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3 Content Marketing Mistakes to Avoid – Brought to You by Liz Lemon

If you’ve ever seen an episode of “30 Rock,” you’re probably familiar with the show’s protagonist Elizabeth Miervaldis “Liz” Lemon. According to her boss, Jack Donaghy, Liz is a college-educated, third-wave feminist New Yorker, who buys any magazine that says “healthy body image” on the cover and is consistently single-and-pretending-to-be-happy-about-it. Sure, Liz Lemon is by no means an ideal role model – or the most socially attuned person – but as a skilled writer and strong character, she has content marketing insight worth taking a closer look at.

Content Marketing Marketing Mistake 1: Playing it Safe

Liz Lemon is bold, daring, and brave, when it comes to going after what she wants. Remember the time she dressed up as Princess Leia in order to be disqualified from jury duty? Or how about the time she bought $150 worth of hot dogs from the hot dog vendor, when a fellow commuter jumped the queue. Yes, Liz Lemon is bold, and she sure doesn’t let the small things hold her down. One of the most common content marketing mistakes and biggest missed opportunities happens when companies play it too safe. Don’t be afraid to go big and bold with your content. Readers want to know what makes you stand out – not what makes you just like every other company out there. Dig deep, and find out your inner strengths, unique qualities, and talents, then make sure your content marketing reflects that!

Content Marketing Mistake 2: Taking Shortcuts

Liz Lemon is a hard worker – oftentimes neglecting her own sanity and wellbeing to babysit Jenna and Tracy just to keep her show running smoothly. She doesn’t take shortcuts or the easy route, whether it’s at work, in her personal life, or with her relationships. Your content should lead by Liz’s example. You shouldn’t engage in practices like SEO keyword stuffing, letting user-generated content tell your marketing story, or ignoring content marketing analytics. In fact Google penalizes sites for keyword stuffing. It’s actually counterproductive. SEO keywords should be used sparingly and only when it helps interested readers find the content they are looking for.

Content Marketing Mistake 3: Neglecting Video

As the head writer of the fictional show “TGS with Tracy Jordan,” Liz knows a thing or two about the importance of video. Before we get into the topic, sit on this: would you personally prefer to read an 800-word essay or watch a short, 1-minute video about the same topic? Video has become an extremely powerful platform for storytelling. According to Recode, more than 100 million hours of video is viewed every 24 hours. Instead of relying solely on text and design to share your story, use video to keep consumers interested and engaged. The more you incorporate video on your company website and social media platforms, the better! We hope you learned something new about content marketing through the experiences of Liz Lemon, and that you’re able to improve your own content marketing strategy with these tips!

Email Communication Is Essential to Client Relationships

When you have developed a relationship with someone, and they become part of your everyday life – it’s hard not to feel distraught in their absence. No one likes the thought of their relationship failing, especially after putting in the time and effort to make it work. Sometimes life happens and connections fail. Relationships need a strong foundation built on clear communication and stable connections to continue moving forward. We have developed a way to utilize email communication to help guide you through the complicated relationships you have with your clients.

Email Communication Is Essential to Client Relationships

Every marketing business needs to learn the age-old mantra: Less Is More. No one likes the overbearing partner who doesn’t give you a second to breath – why would you do that to your client? A company can build longevity with their clients by staying connected with a healthy focus on specific marketing trends. While some marketing fads will come and go – email communication remains the most reliable and successful channel available to the modern marketer.

Developing a Healthy Relationship with Your Clients

Email Communication Drives Conversion

The name of the game is turning prospects into leads. It doesn’t matter if the form is of leads, sales, memberships, or a metrics specific to the business – the end goal is for marketers is to turn potential clients into paying partners. Email is one of the best channels for both conversion and building rapport.

Email Is Preferred

Email is the favored medium for many to provide professional services and solutions in mass numbers. Email marketing is the most attractive and engaging resource to drive sales and revenue for your business. Studies show 72% people prefer to receive promotional content through email, compared to 17% who prefer social media.

TRIdigital Marketing Is Your Marketing Guru

We understand that relationships are hard work, but with a limited amount of time to market your resources and solutions – you need to learn how to concentrate your efforts. We are your marketing guru. Our expansive team of savvy marketing experts understands the ins-and-outs of how to best get through to your intended audiences. Frankly, we’ve got exactly what you need to get you the results you want.

The Greatest Meatloaf Recipe Ever

Ah, meatloaf. There’s really no middle ground with it – it’s either awful, or it’s fantastic. Unfortunately, due to many “traditional” ways of preparation, it’s often been the former, leading some to shy away from this American delicacy. But I submit that it is, in fact, only mistakes made in the preparation of this loafy, meaty dish of goodness which has created the unfair disparagement meatloaf often receives. Let’s look at a few of the most common mistakes made when preparing meatloaf:

Cooking in a Pan. Blecch. Don’t do it. When you cook a meatloaf in a pan, it doesn’t roast as it should – it boils in its own juices. “Hey kids! Who wants some boiled meat??” Eugghh . . . grossness. A true meatloaf should be hand-formed and roasted on parchment paper upon a baking sheet.
Slathering in Ketchup. Don’t get me wrong: I love burgers and fries slathered in ketchup. But meatloaf is NOT burgers and fries. The tang of ketchup is too sharp to smear on your masterpiece as-is. Ketchup must be diluted and enhanced with other flavors in order to form a more perfect “ketchup glaze.”
Not Enough Flavor. No one wants bland slabs of formed, ground meat for dinner. Meatloaf can and SHOULD be awesome! Fill it with spices, vegetables, seasonings, flavor enhancers – be creative and have FUN!

After years of eating mediocre meatloaf, I went on a mission to pen what I feel is the perfect meatloaf recipe. It took about 4 years of trial-and-error, but I truly believe I’ve finally perfected the recipe and, being the benevolent soul I am, I shall post it for you here.

World’s Greatest Glazed Meatloaf Recipe

by Clint Ford Meatloaf:

1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup oatmeal
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, roughly chopped (sautéed, if you prefer)
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
¼ red bell pepper, diced
¼ green bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. diced garlic
½ cup chunky salsa (I use “On The Border” brand – best so far!)

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 eggs
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp. beef (or chicken) bouillon granules
¼ cup glaze (recipe follows)

Glaze:

1 cup ketchup
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. mustard powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes hot sauce (preferably “Frank’s Red Hot” or “Louisiana Hot Sauce”)
2 Tbsp. honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.
Combine bread crumbs, oatmeal, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder and thyme in a large bowl. Incorporate, and add ground beef.
In a separate bowl, mix the onion, carrot, celery, bell peppers, garlic and salsa. Incorporate this mixture with the bread crumb/meat mixture.
Season the meat with the kosher salt. Add the eggs, lemon juice, fennel seed, and bouillon granules and combine thoroughly. Set meat mixture aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, prepare the glaze: combine the ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, mustard powder, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Remove ¼ cup, and add to meat mixture. Mix meat mixture well.
Place the meat mixture onto the center of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. With your hands, mold the meatloaf into a long cylindrical shape, or a wide football shape. Be gentle and try not to squeeze the meat while forming. When shaped to your liking, generously sprinkle more kosher salt and Italian seasoning on outside of meatloaf.
Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf, but try not to touch the bottom of the tray with the probe, as this could give false readings. Set the probe for 125 degrees and slide baking sheet into oven.
After the meatloaf has been cooking for about 15 minutes, open the oven and carefully slide the oven rack it sits upon partially out so you may work on the meatloaf. Brush half the glaze onto the meatloaf and return to the oven.
When the thermometer alarm goes off, check the meatloaf. The original glaze should be firmer and a bit sticky. Brush the entire remaining bowl of glaze onto the meatloaf and return to the oven. Reset thermometer alarm for 155 degrees.
When the internal temperature reaches 155, immediately turn oven off, and set to HIGH BROIL. Set timer for 5 minutes. When time is up, immediately remove meatloaf from oven. The glaze should be bubbling, which means it is adhering itself to the meatloaf. WATCH CLOSELY OR IT WILL BURN!
Allow to cool for at least ten minutes before serving.

Slice, and Enjoy

Give it a try. I truly feel this will be at least one of the best servings of meatloaf you’ve ever had. Try giving it your own, creative spin. Remember – the operative word in the Creative Kitchen is creative!

Homemade Summer Rolls with Jalapeno Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:

3 ounces Vietnamese cellophane noodles, cooked according to package directions
20~ round rice paper wrappers
2 large handfuls of cilantro
1 bell pepper sliced into long, thin strips
2 avocado sliced into cubes
2 handfuls of perilla leaves
1 large cucumber in julienne strips
2 handfuls of chives
2 handfuls of alfalfa sprouts
2 handfuls of watercress
2 pounds of beef, shrimp, or chicken

Jalapeno Lemon Sauce:

5 lemons seeded and juiced
2 jalapenos seeded and coarsely chopped
1-2 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 handful cilantro
1 teaspoon red chili paste (optional)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)

Jalapeno Lemon Sauce Directions:

In a blender, puree the lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, jalapenos, cilantro, and optional chili paste/garlic until combined. Pour into a small bowl and serve with the summer rolls.

Summer Roll Directions:

Toss the vegetables and meat together, making sure they’re mixed well. Pour 2 to 3 cups of hot water into a large, shallow bowl. Immerse the rice paper wraps into the hot water on at a time to soften them. To make the rolls, lay your rice paper wrapper on a flat plate. Add your vegetable mixture and cellophane in the center (be careful not to overstuff!). Fold in the left and right sides of the wrapper forming a roll and tuck the outer edges inside. Repeat the process until you’re finished making all your rolls. Arrange the completed summer rolls on a platter and cover with a damp paper towel. When ready to serve, add the desired amount of sauce on top or inside your summer rolls.

Three IT Marketing Lessons from Dory

Summer is all about fun in the sun, family and big summer blockbusters. Thirteen years after Dory helped Marlin find Nemo (yes, its been that long!), Dory remembers she has a family, and she has to find them! Finding Dory arrived just in time to help teach us some valuable business lessons in the area of IT Marketing. Who knew we could learn so much from one determined little fish? Lesson 1: Bad IT Marketing Doesn’t have to Define You In the movie, we encounter an octopus with only seven tentacles, a near-sighted whale, a beluga whale with not so sharp echolocation, let’s not forget about Dory’s pal, Nemo, the little clown fish with a “bad fin”, and of course there’s Dory, the little blue fish with short-term memory loss. They teach us that disabilities don’t have to define us! IT Marketing can be complicated, difficult to understand, expensive, and if not done correctly, it can become a business disability. You see, all of the characters in Finding Dory accomplished their mission in spite of their disabilities because they had lots of help along the way. Each character was able to offer a different set of strengths to help Dory find her family. Lesson 2: The Right Kind of Support Pays off Finding Dory teaches us how crucial the right kind of support can be. Her parents worked really hard when she was very young to teach her valuable lessons that could guide her if she ever got lost. It was those lessons she learned early on that kept her alive all those years and helped her find her way home so many years later. Everyone is different, everyone learns differently, everyone does business differently, every business has a different culture. The key to success is to embrace your differences and figure out what works best for you by hiring a Marketing company that understands you and can guide you. There are lots of Marketing companies offering cookie cutter services, but how can your company succeed when they’re using the same marketing strategy for your IT business and the bakery down the street? Lesson 3: Just Keep Swimming… Dory teaches us about fortitude and positivity, two attributes that every business owner should have to find success. We hear ya’, IT marketing just doesn’t work, it’s hard, it’s a waste of resources. To that we say, it can be but it doesn’t have to be that way…Just keep swimming! What would Dory do? The next time you catch yourself frustrated with your IT Marketing efforts, ask yourself…What would Dory do? She just might ask TRIdigital for help!

The Greatest Writers Encourage the Importance of Blogging

Blogging is an art. It is short, sweet, and simple. You need to keep it between 300-500 words and keep it educational as well as entertaining. Sometimes when I start a blog, I find myself writing: bloggity, blog, blog, this is my blog, and I blog here.

Whoops.

Erase all of that.

Try again.

How do you even begin a blog? How do you find the words to describe what you’re trying to say, especially when it comes to blogging for your business? Blogging for fun is a lot easier than blogging as a marketing tactic, but alas, there are reasons you are consistently blogging. YOUR BLOGS ARE IMPORTANT. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Blogs are still relevant in today’s social media marketing environment and play a major role for your business. If you don’t believe me, then you should listen to those who have inspired us to write. The authors of the greats, the classics, the ones who wrote more than blogs, but hey – words are an art, no matter what form. “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” ― Winston S. Churchill

Blogging Drives Traffic to Your Website

How do you expect people to discover your website? DISCOVER being the keyword. You are trying to attract people who aren’t already your biggest fans. Writing blogs can help solve a lot of pain points that come from lack of traffic. Blogging helps you get discovered via social media. People can share, retweet, and repost on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. This is how you will start to turn strangers into visitors, who turn into leads, who turn into customers, who become lifelong clients. “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” ― Ernest Hemingway

Convert Traffic into Leads

If you listen to your visitors, they will tell you how to convert themselves into leads. Understanding your audience means you’ll have a better idea of what blog content will resonate with them, which is a good start when are trying to beat out your competitors. Blogs are also the platform you use to increase your SEO ranking. The search engine optimizer is where you can strategically implement keywords, topics, and categories that will be associated when searched for. Now that you have traffic flowing through your website because of YOUR BLOG, you now have the opportunity to convert them into leads with an awesome, yet simple call-to-action button. “One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” ― Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

Showcase Your Knowledge

Who are you and what do you know? Jay Baer, author of Youtility, advices all bloggers to show off, or rather, share their knowledge. Too many bloggers are afraid of giving away too much information from fear of being too transparent. So take the time to gather as much information as you can and blog it. “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ― Stephen King

Maintain Excellent Customer Relationships

When you are able to connect with your customers, they begin to understand your business and the services you offer. Use this to build rapport and trust. Build deeper connections with your customers by connecting them to relatable material that represents your business and the products you sell. “Read, read, read. Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.” ― William Faulkner

TRIdigital Loves Blogging

Write like no one’s watching – actually, write like everyone is reading. Don’t give up or get discouraged. If you hit a mental block, you can read our blog about Eeyore’s Advice to Technical Copywriters.There are some fun tips on how to get over that writer’s hump. Rand Fishkin, CEO of Moz, says it best, “If you’re seeking short-term ROI, or a quick path to recognition, blogging is the wrong path. But if you can stick it out for years without results and constantly learn, iterate, and improve, you can achieve something remarkable.” So love what you do and write what you love. We sure do! “If there’s a book (OR BLOG) that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison

The Characters of “Spongebob Squarepants” Share their Video Marketing Insight

Video marketing is all around us. It’s swarmed the social media scene via Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Vine, Periscope, Twitter, FaceBook – and probably dozens of other platforms. In 2016, more video content is uploaded in 30 days than all three major U.S. T.V. networks combined have created in 30 years! But how do you know if you’re doing video marketing the right way? Well – luckily for you – the characters of “Spongebob Squarepants” have some insightful tips to share. Pay close attention while we transport you to the underwater city of Bikini Bottom.

Video Marketing Tip 1: Be True to Yourself

*insert Spongebob’s high-pitched laugh here* Spongebob is an eager, albeit naïve, sea sponge, as well as the show’s main protagonist. Sure, he comes off slightly annoying at times, but we can’t help but love him for his foolish optimism, genuine nature, and insanely dedicated work ethic. (He supposedly has perfect attendance for his job at the Krusty Krab). When figuring out your video marketing strategy, remember one key item: stay true to your brand. Your audience can tell right away when you’re not being real with them. Make sure your video marketing exudes your true company culture, ethics, and any other characteristics that make you unique. Maybe you have a business motto or employee creed you stand by. Throw that into your video marketing mix!

Video Marketing Tip 2: Less is More

Meow. Gary, Spongebob’s pet sea snail, says one thing and one thing only throughout the show. Despite being limited in speech, other characters have no problem understanding and communicating with him. Nowadays, the shorter and more concise something is, the better it does. When sharing video content on behalf of your business, keep your message short and sweet. Because users are more likely to share videos from their smartphones, you also need to keep mobile-responsiveness in mind.

Video Marketing Tip 3: Don’t be a Squidward

*answers phone* Hello. You’ve reached the house of unrecognized talent. Please leave a message after the… *plays tone on clarinet* Squidward’s known for his dry sense of humor and snobby outlook on life. He believes that he’s too good for his lowly cashier job at the Krusty Krab and usually spends his time wallowing in self-pity. Your video marketing should never exemplify any of these traits. When using videos to communicate your message and build your brand, you want to focus on the positives. How are your services the best in the market? What awards have you achieved in the past? What makes you stand out from your competition? These are things that should be addressed in your video marketing plan – not any of Squidward’s misery. We hope these tips from the characters of “Spongebob Squarepants” shed some light on how you should plan your video marketing strategy! Until next time.

Derelicte our Marketing IT Service

Have you ever wondered if there was more to life, other than being really, really, ridiculously good at marketing IT services? No? Neither have we. With over 50,000 managed service leads, we are ready to share a few of our trade secrets. Male supermodel Derek Zoolander and his posse of good looking friends unexpectedly stumbled across our ridiculously good marketing IT plan and persuaded us to raise IT marketing awareness. The value of a well thought out marketing IT services strategy will not only attract plenty of business to your company, but also help you outshine your competition.

It’s those Darn Marketing IT Services Tips –They are so hot right now!

What is this? A center for ANTS?

How do you expect to generate leads if you don’t properly prepare an effective marketing IT strategy? In the words of Zoolander: “How can we be expected to teach children to learn how to read… if they can’t even fit inside the building?” Prior to initially marketing for managed IT services, you should focus on these areas: identify your target market (managed IT service providers), source an effective marketing list, discover your WHY, then determine and design appealing marketing collateral.

But why male models?

Identify your target market. Who are you in a contract with? Those beautiful IT models. Understand that your clients might already set their own sales goals. This foundation will help you effectively plan the specific number of activities that you will include in their marketing IT services package. A few examples are:

Direct-mail letters
Newsletter marketing
Telemarketing
Print advertising
Internet marketing
Email marketing
Industry events

When an initial marketing IT services plan is agreed upon between you and your partner, there will be plenty of opportunities to attract prospects. Which means that to build a repeatable outcome based purely on activity that a managed service provider needs to just engaged as their marketers.

Day Spa, D-A-I-Y-E

A successful marketing IT services plan will require you to consistently track and quantify the results throughout the entire marketing campaign. We don’t brainwash clients for you in order for them to just relax and be your client. We do, however, implement the right marketing activities to continue to produce leads. With our own Marketing Hud platform and Campaign Monitor, we have a few “Blue Steels” up our sleeve. It is our job to make you that much more attractive, and if you’re ready to be an ambi-turner (a model who can turn left and right on the runway), we’ll be ready to set the stage. Get in touch today!

Take Some IT Marketing Advice from Wrestler Entrances of the 1980’s

The 1980’s was an incredible time in which to grow up. We had Atari 2600s and original Nintendo Entertainment Systems, we had G.I. Joe and Transformers, and we had some of the most dynamic wrestlers to ever enter the squared circle. Granted, this was during a time when professional wrestling was more socially accepted as legitimate entertainment, as it was considered the “Man’s Soap Opera.” Of course, there were many female fans, too – regardless of the intended demographic. And yes, we all knew it was fake even back then, but we still watched. Why? Simple – these guys knew how to market themselves to people when they entered the arena. Let’s look at a few and see how they can be applied to IT marketing. And while you’re at it, click each title to see each performer’s entrance.

“The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase

That sinister laugh. As soon as we heard it, we knew we were about to get angry at the pompous, scheming Million Dollar Man – a guy who couldn’t win a championship, so he purchased his own belt. While he did have one of those exotic, hard-to-pronounce last names (it’s dee-bee-AH-see, FYI), and while we did detest the guy and his “better than you” attitude as he threw his 100 dollar bills around, we always squealed with delight when he got stomped by the good guy. And secretly, that’s exactly what DiBiase wanted. Remember: the more you hate a villain, the better performer it means they are. And we HATED DiBiase. The lesson here is: sometimes you have to give people what they don’t think they want . . . so they can have something even better later. In your case, however, we hope it’s not a superplex.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts

There was just something about this guy. He wasn’t the strongest, he wasn’t the toughest, he wasn’t the most chiseled or tallest. He didn’t even have the most impressive wrestling skills. But the guy played the intimidation game better than anyone. When his music hit and he walked in carrying that wriggling, snakey sack, and he stared down the aisle at his opponent as he approached . . . there was nothing more frightening. From Jake, we learn that you don’t have to be the best at everything in order to be the most memorable. You just have to be really, REALLY good at what you’re best at. And Jake was that. Use that advice in your IT marketing, rather than toting a burlap sack around containing a 10-ft. python.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage

“Oooohhhh yeeeaahhh!” Savage excelled at a time of extraordinarily fierce competition. He didn’t paint his face, he didn’t have a pet, he didn’t have supermodel looks. But he loved what he did, and it shined brightly. His costume evolved to match his personality – eventually wearing his trademark cowboy hats, decorated sunglasses, and flamboyant jackets in every entrance. He became such an icon that most of us who grew up in the 80’s can’t hear “Pomp and Circumstance” without thinking of the Macho Man – which tends to make graduations interesting. He taught us to be who we are – regardless of the competition – and let our own greatness shine through. We’ll do that, Macho Man. And hopefully, we can also retire to be the new spokesperson for Slim Jim.

The Ultimate Warrior

Okay, this guy was weird. We freely admit that. His interviews before matches would consist of grunts, snarls, and strange philosophical metaphors that never seemed to correlate. An example: “Should I jump off the tallest building in the world? Should I lay on the lawn and let it run over me with lawnmowers? Should I go to Africa and let it trample me with raging elephants?” Um. Ssssure. All that weirdness aside – no one got the crowd going like Warrior. When the music hit, he sprinted into the arena at top speed, pumping his fist in the air, circling the ring, then shaking the ropes like a madman. It was INTENSE. The Ultimate Warrior showed us that lack of convention often yields some of the greatest success. Sure, we thought Warrior was off his rocker, but we still thought he was awesome.

Hulk Hogan

You know we couldn’t have ended this blog without mentioning the Hulkster. This guy defined “sports entertainment” for most of the 80’s and even into the 90’s. Even people who said they didn’t care for the guy still saw the appeal. Hogan has always had incredible charisma and confidence. He knew how to work a crowd and get them more excited than they ever thought possible. And, for a wrestler, he was likable. The Hulkster taught us that, even when you’re at the absolute top of your game, keep improving. For a time, Hogan was so popular, no one else could come close. And yet, he continued to build his character and his personal brand. He’s in his 60’s now and can retire comfortably whenever he likes. But he just doesn’t. He’s always in the game, and THAT is a trait to be admired.

TRIdigital is Prepared to Become Your “Manager” and Be in Your Corner.

Now, don’t expect us to be like your IT marketing version of “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart and hit people over the head with a megaphone. What we will do is help you to discover who YOU are and help you build your own personal brand. We’ll showcase what will make your clients cheer for you, and how to build your fanbase. Once you get to the top of IT marketing, however, whether or not you wear a championship belt is up to you.

Email Marketing like You’re in a Long-Distance Relationship

Say you’re in a long-distance relationship, and the only form of communication you have with your special someone is email. Could you make the relationship work? When trying to optimize your email marketing, one trick is to build your campaigns as if you’re writing to your long-distance lover. Sounds crazy, right? But think of it like this – your prospects are people with whom you want to start and maintain relationships. They’re the ones who help your business flourish, and the last thing you’d want to do is cut-off communication with them. Here are a few tips to help you build the best email marketing campaigns out there.

1. Email Marketing: Make Them Feel Special

In any relationship, you do your best to make the other person feel as if they’re the only one for you – and that’s how you should treat your email marketing prospects. Obviously, you don’t have the time, energy, or creative powers to write and send personalized emails to every single one of your customers. But by doing simple things like personalizing email subject lines with the customer’s name or doing targeted personalization in the email content, you will see greater success. In fact, according to Aberdeen, personalized email messages improve click-through rates by an average of 14% and conversions by 10%! That goes to show how a little TLC can go a long way.

2. Avoid Excessive Communication

It’s unwise to be overly possessive and clingy in a long-distance relationship. Remember: less is more. Over-communicating is a big faux pas, and it will only exhaust your relationship. When it comes to email marketing, the same rules apply. You don’t want to spam your contacts with email campaigns every day just for the sake of doing it. Make sure the content you do send is relevant, interesting, helpful, and valuable in some way. Your prospects will appreciate your efforts and be more engaged with you in the future.

3. Communicate Regularly and Creatively

While you want to avoid communicating too often with your significant other, you do want to keep in touch consistently and creatively. Just as you would update your partner on any major life events, you should update your prospects about any major happenings in your company. Whether it’s an event you’re promoting, a new service you’re offering, or simply to say you’re closed for holiday hours, let your customers know! We get that making a long-distance relationship work is tough business, much like your email marketing strategy. Have questions? Contact TRIdigital today for a free consultation!