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Three Golden Rules to Get People to Read Your Newsletter

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By Debbie Gregory.

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Is sending a regular newsletter at the top of your marketing to-do list? No?

 

Regardless of what type of business you have, in order to keep customers coming in your door, ordering on your site, or calling, you need to stay in their minds and in front of their faces. Your past customers are or were interested in what you do.  They care about what you have to say, and they care about how your business can impact their lives.

 

Email is the easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to keep your business popping into their heads when they need your services. A good email newsletter can help you by:

  • Generating leads
  • Keeping your customers close
  • Keeping you in their mind when they need your products and/or services
  • Opening a dialogue
  • Offering more for your customers
  • Gaining a loyal following

 

The challenge is getting the customer to actually open and read the newsletter. So how can you ensure that they do? Below are three “golden rules” to follow that will greatly improve your newsletter’s impact:

 

1.) Grab Them with A Great Headline

Leave out boring email subject lines such as “ABC Company Newsletter” and be a bit more creative. Take something from the newsletter content and make a fun title out of it. You need to make the reader WANT to open and read the email.  You need to engage their interest.

 

2.) K.I.S.S. (Keep It Short & Sweet or also known as Keep it Simple Stupid)

Newsletters are a place to grab attention to direct the customer to perform an action such as to call you, click a link, buy from your catalog, etc. Keep the actual newsletter content short and the send the customer (via link) to the longer article on your blog or product page on your site. Make sure that the tone is tailored to your audience and that you include colorful and high-quality visuals.  Additionally, make sure you educate a bit (without being too pushy).

 

3.) Quality NOT Quantity

It doesn’t matter how many people you have on your list, if only 1% is actually looking at the newsletter. Make sure that your content is compelling and tailored for the audience you are sending it to. It is better to have 10 people who truly read the newsletter and click your links than 1,000 that trash it without even opening it. Also, be sure that you aren’t OVER emailing people.

 

Try to think about how much email you personally receive and look at the types of emails you click on, which ones you read, the links you click to read or learn more about something. Think about what entices you to read and click and apply similar methods to your emails.

 

In today’s hyper-connected world it can be difficult to engage and have users stop for a moment and pay attention to your marketing message. Follow these “golden rules” and you will definitely see better results from your newsletter campaigns.

Illegal Interview Practices to Avoid

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By Debbie Gregory.

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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was created to protect job candidates and employees from discrimination. When interviewing, it is best to avoid any line of questioning that could potentially be viewed as discriminatory.

 

You cannot ask a candidate or employee about:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Genetic information
  • Race or ethnicity
  • Gender identity
  • Where they live
  • Sexual orientation
  • National origin
  • Religion
  • Marital status
  • Having children, pregnancy, or plans to start a family
  • Arrest record
  • Financial status

 

When interviewing a pool of candidates for a job, make sure that you only use one set of interview questions for every potential employee. If you ask each person a different set of questions, that can be viewed as discriminatory and create liability for you.

 

Make sure to avoid these topics when preparing your list or asking interview questions:

  • Asking about their arrest record. You can ask if someone has previously been disciplined by a past employer for violating policy but asking about arrests or other legal problems is a huge no-no.
  • Asking about their current salary. Most states currently have a salary history ban in place; it is a good idea to avoid this question. You might ask them what about their compensation expectations with your company.
  • Asking where they live. This could be construed as discrimination
  • Asking if they are comfortable working under someone younger than the candidate. Asking a question like this can be viewed as age discrimination.
  • Asking about drug usage. This one seems like a valid question yet businesses are not allowed to discriminate against recovering addicts or people who take prescription drugs for a health condition. If drug use/abuse is a concern then stick with pre-employment drug screenings instead.
  • Asking about their accent or country of origin. If fluency is a concern, you can ask what languages they are fluent in but avoid asking if English is their first language or if they are a native speaker.
  • Asking what class they graduated with at any school they attended. This is another question that can be viewed as age discrimination.
  • Asking about their family or plans to have a family. This is one of the topics that generally comes up when interviewers stray into small talk and is a huge no-no. Someone’s family planning is not relevant to the job they are being interviewed for and asking any questions related to this topic will land you in trouble with the EEOC.

 

There are a few cases where you may need to know certain sensitive items such as physical health, education, legal convictions, or availability. When you do need to touch on these topics you must be careful about how to discuss them. Any of these types of questions (or really any questions you ask) need to be clearly related to the job in question and the fitness of the person to perform the tasks and responsibilities if hired.

 

Generally stay away from:

  • Any questions not directly related to the job.
  • Don’t ask anything that you cannot learn by looking at their social media or other public websites.
  • Be very clear about what qualities, skills, or traits a person will need for the role they are applying for.
  • Avoid personal conversations.

 

Many of these questions not to ask are obvious but often asked anyway.  It is not only illegal interview questions that can get you into trouble. Never promise or hint to any candidate that you think they may get the job because if they do not, it can create liability.  Additionally, promising long-term job security, implying a specific career path, or hinting that they could quickly advance in the company should be avoided.  You can say state general opportunity terms for all employees but avoid anything that can be construed as promises.

 

Always be sure that you are conducting your interviews in the most fair and legal manner possible. If you need assistance or have questions please visit the EEOC website at https://www.eeoc.gov/.

Tips to Maximize Social Media & Online Presence

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By Debbie Gregory.

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Social media has really taken the narrative control from the business and given it to the customer. There are simply too many options in today’s worldwide marketplace and those businesses that have learned to adapt are the ones that are going to continue to grow in our hyper-connected world. In reality, social media is a powerful tool that can drive business growth, but only when used correctly.

 

Regardless of the size of your business, here are 20 tips that will help to maximize your online presence:

  1. Make sure that your posts are not just informative but also interesting or playful. Additionally, make sure that your content is eye catching so that people will stop and look.
  2. Video is always the top dog on social media so try to pepper in videos as much as possible.
  3. Shine a spotlight on customers to show them how much you appreciate their business. Post customer testimonials and make sure that you respond to each and every one of them.
  4. Make your customers part of your business by encouraging them to photograph themselves using your products or services to share with their own followers.
  5. Make clever or funny memes that relate to your business.
  6. Insert yourself into a larger conversation by creating content related to a national holiday that everyone is already talking about.
  7. Make yourself an expert in your industry with tutorials or other educations videos.
  8. Put together an interactive series (video, calls, and/or web chat) to engage with your customers on a regular basis. Let them ask you questions and make sure that you give them compelling reasons to “attend” your sessions.
  9. Figure out what your customers are talking about and strategize how you can solve their problems or address what they are looking for.
  10. Launch limited time offers and exclusive discounts to your followers. Get creative with your giveaways to help grow your followers. Also, make sure that you tie your giveaways to other online events or promotions.
  11. Team-up with other like-minded businesses to offer better giveaways or promotions that help both businesses.
  12. Make sure to promote any of your business milestones. People want to have a personal connection with the businesses they give their money to make sure they can get to know you and celebrate with you.
  13. Go “live” and create hype around your new products, in-store events, tutorials, and more. These videos really help humanize your company as well.
  14. Use “stories” to boost your post to the top of people’s feed without having to pay for it.
  15. Make sure to follow up on any comments or complaints posted to you because they sought you out and are looking for a response from you so don’t disappoint them.
  16. Make it easy for someone to find, call, email, or order from you directly from your social media.
  17. Connect with and get involved with your local community. People feel good about buying from companies that care.
  18. Always remember to reward loyal customers. Create a database and send out periodic reminders for discounts for events such as birthdays or anniversaries.
  19. Put together a referral program that incentivizes people for referring customers.
  20. Utilize social media influencers to help generate buzz about your products or services.

 

Today, customers demand that companies notice and engage directly with them. Making your business more approachable and more open to your customers will really pay off in the long run. The easiest and least expensive way to do so is through good quality social media posts and diligent direct communication with your target audience. If you can make them feel like they are part of your business journey, they will not only come along for the ride but they will bring friends!

Rules for Social Media Success

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By Debbie Gregory.

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Social media is an integral part of most of our day to day lives. It seems like everyone is on social media from celebrities to businesses to everyday folks. As a business, if you want to succeed in today’s world, you must be on the social media platforms that target customers and you must learn how to use it properly.

 

Tips:

 

  • Have a specific goal

Social media is a great way to engage your customers.  If you run a business, it will also generate leads.   You need to specifically define your social media goals and select promotional techniques that will achieve it.

 

  • Select one platform

It is a great idea to have a presence on all social platforms that you think are relevant to your business.  To be truly successful on social media, you should select the one platform that provides you the best exposure and become an expert on that platform.

Every platform has its own unique target audience or users.  For example, LinkedIn is geared more towards working professionals, Yelp is better for the service industry, Pinterest is more targeted at the creative community, and so on. Select the one platform where you know your customers are and spend your energy on it. Learn the ins and outs of how that platform works, get to know the benefits and drawbacks, and truly attempt to connect with your audience there.

 

  • Get ready to pay for it

In today’s hyper-connected world, if you aren’t paying the platforms you simply will not gain the exposure you would like to have. You need to budget in social media ad campaigns.  Otherwise your information, and business, will become buried in the worldwide marketplace. The good news is that these types of campaigns don’t need to be super expensive. You only need to spend a few dollars a day to promote a post, tweet, or video and gain the following you are seeking.

 

  • Hire expert help

It is always best to hire an expert who specializes in the social platform of your choice. They can help you properly setup and run ad campaigns, measure the success of the campaign, target the correct people, and help make tweaks or suggestions for improvement. This is money well spent.

 

  • Be ready to fail

Typically, you will end up running multiple ad campaigns at the same time and most of which will fail miserably. That is ok, not every campaign will be a hit (even if you are paying a pro). You will need to try different tactics and methods to hone in on the ones that work the best for your offering. Do not be discouraged when the first few campaigns don’t go as well as you expect.

 

Gaining a loyal social media following that helps you grow your business is not quick or simple.  With the proper techniques and the right team, you can achieve your business goals. Make sure you are utilizing the correct platform, become an expert at it, hire the help you need so you can focus on the business side, and don’t be too discouraged if the results don’t come immediately.

The Basics of Writing a Business Letter

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By Debbie Gregory.

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Technology has made communication fast and easy.  With this said, certain situations call for more than a 140-characters. Though it may seem a bit antiquated, a well-written business letter still remains vital in our ever-changing world.

 

It is very important that you know how to write a proper business letter.  A business letter should include formatting, proper spelling and grammar, proper spacing, font usage, layout style, and more. Proper business letters show commitment and care while an improperly formatted business letter shows that you are unprofessional, inexperienced, or not detail oriented.

 

Whether you need to write a cover letter to get your foot in the door to your dream job or express thanks to a business partner or client, a carefully crafted business letter can really make you and your company stand out.

 

Common Types of Business Letters

These are the most common types of business letters:

  1. Cover letters: Generally, describes what is enclosed and provides a description of what the receiver should do with it.
  2. Sales letters:These letters go over your offering and why the reader should purchase goods or services from you. Always provide clear contact information so that they can easily respond to you.
  3. Thank You letters: These should either go over the details about what someone did and how it helped you or be a simple thank you for a purchase.,
  4. Complaint letters: These should go over that you are displeased, and why, without seeming angry. Then, suggest how the reader of the letter could correct the situation for you.
  5. Adjustment or response letters:This is a response to a complaint letter, and you should be humble in the response and offer potential solutions. These can be great relationship builders if done correctly.
  6. Bad news letters:These are supposed is to soften the blow but be direct.
  7. Memos: Quick and to the point. These are usually used within a company for news and directives.
  8. Congratulatory letters: These are short letters that simply state congratulations to someone for a recent achievement.
  9. Resignation letters: This letter is to notify that you are leaving a position, providing written notice of your last day of employment. They should always be polite and to the point.  You need to decide if you want to include reason for your resignation.

 

Business Letter Parts

Every business letter should have the following seven parts:

  1. The sender’s address
  2. The date
  3. The recipient’s address
  4. A professional salutation
  5. Body (the actual letter)
  6. Closing with your signature
  7. A list of enclosures or any items that accompany the letter (if applicable)

 

Formatting Your Business Letter

The format of the letter is very important:

  • Fonts: Avoid fancy or cute fonts in business communications. Select a standard font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Helvetica at size 12 and keep it consistent within the letter.
  • Alignment:All business letters should be left-aligned for readability.
  • Spacing:Letters should flow normally and be single-spaced between sentences in order to maximize space on the page and double-spaced between paragraphs.
  • Margins:A 1″ margin is best to maximize space.

 

Tone of the Letter

Your tone will set the mood for the entire letter. Make sure that you:

  • You are not sarcastic or inflammatory but state the facts
  • Do not boast.
  • Avoid arrogance.
  • Stay professional.
  • Be conversational.
  • Be concise.
  • Be thoughtful of the reader.

 

Word Choice and Grammar

Keep in mind that when you are writing a business letter, your  word choices can make it or break it. Be direct, be simple, avoid obscure words or technical jargon and make sure that you are using words in the correct context. The most important thing is to avoid grammatical mistakes. They show the reader a lack of professionalism and attention to detail.

 

Your business letter can be a powerful tool for developing relationships and showing people that you are committed  because you took the time and care to write, format, print, and mail a letter.  You do not want that letter to lose any of its power due to unprofessional formatting, a poorly written body, or easy to correct grammar and spelling mistakes.  Always proof whatever you write.

 

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