The About Us page isn’t just one of the most visited areas of your website. It’s the place where people get a feel for your company and whether they’re interested in doing business with you. So, if you’re not putting your best face forward there, it’s time for a makeover.

The good news is that the process doesn’t have to be complicated. With the help of these golden rules, you’ll be able to create a compelling About Us page that online visitors can’t resist.

1. Tell a story

This is an area where small companies have an advantage over the big guys. People enjoy supporting others with whom they feel a connection, and sharing your personal story is a step toward establishing a relationship. In your company description, talk about why the business was started or the history behind it.

Lovett’s Soul Food, based in Alton, Illinois, is all about family — and their About Us page is proof of that. Instead of simply listing the dishes offered, it explains the Lovett family’s connection to those dishes. It also describes the early days of the restaurant, from its humble beginnings as a walk-up window restaurant to its eventual growth and transition into a dine-in restaurant beloved by the community.

2. Include stats and facts

You want to stand out from the crowd, but steer away from any inclination to pad your numbers, client list or achievements. It’s just not worth the risk to your business and the reputation you’ve worked so hard to establish.

Schlemmer Brothers Hearth & Home is a family-run business based in Wabash, Indiana. The company’s historical connection to Wabash is a point of pride for owner Kent Henderson, and he highlights it in the About Us page by mentioning that the company has been serving the community for 110 years. This impressive fact is further emphasized and supported on the page by vintage family photos of the shop.

3. Use visuals and photos

The old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words” definitely rings true in many cases. Staff pics, behind-the-scenes peeks and old photos add context and color to your company description.

Lisa Morrison, Mary Morrison and Katey Vankirk, owners of Morrison’s Irish Pub in Alton, Illinois, want their patrons to feel at home when they’re in the bar. The trio is also dedicated to creating an authentic Irish pub environment for everyone who walks through their doors. Morrison’s, as they explain on their website, is like an “Ireland away from Ireland.” The images and graphics displayed on their About Us page are intended to support their messaging while grabbing visitors’ attention.

The owners use a mix of high-quality, professional photos and personal snapshots of themselves to show who they are and connect with their website visitors on a human level. They’ve also accented the page with a plaid design and Celtic graphics to evoke the Irish culture that is so integral to their business.

4. Be true to your brand

Your branding — that is, the color scheme, typography, logo and messaging you use on all of your marketing materials — communicates who you are as a company. Strong, consistent branding will bring attention to your company, create trust and ensure that people remember you. This being said, your website design — along with everything from your email marketing campaigns to your social media profiles — should reflect your brand identity and complement the narrative that you’re presenting in your About Us page.

Miguel Velez, owner of Miguel’s Riverside Barber Shop in Bristol Borough, Pennsylvania, notes his years of experience and love of old-school barbering in his website biography. The page’s design supports these points in subtle but effective ways. The sleek, clean layout speaks to his professionalism while the deep blue, brown and red color scheme are classic and hint at the old-school barbering that he’s passionate about. If he were to use, say, a neon color palette he would be evoking a completely different personality — one that isn’t compatible with his branding.

5. Let your customers do the talking

What’s better than telling the world that you make the best pizza in town? Hearing or seeing rave reviews from happy customers. Customer testimonials build trust by backing up what you say on your website. So, take a look at what you can share about your business that lends credibility to the claims you make, and put this social proof where online visitors can easily find it.

Like any child care facility, Discover, Learn & Grow in Bristol Borough, needed a way to establish trust in the community. The example below shows how owner Ramona Jones does just that by using parent testimonials on her website.

6. Drive readers to action

Every page on your website, including the About Us page, should drive readers to take a specific action — whether it’s to call you, learn more about your products, buy something or visit your business. So, don’t forget to include calls to action and contact links.

You can create a playful call to action like this one from bait and tackle retailer Bluff City Outdoors in Alton, so long as readers understand what you’d like them to do:

7. Show off your personality

People do business with people, so let your personality shine in your writing. Being a little funny, if that’s your style, can definitely help you stand out among your competitors and help customers feel connected to your company. Just keep it authentic.

Mark McMurry isn’t just the owner of a bait and tackle shop. He is an avid outdoorsman with a passion for catfishing. And he reels in an audience by infusing his personality, passion and expertise into every page of his website. In the following example, McMurry not only builds trust by showing people he has what it takes to wrangle some monstrous catfish, he shares his quirky sense of humor by saying, “Think crappies — not crap.”

8. Sum it up

Want your story to stick with readers? Sum it up with a short and sweet, memorable tagline. Your tagline will capture your company’s essence, personality and values to help you stand out from the crowd. Before you write one, think about what your company is about, who your customers are and how you help them.

The tagline below communicates that owner Benjamin Golley of Today’s Beauty Supply, doesn’t just want to make a profit. He wants to make a difference in the Alton community. And he does that by hosting a variety of neighborhood events in the community space connected to the shop.

In short, when it comes to your About Us page, be interesting, be accurate and, above all, be yourself!

The post 8 rules for writing a riveting About Us page appeared first on VerticalResponse.

Emails live and die by their calls to action (CTAs). A good email marketing call to action is critical to success; it’s the catalyst that spurs sales. CTAs have evolved over the years, and keeping abreast of current trends is a great way to ensure your email marketing is effective. To that end, here are contemporary tips for crafting powerful email CTAs plus examples you can use to yield better results.

Begin at the end

The call to action should be the first thing you write when you draft a new email campaign. That’s because the entire goal of your email is to get readers to click your CTA and take the next step in the purchasing process.

When you write your CTA first, it’s easy to design the rest of your email to draw readers’ eyes to your call to action and motivate response.

Think of your email as a journey. Your subject line entices readers to open your email. Your body copy and images work to create desire and excite potential customers. Your email call to action is the natural next step and, when everything is in sync, readers will be looking for it because they’re ready to act. That action doesn’t necessarily need to be a sale, though that is likely your end goal.

A series of emails might work to foster trust and therefore include different types of CTAs in each installment. For example, the first email might invite subscribers to learn more about your company’s mission, so your CTA could be a “learn more” button. The second email might lend social proof, so your CTA might lead to your website’s press page. The third email, then, might promote a special discount offer with a CTA to “shop now.”

In the first of our email call to action examples, you can see how Grow.com (below) uses a CTA that invites readers to download a free cheat sheet. They’re not asking customers to buy now, but their end goal is still a sale: They want you to read the cheat sheet and be motivated to try their service.

The below example from Airbnb illustrates how CTAs can be used to introduce readers to your community. It invites engagement and direct interaction without being overly promotional. Of course, the end goal is to land a sale and convert lifelong customers. Note how the email incorporates multiple CTAs.

Single vs. multiple email call to actions

Some marketers feel a single call to action is the best strategy. The logic is that a single CTA allows you to focus your email content on achieving a singular goal, while multiple CTAs can be distracting. With too many options, subscribers aren’t sure what to do next and they ultimately delete your email without clicking anything.

In this example, Dropbox uses a single CTA to drive clickthroughs:

The single-CTA strategy is sound, but there are times when multiple CTAs can be incredibly effective. In fact, multiple CTAs can add personalization to your email and increase your clickthrough rate.

Let’s say you operate an online clothing store. You want to send an email that promotes a special time-limited discount. Your customer demographics include men, women and parents of young children. If you have multiple email lists segmented by those demographics, a single CTA in each email might be a good idea. However, it’s unlikely your lists are segmented like that, so instead you can offer three CTA buttons: “shop men,” “shop women” and “shop kids.” That way your subscribers identify with the CTA that best fits them and can quickly click to see the products they’re most interested in.

Here, Express uses multiple CTAs for men and women:

Another example? Let’s say you have many different types of products: shoes, jackets, shorts, etc. One option is to assign each its own CTA. In this email, Ruche uses multiple CTAs to appeal to shoppers interested in different product types:

This strategy can apply to many different types of businesses. Run an online pet supply store? Add different CTAs for dog lovers and cat lovers. Sell automotive accessories? Add different CTAs by accessory type or vehicle make.

You have options as you build your CTAs. The best way to know which work best is to test them, which leads us to our next point.

A/B test email marketing calls to action with a CTA-test matrix

Data-driven marketing is the best way to fine-tune your emails and consistently improve results. You can run split tests, or A/B tests, to see which email variants perform best. It’s easy to do with a CTA-test matrix.

With a CTA test, you identify a goal and test different versions of your email to see which yields better results. For example, you might wonder whether an email with a single CTA or multiple CTAs will perform better. In most cases, though, you’ll be testing a single element: which color button gets the most clicks, which button text works best and which button placement performs better.

Map the results in a table to make design decisions that improve your email click rate:

In the above example, you can see that on 8/1/17 we ran a test to see which button color increased click rates. Blue was the control (A), which means it was the color that was already being used. Red was the test (B). The results? The control won, so we’ll continue to use a blue button in that email.

In the second test, on 8/7/17, we tested the text “Read More” versus the control “Learn More.” In this case, the test beat the control. Since “Read More” won, it will become the control and we can test other variations against it to see if we can find one that performs even better.

Develop email CTAs from the reader’s point of view

Many email marketing CTAs use the second person point of view. For example:

• Subscribe Now
• Claim Your Prize
• Shop Now
• Learn More
• Reserve Your Table

However, studies show that the first-person voice yields a 90 percent better clickthrough rate than second-person voice. First-person lends the impression that the reader is in control and adds a level of personalization to your call to action. For example:

• Sign Me Up
• Claim My Prize
• Find My Perfect Style
• I Want To Know More
• Reserve My Table

See the difference? It’s easy to shift your calls to action to first person perspective: simply replace “you” and “your” with “I,” “me” and “my.”

Give it a try. Chances are you’ll realize a significant boost in clickthrough rate.

Here’s an example abandoned cart email from DoggyLoot that uses first person perspective to encourage subscribers to check out:

This tactic is used again in this opt-in/opt-out email by Redbubble:

Use power words (and have some fun with it)

Your CTA verbiage should reflect the message of your email body copy. Remember, a good CTA is a natural and expected next step in the email journey. Use your body copy to create desire, stir emotion and lend personalized meaning to your message; then, use your CTA to spur readers into action.

Use your test matrix to see which CTAs perform best. Not sure where to start? Try any of these proven CTA power words:

• Shop
• Contact
• Save
• Reserve
• Find
• Discover
• Free
• Buy
• Join
• Upgrade
• Now
• Get
• Claim
• Book
• Create
• Give
• Explore
• Add
• Try
• Sign Up
• View

Another contemporary email marketing CTA trend is to have some fun with your button copy. Instead of using a common CTA like “shop now,” this call to action by Rent The Runway reads “get the party started.”

Here’s another fun example by Public Desire: “Get it or regret it.”

And another one by Banana Republic: “get fresh.”

Your email call to action plays a major role in the success of your marketing strategy. Use these tips to craft modern email CTAs that increase clicks, generate leads and boost sales.

The post Tips for effective email marketing CTAs appeared first on VerticalResponse.

While summer heat waves may still be going strong, August means pens and binders and laptops aren’t too far off. Keep your business ahead of the curve by making the most of this back-to-school season.

The National Retail Federation’s 2019 annual report states that back-to-college and back-to-school shopping are set to reach $80.7 billion this year, while families with children in K-12 plan to spend an average $696.70. That’s up from $684.79 in 2018 and tops the previous record of $688.62 set in 2012. Since most spending goes to clothing, accessories and electronics, don’t be afraid to raise your hand and get some of the profits if your business is in these industries.

Though August is the biggest month for back-to-school deals, stores are starting earlier each year. According to Deloitte, from late July to early August, approximately 90 percent of back-to-school shoppers are expected to start filling their carts. That doesn’t mean it’s too late to promote back-to-school, however.

So, start ramping up your sales (and increasing your profits) with discounts, social posts and emails to communicate your deals. Here’s how to ace your subject lines.

Back-to-school subject lines that add up to great sales

Whether you’re promoting a sale or wishing students the best for the new academic year, keep it smart and keep it classy! Here are some back-to-school email marketing ideas worth noting:

• Spend $15, save $5 on ALL your back-to-school basics. | Dollar General
• Make the Grade: Back-to-School Favorites Up to 65% Off | DiscountMags.com
• Fun new ways to help kids learn back-to-school routines | Really Good Stuff
• Turn Heads! Get “A+” Gear For “Back-To-School” Excursions! | Morris 4×4 Center
• Cheat sheet! Our editors curated this: Back-to-school style | Dash & Albert Rugs
• Your cheat sheet for seats. Styles under $200 | Wayfair
• Back-to-school checklist. Take notes! | BoxLunch
• Let us help you carry that | Billabong

Plus, back-to-school subject lines from the VerticalResponse class

Because we’re always on the hunt for extra credit, we had to do more. Use these as is or add your own spin to make them meaningful for your business. After all, you don’t want to be the only business who shows up late to the first day of school.

• 3 reasons why you should shop after July
• The kind of math we like: 50% off EVERYTHING
• You’re our top pick! See our back-to-school sporting bundles.
• Better than a sunny day … this Sunday sale takes care of last-minute shoppers
• You can skip class, but don’t skip this crazy deal!
• Back at it in the newest backpacks this year.
• Be a teacher’s pet. ALL produce on sale, this week only!
• We won’t tell if you cheat — 90% (off) is too good to pass up

Utilize back-to-school shopping as your mid-year email marketing boost. By engaging your audience with strong subject lines, you’ll increase sales while giving students one last thing to look forward to.

The post Grade A subject lines for back-to-school season appeared first on VerticalResponse.

Lead magnets are incentives offered to your website visitors in exchange for their names, email addresses and other contact information. Examples include eBooks, checklists, white papers, discount codes, quizzes and templates. Your visitors get something valuable, and you get their contact information so you can follow up via phone, email or snail mail.

Most commonly, lead magnets are used to entice visitors to subscribe to email lists. They bring prospects into your funnel so you can deploy lead nurturing campaigns that ultimately convince them to make purchases. Here’s how to create high-converting lead magnets that skyrocket subscribers.

What does a good lead magnet include?

The best lead magnet ideas have these things in common:

1. They offer value

Some lead magnets give advice or help people solve problems. Some offer instant discounts. Still others entertain. The common denominator, though, is that they offer value to your visitors.

Let’s say you sell suitcases. One lead magnet idea might be a family vacation checklist. You create a landing page or Pop Up to promote your checklist and collect subscribers’ names as well as email addresses, then automatically deliver the checklist as a PDF to subscribers’ inboxes. Subscribers can print your checklist and keep it handy while they plan and pack for vacation, which increases your brand visibility and makes it easy to follow up with email marketing that’s designed to sell suitcases.

2. They’re targeted

Lead magnets don’t need to be long, comprehensive masterpieces. Instead, they need to offer value to a specific target audience. That means they can be used to segment audiences into different lists, so you can personalize your email marketing and increase conversions. The more specific your lead magnet, the more targeted your marketing.

For example, let’s say you operate a pet store. Your lead magnet could be a guide to finding the perfect pet. However, that’s not very specific and chances are high that your customers already know which types of pets they prefer. A better, more targeted approach would be to create a guide to caring for a new puppy. Sure, it won’t interest cat owners or aquarium buffs (you can create different lead magnets for them), but people who just purchased or are considering a puppy are very likely to download your guide.

3. They demonstrate your capabilities and benefits

Good lead magnets don’t just offer value for subscribers, they show how you’re uniquely positioned to solve their problems or help them achieve their goals.

Let’s say you sell outdoor grilling supplies. You might create a guide to grilling steak. Your lead magnet will offer valuable tips, but you can also pepper it with mentions of how your products can help customers grill the perfect steak.

4. They’re just the beginning

Remember that lead magnets are a means to an end. Though they can certainly work to boost sales, the primary goal is to collect targeted subscribers’ email addresses. That means you should develop an accompanying lead nurturing campaign that’s deployed via an autoresponder. This type of email marketing automation works to convert subscribers into customers.

For example, let’s say you operate a restaurant. Your lead magnet might be simple: a coupon good for 10% off the next meal. Getting that initial business is great, but the real value will be realized through sending targeted emails that promote your weekly specials and motivate multiple visits to your eatery.

How to generate content for a good lead magnet?

Now you know the value of lead magnets, but how can you generate content for a good lead magnet? Here are four ideas.

1. Surveys

Create surveys and send them to your customers. Ask questions about their problems, lifestyles, hobbies and things they wish they knew. You can use that information to craft lead magnets people will want to download.

For example, let’s say you operate a B2B accounting service. Your survey might ask business owners about their biggest bookkeeping challenges. You might discover they struggle to identify which expenses are tax deductible; this could inspire you to create a “tax-deductible checklist” lead magnet.

2. Blog content

If your website has a blog, study your analytics to see which posts are the most popular. Then, create lead magnets based on that content.

You can simply repackage your blog posts into a lead magnet, but a better idea is to take your top titles and expand on them so your lead magnets offer additional value. Then, visitors will share their email addresses to access it.

3. Customer support

Your existing customer base can inform lead magnet content. Study customer support emails to identify common problems, questions and themes. Read through related support forums and take note when customers ask questions on the phone and in your store.

They’re asking these questions because they want the answers. If you can package those answers into a guide, eBook or other resource, you have an excellent lead magnet idea that’s likely to convert visitors to subscribers (and, ultimately help convert subscribers to customers).

4. Competitor websites

Browse your competitors’ websites to see which lead magnets they use. If you notice a given lead magnet or theme used time and again, it probably works. You can model your lead magnet after that or, even better, improve on their idea so your lead magnet is more attractive.

Examples of effective lead magnets

These are some of the most popular and effective lead magnet examples you can use as inspiration for your own marketing.

Guides, eBooks and checklists

Typically delivered as PDF downloads, the above are informative guides that help your audience solve problems or achieve goals. In this example, Book Baby offers a free guide to self-publishing. The guide promises real value, it’s targeted to Book Baby’s audience, it will undoubtedly mention how Book Baby can help and it’s just the beginning of what will likely be a strong lead nurturing campaign.

Online and email courses

Courses can be excellent lead magnets. The first lesson is typically available right away, so courses have immediate value, but they also keep subscribers engaged as a new lesson is released every day or week.

In this example found on How To Play Guitar, the author offers 50 beginner guitar video lessons. Your course doesn’t need to have 50 lessons (you could do a four-part or six-part series), but this example illustrates how a targeted online or email course can be a powerful lead magnet.

Instant discounts

Instant coupon codes are excellent lead magnets. Even if coupons don’t persuade people to buy today, you can use automated email marketing to reach out to subscribers until they do. In this example, 1800 Pet Supplies offers an instant, yet time-limited, coupon code and gives customers the opportunity to subscribe if they want to use the coupon code later.

Other lead magnet ideas

Those are just a few lead magnet examples, but you’re not limited to those ideas. Here are a few more:

• Quizzes (give results after users submit their email addresses)
• Downloadable templates
• Calendars and planners
• Cheat sheets
• Infographics
• White papers
• Case studies
• Special reports
• Sneak peek or sample chapters
• Free trials
• Free quotes, estimates and consultations
• Recipes/cookbooks
• Contests
• Webinars
• Waiting lists (perfect for validating ideas)
• Audio books
• Free samples
• Demos
• Free shipping
• Online tools and resources
• Videos and podcast episodes
• Workbooks
• Community membership
• Swipe files
• Resource lists
• Print/snail mail catalogs

Lead magnets are powerful marketing tools employed by large and small businesses alike. Use these tips to determine what information your audience will share their email addresses for, then create a compelling lead magnet that converts visitors to subscribers and subscribers to customers.

The post How to create high-converting lead magnets appeared first on VerticalResponse.

A good email newsletter can be the lifeblood of your business. Many successful businesses prioritize email marketing, and for good reason: Email yields an astounding $43 ROI on every $1 spent.

The best email newsletters aren’t salesy. Rather, they provide value that helps subscribers solve problems, improve their lives and achieve their goals. If you can do that, sales will follow. Here are four ways to craft a winning email newsletter that nurtures sales, complete with examples.

1. Foster trust and establish expertise

Forget the sales pitch. Instead, craft compelling newsletter content that fosters trust and establishes your expertise. Offer real, actionable advice that helps your audience (whether they make a purchase or not).

Use a conversational tone and relate to your audience to promote a sense of solidarity. You’re one of them, and you’re in this together.

Ideas include:

• How-to articles
• Real-world case studies
• Quick tips and tricks
• In-depth guides

For example, a catering company might send an email newsletter that details how to plan the perfect holiday party. The caterer’s audience would certainly be interested in party planning. If the company offers useful tips, subscribers will trust their expertise — and some will end up hiring them.

Brainstorm email content ideas your audience will love. Identify their problems and write what you know. Good advice yields trust, and a trusting audience will buy from you.

2. Create excitement

Did you know that 90 percent of consumers prefer to receive updates via email newsletters? It’s a golden marketing opportunity, but too many emails are packed with dry, boring content that no one wants to read. Stand out from competitors and inspire your audience with email copy that creates excitement.

Ideas include:

• Illustrating the benefits of following your advice: For example, a financial adviser shouldn’t just say it’s wise to invest in an IRA — they should say it’s wise to invest in an IRA so you can retire early
• Peppering your copy with solutions: This doesn’t mean pitching your products through your email, but it does mean you can mention them as natural solutions to common problems. Plant the idea that there is an easy way for customers to enjoy the benefits of your advice
• Adding large, intriguing images to your email newsletters: Visually engage your audience with images that create desire and inspire

Excitement motivates action, and there’s no better platform to consistently create excitement than email.

3. Automate your email newsletter

You probably know email is one of the most affordable ways to market your business. Did you know email automation tools make it one of the easiest?

Identify ways to automate your email marketing so you can focus efforts on business optimization and growth. Start with an opt-in subscribe form that automatically triggers a series of pre-set emails — your nurturing campaign.

Design your campaign to earn trust and ultimately sales. Ideas include:

• Repurposing website and blog content into a series of helpful emails
• Interviewing customers and publishing case studies subscribers will relate too (show them solutions)
• Developing a nurture campaign in which you send a series of purely informational emails, capped by a final email that includes a special promotional offer

How often should you send emails? One study found that 48 percent of consumers prefer to hear from companies on a weekly basis, but you can send emails more frequently as long as you’re not spamming subscribers.

No matter how frequently you send emails, take advantage of email automation to consistently place your messaging in front of a receptive audience. That way, the inevitable business problems and priorities that pop up won’t derail your email campaign — it will be on autopilot!

4. Include a call to action

Your emails shouldn’t be overt sales pitches, but you can still design your email newsletter for sales. Most emails you send should include a compelling call to action (CTA).

Ideas include:

• Placing a CTA at the end of your informational copy
• Placing a CTA in an email sidebar or in one of your email layout blocks
• Adding CTA buttons to article teasers, then making your pitch on-site
• Sending a series of emails and reserving your pitch and CTA for the last in the series

Remember, people subscribe to your email newsletter for the promise of its value. If you’re overly promotional, they’ll unsubscribe. Focus on providing value, then strategically place CTAs to motivate responses. That’s how you create a winning email newsletter for sales.

Email newsletter examples

Find inspiration in the following email newsletter examples.

This email by Real Adventures delivers value with insights into traveling in Cuba. At the end, it features a clear CTA for its app.

This automated welcome email by Patagonia explains the company’s mission and dedication to environmental and social responsibility — things new subscribers and potential customers are likely to be interested in. Then, it delivers a call to action for its Patagonia Provisions.

Oscar’s monthly newsletter features informational health and insurance articles. It’s a good example of how you can repurpose blog content into an email newsletter. Each story includes a CTA to read more on the blog, and the email ends with a call to action to follow the company on social media.

The IFTTT email newsletter offers tips and tricks — or “recipes” as they call them — for using its platform to accomplish specific tasks. These tasks offer value to subscribers and encourage engagement with IFTTT.

Remember, the most effective email newsletters offer value and limit the sales pitch. Use these tips to craft the compelling content your audience yearns for and create excitement for your products and services. Then, deliver a natural CTA that motivates subscribers to take the next step in the purchasing process.

The post How to use email newsletters to nurture sales appeared first on VerticalResponse.

Looking for Halloween marketing ideas? Facebook is a fantastic way to reach customers with targeted messages that endear them to your brand and motivate likes, follows, shares and sales. If you’re not sure which posts will spur engagement, you’re in the right place. Get started with the following 15 wicked good Halloween Facebook post ideas.

1. Photo contests

Halloween photo contests are one of the easiest ways to earn tons of social shares for your brand. Start with a killer prize, then ask your audience to enter by posting their best photos of:

• Halloween costumes
• Haunted house décor
• Group photos
• Pet Halloween costumes
• Creepy local haunts
• Spooky vacations
• Halloween treats

If possible, select a theme that’s relevant to your products and services. For example, a grocery store might launch a Facebook contest for the best Halloween recipes.

Choose winners based on likes and shares, or use a third-party app to tally votes. By doing this, your audience will generate engagement for your brand.

2. Spooktacular sales

Hosting a Halloween sale? Facebook is a great way to get the word out. Incorporate frighteningly fun Halloween images into your posts, such as:

• Ghosts, goblins and ghouls
• Witches
• Vampires
• Werewolves
• Pumpkins and Jack O’ Lanterns
• Zombies
• Bats
• Famous horror monsters (Frankenstein, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, etc.)
• Kids in Halloween costumes
• Pets in Halloween costumes
• Haunted houses

The goal is to make your posts stand out with a relevant Halloween theme that people want to share.

3. Event invites

If your business is sponsoring a festival, promoting a booth at a local event or hosting a special Halloween party, use Facebook to invite your audience to attend. You can:

• Create an event on Facebook
• Share the event on your Facebook page and within Facebook groups
• Ask for RSVPs (people can select “Going” or “Interested” right on Facebook)
• Offer incentives for people who RSVP, such as a freebie, VIP parking or a discount
• Use Facebook ads to promote your event

If your event looks fun, event invites will earn interest and shares — ultimately driving customers to your door.

4. Halloween tips and tricks

Identify relevant tips and tricks you can share to help your audience enjoy the best Halloween ever. Ideas include:

• Halloween costume ideas and DIY tips
• Halloween decoration tricks
• Halloween recipes
• Halloween party hosting tips
• Halloween crafts
• Halloween on a budget tips

Again, the best strategy is to find a correlation between your tips, your audience and your business so you have a natural segue from post to sales.

5. Halloween lead magnets

Create an eBook packed with Halloween tips, then promote it on Facebook. The eBook serves as a lead magnet: To get it, your audience must visit your site and enter their email addresses, then you can market to them. Ideas include:

• How to host the perfect Halloween party
• 10 cool Halloween craft ideas
• Halloween kids safety tips
• Halloween cookbook
• Halloween travel guide (spookiest places in America)

Your eBook should contain valuable information your audience won’t find elsewhere, and it can be peppered with product mentions to help influence sales. Plus, you can continue reaching your audience with ongoing email marketing.

6. Halloween safety tips

Create a series of Facebook posts focused on Halloween safety tips for kids. It’s a great way to earn shares, as parents will want to help friends and family members keep their kids safe, too. Ideas include:

• Wear bright colors and add reflective strips so drivers can see children
• Stay with a parent or group of friends — no one goes alone
• Stay in trusted neighborhoods
• Keep a phone handy and know emergency numbers
• Have a parent check candy before eating it (plus tips on how to check it)
• Make sure toy weapons do not have sharp points
• Pumpkin carving safety tips
• Stay on sidewalks and don’t text and walk
• Safety tips for drivers

With a little research, you can develop a series of Halloween safety tips; or, create one post with a long list that’s infinitely shareable.

7. Scavenger hunt

Develop a fun, family-friendly Halloween scavenger hunt and promote it on Facebook. People who complete the hunt the fastest can win a prize. Have a family member submit photos of each item they find to prove they completed the hunt. Ideas include:

• Items hidden around local landmarks
• Clues to find local historical or creepy sites
• Halloween-themed items found at home
• Animals and items found in nature
• Items found in local shops (you might even partner with local businesses to sponsor the scavenger hunt, so that players must visit each store)
• Local restaurant menus

Do some research to identify the best Halloween scavenger hunt ideas for your business and audience, then promote it on Facebook.

8. Store décor and employee costumes

Spotlight your store and employees by posting photos of your Halloween décor and their best costumes. Ideas include:

• Your store or storefront, transformed into a haunted house
• “Monster” footprint stickers that lead to your best Halloween sales
• Costumed employees in fun Halloween scenes (perhaps recreate famous movie scenes)

The idea here is to post shareable content that adds a human element to your business.

9. Creepy product promos

You invest a lot in making your products appeal to your customer base. For Halloween, have a little fun by creating creepy product promos that are sure to be shared. Ideas include:

• Photos of products set in an eerie Halloween setting
• A video commercial of a product used in a unique way by a Halloween character
• A special Halloween version of one of your most popular products — a perfect idea for restaurants that can create unique Halloween-themed menu items

Have fun with this type of promotion, and you can create a unique Facebook photo or video that’s destined to go viral.

10. Halloween facts

Dig up interesting Halloween facts and statistics — another great way to motivate social shares. Ideas include:

• Halloween statistics, such as how much candy is sold each year
• Halloween facts, such as which costumes are the most popular this year
• Historical and creepy facts about your town, such as famous local murders or the story behind that one “haunted” house

Look for ways to tie your Halloween facts to your business. For example, you might list the ten most popular Halloween candies, then let people know you have every one of them ready to go in a special edition Halloween gift box.

11. Halloween countdown

Create a unique post each day that counts down to Halloween. Some ideas:

• Post Halloween prep tips by date, like the fact that you should know which costume you’re going to wear by day 15
• Post a fun fact that correlates with the countdown number, like facts about triskaidekaphobia on countdown day 13
• Post a tip of the day to a collection of handy Halloween tips and post a different one each day

A Halloween countdown is fun and engaging, and your audience will look forward to your daily posts.

12. Halloween survey

National statistics are one thing, but what do local customers like? You can use a Facebook survey to find out their favorite:

• Halloween candy
• Halloween costumes
• Horror movies
• Halloween traditions
• Spooky local places
• Halloween party games

Once the survey is complete, you can publish the results in a post that’s sure to be shared between local customers.

13. Repost memes

This one is super easy, but it can generate a lot of likes, shares and engagement for your business.

• Search for Halloween memes that are relevant to your business
• Post them and add your own commentary
• Ask customers to post their favorite Halloween memes
• Ask your audience to vote for their favorite Halloween memes — turn it into a contest!

Reposting memes is a great way to get more Halloween-themed content with minimal effort, but it can also serve as a natural segue to your business when you select relevant memes.

14. In-store photo booth

Use Facebook to invite customers to visit your in-store Halloween photo booth. You can:

• Set up a photo booth in your store, complete with Halloween costumes and props
• Snap photos and share them on Facebook
• Offer customers an instant incentive for participating

This is a fun and engaging promotion that invites customers to interact with your brand and motivates Facebook shares, which will increase brand awareness and drive more customers to your door.

15. Infographics

Infographics are ultra-shareable content that’s perfect for Facebook. Ideas include:

• Halloween recipes
• Halloween costume tips
• Halloween stats and facts
• Halloween décor tricks
• Halloween safety tips
• Most popular Halloween movies
• Most common phobias

Create an eye-catching infographic that’s packed with valuable or entertaining information, and you’re sure to get social shares on Facebook.

Facebook is a great platform for promoting your business at Halloween. The best part? You can take advantage of social post tools to schedule your entire Halloween series in advance — set it and forget it! That way, you’ll be free to focus on other Halloween marketing initiatives while your Facebook Halloween campaign runs on autopilot.

The post 15 wicked good Halloween Facebook post ideas appeared first on VerticalResponse.

Did you know that in 2018, Valentine’s Day spending hit a record-breaking $19.6 billion? It’s no wonder that Valentine’s Day sends business owners’ hearts aflutter.

According to a study by Prosper Insights & Analytics for the National Retail Federation, the average person planned to shell out more than $140 on traditional Valentine’s Day merchandise, with customers aged 25 to 34 being the biggest spenders. Consumers, on the whole, planned to spend a total of:

• $4.7 billion on jewelry
• $2 billion on flowers
• $1.8 billion on candy
• $894 million on greeting cards
• $1.5 billion on gift cards

The objects of their affection included spouses and significant others, children and parents, classmates and teachers, friends and even Fido — with an estimated 20 percent of consumers buying Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets. What’s more, 27 percent of consumers planned to celebrate the holiday by treating themselves or getting together with family and friends.

Valentine’s Day can be lucrative for nearly all businesses

Because it’s not just for sweethearts, Valentine’s Day can be lucrative for almost any business, from restaurants and retailers to auto shops and coffeehouses. So, don’t be shy! Win customers’ hearts and business with swoon-worthy email marketing promotions. Read on for inspiration:

The RealReal: No Partner? No Problem — Shop Valentine’s Gifts to Give Yourself

The RealReal takes a fresh approach to Valentine’s Day by celebrating singlehood. The subject line appeals to people who don’t have partners but still want and deserve gifts. Why not treat yourself?

Keurig: From Keurig, With Love

This Valentine’s Day, Keurig is making it easy for customers to order a coffee maker, plus a variety of tasty beverages. The email is easy to navigate, just like Keurig’s auto-delivery service, so customers won’t have any trouble stocking up on their favorite brews.

HelloFresh: Put Love On The Menu: Your Valentine’s Guide

This email from HelloFresh features clever copy and an irresistible call to action: “Save my Valentines Day.” Nobody wants their romantic dinner spoiled, so if the alternative is to go to an overcrowded restaurant, HelloFresh just might be a viable option.

Minibar Delivery: Kissed by a rosé

Minibar uses a cute pun in the subject line and a funny and original poem to make this email POP.

Molekule: A Valentine’s message from Molekule

Molekule takes an extremely unromantic product (an air purifier) and turns it into a perfectly practical Valentine’s Day gift. It’s a great reminder that you don’t have to sell flowers and candy to celebrate the holiday.

Maison Impeccable: MI Intel | Love is Afoot

Aside from the playful subject line, Maison Impeccable has a conversational, click-worthy call to action.

Gymboree: Goodbye, Free Shipping! Goodnight, Valentine!

Gymboree downplays Valentine’s Day but goes bold with a huge, attention-grabbing ad for a 70 percent off, store-wide sale.

Francesca’s Collections: Valentine’s Day Picks For You!

Francesca’s Collections does a great job of showing customers the love with discounts and deals, wardrobe fashions for a romantic night and last-minute gift suggestions.

JR Cigars: Join the Romeo Lovefest & Get 20 Free Cigars!

JR Cigars uses humor to create a catchy subject line that attracts star-crossed Romeos and Juliets. Of course, there’s also a great reason to shop — 20 free cigars!

Modkat: Valentine’s Special – Love at first sight.

Modkat definitely knows its audience and recognizes the fact that cat lovers won’t forget their furry friends on Valentine’s Day.

Lensabl: From Lensable With Love: 25% Off All Lenses!

Lensabl combines a heartfelt Valentine’s Day greeting with a sweet one-day deal. Gift or no gift, why not send your customers a valentine?

SinglesSwag: February Box Reveal 

Everybody loves a surprise, right? SinglesSwag piques customer interest by giving customers a sneak peek of their February box chockfull of goodies. The message contains a sense of urgency to appeal to people’s fear of missing out and get them to act fast.

Get customers to cozy up to your business

Here are some ideas for content and promotions that will get customers to snuggle up to your business:

• Offer a buy-one-get-one treat to share with their valentine
• Invite customers to your anti-Valentine’s celebration
• Appeal to lovelorn folks with a “broken-heart brunch”
• Promote a “Love stinks!” stinky cheese sale
• Send diners a voucher for a free heart-shaped dessert
• Email a Valentine’s Day gift guide
• Promote early bird specials for cakes, flowers and gifts
• Hold heartwarming events like a cooking class or wine tasting
• Offer an auto detailing special for customers’ sweethearts
• Offer a pest control service special, so customers can enjoy a romantic Valentine’s Day without being bugged

If this Valentine’s Day is anything like last year’s holiday, you definitely don’t want to miss out. Remember, you don’t need to sell flowers, cards or chocolates to celebrate. Focus on showing your customers how much you love and appreciate them. But don’t wait for Cupid to work his magic on potential customers. Make the most of the day with email marketing promotions your customers are sure to love.

The post Capture customers’ hearts and sales this Valentine’s Day with email marketing appeared first on VerticalResponse.

If you’ve got a regular email marketing newsletter you deliver to your customers, chances are you might be trying to sell something — and that’s ok. But a strictly salesy newsletter doesn’t make for the most riveting read, and it could drive customers to unsubscribe. Keep them engaged and buying with content that supports your sales messages. Let’s look at three newsletters that strike the right balance between sales copy — and news customers can use.

Flower Duet

SALES – Los Angeles-based Flower Duet highlights its Irish Spring flower arranging class just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. While the copy clearly promotes the class, it’s fun, festive and friendly. And there’s nothing like the Bells of Ireland to get people ready to celebrate.

CONTENT – The newsletter contains articles with step-by-step instructions and photos to help them design a daffodil pavé. From storing daffodils to arranging them without floral foam, customers can access a wealth of tips to use and share with friends and future subscribers.

Flower Duet also used their newsletter to cultivate customer confidence by sharing this exciting news:

Do your subscribers know what they’re signing up for? Be clear up front about what they’ll be receiving from you, so they can look forward to it. Here’s an example of how Flower Duet set expectations right from the start:

View the entire newsletter here.

Power Writing by Daphne Gray-Grant

CONTENT WITHIN CONTENT – Written by communications pro Daphne Gray-Grant, Power Writing points customers to resources they need to write faster, better. And just like a Matryoshka Doll, it delivers content after content after content. In the below paragraph, customers can link to Daphne’s email and submit a question. They can also link to her YouTube channel to hear her answer that question and other questions about writing. If they’re more comfortable reading a transcript than watching a video, subscribers can link to that too. The newsletter is packed with links to her blog, helpful articles and tips that can be implemented right away.

SALES – Daphne uses her newsletter to promote her online courses, one-on-one coaching sessions and the like. But she makes her sales copy more palatable by focusing on what’s in it for subscribers. Read the newsletter excerpt below:

Kitchen Window

CONTENT and SALES – Kitchen Window, in Minneapolis, does a great job of blending sales copy with the gourmet content foodies crave. The newsletter’s fun theme — Take a Culinary Trip to Greece — lends itself to plenty of creative content, including several view and print recipes, fun facts about the country and mouthwatering, professional photography. In keeping with the theme, the newsletter highlights the kitchen products needed to make the delectable featured recipes.

In addition to selling high-end kitchen products, Kitchen Window offers monthly cooking classes. The newsletter promotes these classes and an upcoming grill expo where customers can enjoy free seminars, clinics and tastings while they shop. View the entire newsletter here.

Remember, subscribers are interested in what you have to say. That’s why they signed up for your email newsletter in the first place. So aim to produce a balanced newsletter that is 90 percent educational and 10 percent promotional. Link your readers to ebooks, white papers, case studies, videos and more, and watch your sales soar.

The post How salesy should your newsletter be? appeared first on VerticalResponse.

A strong call to action (CTA) isn’t just one of the most important elements of your email campaigns — it’s critical to the success of your overall online marketing plan. Whether you want your subscribers to make a purchase, visit your website or RSVP for an event, a compelling CTA can get the job done. While trying to create click-worthy CTA text, you may have experimented with the length of your copy, its tone and your word choice. But have you tried writing CTAs from the reader’s point of view?

Button copy is commonly written in the second person. You often see or write phrases like, “Buy now,” “Get started,” “Learn more” or “Schedule your consultation” in marketing emails. You’ll notice that all of these phrases are directed to the reader but, because they’re in the second person, are written from the perspective of the business sending the message.

A recent study showed CTAs that used the first-person voice had a 90 percent better conversion rate than CTAs written in the second person.

To create a first-person CTA (written from the point of view of the reader), you might consider using “Reserve my table” instead of the more traditional “Reserve your table” or “Make a reservation.” It seems like a minor change, but making the switch from using (or implying) “you” or “your” to using “I” or “my” could pay off big for your business.

Are you ready to change your point of view? Here are three reasons why first-person CTAs work so well.

Give the reader control

Whether you’re asking readers to share personal information, buy a product or learn more about your business, you want your reader to feel like they’re in control of the process. Using first-person language emphasizes that it’s their decision to click or not. This is especially useful when creating opt-in emails, like this example from Founder Mantras:

Increase personalization

According to an Experian study, personalized emails deliver six times higher transaction rates. From adding contacts’ names to subject lines or greetings, to segmenting lists in order to provide subscribers with the most relevant content, you may already be implementing some form of marketing personalization. First-person CTAs are one more way to create a reading experience that feels tailor-made for the individual, like this example from Havenly:

The CTA used in this email is “Book my designer.” Using “my” here creates intimacy and makes the process of finding an interior designer seem like it was designed specifically for the person reading the email. The reader isn’t booking “a” designer, they’re booking their very own designer. In this instance, you could say that the first-person copy creates a more personal connection between the reader and the service.

Add some variety

CTAs should stand out, and writing copy from the readers’ perspective can be attention-grabbing simply because it’s so unexpected. People are accustomed to seeing CTAs that are written in the second person. You can shake things up by inserting “my” where they’re used to seeing “your.”

This example from AARP actually uses CTAs that are in the first person (“Tell me more”) and the second person (“Subscribe today”). In an email with multiple CTAs, varying the language like this makes each individual button stand out.

At first, it might seem a little unnatural writing from the readers’ point of view. But making the jump from the second person to the first person may be just what your business needs to improve clickthrough rates. As with any change you make to your email design, however, you should run a few A/B tests to determine what works best for your subscribers.

The post 3 reasons why you should write CTAs from the reader’s point of view appeared first on VerticalResponse.