfolio pages

• Resources & 1:1 Tutorial for DIY site maintenance

• SEO Strategy

• Copywriting for all pages

• Image recommendations

• Contact Form + Social Sharing Set Up

• 2 Revisions

• Site Launch Promotion on MWE Networks

Why Outsource Web Design?

Robin Dishon has been producing digital content since 1997 for notable brands like Intuit, Microsoft, and The LA Times. But Robin’s portfolio website had fallen out of date, and with her self-described limited experience with Wordpress, updating the old site was a tedious and unenjoyable task she preferred to outsource. “I’m a wiz with words,” she told me, “but building websites…not so much!”

The old Wordpress site was not mobile optimized, no longer in keeping with modern design trends, and lacked the overall flair and sense of professionalism needed to wow prospective clients and encourage brands to contact Robin for copywriting services. Additionally, Robin was enthusiastic about switching to a platform that was more DIY-friendly, and low maintenance. This would allow her to save on long-term monthly site maintenance fees and feel confident making updates herself.

Why MWE Creative?

“As a digital marketing writer, I know the importance of a well-designed, eye-catching website. When I reviewed Meg’s portfolio and spoke to her by phone about updating my old Wordpress site, I knew she was the right person for the job—someone with experience, great taste and the ability to communicate effectively. Working with Meg has been a pleasure, from our initial emails and conversations through multiple “touch-base” reviews. She is extremely knowledgeable about best practices, design trends and web usability, and I was impressed by the quality and speed of her work. I’m delighted with the beautiful, functional website Meg has created for me and happy to give her my highest recommendation. ”

— Robin Dishon

After a preliminary phone consultation and a few emails back and forth (this is during COVID-19, afterall, and unfortunately, I can’t offer in-person meetings at this time), Robin was swayed based on my track record of elegant, minimalist websites and a shared love of the Point Loma community, of which we are both active members. Robin was also compelled by the understanding that I provide a 1:1 experience for clients and a faster than average turnaround time for the completed website.

Working with Robin was a Pleasure

As an award-winning feature writer and a web content specialist since 1997, Robin knows how to combine words, imagery and design to connect with customers and increase conversions.

For the last seven years, she has specialized in cybersecurity marketing and demand generation at ESET North America, a global software corporation, as the senior copywriter. Robin’s career also encompasses writing about food, wine, books, people and travel, including 10 years as a restaurant critic at the San Diego Union-Tribune and San Diego Magazine.

As a professional author, her work has appeared online and in print in publications including Elle, the Los Angeles Times, Wine.com, MSN.com, San Diego Magazine and numerous travel guidebooks.

Visit Robin’s website at RobinDishon.com

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Schedule a free website audit and brand strategy call today

Schedule your complimentary 30-minute strategy call and receive a custom evaluation of your current marketing tactics, get clear on priority tasks, and learn how to generate sales from your efforts.

The Dos and Don'ts of Content Marketing

If your brand was a star and your audience a stargazer, what would make them look at you over the billions of other stars in the sky?

Content Marketing is a giant black hole in the universe of marketing that if you let it, will suck up all your time and energy. The time we spend coming up with ideas, creating blogs, filming videos, designing inspirational quote cards etc, and publishing these across multiple channels from Facebook to Instagram, LinkedIn to the infamous TikTok, it’s exhausting just to think about. And because there are so many variables and decisions to be made a long the journey, like “what should the CTA be,” and “what time of day should I post this?” you can end up wasting endless hours building content that never achieves its purpose.

Fortunately, there are some basic guidelines that, if used consistently, can help ensure your content is not only seen by the right people, but gets them to take the proper action with your brand. Without further ado, here are my 5 DOs and DON’Ts of Content Marketing.

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1. DON'T Promote content before it has been properly formatted and optimized for search engines

Especially for written content, you want to make sure your blog or article has been formatted properly, this includes creating an engaging title, breaking paragraphs into sections with eye catching headers, using images or video where appropriate, using keywords that attract your target audience, and making sure your blog is optimized for mobile viewing. 

2. DO take the time to set goals and target a specific audience

If you publish a blog just to have something to show, and then invest money promoting it without a goal, you are not likely to get the outcomes you’re looking for. Make sure your content has a purpose, for example, to educate consumers on your product, or to entertain consumers with a funny anecdote about team culture. Similarly, make sure you are targeting a specific customer group, not trying to reach everyone and anyone. In doing the latter, you will reach no one, because in 2020 consumers demand to be treated as individuals that you care for and have taken the time to get to know on a personal level. 

3. DON’T promote without a call-to-action (CTA)

Make sure that when you are boosting a post to clarify the follow-up action you want your readers to take. Do you want readers to subscribe to your newsletter so you have their email address? Do you want them to fill out a form on your website so your sales team can follow up via phone? If the CTA doesn’t match the content, or worse, there is no CTA, you will have trouble seeing the results of your content marketing efforts.

4. DO find ways to measure what’s working and what isn’t

One of the most common ways to do this is create what’s called an A/B Test. This is where you take one piece of content, select one variable to change and then promote both versions to see which one gets better results. For example, a healthcare startup could promote a blog called "Diet trends in 2020" and use two different images, one of a healthy looking dinner and another of two people cooking. The key is to keep every other variable the same (blog title, publishing channel, date/time, audience) so you can be sure it is the image that is making the difference. The results may show that the audience is more likely to click on an image of people than the dinner plate. Then, this may inform their team’s decision to post more blogs with images of people.

5. DON’T neglect your community

Promoting content consistently that only includes you / your team’s content will stifle your reach. Inviting guest bloggers to publish, creating partnerships with other brands, or finding ways to include your customers in your content will increase the number of shares your content gets. We spend so much time focusing on what to say and how to say it, that we forget that social media is still a two way conversation, and it’s important to spend time listening, and asking others to share, not just publishing and promoting our own thoughts and voices.

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If you live in San Diego, I’m available to meet in-person or we can schedule a Zoom call over coffee.

Get a free audit of your content marketing strategy

Schedule your complimentary 30-minute strategy call and receive a custom evaluation of your current marketing tactics, get clear on priority tasks, and learn how to generate sales from your efforts.

Grow Your Business With Video Marketing

1) What is video content marketing and how does it help your business

Video content marketing can be described as any type of video that can be used across digital channels to help market your business to your target customers. This could be a video on your website homepage that explains what you do and who you are. It could be a series of how-to videos on youtube that help your audience solve a problem and convince them of your expertise. There are dozens of different types of videos, platforms, and strategies to choose from, and when used appropriately can be extremely helpful in entertaining, educating, and encouraging your customers to buy from you.

2) How do I make quality video content?

Quality can be broken down into two categories, visible quality, and strategic quality. Visible quality includes the more obvious things that people will pay attention to while viewing the clip, such as using a high quality camera, making sure the lighting is good, using audio equipment for excellent sound quality etc. It would also include the presentation of anyone in the video, for example, are they looking at the camera, are they speaking with enthusiasm, loudly and clearly, or do they seem bored, nervous, or tired etc.

Strategic quality is equally important and involves the process of ensuring that the content of the video is specific, purposeful, and being created for the correct audience. For example, if you own a gym, and your goal is to promote personal training, you would make sure the video answers questions that someone interested in personal training would want to know. You wouldn’t show group workout classes or a tour of the locker room. While those might be beneficial in an introduction video showing all your gym services, if the video was designed to attract personal training clients, this would not be the correct strategy and no matter how high the visible quality, the messaging of the video would not be effective.

In other words, quality video content depends on both the quality of the visuals and the caliber of the content.

3) Why is video content so effective in marketing?

• Higher Website Rankings

Having video content on your company’s website will improve your SEO and give you a higher Google ranking. You are 50 times more likely to show up on the first page of Google when you have videos on your site. When nearly 75% of people do not venture to the second page of Google for their search, appearing on the first page is pretty important for your business. 

Having your videos on Youtube will also improve your rankings. Youtube is the second largest search engine (Google being the first) and having videos to put on there will get you a lot more exposure.

When it comes to social media, the algorithms used will automatically bring video posts higher on people’s feeds. If you have an eye-catching quick video, viewers will be more apt to stop and watch which could drive traffic to your page and in turn, to your website. Having videos on your social media that are interesting also encourages people to share them and give your company free marketing.

• Videos Encourage Customer Action

There are times where just having a picture or a paragraph will not give the customer enough information to be able to understand what you are trying to communicate. Videos can be great for explaining a more complicated product or service, or even just demonstrating how something works. Customers are more likely to understand the product by seeing it in use, so they can imagine themselves using it if they were to buy it. In fact, 73% of customers are more likely to buy a product if they watch a video explaining it beforehand. 

Videos provide both visual and auditory stimulation to our brains. Studies show that our minds are better able to connect thoughts when both sound and imagery are matched. Therefore, watching a video is more engaging and more likely to result in an action, than just looking at a picture or words.

• Videos Evoke Emotions

If your brand has a great story, videos are an amazing way to tell it. You can really draw the customer in through a video by pulling at their emotions or striking a chord with their values and beliefs. Just using a long paragraph to explain your start or what you stand for can be very difficult to incorporate strong emotions and get the reader to understand it all. A video allows for so much more emotion through a tone in voice, music, facial expressions, and body movements. Emotion drives human behavior and decision making, and so having a video that pulls at their emotions will encourage customers much more to make a purchase.

4) What types of video content on social media do consumers engage with most?

Generally speaking, videos with the highest engagement are either funny, shocking or heart warming. Just like if we were to turn on the tv and check the news, you’ll most likely find funny home videos that have gone viral, a shocking traumatic story, or a heart warming story of doing good.

4 Types of Videos To Create

So now that you understand how beneficial videos are to your business, you might be wondering what video content to make. Here are a few tips and ideas to get started on some videos!

1. Introduce Your Company. An easy video to begin with is a quick introduction of your business and brand. This can be a one-minute video that shows your values, mission, and brand. It should be quick pace and encapsulate the most important parts of your company.

2. Tell Your Story. This video is a bit different than just introducing your company. This would focus on how your company got its start. It could include the owner’s story and what inspired them to create your company or a specific cause your company stands for.

3. Explain a Product/Service. As mentioned before, people are more likely to make a purchase if they watch a video beforehand. So make a quick video explaining how to use a product and what it looks like to use it or how a service works and looks being done.

4. Promotional Video. This could be as short as a 10 second video. It could just be a look around your office, employees waving or working, or a project you are doing at your business. You could just put music in the background and end the video with your logo and slogan or what you stand for.

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Ready to outsource your marketing to an expert you can trust?

Schedule your complimentary 30-minute strategy call and receive a custom evaluation of your current marketing tactics, get clear on priority tasks, and learn how to generate sales from your efforts.

If you live in San Diego, I’m available to meet in-person or we can schedule a Zoom call over coffee.

21 Content Marketing Tips Every Business Can Benefit From

Don’t Miss Tip #3 - I wrote it!

MWE Creative was recently featured on B Content.io in their article on 21 content marketing tips. Click here for the full article: https://www.article-writing.co/content-marketing-tips/

Client Spotlight: Website Revamp for Angel Faces Inc.

Project Scope

• Desktop and Mobile-Optimized Website built on Wix.com

• 60 Day Turnaround

• Up to 20 pages included

• Community Log In Portal & Educational Resources

• Streamlined Application Process for Retreat Attendees

• SEO Strategy

• Copywriting for all pages

• Contact Form + Social Sharing Set Up

• Resources & Tutorials for DIY site maintenance

• 3 one-hour in-person meetings included

• Coming Soon page (to promote new site launch and increase buzz)

Why MWE Creative

The Angel Faces website had fallen out of date, and with limited resources, it became a low priority compared to other operations including managing fundraising and coordinating events. The site was not mobile optimized, no longer in keeping with modern design trends, and lacked the overall navigation to encourage visitors to interact with the site’s content. Additionally, the Angel Faces team was not confident in their ability to make updates on the Wordpress platform, but Ashely the program manager had experience editing Wix websites, so we agreed to switch to the Wix platform, which would allow them to save on long-term monthly site maintenance fees.

After reviewing several quotes, Angel Faces came to me based on a recommendation from a mutual friend and the understanding that I provide a 1:1 experience for clients and a faster than average turnaround time for the completed website.

“We have been working with Meg for the last few months, she was an absolute dream to work with an helped us every step of the way. If you are in need of a website or redesign she is definitely your girl! Thank you again Meg!”

— Ashley Sammons, Program Manager | Angel Faces Inc.

About Angel Faces

Angel Faces is a non profit based out of Encinitas, CA, that provides intensive education, healing retreats and ongoing support for girls and young women with traumatic burn injuries.

The idea for Angel Faces evolved as a result of Founder & CEO, Lesia S. Cartelli’s severe burn injury when she was just nine years old. As a child with burns on over 50% of her body, Lesia experienced first-hand the struggle of making friends and fitting in. The challenges of social interaction continued into young adulthood, and Lesia quickly realized the lack of resources and support available for young women like herself.

The Angel Faces healing retreats began in 2003 as a three day/two-night stay in Julian, California. Since then, Angel Faces has hosted dozens of annual retreats across the US and helped hundreds of girls and young women develop the skills to thrive in their communities and feel confident inside and out.

5 Social Media Tips for Small Businesses

It can feel like there is a never ending to-do list when it comes to social media marketing. And, honestly, there is, you can never spend too much time engaging and growing you community — though not at the expense of other priorities of course. So, in order to not feel completely overwhelmed with work, here are my top five tips for a successful social media strategy.

1. Re-evaluate your social platforms

If you haven’t updated your social media strategy in several years, it’s time to reevaluate your platforms based on your audience. Instagram and YouTube for millennials. Facebook for older demographics. Twitter and LinkedIn for corporate, B2B and professionals. It’s important to have a presence across at least 2-3 but pick one to really engage on.

2. Prioritize Authenticity and Values

"People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” - this Simon Sinek quote is true as ever. Consumers no longer respond to traditional marketing strategies. Be confident as the face of your brand, highlight your team members, support local community and demonstrate the values you stand for.

3. Make it a conversation

Don’t talk at your online audiences. Ask questions, get to know them, request feedback and opinions.

4. Remember, we don’t own our social media

But we do own our email lists. Focus on driving social traffic to your website and offer a free resource aka freebie to encourage your viewers to subscribe to your email list. You can reach them with much more customized and relevant content in their inbox when you know more about them.

5. Invest in a cohesive brand strategy

If your website, social profiles, brick and mortar store and other marketing material don’t look fresh and cohesive it’s time to bring in a branding expert so that no matter where your audience engages with you, they recognize your content and it stands out in the sea of brands vying for attention.

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These tips were selected for a piece by Nicole Dieker on BusinessCreditCards.com. Read the full post here

How to Create an Effective Digital Customer Experience Strategy

A Successful Digital Experience Begins and Ends With Customization

What makes an effective digital customer experience? Don’t look any further than within the word ‘customer’ itself. The first 6 letters tell you everything you need to know. “C-U-S-T-O-M."

In 2019 and beyond, consumers expect a CUSTOM digital experience, tailored to their exact needs and wants.

Why? It’s simple — because they can.

Pictured above: A quiz is a perfect example of a customized online experience for your audience.

Why Customization Matters

With all the data floating around just waiting to be captured and leveraged, it has become increasingly obvious to consumers, which brands are listening and which ones aren’t.

The good news is that it doesn’t matter (too much) how tech savvy you are or how big your budget is. The brands that truly know their customers are the ones that win. It is their in depth knowledge that allows a brand to create the most customized content, on-point advertising, and unique online experiences, that will ultimately make a consumer say, "Oh wow, they really know me, they understand my needs, values, and lifestyle, I trust them, I will buy from them, and I’ll tell my friends about them.”

In short, customization separates the lazy brands from the trustworthy brands. The greedy brands from the authentic, passionate brands who deserve to take our money. One of those groups has done the leg work, the other has not. Which one do you think comes out on top?

Digital’s “Custom” Hurdle: Replicating that Feeling of Trust from Traditional Shopping Experiences

Before diving into what digital customization looks like, let’s journey back, to a simpler time, when people bought things in person and not online. Remember that? Back then, customization was easy. It was as simple as training good sales people to greet each customer as they walked in. “Hi, Welcome” and after giving them a few minutes to look around, asking “Are you finding everything ok?” Simple acts of kindness and attention were enough to make a customer feel taken care of and would keep them coming back. The best sales people learned to remember names, share some anecdotes, ask returning customers how their grandchildren were, did they have a nice Thanksgiving, etc etc.

At the end of the day, brick and mortar businesses were able to create unique, customized brand experiences and establish a repertoire with their clients, all it took was some interpersonal skills.

However, in the transition from brick and mortar to digital shopping, a great deal of trust, communication, and customization has been lost. We no longer see faces, just profiles, we no longer ask questions or share anecdotes, we click "add to cart" and “proceed to checkout.” Essentially, the customization that is required to make a consumer feel special, valued, and respected in many ways has disappeared during this transition, and businesses are struggling to replicate that feeling of trust online.

Well established brands with access to the newest technology and biggest budgets have been able to build trust more quickly, but what about smaller businesses that are still making the transition to digital? They may not have a brand name that is well recognized, and with the increase in online competition, consumers who would normally have bought from their store because it was around the corner, may now be choosing an online super store thousands of miles away that delivers to their doorstep.

So how can businesses create an effective digital experience regardless of technology or budget?

5 Essentials to Building Online Trust

1) Create your client avatar(s)

This will be easier for more established businesses, but should never be overlooked, especially because it may change over time. Create profiles for your priority clients and add as much detail about them as possible, where do they work, do they have a bachelor’s degree, how many children do they have, how do they spend their free time? The more intricacies you can flesh out, the more you can use this in your marketing content to speak directly to the consumers you most want to attract.

2) A secure, mobile optimized website.

Customers need to know their information is safe if they are going to give you their credit card info, and your website absolutely must be mobile optimized if you want people to buy anything in the first place. If your website is not up to standard, invest in a revamp immediately.

3) A social media community

5 years ago, digital marketers would tell you it’s important to have a social media presence, but that is no longer enough. Today’s experts understand that brands have to create a community. This means not just signing up for an account on Facebook and Instagram and posting updates, it means starting conversations, commenting on other accounts, and rallying customers around values and local community initiatives. This is where brands differentiate themselves by showing exactly who they are, and when done appropriately, their consumers support them 100%.

4) Automated email sequences

Remember, we don’t own our social media profiles and if they were to suddenly disappear, all those followers we engaged would be lost if we didn't also encourage them to subscribe to our email lists. Segmented email lists are the epitome of customization, because you can create as many lists as you need to satisfy the variety of consumers you cater to. It is also a way of checking in with customers, just like sales people of yesteryear. You can ask them about their grandchildren, or what they’ll be doing for Thanksgiving and steer the conversation towards your products, services, or causes you care about and remind them this personal touch and customization is why they chose your brand in the first place.

5) Don’t forget about in-person experiences

Though digital is taking over our marketing strategy, it’s still important to offer in-person experiences like holiday parties, or even online webinars or workshops where people can be somewhat face to face even while remaining remote. 9 times out of 10 I still hear clients say that referrals and networking are how they get the majority of clients, and that is just further proof that trust and communication are so vital.

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Hire a Digital Marketing Expert

Are you struggling to build an effective digital strategy? Let’s connect. Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation where we can discuss specific strategies that are right for your business.

THE SOLOPRENEUR’S GUIDE TO EMAIL MARKETING

I created this guide because I see many clients and friends struggling with email. If you are a business owner and you already understand Part I: The what, the why, and the how of email marketing, feel free to skip to Part II: The Strategy Map and Fundamentals of Email Writing. Finally, if you are clear on strategy but just can’t make the words come out, or if you just want a feel good story for the day, scroll to Part III: How a Fitness Studio Owner Found Her Inner Writing Genius.

Part 1

What is email marketing?

Email marketing is one of the many strategies businesses use to increase brand awareness, convert followers to buyers, and keep long-term customers coming back for more. For solopreneurs and small business owners who are already wearing many hats, it can be a daunting task because it requires strategy, writing ability, design and tech skills - and when you’re running many other areas of your business who has time for all that? Still, when done correctly it can be the most effective strategy to increase online sales, especially when you can automate 80% of the process and earn passive income. So, it’s worth it to have a basic understanding of what is involved, and either DIY it with the tips below, or hire an expert. Let’s dig in.

Why prioritize email marketing? (Shouldn’t I be growing my social media following?)

• Of 4.3 billion internet users, 80% have social media, but nearly all of them have email

• The average conversion rate for email is around 6%, but only 1.9% for social

• The ROI for email can be as much as 4400% - not kidding!

• We DON’T own our social followers, we DO OWN our email lists

• Email is easy to learn, easy to scale, and helps you earn passive income - the only way to stop exchanging hours for dollars and take back your precious time

Bottom line, is that we don’t own our social media accounts and all those followers you’ve worked hard to keep will be unreachable if Instagram disappears (not that it will but just imagine!). So how do you really grow your brand, generate leads, and create sales in a way that is scalable, and also learnable? This is the step by step diagram I want you to wrap your head around:

Part 2

Memorize this image! Here’s how to convert followers to buyers:

Let’s break that down.

We build a following on SOCIAL MEDIA to find people who are interested in what we have to say. These people are intrigued, not ready to buy, but with more nurturing, might be persuaded to.

If we do a good enough job on social, we will have succeeded in driving traffic to our WEBSITE. Once the follower has arrived on our website, our goal is to have them take a further interaction with us, and our reward is that they provide their name and email address (and maybe additional info that we can use down the road).

How do we get them to take this further interaction? We offer them a FREEBIE, ask them to take a fun quiz, download a useful pdf, sign up for a newsletter, anything that you know they are really intrigued by and are willing to fill out a CONTACT FORM in exchange for access to it (this takes knowing your customer and a bit of trial and error).

Now that they have filled out your contact form, you or your marketing expert will need to make sure your website is connected to an email marketing platform like MailChimp or Convert Kit, so that every form submission is collected and organized in your EMAIL LIST. Now look back at what you’ve created: a mostly automated process (i.e. little manual work on your part) of getting leads to reach out to you instead of the other way around. They’re basically waving at you saying “Hi, I’m interested, tell me more about you.”

Once you have that seal of approval, you are basically being invited to introduce yourself and dazzle your soon-to-be-customer. That’s where EMAIL AUTOMATION comes in. The next step is to start creating a series of emails that are engaging, informative, and can be “automated” aka automatically sent at the right time to the right person.

This is not rocket science. It isn’t a walk in the park. But if each stage is done correctly, you will succeed in converting your followers to SALES.

3 Fundamentals to Email Writing

1. Know Your Offers - Before you start writing an email, take a piece of paper and list your main services and corresponding price or, if you are a product-based business list any discounts, holiday sales, or other deals you want customers to take advantage of. Don’t overthink it, just list each one out. Knowing exactly what you are offering is key.

2. Describe Your Ideal Client - next to each offer from (1.) describe in as much detail as possible the most likely person to purchase that product or service. Is it a mom shopping for her kids for back to school? Is it a young woman trying to improve her fitness? Is it a small business owner who needs your help to build their brand? Think deeply about this person, their wants, needs, fears, and hesitations. This will help you use the right messaging in your email content.

3. Braindump Your Experiences - This is the fun part. Write down something funny that happened last week, something difficult that you overcame last year, something inspiring you saw this morning, or something ridiculous you did as a child. The point is to take real experiences throughout your life, and tell the story. Using authentic moments in engaging dialogue will build trust with your audience and they will finish reading your email because they can’t help but want to know how the story ends. So braindump it all out on paper and then go over it again to shorten and refine it so it will fit into an email.

Now you have the fundamentals to putting together an email. You know who you want to target, what you want to offer them, and you start with a funny story to get them to even open the email in the first place. They will enjoy your story so much, trust you as a human, feel like you took the time to open up to them, and be much more likely to learn about the product or service, and click whatever link you provide to purchase it!!!

P.S. There are 5 other secret steps to writing an effective email, and if you’d like access to those click here.

PART 3

How a fitness studio owner found her inner writing genius

My friend Neely was struggling with her email marketing. She knew she wanted to reach her loyal customers and send them messages of inspiration and helpful reminders about her offers. She also knew she wanted to reach first time customers and demonstrate her 10+ years of experience through nutrition tips and workout suggestions ... but for some reason she was getting totally stuck on how to get these emails written, even though all the knowledge was there.

“Sometimes, you just need someone to sit you down and say, “You KNOW your stuff, you provide VALUE, and your story is WORTH telling.””

Sometimes, you just need someone to sit down and ask you questions and support you and say you KNOW your stuff, you provide VALUE, and your story is WORTH telling.

Neely kept saying, “I don’t have any stories, I don’t know what to talk about. “ But the more I asked the more my jaw started to drop as she told me about training Ryan Reynolds (!!), working at Disney, dealing with a horrible boss, and all kinds of REAL and FUNNY and AMAZING things that people want to know.

As she talked, I typed, and suddenly, we were looking at 5+ pages of authentic and meaningful content, that she could easily share with her audience, and that wouldn’t be sales-y or dishonest or stupid or any of the other negative words the inner critic likes to shout at us.

“As she talked, I typed, and suddenly, we were looking at 5+ pages of authentic and meaningful content”

My point with all this is that it’s very easy to lock away our knowledge and bury it under the idea that it’s not good enough or relevant. But if we have someone believing in us, we can really unlock it and share what needs to be shared with our followers. And that is what I love to do with my clients.

If you feel like you’re getting in your own way and need someone to bring out your brilliance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help you be the reason your business succeeds.

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